High-Quality Video on a Budget
MiniDV camcorders deliver features for novices and serious videographers--for as little as $400.
The Panasonic, PV-GS500, Panasonic PV-GS300, and JVC GR-X5US each have three CCD sensors--contributing to their very high video quality.
Camcorders that record to mini-DVD discs have become increasingly popular with consumers, because you can pop their discs directly into a DVD player and watch the video you just shot. But camcorders that record to MiniDV tape continue to be less expensive than the mini-DVD models, plus they offer one big advantage: easier video editing.
If you plan to edit your video footage and add a sound track, a MiniDV camcorder is your natural choice (getting footage off of a mini-DVD disc for editing on your PC is a more cumbersome chore).
In addition, prices for low-end MiniDV camcorders have been falling--the least expensive one we tested costs $380, and other models cost less than $300. Some of the newer low-cost camcorders are incorporating sophisticated features usually found on higher-end units, such as multiple CCD sensors (one each for red, green, and blue) and optical image stabilization, which is more effective than electronic image stabilization at preventing blurry images.
Three of the models we tested, though not inexpensive, have three sensors, including our Best Buy, the $1000 Panasonic PV-GS500. The $700 Panasonic PV-GS300 and the $1300 JVC GR-X5US also have a trio of CCDs. These models all earned higher scores for video quality than camcorders with one CCD.
We tested seven MiniDV camcorders in conjunction with Macworld, our sister publication. We evaluated the quality of video captured in both normal and low-light situations, critiqued audio quality, and compared the camcorders' still images.
The Panasonic PV-GS500 earned our Best Buy because it provides the most controls, took the nicest-looking video and still shots, and is moderately priced considering all that it offers. Bargain hunters would do well with either the Canon Elura 100 or the Sony DCR-HC36: Both models cost just $400, and they come with enough features to keep most users satisfied.
Panasonic PV-GS500
The PV-GS500 earned top marks for its video quality in both normal and low-light conditions, displaying bright, accurate color and plenty of fine detail. It can capture video in 16:9 wide-screen mode; its wide-mode video looked as impressive as video shot in standard mode (which is the mode we evaluate in our lab tests). The excellent 2.7-inch wide-aspect LCD screen makes it especially easy to see the footage you're shooting, because it doesn't letterbox your video by placing a black band above and below the picture.
The PV-GS500 feels very solidly constructed, with a tough metal frame--and at just over 1.3 pounds it is the heaviest model we tested. Commonly used controls (such as the zoom and record buttons) are located where most people's fingertips will fall comfortably, though the joystick that controls the on-screen menu is awkward to reach with your thumb.
The PV-GS500 offers a fully manual mode, shutter- and aperture-priority modes, and various scene modes. Best of all, this camcorder's manual focus employs a focus ring instead of requiring you to manipulate on-screen controls, making this feature much easier to use. Plus, you get optical image stabilization: An element in the lens moves to compensate for small camera movements.
It has no built-in light, but the LCD can double as a spotlight, which is fairly effective. The flash on the camera's front is for still images only.
Panasonic PV-GS300
The $700 Panasonic PV-GS300 is the least-expensive three-CCD camcorder we tested. Its video quality is impressive, and it offers a lot of features. Like its pricier cousin, the PV-GS500, it has optical image stabilization.
The GS300 captured video with bright, accurate colors and good detail. It outperformed all other camcorders except the two pricier three-CCD models, the PV-GS500 and the JVC GR-X5US. The GS300's low-light video did look a little pale, and some objects in our test video lacked the vivid color they showed under normal light. But the PV-GS300 shot 3.1-megapixel still images that showed impressive color and fine detail. The PV-GS300 lacks a focus ring and some of the PV-GS500's manual controls.
Sony DCR-HC36
The Sony DCR-HC36 and the Canon Elura 100 cost an affordable $400 each and offer powerful 20X optical zooms.
At $400, Sony's DCR-HC36 MiniDV Handycam is very affordable, but it produced some of the lowest-quality video in our tests, showing pale colors and a decidedly fuzzy, grainy look. These problems show up even under good lighting conditions and are much more exaggerated in low light, which may pose a difficulty for anyone shooting video indoors.
The DCR-HC36 is easy to use and fits comfortably in the hand, with the zoom control falling under the index finger. It seems designed for point-and-shoot camera users, offering an Easy Mode button that automates most settings. Most controls are located in an on-screen menu, which you access through the touch screen. Many of those options are buried deep within menus, however, and reaching them requires several taps of the screen.
The 2.5-inch LCD display is clear and bright, but if you shoot video in 16:9 mode, two black bars letterbox the top and bottom of the screen. The 20X zoom lens is powerful, and the electronic image stabilization does a reasonably good job of reducing the effects of camera shake, though it's not as effective as the optical image stabilization of the two Panasonic models.
The DCR-HC36 shoots still images at just 640 by 480 resolution, but the images look so grainy that, frankly, they aren't worth bothering with.
Canon Elura 100
The $400 Elura 100 is one of the smallest camcorders available, at 2.2 by 3.0 by 4.3 inches (and 13 ounces). Its controls are in the right spots for easy shooting. The 20X zoom is longer than on most camcorders, and the digital zoom goes up to 800X; but as with all camcorders, the image quality at that extreme magnification is so poor, it's unusable. You access most controls via an on-screen menu, but some features, such as wide-screen mode, have dedicated buttons.
The 2.7-inch LCD screen is clear and bright, and, like the LCD on the more expensive Panasonic camcorders, it's a true wide-screen display: When you're shooting in 16:9 wide-screen mode, video fills the entire screen. The Elura 100's ability to shoot true wide-aspect-ratio video is unusual for a budget camcorder. Many other camcorders letterbox their video, but the Elura 100's CCD is a true wide-screen sensor, which delivers higher resolution.
Though video showed good detail, it lacked the vivid colors we saw from more expensive models, especially in low-light conditions. Also, though the stereo microphones on the top of the case recorded good-quality sound, they also picked up the motor's noise, which was audible in the quieter parts of recordings.
JVC GR-X5US
The $1300 JVC GR-X5US has a boxy but lightweight case--it weighs a mere 1.1 pounds. The swiveling LCD screen resides on the back of the unit, which enables it to provide a wider viewing angle than the side-mounted LCDs commonly found on camcorders. This pricey model lacks a viewfinder, however.
The GR-X5US captured very high quality video in our tests, with strong, bright colors and plenty of detail. The camcorder's three-CCD design no doubt helped its performance. Also, the GR-X5US took quite attractive still images at 5-megapixel resolution, the highest offered by the camcorders we tested.
The GR-X5US has no video assist light but it's the only model with a headphone jack.
Unfortunately, in our tests the standard battery ran out after a paltry 49 minutes--not even enough shooting time to fill up a MiniDV tape.
Chart Missers
Two models didn't make our chart (below): The Canon Optura 600 and the JVC GR-D396.
Canon's $1100 Optura 600 is very portable, easy to use, and has a good selection of buttons; however, its high price kept it off the chart. It can shoot video in 16:9 wide-screen mode and also has a wide-screen CCD sensor, but the video is letterboxed. Its 0.36-inch image sensor is bigger than those in some cheaper camcorders, but we saw no boost in video quality over models with a smaller sensor.
Despite being the least-expensive camcorder we tested, the $380 JVC GR-D396 also missed the chart. It earned only a Fair for its video in our tests and a Poor for its still images, and it lacks advanced controls. Though the 32X lens is the longest optical zoom of the tested camcorders, it's something of a waste: At longer zoom settings, the edges of images became rather fuzzy and indistinct; and because the electronic image stabilization doesn't seem to be very effective, the smallest camera movement can lead to jittery, unattractive video.
Bargain hunters and videographers in need of a lightweight camcorder would do well with the Canon Elura 100 or Sony DCR-HC36: Both cost just $400 and offer enough features for most users.
See the August 2006 "Top MiniDV Camcorders" chart.