The New Camcorder Landscape
The landscape for budget camcorders has changed quite a bit in 2009. See what you need to know to find an affordable, low-cost budget camcorder amidst all the new technology.
The new camcorder models introduced at CES this year clearly demonstrate the evolution of this technology, one that increasingly relies on disks and memory cards and eschews cassette tapes. The low-end is getting the squeeze, as budget models are lapsing into oblivion, and the new technology has yet to drop significantly in price to provide an alternative.
The Death of MiniDV
A Swan Song for MiniDV Tapes?
| A | is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of camcorders. |
| B | means they are good, with some standout features. |
| C | means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth. |
| D & F | mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. |
48x Optical Zoom
| A | is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of camcorders. |
| B | means they are good, with some standout features. |
| C | means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth. |
| D & F | mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. |
| A | is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of camcorders. |
| B | means they are good, with some standout features. |
| C | means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth. |
| D & F | mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. |
| A | is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of camcorders. |
| B | means they are good, with some standout features. |
| C | means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth. |
| D & F | mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. |
Tried and True
Pure Digital Flip Video MinoHD
| A | is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of camcorders. |
| B | means they are good, with some standout features. |
| C | means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth. |
| D & F | mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. |
Among the dozens of camcorders, only two recorded to MiniDV cassettes, the format which ruled the camcorder world until very recently. The Canon HV40 keeps the MiniDV flame alive for the HDV high-definition video format, which is under siege from the nearly ubiquitous AVCHD-based camcorders. The standard-definition Canon ZR960 camcorder seems like a last gasp, however, a slight update on previous MiniDV cams that will almost certainly be the last MiniDV model Canon releases. Sony, JVC, Panasonic, and Samsung announced no new MiniDV camcorders, nor betrayed any indication that they planned to announce any in the future.
It's safe to say that, as of January 2009, MiniDV as a format is dead. Affordably-priced standard-definition video is now the domain of DVD-based camcorders, but by next January, they too could be phased out in favor of camcorders with internal memory or that use removable memory cards. In a general sense, this is a positive development. The adoption of this new technology will provide smaller, more convenient camcorders, allow for longer recording times, and make editing and transfers via a home computer much easier. The downside is that, at present, the cost of these camcorders is much higher than their MiniDV or DVD counterparts, and may not reach those bargain-basement lows for quite some time.
Tapeless, Standard-Definition Camcorders
Most tapeless standard definition camcorders can be found in the price range of $400 and $700, much more than the sub-$350 price range of the budget MiniDV and DVD-based camcorders. These camcorders record to a different types of storage media. The Canon FS21, for example, can record video to an internal 16GB flash memory drive, as well as removable Secure Digital High Capacity memory cards. The JVC Everio MG630, on the other hand, uses an internal 60GB hard disk drive.
These large capacities allow users to hold 10 to 20 hours of video at a time on their camcorder, depending on the model. They eliminate the need for stacks of low-capacity cassette tapes, and make it possible for the camcorders to become smaller, more portable, and more convenient. While that convenience is helpful and appreciated, the fact remains: you're paying more for roughly the same image quality you'd have gotten with a cheaper, standard-definition camcorder that uses DVD or MiniDV tape.
There are tapeless camcorders that cost less than $250, the barebones, web-video camcorders like the Flip Mino HD and the Kodak Zx1. These don't record standard definition, they record high-definition video in 1280 x 720 resolution. Yet they're cheaper than the tapeless SD models. Why? Because they eliminate many other features like optical zoom and image stabilization, and also provide only a small amount of storage capacity, in the neighborhood of 60 minutes. These are probably the best option for budget-minded consumers, as they provide excellent video quality, but buyers should be aware that they're sacrificing some degree of comfort as well.
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