Which handycam to buy

Our Fact-Checking Process. Twitter LinkedIn. Article fact-checked on Apr 20, Tweet Share Email. The Rundown. Best Overall:. The video camera has essential features such as an in-camera dolly, zoom, cropping, Wi-Fi connectivity, and optical image stabilization. Best Features:. Capturing beautiful footage is effortless with the use of all the connectivity hardware and technology encompassed in the video camera.

Best Zoom:. Best Value:. Best for Beginners:. Best Rugged:. The lens has three layers of protection to reduce glare and a coating to protect against elements such as water and dirt. Best Budget:. Our Picks. About Our Trusted Experts. What to Look For in a Video Camera. What We Don't Like Expensive. What We Don't Like Pricey. Panasonic HC-V Review. What We Like Zoom capability Portability. What We Don't Like Design isn't most attractive. What We Don't Like Unprofessional quality. What We Like High resolution Megapixel range.

What We Don't Like Lacks premium features. What We Don't Like Video quality is average. The 6 Best Vlogging Cameras of View On Amazon. What We Don't Like Consistency of video quality. Final Verdict Panasonic is a significant player in the technology arena, mainly regarding cameras and video cameras. How We Tested We bought six top-rated video cameras and our reviewers tested them for more than 80 hours. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Email Address Sign up There was an error.

Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Tell us why! More from Lifewire. The 5 Best Optical Zoom Cameras of The 7 Best Large Resolution Cameras of The 7 Best Viewfinder Cameras of The 9 Best Smartphone Cameras of It enables the content creators, whether experienced or beginners, to deliver impressive imagery for content and events shooting scenarios.

It is ergonomically designed to provide a lightweight and easy-to-use shooting experience. The Wi-Fi functions make the camcorder competent in a variety of tasks. It automatically detects and corrects tilting in images and lets you adjust exposure compensation and white balance with a single button on the LCD. It is a cheap 4k camcorder that comes with accessories including mics, 2 lenses, 2 batteries, a LED light, and a bag that can carry all accessories.

It is straightforward to install and use, even though it has quite some accessories. Its battery life is perfect. Use the camcorder to share your life with your loved ones and leave you a beautiful happy memory in your life. The Balanced Optical SteadyShot image stabilizer rival gimbal systems and allow high-resolution 4K movie recording and high-quality sound with a unique microphone.

The AX43 Handycam camcorder makes it easy to grasp the professional production and allows simple movie sharing. Now, preserving your memories, getting smooth footages, and sharing the same has become easier. Thanks to the balanced optical Steady Shot image stabilization that makes your video recording all the more special and flawless. One of the biggest reasons for buying camcorders is the lens.

With DSLRs and mirrorless cameras coming to the forefront, people doubt the credibility of a camcorder. But camcorders have powerful and long zoom lenses with tiny imaging sensors, which makes it more powerful than any DSLR. It also comes with variable speed zoom control that can create smooth, slow zooms to reveal and introduce a location, or quick punch-ins to highlight the action. There are no limits in recording time with camcorders, which makes it ideal for event photography.

The rate at which the zoom changes depends on how hard you press the switch. Optical zoom: Typical optical-zoom ratios range from to about —or are described as having 10x optical zoom or 50x optical zoom. Digital zoom: Many camcorders also include a digital zoom to extend the range to or more, but at a lower picture quality than optical zoom gives.

Some camcorders can capture 3D photos or video, or both. To do this, the camcorder may capture two different images or use software to create them , representing the different perspectives of the left and right eye.

The differences between those two images create a sense of depth. Some models include built-in projectors also known as pico projectors. The feature is now incorporated into some HD camcorder models from Sony. Each includes a tiny projector embedded on the back of the flip-out LCD, which Sony claims will be able to project a inch diagonal image. Although most newer camcorders do not have this feature, some higher-priced models will have an electronic viewfinder that lets you compose a shot without needing to use the display.

This conserves battery life and is helpful in bright-light situations that wash out the LCD. The number of camcorders with WiFi is growing. It allows you to wirelessly transfer photos and video to your computer, quickly back them up on a hard drive, or upload them directly to a social networking website.

Some models even also allow you to wirelessly connect and transfer video and photos to mobile devices or control the camcorder remotely from an app on a smartphone or tablet. Some camcorders also include near field communication NFC , which makes connecting to mobile devices quick and easy. Models that are rugged and waterproof have bodies that are claimed to resist moisture and withstand falls.

A camcorder with 4K resolution x pixels offers four times the resolution of a full HD camcorder x pixels. Because of the higher resolution, these new types of camcorders can provide finer detail, but you need an Ultra High Definition 4K TV to see that detail. Consider the type, size, weight, controls, and features: In the store, try different camcorders to make sure they fit your hand and are comfortable to use.

Most are designed so that the most frequently used controls—the switch to zoom in and out, the record button, and the button for still photos—are readily at hand. Make sure that the controls are convenient and that you can change recording media and remove the battery without any trouble.

More models are also including WiFi features. Check the LCD. Most measure about 3 inches on the diagonal, but some are larger. However, few action cams have any type of display. Some displays on full-sized models suffer from too much glare, making them difficult to use outdoors in bright sun.

But note that most LCDs look fine indoors. In full, midday sunlight, viewing performance will vary greatly from model to model. Think about lighting. Using the default mode, we found that models varied in quality when shooting in dim light.

Most full-sized HD camcorders captured at least good-quality video in low light, but some had excellent quality. Note that many camcorders have settings that can improve performance but can be a challenge to use.

Consider audio quality. We look at how accurately the built-in microphone records and whether the sound file is free from noise or hiss. Action cams often lack decent audio quality. A few advanced models include a jack for using an external microphone, which can improve sound quality.

Decide which recording format suits you best. Most models offer a few recording formats and several resolution options. Flash memory is the standard storage format. Some camcorders include an internal, nonremovable flash memory chip—capacity for internal flash storage can range from 8GB to 96GB. Some models include both a memory card and internal flash memory. Almost all newer camcorders capture high-definition video, even low-end budget models at either x pixels or x pixels at various frame rates.

Such footage will look best when viewed on an HDTV. There have also been fewer full-sized HD-models introduced because an increasing number of devices SLRs, smartphones, tablets also capture HD video.

However, 4K video camcorders are appearing in the market.