Five Fantastic HD Camcorders

Everyone seems to be looking for a good, quality camcorder. HD camcorders, popularized through the explosion of lower priced models, seem to be all the rage. Of course, with such a huge burst of popularity in these models, buying one can be a little bit overwhelming (I know, I recently had to scramble to purchase a new camcorder for my family and finding one was not easy). Keep in mind that most HD camcorders are considerably more pricey than lower-detail video camera expect to pay a little more than for a point and shoot digital camera that includes a video mode. Take a look at my top five picks for fantastic HD camcorders.

Panasonic HDC-SD60K

Available from $385 at B&H Photo/Video
Available from $393 at Amazon.com
Panasonic's HDC-SD60K is one nice HD camcorder. It is priced fairly competitively, sitting at the more affordable end of the price range for most HD camcorders. The zoom on it is especially nice, with 25x optical zoom really allowing users to get up close and personal with their subjects, outputting a nice HD video resolution of 1920 x 1080. Lens width is equivalent to a 35 mm camera, sitting right at 35.7mm wide angle. Finally, the face recognition technology that the HDC-SD60K has is reported to be pretty swell, something certainly important for filming those birthday and party events. Of course, this camera does have a few cons, most importantly the "soft video" and poor indoor low-light video quality reported by a few users at Cnet. Still, at just under$400, this HD camcorder is quite the bargain.

Canon Vixia HG20

Available from $499.99 at Circuit City, TigerDirect
As one of Canon's models for the HD camcorder craze, the Vixia is a fairly standard-looking HD camcorder,and has some fairly similar specifications to the previously mentiuoend Panasonic model. For instance, it has the same HD video resolution of 1920x1080, yet it lacks as powerful an optical zoom (the Vixia only zooms to 12x optical zoom, somewhat unfortunate). Reviews for the Vixia are pretty much positive, as many users report being satisfied with the video quality and especially how affordable it is. Of course, my biggest complaint is the smaller zoom than the Panasonic model, especially given that is costs a little more than the Panasonic.

Flip Ultra HD Camcorder vs

Available from $152 at Amazon
Ok, Flip cameras are huge right now and there is quite a few version available. The Ultra HD is one of the lower end HD camcorders, considerably more simple in features than the Canon Vixia or the Panasonic HDC. Still, it packs a punch with its tiny size (very convenient, I like this part the best!) its ability to record up to 120 minutes of footage, and simple user interface. Of course, resolution is not anywhere like the "big boy" models of HD camcorders, especially since the Ultra only records at 1280 x 720, as compared to the standard HD of 1920x1080 on other models. Still, it is hard to beat it for the low price!

Sony Webbie MHS-CM1 HD Camcorder

Available from $169 at Amazon
I'm including the Sony Webbie as an in-between model, a step between the
Flip style cameras and the Panasonic and Canon ones. I say this because it has a slightly higher resolution than the Flip, sitting at 1440x1080, but less than the Canon and Panasonic models previously mentioned. Zoom is at 5x optical, 20x digital, but it can also take still digital photos at 5 megapixels. The screen size is pretty small, 2.5 inches on a swivel screen setup, but this camera might be a good option for someone looking for something a little more powerful than a Flip, but less expensive than other models.

Aiptek A-HD Pro 1080P High Definition Camcorder

Available from $136 at Amazon
Check out the Aiptek A-HD as an alternative to the Sony Webbie. The A-HD shoots at 1440x1080 HD video (16:9 aspect ratio), but boats a slightly higher megapixel count for still photos at 8megapixels (as compared to the Webbie's 5). Recording is done at 30 frames per second, and many customers rate the Aiptek as a decent, but not exactly stunning camera. Of course, it is priced under the Flip, and has a better resolution for an HD camcorder, but as often is the case, you get what you pay for. Consider it as another option for a camera somewhere inbetween the Flip and higher end models like the Canon Vixia.

Grunin, Lori. "Panasonic HDC-SD60K ." http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcorders/panasonic-hdc-sd60k-black/1805-6500_7-33948147.html

Gruning, Lori. "Canon Vixia HG20." http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcorders/canon-vixia-hg20/1805-6500_7-33196959.html