Top-Rated HD Camcorders – Reviews and Comparison 2013
Capture videos of your magic moments
Smart Review features only top-rated digital camcorders. Those camcorders with the highest owner ratings are listed here. See the latest flash memory and high definition (HD) camcorders for 2013. Read the Smart Review 2013 Camcorder Buying Guide to help you decide what type of camcorder you should purchase. Top-Rated Camcorders listed below all have received owner reviews of 4 stars or better.
Deep Discount Prices – This site offers Camcorders through highly rated vendors at deep discount prices with free shipping on most models.
 **New for 2012** Sony’s low priced dual flash memory based high definition camcorder with 16gb of internal memory and built in Projector. Advanced features include an ultra-smooth 60 progressive frames/second (1080p @ 60fps) recording mode, it can also record at 24p (1080p @24fps), the same frame rate as movie film. The PJ260V Features a new wide angle G-Lens (29.8mm) with 30x Optical zoom. High end Optical SteadyShot image stabilization w/ Active Mode (compensates for greater degrees of camera shake to deliver smoother video). Compact size. Other features: 8.9 megapixel still images, 3.0 inch LCD touch-screen (230K pixels), built-in GPS to geotag your video or pictures. The HDR-PJ260V has a 1/3.9-inch back-illuminated “Exmor R” CMOS sensor for better low light performance. BIONZ™ Image processor improves the speed and quality, as well as improving battery life. Full HD (1920 x 1080) video capture. The newly improved Built-in Projector can project your videos on a wall for viewing up to the size of a 100-inch diagonal screen. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
**New for 2013** The HDR-PJ790V is Sony’s latest top of the line HD camcorder with a huge internal 96GB flash drive and 10x optical zoom with a Carl Zeiss 26.3mm Wide Angle Vario Sonnar T-Lens. SmartReview previewed this model at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. This model includes the groundbreaking image stabilization technology, Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ (which claims to be 13x better than regular Steadyshot) delivers smoother video in low light, and long telephoto shots. Sony told us that the new steady shot runs the entire length of the optical system, from the lens to the imager. This is like having a Steadicam built-in to the camera. New for 2013 is an improved video projector (located on the outside of the LCD door). Sony has almost doubled the Projector light output to 35 lumens. This will allow you to project your videos on a wall up to a 100 inch picture (This requires a dark room to view). Also new is a projector hdmi input which will allow you to plug in your tablet or smartphone and project content, and movies directly from the camcorder. The projector’s resolution in pixels has improved by 50% over the PJ760V. A new 5.1 channel dolby surround sound microphone now sits above the body for superior sound, and when outdoors you can use the excellent included furry windscreen which slips right over the microphone and reduces wind noise by 90% for optimal sound. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
| *New for 2013. Panasonic’s midrange HC-V720K Flash Memory Camcorder replaces the extremely popular HC-V700K series. It records to SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards in Full HD video. (This camcorder features High-density, ultra-smooth video at 1080/60p Recording (Full-HD 1920 x 1080, 60 Progressive frames Recording). It also includes a fast F1.8-F3.5 lens that was created for the HC-V720K to help in low light situations. The wide angle 28mm lens can fit more people and more of the background into the frame than a conventional lens. The imaging sensor is a large 1/2.33″ High Sensitivity MOS Sensor which can provide up to 1,920 x 1,080 of HD resolution. Takes 20.4 megapixel still pictures. Included are advanced features such as the new Hybrid optical/digital image stabilization with HYBRID O.I.S. which uses five-axis correction to suppress blurring, 21x optical zoom (Intelligent Zoom function can go up to 50x), accessory shoe, and an external microphone jack. At full resolution the camcorder records to MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (original format) at a 28mbps bit rate. All other video is recorded with AVCHD. At maximum quality , you can record over 2 hours and 40 minutes of video using a 32GB memory card. Built-in WIFI, Dolby 5.1 sound. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
**New for 2012** Sony’s latest low priced dual flash memory based high definition camcorder with 16gb of internal memory. Advanced features include an ultra-smooth 60 progressive frames/second (1080p @ 60fps) recording mode, it can also record at 24p (1080p @24fps), the same frame rate as movie film. The CX260V Features a new wide angle G-Lens (29.8mm) with 30x Optical zoom. High end Optical SteadyShot image stabilization w/ Active Mode (compensates for greater degrees of camera shake to deliver smoother video). Compact size. Other features: 8.9 megapixel still images, 3.0 inch LCD touch-screen (230K pixels), built-in GPS to geotag your video or pictures. The HDR-CX260V has a 1/3.9-inch back-illuminated “Exmor R” CMOS sensor for better low light performance. BIONZ™ Image processor improves the speed and quality, as well as improving battery life. Full HD (1920 x 1080) video capture. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
**New for 2013** Sony’s mid-range dual flash memory based high definition camcorder has 32GB of internal memory for hours of recording. Advanced features include an ultra-smooth 60 progressive frames/second (1080p @ 60fps) recording mode, it can also record at 24p (1080p @24fps), the same frame rate as movie film. The CX430V Features a new wide angle G-Lens (26.8mm) with 30x Optical zoom. This camcorder has Sony’s best premium Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization to prevent blurring when shooting video. This is Sony’s lowest priced camcorder with this feature. Compact size. Other features: 8.9 megapixel still images, 3.0 inch LCD touch-screen (230K pixels), built-in GPS to geotag your video or pictures. The HDR-CX430V has a 1/3.91-inch back-illuminated “Exmor R” CMOS sensor for better low light performance. BIONZ™ Image processor improves the speed and quality, as well as improving battery life. Full HD (1920 x 1080) video capture. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
*New for 2013. The Canon HF R42 is Canon’s low cost 32GB Dual Flash Memory Camcorder. Records in full 1920 x 1080 Full HD Video (1080p). The 32x Optical Zoom Lens (53x advanced zoom) delivers excellent image quality and has SuperRange optical image stabilization (to keep video sharp in low light, or when doing handheld shots without a tripod). External Microphone Terminal and Headphone Jack. Included is a 1/4.85 inch HD CMOS Sensor, AVCHD H.264, Cinema-Look Filters, 2 megapixel still images, and has a 24p, 30p, and a new 60p mode. The External Microphone Jack will give you better sound options. The HF R42 records at up to 24mbps (the AVHCD best bit rate) or 35mbps using MP4 compression. At maximum HD quality , you can record about 2 hours and 55 minutes to its internal 32GB Memory (record even more time to SDHC/SDXC memory cards). Built-in Wi-Fi® technology on the VIXIA HF R42 lets you share your HD video with friends and family. Control your camcorders functions from a remote location. Camcorder turns on/off instantly when you open/close the LCD panel. Dolby Digital AC3 (2 Channel)sound. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
**New for 2013** The HDR-PJ650V is Sony’s 2nd best HD camcorder with a 32GB flash drive and 12x optical zoom. SmartReview previewed this model at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. This model includes the groundbreaking image stabilization technology, Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ (which claims to be 13x better than regular Steadyshot) delivers smoother video in low light, and long telephoto shots. This feature was demonstrated to us (and it does work extremely well). Sony told us that the new steady shot runs the entire length of the optical system, from the lens to the imager. This is like having a Steadicam built-in to the camera. New for 2013 is an improved video projector (located on the outside of the LCD door). Sony has increased the light output to 20 lumens (up from 13). This will allow you to project your videos on a wall up to a 100 inch picture (This requires a dark room to view). Also new is a projector hdmi input which will allow you to plug in your tablet or smartphone and project content, and movies directly from the camcorder. External microphone jack, headphone jack, built in Dolby 5.1 channel surround sound microphone for best quality sound. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
2013 Camcorder Buying Guide – Buying a camcorder can be confusing. With so many choices and features you need to understand what is important and what is not. This camcorder buying guide will help you sort out the facts on camcorders and what models best fit your needs. It will also explain the technical jargon [...]
[ Read More → ]
|
**New for 2013** Sony’s mid-range dual flash memory based high definition camcorder has 32GB of internal memory and a built in Projector. Advanced features include an ultra-smooth 60 progressive frames/second (1080p @ 60fps) recording mode, it can also record at 24p (1080p @24fps), the same frame rate as movie film. The PJ430V Features a new wide angle G-Lens (26.8mm) with 30x Optical zoom. This camcorder has Sony’s best premium Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization to prevent blurring when shooting video. Compact size. Other features: 8.9 megapixel still images, 3.0 inch LCD touch-screen (230K pixels), built-in GPS to geotag your video or pictures. The HDR-PJ430V has a 1/3.91-inch back-illuminated “Exmor R” CMOS sensor for better low light performance. BIONZ™ Image processor improves the speed and quality, as well as improving battery life. Full HD (1920 x 1080) video capture. The newly improved 13 lumen Built-in Projector can project your videos on a wall for viewing up to the size of a 100-inch diagonal screen. New for 2013 is a projector HDMI input, which allows you to project content from your tablet, laptop, or smartphone by plugging them into the camcorder. This is one of the least expensive models with Balanced Optical Steadyshot™, Sony’s best image stabilizer. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
*New for 2013. The Canon HF-R40 is Canon’s low cost Dual Flash Memory Camcorder. Records in full 1920 x 1080 Full HD Video (1080p). The 32x Optical Zoom Lens (53x advanced zoom) delivers excellent image quality and has SuperRange optical image stabilization (to keep video sharp in low light, or when doing handheld shots without a tripod). External Microphone Terminal and Headphone Jack. Included is a 1/4.85 inch HD CMOS Image Sensor, AVCHD H.264, Cinema-Look Filters, 2 megapixel still images, and a 24p, 30p and new 60p mode. The External Microphone Jack will give you better sound options. The HF-R42 records at up to 24mbps (the AVHCD best bit rate) or 35mbps using MP4 compression. At maximum HD quality , you can record about 2 hours and 55 minutes to a 32GB SDHC/SDXC memory card (record more time to internal 8GB). Built-in Wi-Fi® technology on the VIXIA HF R40 lets you share your HD video with friends and family. Control your camcorders functions from a remote location. Camcorder turns on/off instantly when you open the LCD panel. Dolby Digital AC3 (2 Channel)sound. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
| *New for 2013. The top of the line compact Panasonic HC-X920 replaces the top-rated X900 model. This Flash Memory camcorder records Pro level Full HD video using SDHC/SDXC memory cards. The HC-X920 camcorder features High-density, ultra-smooth video at 1080/60p Recording (Full-HD 1920 x 1080, 60 Progressive frames Recording). It also includes a new fast F1.5-F2.8 lens that was created for the HC-X920 to help in low light situations. Noise Reduction technology for better picture quality. The wide 29mm wide-angle lens fits more people and more of the background into the frame than a conventional lens. For 2013 Panasonic has a new imaging sensor which consists of three 1/2.3-inch imagers on the new 3MOS System PRO sensor (3 x 12.76mp) which can provide up to 1,920 x 1,080 of HD resolution. These sensors are now Backside illuminated (BSI) for better low light performance. Takes 20.4 megapixel still pictures. Included are advanced features such as the new 5 Axis Hybrid optical/digital image stabilization, 12x optical zoom (with 25x intelligent zoom), 5.1 Channel Surround Sound Microphone, and Manual controls and a focus ring, electronic viewfinder (EVF), 24p accessory shoe, and external microphone jack, and Time Lapse Recording. At full resolution the camcorder records to AVCHD progressive at a 28mbps bit rate. Video can also be recorded to the new [iFrame] MP4 format to share smaller file sizes on social media. At maximum quality , you can record over 2 hours and 40 minutes of video using a 32GB SDHC/SDXC memory card. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
*New for 2013* The Canon HF-G20 is Canon’s current top of the line consumer camcorder. Compact in size. Records video in full 1920 x 1080 Full HD (1080p). Records to SDHC/SDXC memory cards (camcorder has two memory card slots) or it records to its built-in 32GB flash drive. Relay Recording automatically switches video recording from the internal drive to the next available SDHC/SDXC memory card when the internal drive is full. You can also copy video from your internal drive to your memory card(s). The 10x zoom HD Video Lens delivers excellent image quality and has new Dynamic SuperRange optical image stabilization (to keep video sharp in low light, or when holding the camcorder without a tripod). Included lens hood. Large 3.5-inch high resolution LCD screen. External Microphone Terminal with Manual Audio Level Control, Headphone Terminal, 2 megapixel photos and Digital DV III image processor. Included are advanced features such an updated large 1/3 inch HD CMOS Pro Imager (better for low light) provides a wide dynamic range, AVCHD H.264, and has a true 24p Cinema mode. (native 24p) and a 30p mode. External Microphone Jack for better sound options. The HF G20 records at up to 24mbps (the AVHCD best bit rate). At maximum quality , you can record about 2 hours and 55 minutes to its internal 32GB flash drive. More recording time is also available if you use SDHC memory cards after filling up the internal memory drive. Canon’s Instant AF focusing system greatly enhances auto focus speed and accuracy and decreases the time to lock in focus (even in low light). …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
Flash Memory HD Camcorders – This is a roundup of the best rated flash memory based digital camcorders. Flash memory camcorders use built-in solid state memory or flash memory cards to store the incoming video. (Dual Flash camcorders use both). The recording mechanism has no moving parts. They are usually smaller and lighter than other [...]
[ Read More → ]
Best Low Light HD Camcorders – This is a roundup of camcorders that are best suited for low light conditions. Poor performance in low light is the number one complaint when using a camcorder. There are several factors that help in low light conditions. One is the size and type of imager (the chip(s) that [...]
[ Read More → ]
|
*New for 2012. The Canon HF-M52 is Canon’s newest fully featured 32GB Dual Flash Memory Camcorder. Records in full 1920 x 1080 Full HD Video (1080p). Records its internal 32GB drive or to SDHC/SDXC memory cards (camcorder has two memory card slots). The 10x zoom HD Video Lens delivers excellent image quality and has SuperRange optical image stabilization (to keep video sharp in low light, or when doing handheld shots without a tripod). External Microphone Terminal with Manual Audio Level Control and Headphone Jack. Included are advanced features such a newly developed large 1/3 inch HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor (better for low light), AVCHD H.264, Cinema-Look Filters, 2 megapixel still images, and has a true 24p Cinema mode. (native 24p) and a 30p mode. The External Microphone Jack will give you better sound options. The HF-M52 records at up to 24mbps (the AVHCD best bit rate). At maximum quality , you can record about 2 hours and 55 minutes to a its internal 32GB (more with memory cards loaded). Canon also record in .MP4 format. Canon’s Instant AF focusing system greatly enhances auto focus speed and accuracy and decreases the time to lock in focus (even in low light). Built-in Wi-Fi for wireless video transfer to your PC. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
The Canon Professional XA10 is Canon’s top dual flash memory based camcorder. Compact in size. Records in full 1920 x 1080 Full HD (1080p). Records to SDHC/SDXC memory cards (camcorder has two memory card slots) or it records to its built-in 64GB flash drive. Relay Recording allows the camcorder to automatically switch video recording from the internal drive to the next available SDHC/SDXC memory card when the internal drive is full. You can also copy video from your internal drive to your memory card(s). The 10x zoom HD Video Lens delivers excellent image quality and has SuperRange optical image stabilization (to keep video sharp in low light, or when holding the camcorder without a tripod). Included lens hood. Large 3.5-inch high resolution LCD screen. Its larger imager provides 8 megapixel still images, External Microphone Terminal with Manual Audio Level Control, Headphone Terminal, Digital DV III image processor. Included are advanced features such as Canon’s Native 1920 x 1080 CMOS Image Sensor (better for low light) and provides a wide dynamic range, AVCHD H.264, and has a true 24p Cinema mode. (native 24p) . External Microphone Jack for better sound options. The XA10 records at up to 24mbps (the AVHCD best bit rate). At maximum quality , you can record about 5 hours and 55 minutes to its internal 64GB flash drive. More recording time is also available if you use SDHC memory cards after filling up the internal memory drive. Canon’s Instant AF focusing system greatly enhances auto focus speed and accuracy and decreases the time to lock in focus (even in low light). Professional features include manual focusing, 2 XLR jacks, manual aperature and shutter speed, Waveform, Zebra Stripe, gain control, infrared night vision to shoot in total darkness. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
|
**New for 2012** Sony’s latest low priced hard drive memory (HDD) based high definition camcorder with 160GB of internal memory. Advanced features include an ultra-smooth 60 progressive frames/second (1080p @ 60fps) recording mode, it can also record at 24p (1080p @24fps), the same frame rate as movie film. The XR260V Features a new wide angle G-Lens (29.8mm) with 30x Optical zoom. High end Optical SteadyShot image stabilization w/ Active Mode (compensates for greater degrees of camera shake to deliver smoother video). Compact size. Other features: 8.9 megapixel still images, 3.0 inch LCD touch-screen (230K pixels), built-in GPS to geotag your video or pictures. The HDR-XR260V has a 1/3.9-inch back-illuminated “Exmor R” CMOS sensor for better low light performance. BIONZ™ Image processor improves the speed and quality, as well as improving battery life. Full HD (1920 x 1080) video capture. …More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
**New for 2012** Sony’s latest dual flash memory based high definition camcorder with a large internal 32GB flash drive and 10x optical zoom. SmartReview previewed this model at CES 2012 in Las Vegas. New for 2012 is the introduction of Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ (which claims to be 13x better than regular Steadyshot) which will deliver smoother video in low light, and long telephoto shots. This feature was demonstrated to us, and Sony explained that the new steady shot runs the entire length of the optical system, from the lens to the imager. This is a breakthrough in stabilization technology. Also new for 2012 is an improved projector (located on the outside of the LCD door). Sony has doubled light output to 20 lumens. This will allow you to project your videos on a wall, up to a 100-inch size (This requires a darkened room to view). This camcorder has a wide angle low light carl zeiss lens, and a large 1/2.88 inch imager which is great for low light video.
…More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
**New for 2012** Sony’s top of the line dual flash memory based high definition camcorder with a huge internal 96GB flash drive and 10x optical zoom. SmartReview previewed this model at CES 2012 in Las Vegas. New for 2012 is the introduction of Balanced Optical SteadyShot™ (which claims to be 13x better than regular Steadyshot) which will deliver smoother video in low light, and long telephoto shots. This feature was demonstrated to us, and Sony explained that the new steady shot runs the entire length of the optical system, from the lens to the imager. This is a breakthrough in stabilization technology. Also new for 2012 is an improved projector (located on the outside of the LCD door). Sony has doubled light output to 20 lumens. This will allow you to project your videos on a wall, up to a 100-inch size (This requires a dark room to view). This camcorder has a wide angle low light carl zeiss lens, and a large 1/2.88 inch imager which is great for low light video.
…More…
|
|
[ Read More → ]
| The Professional Panasonic AG-HMC40 Flash Memory HD Camcorder is highly rated and feature rich. Panasonic’s AVCCAM line has features usually only seen on pro camcorders that are much more costly. Pro features include: (HDMI out, date/time stamp, remote zoom, XLR option, etc.). Unlike most Professional Camcorders which record to MiniDV Tape, this camcorder records to SDHC memory cards. Also included is a fast ( f1.8- 2.8 ) 12x Leica Dicomar Lens. The imaging sensor consists of three 1/4.1-inch 3MOS sensors (3 x 3.05mp) which can provide up to 1,920×1,080 of HD resolution, and can capture 10.6 megapixel still pictures as well as 1080p quality video. At full resolution the camcorder records to AVCHD at up to a 24mbps bit rate. At maximum quality , you can record over 2 hours and 54 minutes of video to a 32gb SDHC memory card. External Microphone Inputs.
|
|
[ Read More → ]
