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If format proliferation is the sign of growing pains in a market, camcorders are in adolescent hell. Prices are dropping, making HD camcorders an attractive buy relative to their SD competitor... Read more [+]

If format proliferation is the sign of growing pains in a market, camcorders are in adolescent hell. Prices are dropping, making HD camcorders an attractive buy relative to their SD competitors, but inexpensive doesn't necessarily mean easy. Our most recent tally indicates there are no fewer than four possible media types to use, each of which can support multiple encoding formats; the encoding formats, in turn, support various combinations of standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) video formats. Toss in HD's three different available resolutions, and you have an ugly mess to sort through while you shop. And we haven't even begun to see the inevitable models based on HD-DVD or Blu-ray discs.


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Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 (black)
  • Editors' rating: 3h stars
      Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
  • User rating: 4 stars out of 7 reviews
$159 to $186 at 5 stores Add to my list
Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 (black) Reviewed on 11/10/2009

The Bottom Line: Sanyo's dual-camera Xacti VPC-CG10 has the design and features to easily shoot both HD-quality movies and 10-megapixel photos, but slow performance and mediocre photos keep it from being a solid do-it-all device.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 5 x, Flash card, 6 oz

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 (pink)
  • Editors' rating: 3h stars
      Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
$149 to $186 at 7 stores Add to my list
Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 (pink) Reviewed on 11/10/2009

The Bottom Line: Sanyo's dual-camera Xacti VPC-CG10 has the design and features to easily shoot both HD-quality movies and 10-megapixel photos, but slow performance and mediocre photos keep it from being a solid do-it-all device.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 5 x, Flash card, 6 oz

JVC Picsio GC-FM1 (purple)
  • Editors' rating: 2h stars
      Overall score: 5.8 (2.5 stars)
$159 to $229 at 7 stores Add to my list
JVC Picsio GC-FM1 (purple) Reviewed on 10/16/2009

The Bottom Line: The JVC GC-FM1's impractical design and poor software hobble an otherwise competent mini camcorder competitor.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 8.0 megapixels, 3.4 oz

JVC Picsio GC-FM1 (black)
  • Editors' rating: 2h stars
      Overall score: 5.8 (2.5 stars)
$159 to $229 at 12 stores Add to my list
JVC Picsio GC-FM1 (black) Reviewed on 10/16/2009

The Bottom Line: The JVC GC-FM1's impractical design and poor software hobble an otherwise competent mini camcorder competitor.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 8.0 megapixels, 3.4 oz

JVC Picsio GC-FM1 (blue)
  • Editors' rating: 2h stars
      Overall score: 5.8 (2.5 stars)
$159 to $229 at 11 stores Add to my list
JVC Picsio GC-FM1 (blue) Reviewed on 10/16/2009

The Bottom Line: The JVC GC-FM1's impractical design and poor software hobble an otherwise competent mini camcorder competitor.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 8.0 megapixels, 3.4 oz

Flip Video MinoHD (second generation, silver)
  • Editors' rating: 4 stars
      Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
$229 to $279 at 6 stores Add to my list
Flip Video MinoHD (second generation, silver) Reviewed on 10/13/2009

The Bottom Line: Still one of the nicest models available, the second-generation Flip MinoHD offers a slightly improved design, double the memory, and an HDMI output for the same price that the original MinoHD used to cost.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 4.1 oz

Flip Video MinoHD (second generation, black)
  • Editors' rating: 4 stars
      Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
As shown: $299
Check manufacturer site for availability
Add to my list
Flip Video MinoHD (second generation, black) Reviewed on 10/13/2009

The Bottom Line: Still one of the nicest models available, the second-generation Flip MinoHD offers a slightly improved design, double the memory, and an HDMI output for the same price that the original MinoHD used to cost.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 4.1 oz

Canon Vixia HF S11
  • Editors' rating: 4 stars
      Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
$1,249 to $1,599 at 9 stores Add to my list
Canon Vixia HF S11 Reviewed on 10/02/2009

The Bottom Line: An excellent flash-based prosumer HD camcorder, the Canon Vixia HF S11 has the advantage of an excellent image stabilizer but it disappointingly lacks an eye-level viewfinder.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, 15.9 oz

VholdR ContourHD wearable camcorder
  • Editors' rating: 3h stars
      Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
$249 at 4 stores Add to my list
VholdR ContourHD wearable camcorder Reviewed on 09/28/2009

The Bottom Line: While not as rugged as its competition, the ContourHD features video quality and user-friendliness that is far better than any other helmet cam that we've tested.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 5.0 megapixels, 4.3 oz

Canon Vixia HG21
  • Editors' rating: 4 stars
      Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
$699 to $1,195 at 14 stores Add to my list
Canon Vixia HG21 Reviewed on 09/01/2009

The Bottom Line: Like its cousin, the flash-based HF11, Canon's Vixia HG21 delivers excellent HD video quality and performance albeit in a slightly larger, heavier package. However, you do get more storage space and a lower price.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 17.3 oz

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