Professional camcorders are often smaller, lighter, less expensive, and have more controls than other camera options. With so many choices on the market, from affordable cinema cameras to DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the advantages of a fixed-lens camcorder may not be as easy to see as they once were, but they’re definitely still there.
At the end of this article, we’ll go over some of the special considerations unique to this form factor. But first, here are the best camcorders currently on the market.
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Best beginner camcorder
Panasonic HC-VX1
The Panasonic HC-VX1 is an affordable camera with a good looking image, better than average low light performance and UHD 4K recording. With loads of light, the image quality of the Panasonic HC-VX1 is impressive, especially for its small sensor. Add in its 25mm to 600mm zoom and three optical image stabilizer systems, and the HC-VX1 shines above the rest. The 1/2.5-inch back-illuminated MOS sensor offers impressive image capture even at 12 decibels (dB) of gain. Although at that level there is significant noise, it still has good color reproduction. This means that if you find yourself in a less than ideal lighting situation, it’s likely you will still be able to capture something worth watching.
Overall, with a top resolution of UHD 4K at 30 fps and the ability to capture up to 26-megapixel stills, Panasonic crams a lot of value into the HC-VX1.
Best enthusiast camcorder
Panasonic HC-X2000
The Panasonic HC-X2000 is designed for run & gun use; it’s a compact and lightweight camera that can be carried anywhere and provides fast and high-quality 4K 60p recording. The camera features a wide-angle 25mm lenses and 24x optical zoom along with 4K high-precision AF, face detection AF/AE, 5-axis hybrid O.I.S, 120 fps super slow motion and 10-bit internal recording (4:2:2 to 4K 30p, 4:2:0 to 4K 60 p).
And it offers pro functions including two manual rings, an ND filter, 24-bit high-resolution linear PCM audio recording and built-in Wi-Fi for live HD streaming over Ethernet without any additional equipment. Even better, the heat-dispersing design with a thin fan and long-life battery offer an amazing continuous recording time of 4 1/2 hours (at 4K 60p / 200 Mbps).
The HC-X2000 also offers 3G-SDI support for connecting to an external recorder, plus a detachable Handle Unit. The detachable Handle Unit features a built-in LED video light, with dimmer from 30 to 100 percent. It also includes 2-channel XLR audio inputs and audio and zoom controls. With two SD memory card slots, the camcorder provides Relay Recording by switching between slots, as well as Simultaneous or Background recording modes.
Best professional camcorder
Canon XF605
The Canon XF605 is an all-out professional camcorder featuring a 1-inch CMOS sensor and can capture 10-bit 4K HDR video. This level of quality makes the camera great for broadcasts, especially with its ability to shoot 59.94 frames per second. It also has a 15x zoom, making it a great option for those recording at live events, like sports games. If you need to capture some slow-mo video, this camcorder can do that as well. It can capture Full HD video at 120 fps. And if the place you’re shooting in isn’t lit well, the camcorder has a high sensitivity of up to 2000 lux at f/12.
Now, on to the autofocus system. The XF605 is the first ENG-friendly XF camcorder to offer two autofocus (AF) features. This includes Eye AF and EOS iTR AF X, which deals with head detection. Having these autofocus systems are super helpful during live events when subjects are constantly moving and require the operator to adjust their camera’s focus often.
The XF605 also features a DIGIC DV 7 engine, Canon cinema color matrix options and Canon Log 3.
Canon’s XF605 offers a ton of value at a reasonable price for a professional camcorder. We recommend checking it out.
Special considerations for camcorders
You can get an overview of the important tech specs to consider before any camera purchase in our article on How to buy a camera. However, there are a couple of considerations that are unique to this particular form factor.
The lens
On a fixed-lens camcorder, the lens is custom-designed for that camera. While this may not greatly affect image quality, it does typically improve things like autofocus and image stabilization. These features can make a camcorder much easier to shoot with.
Cinematographers are known to stick with certain lenses that reproduce color and contrast exactly as desired. Lens makers have caught on. They strive to keep the look of their lenses consistent over their entire line, from cinema lenses to still camera lenses to camcorder lenses.
For example, Zeiss lenses are known for producing high contrast images with cool colors; Canon is known for lenses that produce warm colors with less contrast. Leica lenses produce images that have more balanced color and contrast. If you’re trying to match the look of footage shot with lenses from Canon, Zeiss, Leica and others, finding a camcorder with that glass is a good start.
Just keep in mind that a lens is not a magic wand, it’s just a tool.
Just keep in mind that a lens is not a magic wand, it’s just a tool. That tool combines with others including your camera, lighting design, and production design to create your final look.
Zoom range
There are a lot of lens options on the market. Why would you choose a camera with a fixed zoom lens? Many ENG camera operators choose to shoot with the same zoom lens on their camera, even though the B4 lens mount offers many other lens options. Perhaps, this is because the focal range is sufficient to get the shots that they need and the aperture range is also adequate. They really don’t need any other lenses. This approach holds true for many other types of shooting. It’s not uncommon to see all the Steadicam shots on a feature film captured using a single zoom lens. You might find that the same is true for your production workflows.
Often, it’s easiest to compare the focal range of camcorder lenses by referring to their equivalent zoom range in 35mm full-frame. Many cameras have a 10X optical zoom. This often translates to covering a 35mm FF equivalent of approximately 30mm to 300mm.
Digital zoom
Beware of zoom ranges that include digital zoom. When an optical zoom is used to push from a wide to a telephoto shot, the camera still captures the full active area of the image sensor. When digital zoom is used, the camera is actually cropping the active area of the image sensor. For this reason, a digital zoom can often degrade image quality. The camera is actually looking at a smaller number of pixels than the output resolution.
For example, a camera with a UHD 4K image sensor may have an active sensor resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. However, if you use a 4X Digital Zoom, your active image area will then only be 1920 x 1080. This will then be scaled back up to 3840 x 2160 causing a significant loss of detail in the image. Depending on the scaling capabilities of the camera, you may see a shift in color and contrast as well.
External controls and connectivity
One of the main advantages of using a camcorder over a DSLR or mirrorless camera is access to manual controls. You’ll also get more input and output ports on the camera. Many smaller cameras lack video outputs, audio outputs and even microphone inputs. While most controls are accessible through the menu, many controls on smaller cameras, such as audio levels, are not there at all.
Likewise, not many zoom lenses have powered zoom controls built-in. This type of control can make your lens a lot easier and faster to adjust. Additionally, many new camera lenses lack manual iris control, which can make certain operating situations very challenging. These features are standard on most fixed-lens professional camcorders.
As you shop for a new camcorder, consider which features and settings you’ll need to access most frequently. Do you often move between indoor and outdoor shooting locations? Quick access to white balance control will speed up production. Exposure changing with every shot? Make sure manual iris control is an option. Customizable function buttons are another feature to look out for.
Also, consider what additional accessories you’ll need to support your workflow. If you need to connect an external microphone (or two), be sure to check what audio inputs are offered. If you want to use an external recorder, note whether the camcorder features HDMI output, SDI out or both.
What do you want your audience to see?
Your stylistic choices and your practical needs will dictate the gear you’ll want to shoot with. If you want your audience to see vivid images on a big film festival screen, you’ll want a camcorder with great color. Need to stream your video live? There are cameras built for just that. If you want a camcorder that can give you a cinematic look but is still good for run-and-gun shooting, a versatile model is your best option.
With a fixed-lens camcorder, you’ll save the expense of buying multiple camera lenses. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about leaving the one you need most at home. Whether you’re web streaming live events, creating YouTube videos, shooting indie films, or doing a little bit of everything, there’s a professional camcorder out there to suit your needs.