Cameras & Camcorders / Camcorders

With so many mobile devices around now that are able to capture high definition (HD) video, the camcorder market has been shrinking in recent years but manufacturers are fighting back with ever more advanced features and capabilities to reclaim some lost ground. In response to competition from the ubiquitous smartphone, camcorders today offer more connectivity options as well as greater control over your footage, in-camera editing, built-in projectors and more. It has become standard for camcorders to deliver HD video but the newest, top-of-the-range models are going further and can capture video in ultra high definition. And for all the convenience and impressive features of multitasking mobile devices, a good dedicated camcorder will still outperform your smartphone or tablet when it comes to taking great video footage, particularly in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. However, selecting the perfect model can be difficult with huge variations in capabilities, size, weight, and, of course, price – with the camcorders in our test ranging from a relatively affordable €170 to an eye-watering €2,000. So you need to choose wisely to make the most of your investment.

4K

All our camcorders on test deliver footage in HD – either at 1280 x 720 pixels or 1920 x 1080 pixels – and are best watched on a HDTV to get the full effect. However, models are now emerging that can offer 4K resolution, which is four times the resolution of HD. A 4K camcorder delivers 3840 x 2160 pixels and though you will need a 4K or ultra-high-definition TV in order to reap the full benefit when viewing your footage, you should still be able to see the difference in clarity and detail on a HDTV. Our top Choice Buy from our current batch, the Sony FDR-AX100, shoots in 4K but, as with all 4K camcorders currently, it is extremely expensive and may be out of most people’s price range – so you may prefer to stick with a HD camcorder.
Users should note that HD recordings take up far more storage space than standard-definition video, with 720p files a little smaller than 1080i. Some formats that record in HD, like AVCHD, require HD-capable devices, such as a Blu-ray disc player, to play back footage. However, some camcorders will give you the option of recording in standard definition or lower resolution, which will reduce the amount of storage space you need and can be handy if you want to share recordings with others as it provides broader playback compatibility.

Other developments

Many have abandoned camcorders for the ever-present smartphone or the portability of the digital camera – both of which can capture HD video and, depending on the model, may produce very good results. To increase the appeal of a dedicated device specifically geared towards video, camcorder manufacturers have worked not only on providing superior image quality and better audio quality, they have sought to improve the ease of moving video content onto the web or storing it in the cloud. To this end, many of the models on test, including most of our Choice Buys, offer wi-fi functionality, allowing you to wirelessly transfer video recordings to a smart device like a phone or tablet. Some models use wi-fi and/or near field communication to enable you to remotely control your camcorder via your smartphone or to turn your smartphone screen into a remote viewfinder.

One advanced feature that Sony introduced in 2011 with its PJ range and that it continues to develop is a projector built into the camcorder that is able to display video onto a wall, screen or any flat surface up to 2.5 metres wide. As well as being able to show video footage that you have shot, you can turn these camcorders into a multimedia projector by hooking them up to a smartphone, computer, Blu-ray player or other media device to show full-length films, YouTube videos, holiday photos and more. Although they achieve only a fraction of the lumens produced by dedicated home projectors, these built-in projectors still do a decent job in a darkened room. Three of our current Choice Buys are Sony models with built-in projectors.

An innovative feature provided by another Choice Buy, the Panasonic HC-W850, is a “twin camera” that means that as well as the video footage you are shooting with the main camera, a second camera mounted on the LCD door enables you to take supplementary footage – either your own reactions as you watch the scene in front of you unfold or possibly a wide angle shot of the event on which you have zoomed in. The second camera view shows as a small window in the corner of the video.

Ten tips for shooting great videos

Making an interesting, well-shot video is not as easy as pointing a camcorder or smartphone, pressing record, and hoping for the best. Here are some tips to guide you in the right direction.

1. Plan your recordings – think about your audience and what they would like to see. Whether you are filming a child’s birthday party, a family trip to the zoo or something more ambitious, taking a few minutes to decide how to tell the story and what shots you need is time well spent and will produce a better outcome.
2. Compose your shots well – placing your subject slightly off-centre can let you capture more of the surrounding environment and atmosphere and is more visually interesting than having the subject positioned in the dead centre of the shot.
3. Manually overriding the auto settings in tricky lighting conditions can produce great results but a bit of practise is needed so that you know what you are doing – you don’t want to miss out on capturing that special, never-to-be-repeated moment because you are fiddling with the menu selections.
4. Shoot from different vantage points – although it can be tempting to set up a tripod and film everything from one position, your footage will be much more interesting if it is shot from a variety of angles.
5. Keep special effects to a minimum – it is better to add in fades, wipes and other effects at the video-editing stage than when you are shooting the original footage as this gives you more options later on.
6. Avoid over-using the zoom – too much zooming in and out looks amateurish and could make your audience feel dizzy. Similarly, panning from left to right too much can make your viewers feel seasick. Use both zooming and panning sparingly.
7. Be aware of audio levels when filming – as it is very difficult to correct poor sound after the shoot. Built-in microphones can pick up a lot of background noise so if it is important to record someone speaking, you may need to stand close to them. Some built-in microphones can operate in conjunction with the optical zoom, allowing you to pick up more-distant sounds, and some camcorders allow you to attach an external microphone to improve audio quality.
8. Carry a spare memory card and an extra battery – you don’t want to run out of either recording capacity or power at a crucial moment.
9. Showing your footage in its entirety can contain many dull moments but, by editing your video, you can put together highlights and create a more engaging result. At the editing stage, be ruthless and cut out anything you don’t need to tell the story. Editing high definition video requires a fast computer with plenty of memory.
10. Having shot great video footage, make sure to back it up to additional discs, an external hard drive, or in the cloud – or possibly a combination of these approaches. It is not recommended to use your computer’s hard drive for long-term storage as uncompressed digital video takes up a lot of space and hard drives can eventually fail.