Best Pocket Camcorders
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Camcorders are the special types of devices combining video cameras and tape recorders. In the age of the growing popularity of video blogging or famously known as ‘vlogging’, camcorders are becoming the inevitable parts of a blogger’s life. Not only of the video bloggers or vloggers, the camcorders are interesting the common people also.
In the age, where facebook lives, podcasts and sharing videos in YouTube are acquiring popularity, a camcorder is a must needed device. The initial version of camcorders contained tape-based analog recorders only. However with the growing popularity, this camcorders became digital, with the tape being replaced by a storage facility comprising of SD cards and memory slots.
Internal flash memories are also present. In the recent times, many mobile phones, especially the smart phones are also serving as excellent pocket camcorders. These phones are namely, Samsung Galaxy S8, iPhone 7 plus, Samsung Galaxy S7 and a lot more.
They are very handy, being carried in a pocket and are nonetheless featured with some excellent quality camera and recorder. However, the availabilities of such types of smart phones are still very less in the market.
Ten best pocket camcorders
The pocket camcorders have become extremely handy in the recent times of vlogging. Their small size is quite deceiving as in performance they are almost equal to their fellow video cameras.
Because of their mini size and compactness, they can be carried around all the time. Moreover there is no tension of carrying supporting gadgets like a tripod or the audio recorder which are usually needed for a normal DSLR camera used for recording or the other types of recording gadgets.
According the ranking made in 2017, the top ten camcorders are discussed in details in this article. The detailed discussion in this article is an effort to guide the buyers in their choice of the appropriate camcorders required for their job. Proper sound and picture quality are the two most important aspects of video blogging. Therefore it is very important for the novices interested in the career of a video blogger, that their choice of equipments is correct.
As the camcorders serve the job of both video and audio recording, it is important for the novices to start their careers with a camcorder. With time they can upgrade their equipments with more gadgets and various other types of cameras.
1) GoPro Hero 5 Black
The GoPro Hero 5 Black is the new launch of the company that is facing the list of the best camcorders. The size of the camcorder is indeed very small, truly catering to the need of a pocket camcorder. Because of its smaller size, it is way handier than anyone could ever imagine.
While its predecessors after getting launched were surpassed by the other camcorders of other companies, the new Hero 5 Black of GoPro is still the most favourite of all. It has the touch screen facility, which was lacking in the company’s previous launches. The touch screen is very bright and swiftly responsive. Other than this facility, it provides a video recording that is fast with a remarkable picture quality. The video recording feature enables it to shoot wide ranged pictures, having the raw and natural effects in them.
The best part of this camcorder is that it is waterproof and dustproof and hence is eligible for shooting during rainy seasons or extremely moist conditions. It has the inbuilt image stabilization, a linear field of view that captures the videos remarkably and also a GPS. The audio recording is also spectacular containing the options of voice control and auto cloud uploads
Some of the voice commands are- “GoPro, start recording” “GoPro, turn off” “GoPro, take a photo” “GoPro, photo mode” “GoPro, video mode” “GoPro, start time lapse” “GoPro, start recording” “GoPro, highlight” “GoPro, shoot burst” “GoPro, stop recording” “GoPro, stop time lapse” “GoPro, burst mode” Thus the GoPro Hero 5 Black provides the best quality audios and videos. However, like every other object, it has its cons also.
The battery life of this camcorder is quite poor. Especially when the wifi and GPS are on together, battery gets decreased at an alarming rate. Also, all the resolutions and frame rates do not come up with the image stabilization and linear field view facilities. Except for these, the camcorder is indeed worthy and good.
2) 360fly 4K
This single lens, 360 degree camera, has acquired a top position in the top ten best pocket camcorders. A better evolved gadget than its predecessors, its small size has made it remarkably handy and its mobile app has made it a hot favourite with the customers. The mobile app of this camcorder is indeed better than the other apps provided by the other 360 degree camcorders.
It is because of its mobile app, that it has become more usable and handy. This camcorder is also water and dust resistant, which means it can be used for shooting in any weather condition. The company’s initial launches had to be used with their standard tripod mount. They were nonetheless original HD camera having a good picture quality. However, a plug was required to be used in the opening of its mic to make it water resistant. In the new 360fly 4K, the rubbery exterior provides a great deal facility of holding it in slippery or wet hands. The audio and video recording occurs with the press of one button only.
Being water resistant, the mic can be used without the plug only. The Bluetooth and the Wifi get turned on when the camcorder is switched on. There is a facility of shooting time lapse video, besides the 360 degree video recording. There is a choice between 24 frames while shooting live videos or 30 fps for a swifter and smoother result. After the video and the audio are recorded, for editing purpose, the app does a remarkable job.
The 64GB of internal storage enables the upload of any live video or even movies in YouTube and facebook. The cons of this device are that the video or the photo shoot can be done perfectly for small screens where the purple fringes are not noticed. Also the audio quality sometimes appeared to be muffled. Moreover, there remains a constant need of charging for this device.
3) Ricoh Theta S
This camcorder is excellent for the start ups in the career of vlogging. The camcorder provides some excellent spherical images. It uses two ultra wide angle lenses. The focal length of the lenses is usually varying having the dimension of f/2.0. It has a 1.2 inches image sensor that enables it to protrude the 12 megapixel lens up to 14 megapixels. There are Wifi and GPS facilities.
The act of taking pictures or recording audios and videos are very simple. There are three side buttons with the inscriptions of wifi symbol C symbol and a G symbol. Pressing the camera button enables you to take pictures.
There is also a self-timer which facilitates the correct timing of the stoppage of video recording. The mobile app of this camcorder is also very competent. It helps in the proper sharing of the contents. The audio recording is enabled with the recording capability of HD stereo sound that has a remarkable quality.
Further the storage space of 8GB can hold over thousands of pictures and videos. The design is very sleek and attractive. The lens being protruding however requires to be maintained constantly to keep it safe from scratches and other harms. Also the feature of processing sometimes ruins the picture quality.
4) Kodak PlaySport Zx5 HD
Kodak has always gained a top place amongst the technological items for their remarkable features and sheer facilities. In the range of the camcorders also, its position is ranging quite high. The Kodak PlaySport camcorder is very handy, useful and has got some remarkable features. This camcorder is completely waterproof, shockproof and also dustproof.
The waterproof facility is up to 10 ft under water, which is a great distance under water. Further the shockproof and dustproof facilities enable it to be used in any place and under any circumstances. The picture quality, being high definition is very good. The maximum resolution is about 1080p in the case of videos. Even the audio quality is better than many external microphone facilities.
There is a built-in share button that enables direct sharing. Also the sharing through the sharing button is mostly hassle-free. Its sleek design, compact body and lightweight enable it to be used and carried everywhere. However, like all other camcorders, it has its cons too. The charging cord for the camcorder is very expensive.
Moreover the lightweight provides some problems for image stabilization. The flexibility of this camcorder is nonetheless, questioned. However there is no touch screen facility. But regarding the picture and audio quality, there can be no second thoughts. The price of this camcorder is also moderate,
5) Canon VIXIA Mini X
We all are familiar with the remarkable DSLR and SLR as well as simple digital cameras that Canon has launched in the recent times. The picture quality of all these types of cameras, till now has been ranked as the best in the market of the gadgets. Thus, a person well acquainted with Canon and its photographic equipments will know that this company makes no compromise in the qualities of the cameras.
Similar is the case with the camcorder. The canon VIXIA Mini X can be considered to be a remarkable quality camcorder that has made a place in the list of the top ten camcorders. The camcorder has a 12.8 MP CMOS feature that produces some remarkable low light videos. The small size is very handy and can be taken anywhere. The design is also very sleek. The camcorder has been armed with fish eye lens, a remarkable type of lens for capturing some really good high resolution pictures.
The real depth of a picture is also captured very easily with this quality of lens. The image stabilization is electronically in built, providing some really good close hand shots. The enhanced battery quality enables a swifter recording than is present in the previous camcorders of the same company.
The built-in microphone is large that enables a sound recording with great precision, because of the linear PCM 16-bit audio at a 48 kHz sample rate. However there are certain disadvantages of this device. Switching between photo shoot mode and video capturing mode is not easy in this camcorder. Moreover, despite its handy design, it cannot be always managed.
6) Panasonic HC X920 3MOS
This is an extremely remarkable camcorder, launched by the famous technological company, Panasonic. The system having three MOS sensors with the feature of back side illumination is mainly responsible for the appropriate video recording and remarkable quality. The focal range of 29.8mm to 399.2mm shows the wide angle of zooming facilitated by the lens.
The Leica Dicomer lens with nano surface coating indeed records bright pictures and does not take up unwanted noises. The picture quality even in the low light situations is bright. Further this type lens prevents ghosting and purple fringing. The Crystal Engine Pro II has the ability to process a huge number of pictures, pixel shift technology resulting in a fabulous HD picture quality. There is a wifi facility, built-in within the system. Further the camcorder has its own specified app for editing and sharing purposes.
Even it has facilties for preventing blurring and producing bright high definition crisp pictures. The camcorder has the touch screen facility and a technique to reduce the shutter sound. The audio also records sounds with active precision. It adjusts automatically to the optimal conditions during tough shooting conditions.
For this it has an extraordinary shooting sensor built within it. The various scene modes include sports, portraits, low light, spot light, beach, sunset, fireworks, scenery, night scenery, night portrait and soft skin mode. For all of these modes, special adaptations are there. There is also a facility for shooting with time lapses. The price however is slightly higher compared to the other camcorders. But the features make it totally worthy of the price.
7) Sony HDR PJ410
This camcorder launched by the Sony Company is very easy to handle. It has the 2.2 megapixel optical sensor technology. Also there is a steady shot technology, which is inbuilt. The shutter speed of this camcorder is brilliant. Having 1/10000 shutter speed, there can be observed no blurring or distortion in the audio or video recording.
The CMOS sensor, that is a feature of this camcorder, produces bright and high resolution pictures and videos especially in the low light situations. The minute details of the pictures are captured not only efficiently but also clearly.
Even it has facilties for preventing blurring and producing bright high definition crisp pictures. The camcorder has the touch screen facility and a technique to reduce the shutter sound. The audio also records sounds with active precision. It adjusts automatically to the optimal conditions during tough shooting conditions.
The XAVC S 50 Mbps High Bitrate enables this feature. Moreover the camcorder provides a digital zooming facility up to 350 times and optical zooming facility up to 30 times. There is a remarkable 13lm built in projector that allows a rapid sharing of the videos and footages. Further it is armed with External input that allows the videos to be shared anywhere and with anyone.
8) Canon VIXIA HF R72
In the listing of any top camera products, it is noticeable that Canon products will definitely be more than one. Likewise while grouping the top ten camcorders; it is quite natural that the Canon camcorder will exceed the number of camcorders of other companies. The Canon VIXIA HF R72 is a remarkable product launched by this company.
The fifty seven times advanced zooming facility is remarkable. Of course the zooming facility provided by the camcorder is optical. Because of this reason, the clarity of the pictures is remarkable. It becomes easier o capture some object or make a video of some object, which is not close at hand. This camcorder facilitates the shooting of wildlife videos.
The super range optical image stabilization enables a steady picture shoot, even though it is a handheld video. Therefore videos taken at a large focal length is steady and sharp and crisp. Also in a horizontal, vertical or roll position, the rotation camera when controlled is smooth. The image stabilization also prevents blurring and distortion.
There is a 32 GB internal flash drive and also a slot for the micro SD card. The video recording can be occurred up to twelve hours and the recorded video can be stored both in the storage or the micro SD card. There is a Highlight priority mode also constructed inside this camcorder. It enables the wide range of colour specifications that take place in the naked eye, when we see any picture. Moreover its design enables a very handy use and a good grip.
9) Toshiba Camileo BW10 1080p
The first and the most important feature of this beautiful camcorder is its waterproof technology. Its use is quite easy to use, and simpler in design. However it is not shockproof or crushproof. The control panel is quite clumsy, beneath the two inch LCD display, however the actions are quite simple and straightforward.
You have press hold the power button to turn on or off the device. There is a button for shooting videos and recording them. There is also a shutter release for shooting pictures. Moreover, this camcorder has an electronically built in image stabilization that prevents distortion. The zooming facility is 10 times that is not much to discuss about. The camcorder is all automatic. Nothing is manual, except the change of modes.
The 1080p and 720p resolutions make the movies in the small screen watchable, because at this resolution the picture quality is very sharp. The waterproof quality enables to use it in a depth of 6.5 feet for up to sixty minutes. The SD card has a sealed closing door that covers the slot of the micro SD card. The battery is also removable.
For the sharing of items, there is another USB port, covered with the same kind of sealed door as that of the micro SD card. For the USB connector you will need a cord or the cable. The lithium ion battery charger has a battery life of 70 minutes. The colouring effect is neither manual, nor auto. Even the lens cover is of the same case. However the white balance of the camera is controlled automatically.
The only thing is that there is a hell lot of shutter sound and the beeps of the button that can be heard while recording. Also the image stabilization does not ensure absolute steadiness even in rocky surfaces or when there is a lot of movement. The cons of this camcorder are that it contains no feature for editing and sharpening or sometimes eliminating the unrequited video. Also it lacks extra features that help in enhancing the quality of the picture.
The possibility of sharing is also less as it has got no software for doing this. The HD video that is usually recorded is merely ordinary according to some of the camera critics. Indeed for these features, the price is handy. Thus for the novices or the startups, this camcorder is a pocket friendly one and also one of the best ones to start their recording with.
10) Coby SNAPP CAM4505
This remarkable camcorder is only two inches in size. However, despite its small size, in itself it is a power package. It is a very true definition of pocket camcorder as it looks very nice and handy. The camcorder looks almost like a mini sized mobile phone with numerous small buttons in it. It has a full LCD colour display that enables to visualize the different aspects of shooting at the moment of shooting itself.
It has the capability of shooting in a resolution which is full 1080p HD resolution. Therefore one can imagine the fine quality of picture that it shoots and records. Also there is a provision of being able to watch all the shot videos in the television with the help of a built in HDMI output. By connecting to the television or the computer, you can easily amend the pictures by the required editing and elimination.
The CMOS sensor inbuilt in the camcorder is excellent for low light pictures. The memory of the camcorder can be easily increased by inserting a micro SD card. The action of this camcorder is quite smooth and unhindered. For recording video there are different buttons. There is a central power button for turning the camcorder off or on.
However, like every other camcorder, it has its own cons also. The brand is not very famous. Because of this reason, this reason it remains unrecognized amongst the camera lovers despite its good features. As it is not a recognized brand, many customers are suspicious of its longevity and sustainability.
The cramped control system at the back of the camera is hard to use for the first time. But with time, this difficulty is easily manageable. Also the propriety software is not easy to use as it looks like. There can be hindrances in the use of the software and the problems can prolong. However, not every time this problem can recur. So overall, this camcorder deserves a good rating and should be used all the more frequently. For the novices, it ensures a good quality picture at a lower price.
Thus in the above article, the reviewed ranking of top ten camcorders have been discussed with details. The features along with their prices have been discussed carefully. However these prices are subject to change. Also the availability of these camcorders cannot be ensured all the time.
These are not the only options of camcorders left with the vloggers or the customers. Especially, for the startups, there are innumerable other options available. Canon themselves has produced almost three remarkable camcorders namely the Canon VIXIA HF R700 and the Canon VIXIA HF R72. There is a slight difference in the picture quality and price may be. Otherwise, they are equally remarkable.
The Sony Camcorders are available in India very easily. They include Sony HDR CX 405 and Sony HDR CX 440. For a startup, prior to the elaborate equipments of cameras and DSLRs, it is better to start with the camcorders. The pocket camcorders are extremely suitable for any startup. There is no need of microphone, tripod or even additional lightening. The camcorder, being handy is enough all alone.
The HD recording and the low light facilities in them, does not cause the problem of camera consciousness. The handiness of the products and the affordable prices, make them a hot favourite not only with the novice bloggers but also with the experienced one.
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