The Sony NEX-VG10 has been knocked off top
spot to make way for its successor, the VG10. But this is no mere title bump:
it’s a vast improvement. Not only is this the best-looking camcorder on the
market, it also adds a higher bitrate for glitch-free footage, incrrdible 5.1
sound, and 1080p@60fpsvideo shot on a 16.1MP APS HD Exmor sensor – the same
found in Sony’s NEX-5N and NEX-C3 mirrorless cameras. Chuck in superb stills,
comprehensive manual controls, great RAW skills and refinements including
enhanced grips and a second record button, and you’ve got the best camcorder
around.
Killer
featured
Compatibility with Sony’s seven different
E-Mount lenses
Our
Ratings: 5/5 stars
A great pro-quality all-rounder that adds a
string of updates to an already impressive package
GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition $419.5 5/5 stars
The Hero has been fully updated for 2012,
gaining new mounts, new processing smart’s and new skills including adjustable
field of view and 10fps stills burst shooting. With its hugely simplified
system, you’ll be able to spend more time jumping off mountains
Canon XA10 $2437.9 5/5 stars
Canon’s ultra-compact XA10 handles fine
detail superbly due to its f/1.8 lens and 2.37MP chip. It may not look big
enough to play with the big boys, but twin XLR inputs on its detachable handle
give it processional prowess straight out the box.
Sony HDR-TD $1340 5/5 stars
The king of 3D video does it properly, with
two lenses plus two Exmor chips adding up to superbly sharp footage. Decent
touchscreen controls and astounding depth (in 2D and 3D) make up for the hefty
size. It’s being phased out, so get your best haggle on
Ion Air Pro Plus $403.5 5/5 stars
This headcam serves up 1080p video with
simple, intelligent operation, waterproofing to 10m and live streaming to your
smartphone via the Wi-Fi Podz accessory. You get loads of mounts included and
the slick design is the icing atop this bullet-shaped cake
Sony HDR-PJ30VE $1081.5 4/5 stars
If regaling others with holiday stories is
as important as the holiday itself, this is your cam. It’s great for the cash,
with smooth 1080p footage, but you also get a decent pico projector that’ll
plaster a 30in wall with colorful images of your sun-scorched torse
Panasonic HX-WA10 $427.9 4/5 stars
If it’s quality underwater video that
you’re after, meet the HX-WA10. Its full HD footage is smooth, with excellent
color recreation, and the 12x combined optical and digital zoom leaves
fixed-focus cams trailing. Only fiddly controls count against it.
JVC Picsio GC-FM2 $113 4/5 stars
With a 3in touchscreen, 1080p@25fps video
skills, HDMI out and three time-lapse modes, the Picsio is well specced for its
size. Quality of footage is good – although it’s not the strongest performer in
the dark – and it’s really a bit of a bargain
Panasonix HC-V500 $492.5 4/5 star
A compact body, ease of use and 2D to 3D
conversion are this dinky cam’s top features. While bigger and pricer
camcorders offer better detail and color reproduction, hybrid image
stabilization and a 38x optical zoom are a definite step up from last year’s
model
Liquid Image Summit HD Video $250 4/5 stars
This is a 720p video camera crossed with a
pair of ski goggles, so there’s no need to mess around with fiddly mounts.
Aquatic shots more your thing? Take it underwater with the new Explorer Series
– which shoots submerged VGA video and 8MP stills
Instant expert
Lucy
Hedge Camera friendly
It’s lights, camera, action over at Sony,
as the Japanese tech titan has just floated the idea of a
not-too-shabby-looking, HD-flavored action headcam, that it’s hoping will knock
the GoPro HD Hero 2 off its perch. But little is known about this HD wearable
action cam. Rather than give us the fine details, Sony has instead served up a
tantalising series of teaser shots on its blog. But this much we know: it’s
tiny and it’s been stuffed full of Sony’s trademark SteadyShot image
stabilitsation tech, an Exmor R image sensor and an ultra-wide angle Carl Zeiss
Tessar lens. Sony also promises waterproof and ruggedized housings for extreme
shooters. It’ll keep the cam dry and in one piece; you’ll have to look after
yourself.
“Sony is working on a new HD action cam to
topple the GoPro”
What to look for
·
Storage
The two most popular storage types are hard
disks and solid state – either built-in, on cards, or both, HDD camcorders have
bigger capacities, but are also larger and more vulnerable to bumps; flash
memory drives and cards are becoming a better bet as prices continue to fall
·
Zoom
Some models offer up to 70x optical zoom,
but most will have between 10x and 20x. remember to separate claims about
optical and digital zooms: digital reduces picture quality, since it just
expands the captured image
·
Stills
If you want your camcorder to double as a
stills camera, remember most are capable of producing only mediocre-quality
photos. Loads of cameras can record HD video, though, so they’re a better bet
if you want one do-it-all gadget
·
3D
You can give your films an extra dimension
with a 3D-capable cam. Some use two lenses, some a converter kit; either will
need a big wallet
