Top DVD Camcorders

With all the hubbub about new forms of recording media like hard disk drives, flash drives, and memory cards, some consumers might be looking for something simpler and less involved. If all you want is to shoot short home movies, instantly share them, and have a physical, tangible record of your memories, a DVD-based camcorder might be the right pick for you. These three camcorders record between 30 and 120 minutes of standard-definition video to 3-inch "mini" DVDs that can be played back in most common DVD players.

Simple DVD Recording Sony DCR-DVD650 from $259.00	The Sony DVD650 is a simple, straightforward DVD camcorder intended for novice or casual home video shooters. While it does primarily record to 3-inch mini-DVD discs, the DVD650 also has a trick up its sleeve: the ability to record video to removable Memory Stick memory cards. For situations where the capacity of the DVD may not be adequate, shooters can augment their cameras with a Memory Stick, providing further storage for their memories and special occasions.
48x Optical Zoom Canon DC420 from $299.00	Comfort and consistency are what you can expect from the Canon DC420, a new DVD camcorder that may not have the fancy features of its peers but will provide crisp, high-quality (standard definition) video. Without any extra doodads or extraneous features to contend with, users can simply point and shoot, taking advantage of the DC420's 48x optical zoom and electronic image stabilization. Though the DC420 can accept Secure Digital High Capacity memory cards, they are used only to store digital still photos. Don't expect much from the 1-megapixel still photo sensor, however.
Innovative Hybrid Recording Sony DVD850 from $359.00	The Sony DVD850 is an extraordinary hybrid camcorder that blends traditional DVD-based recording with 16GB of integrated flash memory and the ability to record to removable Memory Stick memory cards. That means you can record to whichever media strikes your fancy: DVD for simplicity and comfort, or flash memory for its incredible capacity and easy transfer to computers. The DVD850 is a very versatile camcorder, though it is also significantly more expensive than other DVD camcorders because of its hybrid features. The extra cost pays for the best of both worlds.