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Camcorders: Best Buys 
Camcorders you can get to grips with
There's no shortage of camcorders to choose from. With so many recording formats available, including hard disk, DVD, Mini-DV or memory card, how on earth do you know which one is right for you? And how can you figure out which features are genuinely useful? At Which?, our team of experts can help you make the right buying decision.
Our Which? experts meticulously test dozens of camcorders to find out which ones are Best Buys and which ones are best ignored. We give you this advice in everyday language, not technobabble. So you can be sure that the memories you capture come out as vividly as possible.
Along with all this useful advice by joining Which? you’ll get full access to reviews and expert opinion on thousands of products, from digital SLRs to insurance, taking the risk out of all your purchasing decisions.
Take a trial to Which? and get full access to all our reviews.
Camcorder reviews you can trust
At Which? our team of experts are continually subjecting the most popular camcorders to the most unforgiving tests. Our state-of-the-art testing equipment always incorporates new features and developments in the fast-changing world of digital video. We've reviewed dozens of the latest models from eight of the world’s most popular brands, including Panasonic, Canon, Sony, Samsung and JVC.
Our experts put themselves in your shoes, and judge how well each camcorder can capture those precious moments in different lighting conditions. By separating the outstanding performers from the mediocre, you can be sure that the camcorder you choose will do those moments justice. We also test how well a camcorder performs at varying zoom levels and how well it can handle images when held by an unsteady hand.
Today’s camcorders are crammed with features, which can seem overwhelming even to an experienced user. We understand that you don't want to spend too much time setting the camera up before you start shooting, so we also look at how easy it is to use. We don’t just examine picture quality, either: the microphone goes through just as much scrutiny – because a great image isn't worth much of you can't hear what's going on.
What makes a Best Buy camcorder?
A Which? Best Buy camcorder will, first and foremost, provide you with superior video image quality in most situations. Different lighting conditions will affect picture quality, and we found that many models fell disappointingly short in dim or indoor light. Picture quality, ease of use and great reliability are so paramount that out of the 61 camcorders tested, we've only awarded 11 of them the coveted Which? Best Buy status. Our tests have also uncovered some rather disappointing models that we've named Don't Buys to make sure you don't waste your money.
More ways to save money
Joining Which? gives you access to all of our reviews and Best Buy recommendations for thousands of products. And if you need more advice, you can just pick up the phone and call our helpline team for one-to-one advice.
Best of all, you can sample the benefits of Which? during a trial. So capturing those elusive bargains has never been easier.
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- Reviews of 50 camcorders: mini-DV, DVD, hard disk and memory card.
- 3 Best Buy camcorders for great audio and video quality.
- Reviews of camcorders from 7 companies.
