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| CAMCORDER REVIEWS |
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.
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| Panasonic HDC-HS300 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 What began as an ethereal tryst throughout the realms of innovative camcorder architecture and Manual controls had instantaneously crashed to a tragic halt when we discovered that the Panasonic HDC-HS300's video and photo quality just couldn't hack it. It's a darn shame too because the camcorder is equipped with a killer fleet of image controls, and we had a great experience with its hybrid touch-screen LCD. The HDC-HS300 is also littered with practical ports and rocks a prosumer-like Control dial. We had a blast with the HDC-HS300 out in the field, but when we threw our memories up on the big HDTV screen, we tried to quickly forget them. The Canon HG21 and Sony HDR-SR12 both lapped the Panasonic HDC-HS300 in terms of video quality, but this is not headline news. We've seen Panasonic mashing gears in third place for quite some time now, and perhaps the company needs to scrap the 3 chip configuration in favor of a single mother of a CMOS sensor. The best HD camcorder Panasonic can offer is also a significant chunk of change, so we highly recommend checking out the new Canons and Sonys before a regrettable decision is made. Release: April 2009. Price: $1400.
Pros: Great architecture. Chock full of ports. Enhanced manual controls.
Cons: Mediocre video quality and poor photo quality. Terrible AC adapter and DC input setup. LCD screen is too small.
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| Panasonic SDR-SW21 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 It's tough to be a standard-definition camcorder these days, let alone an underwater model. Despite the hefty HD competition out there, we feel that the Panasonic SDR-SW21 etched its name as a reliable all around rugged cam that will suit the needs of many consumers looking for something to toss in their beach bag. Plus, Panasonic is one of the few manufacturers to actually offer a waterproof camcorder aside from Sanyo. The crux of our woes stemmed from the SDR-SW21's likeliness to last year's Panasonic SDR-SW20. Both camcorders were virtually identical aside, from a few architectural tweaks. So, if you can find last year's Panasonic SDR-SW20 online for a much more wallet-friendly price, you won’t be missing out on much. Release: April 2009. Price: $400.
Pros: Lived up to its rugged claims. Compact and portable. Great manual controls.
Cons: Standard-definition video quality is so 2003. Almost entirely unchanged from last year’s Panasonic SDR-SW20. Uninviting interface.
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| Canon Vixia HF S10 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 Most of the frenzied camcorder hype seemed to be centered around the Canon Vixia HF S10 this year at CES. Could the HF S10 leap from building to building while solving world peace? We're here to tell you that Canon has made one prodigious stride with the introduction of this AVCHD monster, but we feel that the company sacrificed a lot of prosumer potential for the sake of the consumer crowd. That's not to say the HF S10 is destined for rich dads and soccer moms. Its arsenal of advanced features and dense menus would send newbies running for the hills. You can shoot commercials, short films and b-roll with the Vixia HF S10, but you'll have to find a killer external microphone and invest in a set of professional lights. If Canon added a little more radioactive slime to the vat, we think we'd be seeing a viable alternative to a prosumer cam. In the end, we have a compact camcorder that blesses us with one of the best video performances we've seen in the consumer circuit, but we were left licking our jowls, thirsting for more. Release: March 2009. Price: $1300.
Pros: Great video quality in bright and low light. Built like a miniature tank. Oodles of shooting features, including Cine mode and multiple frame rates.
Cons: Design has the potential to be more omnipotent. Certain low light environments are too noisy. Short battery life.
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| Canon Vixia HF S100 |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 The Canon Vixia HF S100 is simply a Diet Vixia HF S10, recording solely to SDHC memory cards rather than an additional 32GB of internal flash memory. That means we get the same awesome AVCHD goodness and ample shooting features for 200 smackers less than the flagship model. So, if you happen to have a bunch of SDHC cards lying around, the Canon Vixia HF S100 is the ticket. 24Mbps 1920 x 1080 HD recording, stellar manual controls with a Custom dial and three different frame rates kept us occupied all week, in addition to the Vixia HF S100's impressive Still image mode, which we found to be the best in the camcorder world. For just over a grand, the Vixia HF S100 is almost a steal considering what this beast can do. Our few gripes were limited to low light shooting and a conservative design approach. If Canon matched the Sony XR-520V's low light capability and pumped external controls on their next generation top of the line Vixia, we'd be introduced to a whole new animal. But for now, the Canon Vixia HF S100 is one of the best HD camcorders on the market. Release: March 2009. Price: $1100.
Pros: Excellent overall video quality. Solidly constructed. Tons of shooting features, including multiple frame rates.
Cons: Canon could have made this thing a monster. Lots of blue noise in low light. Chomps through batteries.
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| Sony HDR-XR520V |
| Full review » Gallery » |
 At the end of our journey with the Sony HDR-XR520V, we were conflicted, as if we had just watched Terms of Endearment and couldn’t discern between joy and sorrow anymore. The HDR-XR520V is one of those camcorders that nails a few key features home and then phones in the rest from a booth down the street. No other HD camcorder could match its low light performance, and that’s a huge part of the HDR-XR520V’s success. The HDR-XR520V also rocks the largest HDD capacity at 240GB, in addition to supporting Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. But isn’t 29 hours and 20 minutes of continuous recording time in the highest quality a little excessive? The HDR-XR520V is also the most expensive HD cam on the market at 1500 bucks, and $200 of that is all hard drive. The step-down Sony HDR-XR500V has a 120GB HDD, and that’s the only difference between the two. We loved the HDR-XR520V’s super sized LCD with VGA screen resolution, and the Cam Control dial made manual adjustment a breeze. However, the HDR-XR520V lacked some significant manual controls, making it far less viable for budget filmmakers and serious shooters. Both the Canon Vixia HF S10 and Panasonic HDC-HS300 offer a lot more in terms of shooting options, including different frame rates and independent Shutter Speed control. The Sony HDR-XR520V is our pick for the #1 tourist HD cam, and Sony has a lot of work to do in order to make the next generation XR compelling to the advanced crowd. Release: March 2009. Price: $1500.
Pros: Excellent low light performance. Great LCD resolution and size. Cam Control dial makes shooting easier.
Cons: Inconsistent bright light performance. Limited manual controls compared to competition. Heavy and pricey.
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