HD Camcorder Review

Reviews of high-def camcorders

High-definition camcorders cover a wide range of price points and functionalities these days, from $1,400 models that shoot nearly pro-level movies, to even more extravagant 3D-capable camcorders, to cheap little $100 pocket shooters. The best review sources -- CamcorderInfo.com, CNET and ConsumerReports.org -- expertly test both cheap and pricey camcorders. In the U.K., camcorder reviews at TrustedReviews.com, PC Advisor and Which? magazine are nearly as thorough (the models they test are usually available in the U.S.). MaximumTech.com, PC World and PCMag.com do a particularly good job testing pocket camcorders. We also check owner reviews at retail websites like Amazon.com; sometimes real-life users uncover problems that the experts miss.

Even some cheap pocket camcorders shoot surprisingly pleasant HD video, tests show. But you've got to choose wisely. The pistol-grip DXG QuickShots DXG-5B9V (*Est. $95) ranks dead last in one major test. Hissing, whining, muffled audio and unnatural colors are a couple of the problems testers note. Another DXG model, the Luxe Ultra Slim (*Est. $135), sinks to the bottom of MaximumTech.com's pocket-camcorder shootout.

"The camcorders in DXG's Luxe series are uniformly ugly, with garish designs that range from the faux-quilt-and-rhinestone look on this Red Riviera model to retro patterns such as paisley, houndstooth, and plaid," MaximumTech.com's Alan Fackler writes. "Paris Hilton would love them, but she can afford to hire an assistant to actually use them." Video quality is "poor" and "downright bland," whether indoors (where footage gets fuzzy and noisy) or outdoors (where images get washed out in bright sunlight).

Actually, DXG camcorders have been dreadful for years. They took the bottom spot in our 2009 report on HD camcorders, too -- Wired's Rick Broida referred to one DXG pocket model as "a plastic piece of poo." A better choice? The comparably priced Samsung HMX-W200 (*Est. $145), which shoots color-accurate video in tests -- even in low light. Read more in our section on Compact HD Camcorders.