Camcorder Reviews

- Camcorder Reviews

Hi, I’m David Elrich and I do many of the camcorder reviews at DigitalTrends.com. As a long-time CE journalist, I’ve seen camcorders morph from shoulder-mounted monstrosities to tiny models that capture full HD 3D video. Although digital cameras and smartphones can grab acceptable video clips, nothing beats a full-featured camcorder for videos you’ll want to preserve for years and show off to friends and family on a big-screen HDTV. Use the checkboxes below to help narrow your search.

Whether you’re looking for standard definition, full HD or an affordable pocket camcorder, our camcorder buying guide and picks for the best camcorders will help simplify your decision. 

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Panasonic HDC-SD100 Review
Panasonic HDC-SD100 Review
  • Improved video over 3CCD system; very…
  • Video not competitive with the Big…
Our Score: 3.5
User Score: 0
Canon Vixia HG21 Review
Canon Vixia HG21 Review
  • Terrific video; fast and accurate…
  • LCD display could be better; no face…
Our Score: 4.5
User Score: 2.5
JVC Everio GZ-HD40 Review
JVC Everio GZ-HD40 Review
  • Massive 120GB hard drive; great color…
  • No optical image stabilization; noisy…
Our Score: 4
User Score: 5
JVC Everio S GZ-MS100 Review
JVC Everio S GZ-MS100 Review
  • Lightweight; decent video quality;…
  • Hardly a "One-Touch" upload to…
Our Score: 3.5
User Score: 3.5
Flip Mino Review
Flip Mino Review
  • Easy to use; includes editing…
  • Expensive; poor sound; below-average…
Our Score: 3.5
User Score: 3
Panasonic HDC-HS9 Review
Panasonic HDC-HS9 Review
  • Ample HD storage; compact and…
  • Poor video and still quality; menu…
Our Score: 3.5
User Score: 0
Sony HDR-SR12 Review
Sony HDR-SR12 Review
  • Full HD 1920 x 1080 120GB AVCHD HDD…
  • Expensive; weak low-light performance
Our Score: 4.5
User Score: 3.5
Canon Vixia HF10 Review
Canon Vixia HF10 Review
  • Takes beautiful HD video outdoors;…
  • Poor battery life; menu system is not…
Our Score: 4
User Score: 5
JVC Everio GZ-HD6 Review
JVC Everio GZ-HD6 Review
  • Excellent 1080p video; optical image…
  • Mic picks up wind noise; missing a…
Our Score: 4.5
User Score: 2.5
JVC EVERIO GZ-HD3 Review
JVC EVERIO GZ-HD3 Review
  • 60GB HDD 3-CCD HD camcorder with 10x…
  • No optical image stabilization or…
Our Score: 4
User Score: 3
Panasonic HDC-SX5 Review
Panasonic HDC-SX5 Review
  • Records full HD to SD cards and DVDs;…
  • Unbelievably poor battery placement
Our Score: 4
User Score: 4
Sony HDR-CX7 Review
Sony HDR-CX7 Review
  • Quality HD video recording to flash…
  • No card compatibility with Sony flat…
Our Score: 4.5
User Score: 3
Sony HDR-HC7 Review
Sony HDR-HC7 Review
  • Excellent HDV video; optical image…
  • No 24p Cinema mode; confusing menus
Our Score: 4
User Score: 4.5
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 Review
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 Review
  • Affordable high-def camcorder; takes…
  • Not as good as its HD competition
Our Score: 3
User Score: 3
JVC Everio GZ-HD7 Review
JVC Everio GZ-HD7 Review
  • Good video quality; five-hour video…
  • No AF Assist lamp
  • flash or light; offloading and…
Our Score: 3.5
User Score: 4
Canon HV20 Review
Canon HV20 Review
  • Excellent HDV video
  • OIS
  • Bulky tape-based format; editing…
Our Score: 4.5
User Score: 4.5
Hitachi DZ-HS300A Review
Hitachi DZ-HS300A Review
  • Combo 8GB HDD/DVD camcorder
  • Poor manuals; soft colors; needs…
Our Score: 3.5
User Score: 3
Canon Powershot TX1 Review
Canon Powershot TX1 Review
  • Excellent video quality; 4:3 & 16:9…
  • Odd shape & location of buttons;…
Our Score: 4.5
User Score: 4.5
Samsung SC-DC564 Review
Samsung SC-DC564 Review
  • Low price; attractive design
  • Poor video quality; short battery…
Our Score: 2.5
User Score: 1.5
Panasonic HDC-SD1 Review
Panasonic HDC-SD1 Review
  • SD card-based; 1080i video featuring…
  • Expensive; HDMI cable is not…
Our Score: 4.5
User Score: 3.5

camcorder reviews

How we test camcorders

It’s much easier to pick up and shoot with a camcorder than review one. Evaluating a camcorder involves a battery of tests, from inspecting video and image quality to considering aspects like button placement and battery life. Here’s how we do our camcorder reviews. Read More

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