Digital Camcorder Review

Our research turned up excellent digital-camcorder reviews. CamcorderInfo.com has incredibly detailed, expert reviews for just about every camcorder on the market. Consumer Reports' testing is widely respected as reliable and unbiased. Consumer Reports' testers write only a brief individual review for each camcorder, but a ratings chart clearly ranks the camcorders against one another. Reviews at Laptop magazine and CNet are clear and critical, but they do not rank the camcorders from best to worst as CamcorderInfo.com and Consumer Reports do.

This report focuses on standard-definition (SD) digital camcorders, which are steadily being replaced by new HD camcorders (covered in our companion report on high-definition camcorders). Many SD models are "gimmick" camcorders, like pocket-sized, YouTube-friendly shooters or underwater camcorders. Manufacturers are still making a few mainstream SD camcorders, and people are still buying them for one major reason: They are still cheaper than HD.

It is possible to go too cheap, at least according to consumers who bought the Samsung SC-DX103 (*Est. $255).User reviews at Amazon.com and elsewhere invariably note that the Samsung seems like a great deal: loads of features for almost $200 less than a top-of-the-line SD camcorder, and about $300 less than a decent, budget HD camcorder.

While some users report no problems, others complain that the mini DVDs the camcorder records to freeze up and won't play even in the camcorder itself. Some say that the problems continued even with replacement units. Even though the Samsung SC-DX103 is one of the few major SD camcorders to hit the market in recent months, most expert reviewers are ignoring it. In one major test, it was the cheapest camcorder tested -- and it finished dead last.

Even cheaper is the Small Wonder EZ210 Traveler (*Est. $130), one of a new crop of pocket-sized digital Small Wonder camcorders from RCA. The Traveler manages to cram in a few nice features you won't find on the Pure Digital Flip Mino (*Est. $150) or the Creative Vado (*Est. $85), the leading mini-camcorders on the market according to reviews. But users and reviewers are underwhelmed by both the video quality and the clunky styling.

"You know how everyone had that yellow Sony Walkman in the '80s and the kid with the crappy RCA tape player was mocked and abused? Expect the same reaction when you whip out the Traveler in public," writes Michael Kwan in his review of the Traveler for Mobile Magazine. With a rubberized finish and lens cover, the Traveler certainly looks like it can stand up to at least a small beating, but "unfortunately, this large clunker isn't nearly as rugged as it looks," Kwan says, noting that it is "not waterproof, dust-proof or shockproof ...; merely splash resistant."

Not only are the Mino and Vado sleeker than the Small Wonder mini camcorder, but reviews say their footage also looks better. "When you have such washed-out video with lots of compression artifacts, you might as well be recording on your mobile phone," Kwan says of the Small Wonder Traveler.