Welcome to Camcorder Reviews, a part of infoSync Reviews. Here you'll find in-depth camcorder reviews of both High Definition and Standard Definition camcorders. If you don't find what you're looking for here, please check out the following resources: Resource Center for Camcorders, Ask The Editors and Expert Guides.
 |
Sort camcorder reviews by:
|
|
| Canon FS22 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 It’s the year 2009 and standard-definition camcorders are getting shafted with minimal features and smaller sensors while high-definition steals the limelight. The Canon FS22 is one of those poor unfortunate souls, though we found it to be one of the best remaining options on the market if your wallet cannot take the Fugitive jump down a tumultuous financial waterfall. We were impressed with the FS22’s video quality, especially when compared with the Sony DCR-SR47’s, but we wanted more from Canon, especially since the FS22 is the top dog in the standard-definition posse. External controls were minimal and features were truncated, though we did like the manual shutter speed. The FS22 records to 32GB of internal flash memory and SD/SDHC cards, so it’s obvious we’re paying for storage. But is $600 a reasonable amount to throw at a standard-definition camcorder in this day and age? High-definition models from last year can be found online for that price tag or cheaper, so the FS22 might be too much of a hard sell. Release: May 2009. Price: $600.
Pros: Highly compact body. Good overall video quality. Decent shooting features.
Cons: Limited external controls. Internal battery chamber. Pricey.
| Poor |
Mediocre |
66%
GOOD |
Very good |
Excellent |
|
|
| Sony DCR-SR47 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 The entry-level Sony DCR-SR47 may seem different from the exterior this year, but not much has changed under the hood. The DCR-SR47’s flashy two-tone body and 60x optical zoom may be the ultimate beginner lure from the get-go, but we found a significant deficiency in the features and image quality departments. Sony’s decision to downgrade the sensor and pixel count baffled us, and it just hurt the camcorder in the long run. We were introduced to the same menu system and Playback functionality as the rest of Sony’s camcorder lineup, but at the end of our jaunt with the DCR-SR47, we were left wanting more. Much, much more. Of course we’re dealing with an entry-level camcorder here, but we’ve seen higher quality from Sony in the past. The best bet is to check out the Canon FS21 and Panasonic SDR-HS80 before waving the white flag and hopping on the HD express. Release: May 2009. Price: $360.
Pros: Compact size. Great HDD capacity and handy Memory Stick option. Easy to use.
Cons: Unimpressive image quality. Limited features. Short battery life.
| Poor |
Mediocre |
61%
GOOD |
Very good |
Excellent |
|
|
| Canon Vixia HF20 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 We're beginning to wonder if Canon is capable of manufacturing a bad camcorder. We haven't seen a dud from the company in years, and the Canon Vixia HF20 represents yet another A+ in consumer classroom. We loved the ultra-compact nature of the Vixia HF20, allowing us to transport the little bugger with ease. Its menu system cannot be beat and shooting features were not only plentiful, but also of the highest quality. Speaking of which, the Vixia HF20 cranked out one of the best video performances we've seen to date, even rivaling the Canon Vixia HF S10. We had few complaints at the end of our jaunt, and we're sure future Vixia HF20 owners will feel the same. At $900, the Vixia HF20 is a steal in terms of bang for the buck. Another winner from Canon. Jeez, this is getting old. Release: April 2009. Price: $900.
Pros: Great video performance. Excellent features. The best menus system in the biz.
Cons: Skimps on external controls. No viewfinder.
| Poor |
Mediocre |
Good |
83%
VERY GOOD |
Excellent |
|
|
| Canon Vixia HF200 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 The Canon Vixia HF200 is a tricky little number that will make you second-guess the capability of a consumer HD camcorder. With stellar image quality that paralleled its bigger sibling, the Canon Vixia HF20, the Vixia HF200 catapulted some of the best video clips at our full screen monitor. Features, design, interface and hardware was all identical to the Vixia HF20’s, which was a very good thing. The only difference between both models has to do with a flashy paint scheme and storage. The Vixia HF20 can record to 32GB of internal flash memory and SDHC cards while the Vixia HF200 can only record to SDHC cards and lacks the internal memory. $150 buys that 32GB, but if you happen to have a bunch of large SDHC cards lying around, $750 for a camcorder of this caliber is a steal on wheels. A good 32GB SDHC card costs roughly $150, so the Vixia HF20 would be the best bet in that case. Either way, Canon is unstoppable this year and the Vixia HF200 is yet another Hallmark Channel success story. Release: April 2009. Price: $750.
Pros: Great overall video quality. Awesome features for its class. Best menus from here to Timbuktu.
Cons: Limited external controls. No viewfinder. Noisy in certain low light environments.
| Poor |
Mediocre |
Good |
82%
VERY GOOD |
Excellent |
|
|
| Canon FS200 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 Three camcorders diverged in a market and we took the cheapest one. The Canon FS200 is part of Canon's 2009 standard-definition memory camcorder lineup, but take heed to our review. There are three considerable price gaps rooted between the Canon FS22, FS21 and FS200, the FS200 being the most financially amenable option. However, the FS200's basic imager couldn't match the quality of the FS22. The FS200 could only record to SD/SDHC cards also, while the FS22 had an additional 32GB of internal memory and the FS21 rocks 16GB of internal memory. Hence the price differentiations. If you're going to remain within the fleeting limbo layer of the standard-definition realm, we're not sure the Canon FS200 is the best option. We can get over the fact that the FS200 is devoid of internal memory, but its subpar image quality and menial features just turned us off. At $330, the FS200 is an attractive little camcorder, but we think the $500 Canon FS21 is the best deal of the FS trilogy, even though $500 for a standard-definition camcorder in 2009 seems preposterous. The Sony DCR-SR47 was even more disappointing, so options are slim in this genre. We recommend playing with the Panasonic SDR-H20 before settling on an FS model. Release: April 2009. Price: $330.
Pros: Highly compact chassis. Easy to use. Great menus.
Cons: Unimpressive video quality. Skimps on features. Records to memory cards only.
| Poor |
Mediocre |
63%
GOOD |
Very good |
Excellent |
|
|
|
|
Archive
