Digital Camcorder Buyer's Guide

by Don Collins
January 2001

Digital Camcorders had a breakout year in 2000. The demand for digital camcorders has increased and manufacturers are responding with more models than ever. This is great news for videographers. It means there are more options to choose from - all at prices that are lower than ever. Digital camcorders are no longer solely aimed at advanced videographers or high rollers who can afford to spend several thousand dollars on the latest gadget. Today’s digital camcorders are as real an option for first time camcorder owners as they are for pros.

More camcorder manufacturers are marketing digital models than last year. RCA, Hitachi and Samsung have all joined the race with new DV models. Hitachi and Samsung in their freshman attempts, while RCA, which had made a digital model just a few years ago, is back with an entry level model.
With so many models on the market, it’s harder than ever for videographers to decide which one best fits their needs. All digital camcorders are not created equal. Some cater to the beginning hobbyist who wants an all-automatic, point-and-shoot camcorder, others to the techno buff who wants the sleekest and tiniest model and others to the video professional, looking for a three-chip model for capturing the highest quality images possible.
Format is another consideration. Many people associate digital video with the Mini DV format, but Mini DV is no longer the only option for consumer level digital video. Digital8 records the same digital signal onto standard 8mm and Hi8 tape, and disc-based camcorders are beginning to appear. We’ve organized this article first by format and then by user-level to help you determine, not only which model, but which format suits you best. Ultimately, the type of video you shoot and the way you plan to distribute it will help determine your purchase. Whatever your needs and budget, there’s a digital camcorder just for you. In this article and its accompanying buyer’s guide, you can compare the various features of the different models to see which best suits you.

Digital8 - Entry Level

It used to be that all digital camcorders were considered advanced because those who bought them were advanced users who required the best quality possible, and were willing to pay to get it. Now, however, manufacturers are designing affordable models for casual shooters. Sony introduced the Digital8 format a few years ago to act as a bridge for 8mm and Hi8 users who wanted to switch to a digital format. Digital8 is akin to Mini DV, with high-quality image capture capability and FireWire transfer, but instead of recording the digital signal on Mini DV tape, it records its digital signal onto ordinary 8mm or Hi8 tape. While Digital8 cams record a digital signal, Digital8 camcorders will also play back standard 8mm and Hi8 footage, making this format a great choice for shooters with a library of old 8mm footage. You get all of the advantages of Mini DV but the tapes cost about half as much.
When Sony was the only company offering Digital8 models, there were questions about whether the format would be accepted by the industry. Most of those questions were laid to rest recently when Hitachi introduced two Digital8 models. For a mere $699, you can get the quintessential entry-level digital camcorder with Hitachi’s VMD865LA Digital8 camcorder. It sports a lengthy 22:1 optical zoom. Other than manual focus, the VMD865LA has no manual controls. It does, however, have microphone and headphone jacks and it features a 2.5-inch flip-out color LCD screen for easy viewing. For $100 more, you can get Hitachi’s other Digital8 model, the VMD965LA, which is the same as the 865 but adds a color eyepiece instead of the black and white version on the 865.
Sony, offers a number of Digital8 models that range from $799 to $1,299 in price. Within this line, the different models share similar features and differ on a couple of things. All of the Sony models include mike and headphone jacks, manual focus and manual iris. The DCR-TRV120 and DCR-TRV320 have 2.5-inch color flip-out viewscreens. The DCR-TRV520 has a larger 3.5-inch viewscreen and the DCR-TRV720 and TRV820 have huge four-inch viewscreens. The DCR-TRV820 even sports a built-in printer and paper scroll to print out still images.

Mini DV - Entry Level

Mini DV was the first, and continues to be the most popular digital consumer format. Ranging in price from roughly $700 to $1,200, there are several entry-level models aimed at the person who wants a point-and-shoot camcorder to record home videos. These camcorders are designed for ease of use, not professional control. The great news is that even though they’re affordable, they deliver the high-quality image we have come to expect from DV. If you’re concerned with high-quality audio, look closely: some of the less expensive models don’t provide external microphone or headphone jacks.
RCA, one of the first to make a Mini DV camcorder, had discontinued its digital models a few years ago, but they have come back in 2000 with a new entry-level model, the CC9370 ($899). Besides its fully automatic operation mode, it has manual controls as well. It has three-inch color viewscreen and an impressive 680,000 pixels on its CCD. But if you’re interested in high-quality audio, beware: it lacks both external mike and headphone jacks.
For another $100, Canon offers its most basic Mini DV model, the ZR10 ($999). It features a 10:1 optical zoom, a 1/8000 shutter speed for fast action shots and full manual as well as automatic controls. The ZR10 has mike and headphone jacks, a 2.5-inch color viewscreen and 460,000 pixels on its CCD.

Mini DV - Intermediate

More serious videographers will require some features that many entry-level models do not include. Camcorders in this category range from $1,200 to $2,100. At this level, manual focus, iris and white balance controls become more important, and features such as microphone and headphone jacks are a necessity. Again, not all models are created equal. Budget-minded shoppers may choose to select a model with fewer manual options to save a dollar or two.
Panasonic’s PV-DV800 ($1,400) sports an 18:1 optical zoom, a fast 1/8000 shutter speed, mike and headphone jacks but no manual white balance or manual iris. It has a nice sized 3.5-inch flip-out color viewscreen, a color viewfinder and 460,000 pixels on its CCD.
Sharp has introduced its second Mini DV model, the VL-FD1U. For $1,599, the VL-FD1U features one of the fastest shutter speeds at 1/10,000, a 10:1 optical zoom, full manual and automatic control, 380,000 pixels on its CCD and a three-inch flip-out viewscreen.
For $1,800, Sony offers the DCR-PC100, the first Megapixel camcorder. This compact camcorder specializes in still image capture, and that is what you’re paying for. Although it lacks manual white balance, iris and shutter control, it does have mike and headphone jacks and over one million pixels on its CCD. If you’re looking to capture high-quality still images as well as video, this could be the one.

Mini DV - Advanced Level

Here’s where you get into a completely different level of camcorder and camcorder user. Ranging from $2,200 to $4,699, these camcorders are serious tools for serious producers. Models like Sony’s DCR-TRV900 ($2,299) and Canon’s GL1 ($2,699) are a world apart from those that we’ve mentioned so far. You can identify the biggest differences when you look at the quality of the lens, the number of CCDs and the variety of manual controls.
All of the models in the advanced category have three CCDs (charge couple devices). The CCD gathers light focused by the lens and produces the images. A single-CCD camera captures all the colors of the spectrum onto one imaging chip. Three-CCD cameras separate red, green and blue (RGB) components for capture on separate chips. The result: crisp, clear images with excellent color reproduction. If you’re looking to gather the highest-quality images, a three-chip model is a must. This category is an entry point for serious producers and pros. Camcorders at this level will produce images good enough to please wedding videographers, corporate video producers and some broadcasters.
The Sony TRV900 ($2,299) sports 380,000 pixels on each of its three CCDs, 1/10,000 shutter speed, optical image stabilization, a 3.5-inch viewscreen, manual audio level control and analog video in.
The Canon GL1 ($2,699) features 270,000 on each of its three CCDs, an ultra-fast 1/15,000 shutter speed, 2.5-inch viewscreen, optical image stabilization, progressive scan mode and a professional-level fluorite lens.
While all models in the advanced category can shoot broadcast-quality images, Canon’s XL1 ($4,699) pushes the limits of the "consumer" category, offering several features that have traditionally been available only on professional models. With its three CCDs, optional XLR mike inputs, manual control of audio levels, analog inputs, zebra stripe exposure indicator and most significantly, its interchangeable lens system, the XL1 is the paragon of consumer-level digital camcorders.

Other Formats

The buck doesn’t stop here. We’ve covered Digital8 and Mini DV formats, but other digital formats are cropping up almost daily, it seems. You can bet that it won’t be long before tapes are a thing of the past and we’re shooting directly to disk and then to a chip, perhaps.
The first of this new breed to hit the market is the Sony DCM-M1 ($2,300). It records up to 20 minutes of VHS-quality video onto a MiniDisc. It sports a 22:1 optical zoom lens, has 680,000 pixels on its single CCD, manual controls, mike and headphone jacks and it fits snugly in the palm of your hand. Because clips are recorded straight to disc, users can access them for playback instantly - no shuttling required. And as incredible as it seems, the DCM-M1 offers in-camera nonlinear editing capabilities, making it a stand-alone production studio. While it doesn’t record the same resolutions as the other digital formats, this camcorder may be all you need to shoot and edit your home videos.
In the years to come, disc-based camcorders are likely to grow in popularity. Hitachi has already announced a DVD-RAM camcorder that is expected to ship in the next year and JVC has a disc-based model in the works.

A Great Time to Buy

It is an exciting time to buy a digital camcorder. With nearly 50 models to choose from, at a variety of price points, there is sure to be a model that fits your needs and budget. Shop around for the best price and use our handy buyer’s guide grid to compare each model feature for feature. Happy hunting!

• Digg This!
• del.icio.us
• Technorati
• StumbleUpon
• Reddit