The (High) Definitive Guide
Adam White Looks Better In High Definition
Everyone’s talking hi-def nowadays. But it’s not just HDTV that’s taking off: camcorders are working the HD angle now, and you no longer need to have a tape or a Blu-ray disc in hand. Increasingly, the best camcorders are coming with hard disc drives built directly into the cameras themselves. Let the amateur filmmaker out, and who knows? In five years you might be holding Hong Kong’s second ever Oscar.
JVC Everio GZ-HD6: $12,480
Size: 120GB hard disk drive
Resolution: 1080/60i, with 1080/60p playback capabilities
Optical zoom: 10x
Battery life: 96 min
Max recording time: 1440 min
Pros: Square, sleek and glossy, this camera’s main claim is its massive 120GB internal hard drive, which allows for a good half day’s worth of filming. It can also output at 60p (that’s a progressive scan refresh rate of 60) to an HDTV, giving it the highest resolution of any of these camcorders, although that’s only when you’re playing video through the camera itself. 60p means less judder on those action-packed scenes when your assembled extras charge at each other across Victoria Park.
Cons: Performance in low light isn’t so hot. Does not record to the AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition) format, which most other camcorders use. AVCHD, the newest and most popular format, underwent teething issues when first developed but it’s really coming into its own now as the preferred consumer recording format.
Best for: Four-hour action movies on an epic scale.
Canon Vixia HF10: $10,980
Size: 16GB flash memory
Resolution: 1080/60i, with the option to record at 24p and 30p frame rates
Optical zoom: 12x
Battery life: 50 min
Max recording time: 125 min
Pros: Manual focus and exposure functions make it great if you’re good with cameras or want to play around with the image. Image quality is excellent, especially for a camcorder that’s about the size of a Coke can. Good performance in low light conditions make it great for evening shots in dark streets.