Pocket camcorders: How we test pocket camcorders

Which? pocket camcorder reviews: testing

To help you choose the best pocket camcorder, Which? subjects all of our camcorders on review to a series of expertly-designed tests.

These tests are set up to judge video quality, sound quality, the camcorder's speed in operation, battery life, and the quality of the LCD screen.

We evaluate all of these test elements to decide each camcorder's total test score.

Remember, the test scores we give to pocket camcorders are not directly comparable to those we give to full size camcorders or HD camcorders, as pocket camcorders are designed to be much more simple, offering only the most basic features.

See our expert Which? reviews of the best pocket camcorders.

Pocket camcorder video quality

To evaluate the video quality on pocket camcorders, we set them up to record footage under a variety of lighting conditions.

We test each pocket camcorder under natural daylight conditions, where they generally fare best of all.

We then test each pocket camcorder under artificial light. This is a greater challenge, and many pocket camcorders fail to capture colours accurately - a yellow tinge is quite common.

Finally, we test all pocket camcorders under challenging low light conditions. This tends to expose the weaknesses of these devices, as their small sensors struggle in dim lighting.

Sound quality on pocket camcorders

We test sound quality on pocket camcorders by recording voices and music tracks, then playing them back to a panel of expert sound quality assessors.

The best devices capture sound with clarity and distinction, while the worst tend to capture muffled sound that's spoiled by disturbances.

Battery life testing

We fully charge the batteries on each pocket camcorder then measure how long each device lasts before it fully powers down.

The best devices can last for around two hours.

We also precisely measure the length of time it takes to charge up each pocket camcorder, both by mains-charging and USB-charging via a computer.

Transferring and uploading videos

Our testers judge how easily and how quickly you can transfer a video file from the pocket camcorder onto a computer, using the camcorder's provided software.

We then judge how easily you can upload a file to YouTube using the camcorder's software.

If you're looking for better video quality, it may be worth considering a full-sized HD camcorder. See our expert Which? reviews of the best HD camcorders.