Camcorders For Videographers That are Worth Buying 2023
Camcorders go way back. But they are still being used today. For a videographer, it is important to own one. This brings us to what we’ll discuss in this guide, the best camcorders. If you would like to know, then read through this guide keenly.
What Are Camcorders?
Camcorders are a type of camera that is used to record and store videos. They typically have a built-in tape deck for recording onto, or you can use an SD card or other removable media.
Recording video with a camcorder is different from using your phone because it does not have the same limitations as smartphone cameras do – such as limited battery life, size of storage, lens choices, etc.
Buyer’s Guide For Camcorders
Types of Camcorders
There are two popular types of camcorders available today; full-sized camcorders and action cams. In general, a full-sized camcorder is much more powerful than its palm-sized counterparts, with better zoom capabilities and image stabilization to boast a few features where the action cam is no match.
If you want an even more compact and portable camcorder, you can get an action cam. It is almost half the size of a full-sized camcorder but does not compromise much on features. It is designed for people who engage in outdoor activities such as surfing, biking, and extreme sports as it is primarily waterproof, rugged, and allows you to record hands-free video.
Resolution
The resolution indicates how much detail and clarity your videos and images will have. Most of the latest camcorders record high-definition videos, even budget ones. So Full HD is the minimum resolution you should settle for. Still, if you want to record videos in even more detail, premium camcorders can shoot 4K footage, which has twice the resolution of 1080p videos.
Zoom
Zoom can have a significant impact on your videos. Buying a cheap camcorder either provides too little optical zoom or too much digital zoom, which degrades the video quality. Optical zoom works by adjusting the lens, whereas digital zoom simply crops the image. About 5x to 10x optical zoom should be plenty if you record an object from close range, but larger settings might require at least 25x zoom.
Wireless Connectivity
In a world where social media is an integral part of our lives, your pictures and videos will end up on the internet. WiFi connectivity makes file sharing much more straightforward as you can share files on the go, and some devices even allow you to remotely control the camcorder with it.
Check the LCD.
Most measure about 3 inches on the diagonal, but some are larger. However, few action cams have any type of display. Some displays on full-sized models suffer from too much glare, making them difficult to use outdoors in bright sun. Check the display in the store to make sure you’re satisfied with the usability of any model you’re considering. But note that most LCDs look fine indoors. In full, midday sunlight, viewing performance will vary greatly from model to model.
Think about lighting.
You won’t always be shooting in bright light. Using the default mode, we found that models varied in quality when shooting in dim light. Most full-sized HD camcorders captured at least good-quality video in low light, but some had excellent quality. Note that many camcorders have settings that can improve performance but can be a challenge to use.
Consider audio quality.
We look at how accurately the built-in microphone records and whether the sound file is free from noise or hiss. Action cams often lack decent audio quality. A few advanced models include a jack for using an external microphone, which can improve sound quality.
Sensor
The size of the sensor plays a significant role in video quality. For the best results, the sensor’s resolution should be at least twice the video’s resolution, i.e., for a 720p camcorder, the sensor resolution should be at least 1.8 megapixels; for 1080i/p, it should be at least four megapixels.
A larger sensor also helps get better results under low-light conditions as it can capture more light than a smaller sensor. A 1/2.3” is considered decent for a camcorder, but many professional camcorders today feature sensors as big as 1-inch.
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Panasonic HC-X2000
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Sony HDR-CX405
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GoPro Hero8 Black
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Sony FDR-AX700
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YIXINXIN Camera Ultra HD 48MP 60FPS
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ORDRO AX60 UHD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom
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Canon Vixia HF R800
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Canon XC15
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Sony FDR-AX43
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Sony RX0 II
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Best Camcorders
Panasonic HC-X2000
The Panasonic HC-X2000 is one of the best camcorders out there right now. As such it’s not cheap but that’s because this is what’s called a prosumer model – straddling the lines between professional quality and consumer usability. This does it all, from 4K image quality at 60 fps to 24x optical zoom. You can enjoy relatively easy use with the removable handle which comes with a really useful LED light that’s diffused for a professional lighting finish, even in a rush.
You also get five-axis hybrid optical image stabilization meaning this is a very forgiving camera even for those newer to this level of quality. The 1/2.5 MOS sensor works with a Leica Dicomer lens for optimal quality.
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Sony HDR-CX405
The Sony HDR-CX405 is a great budget option for anyone that is happy with 1080p video quality and wants a video camera that’s super compact and portable. Despite the handheld form factor, this camcorder offers 30x optical zoom with the Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar lens. You get intelligent features like optical SteadyShot and Intelligent Active mode to offer a smooth finish.
Onboard editing is even an option using the Highlight Movie Maker. This can be saved on the memory card with both XAVC S and AVCHD recorded simultaneously if you want. The USB cable is tethered for easy file transfer as well as recharging and you get 5.1 audio with the built-in microphone.
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GoPro Hero8 Black
The GoPro Hero8 Black is the ultimate action camera with a tough build that can withstand water and knocks. Under that outer shell is a super powerful system that can capture up to 4K footage at 60fps. This comes with some of the best image stabilization out there and offers lots of pre-set modes to suit what you’re filming.
Granted there is no front-facing screen and despite having voice controls these aren’t the most reliable. But with that super strong build that doesn’t even require a case for underwater use, this does it all for the price.
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Sony FDR-AX700
The Sony FDR-AX700 takes a lot of high-end professional camera specs and crams them into a palm-sized camcorder. That means you get 4K resolution and HDR so that when played back on a top-end TV this will push it to its limit. And that’s easily done thanks to built-in WiFi that makes exporting footage simple. In fact, this is easy to use in general with clear menus, useful physical buttons, and ergonomics that are spot-on.
This highly portable camera still manages to cram in a 3.5-inch viewfinder, dual SD card slots, and a built-in microphone. The Sony FDR-AX700 can record both SDR and HDR using the HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) format thanks to its one-inch Exmor RS CMOS sensor smarts backed by XAVC S.
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YIXINXIN Camera Ultra HD 48MP 60FPS
This Yixinxin Camcorder is perfect for aspiring vloggers. It takes 4k video at 60 FPS, has decent zoom for such an affordable camera, and comes with great accessories. The LED light, 64 GB memory card, and remote control should be enough to help you start making quality videos.
While the build quality of this camera is a little cheap, the features you get for the price are worthwhile. If you want to stream or make videos for your YouTube channel without dropping a ton of money, this camera should get you started with no problem.
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ORDRO AX60 UHD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom
The ORDRO AX60 is a camcorder specifically developed for vlogging and live-streaming videos. If you want a higher-quality vlogging option than the Yixinxin model above, this is a great upgrade. It comes with a lot of relevant accessories, such as fill lights, a handle, a wide-angle lens, a hood, and an external microphone. You can also adjust the color temperature on its LED screen for live effects.
The ORDRO AX60 also has optical zoom, which is preferable to digital, thanks to its more impressive resolution. This model’s Wi-Fi capabilities also ensure you can Livestream your videos directly to YouTube, Twitch, and other video-streaming sites.
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Canon Vixia HF R800
This small palm-sized and go-anywhere Canon Vixia HF R800 is all about family fun. It records at 1080p to SD cards and boasts a huge 57x advanced zoom, DIGIC DV4 image processor along with an Intelligent Image Stabilizer with Framing assist. There’s even a decent parcel of filters, including assorted Cinema-Looks. This is inexpensive to buy and a lot of fun to use.
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Canon XC15
An upgraded follow-up to the XC10, the Canon XC15 is enhanced for more professional use, providing a more complete audio/video capture workflow in the same compact, ergonomic form factor. It features a 1″ 12MP CMOS sensor capable of capturing up to UHD 4K resolution at up to 29.97 fps and 1080p at up to 59.94 fps. It has an integrated 8.9 to 89mm zoom lens with an f/2.8 to f/5.6 aperture. The lens has a 35mm equivalent focal length of 27.3 to 273mm in video mode. The lens offers separate focus and zoom rings and auto and manual focus controls.
The XC15 supports both CFast and SD cards. It records 4K video to CFast cards in an MXF wrapper at up to 305 Mb/s in an H.264-based, IntraFrame, 4:2:2, 8-bit codec.
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Sony FDR-AX43
The Sony FDR-AX43 is an excellent value-for-money camcorder suitable for every videographer, from enthusiasts to content creators and filmmakers. It brings the best of Sony’s latest camera tech in a highly compact and easily portable camcorder that will go easy on your wallet.
With the latest generation 4K image sensor, custom ZEISS lens, extensive zoom capabilities, and Sony’s proprietary image stabilization mechanics, the Sony FDR-AX43 delivers superb all-around performance on a budget.
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Sony RX0 II
The Sony RX0 II is a mini marvel in its own right at just 0.7 pounds. It is Sony’s answer to the giants of the growing action camera industry such as GoPro and DJI and does not fail to impress.
The RX0 II is the world’s smallest 4K camcorders and captures stunning images, even in dim light, with the powerful 1.0-type sensor and low-distortion ZEISS® Tessar T* lens. Like its action camera counterparts, the Sony RX0 II has some serious credentials to back its toughness. It is water/dustproof up to 10 meters, shockproof up to two meters, and crushproof up to 440 lbs.
It also boasts internal 4K-movie recording, impressive image stabilization, improved 20-cm minimum focus distance, and a 180°-tiltable LCD screen, all in a palm-sized pocket rocket.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, camcorders make taking professional videos easy and worthwhile. We have been able to select a few of the very best camcorders. If you’d want to buy it, don’t hesitate.
