Shop for digital camcorders

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 11 reviews

The Bottom Line: While it's more expensive than its sub-$600 competitors, the Canon Vixia HF20 and Vixia HF200 deliver a more extensive feature set for the extra money. The HF200, which lacks internal memory, is probably a better buy than the HF20, though the HF20's all-black body is a bit classier looking. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 15 x, Flash card, 2.99 megapixels, 12 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 22 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Flip Video UltraHD may not be the sexiest mini camcorder out there, but it offers a respectable feature set and some of the best video we've seen from this type of cheap, YouTube-friendly camcorder. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 6 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.2 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 9 reviews

The Bottom Line: With the Zi8, Kodak finally surpasses Flip Video's video quality and feature set. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 3.9 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 27 reviews

The Bottom Line: One of a pair of Canon's first flash-based camcorders, the Canon Vixia HF100, delivers excellent HD video quality and performance in a tiny package. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, 13.4 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 reviews

The Bottom Line: While it's more expensive than its sub-$600 competitors, the Canon Vixia HF20 and Vixia HF200 deliver a more extensive feature set for the extra money. The HF200, which lacks internal memory, is probably a better buy than the HF20, though the HF20's all-black body is a bit classier-looking. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 15 x, Flash card, 2.99 megapixels, 12 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.2 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 reviews

The Bottom Line: With the Zi8, Kodak finally surpasses Flip Video's video quality and feature set. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 3.9 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 15 reviews

The Bottom Line: An extremely minor upgrade from the HV20, the Canon Vixia HV30 remains a quality HDV camcorder with a couple of performance issues. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Mini DV (HDV), 1.2 lbs

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.4 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 5 reviews

The Bottom Line: You can tell where Sony cut corners on this compact, flash-based HD camcorder. While it's decent, there are better options for the money than the Sony Handycam HDR-CX100. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, ClearVid CMOS, 10 x, Flash card

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 25 reviews

The Bottom Line: Like its cousin, the flash-based HF11, Canon's Vixia HG20 delivers excellent HD video quality and performance albeit in a slightly larger, heavier package. However, you do get more storage space and a lower price. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 16.4 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 30 reviews

The Bottom Line: Canon's first flash-based camcorder, the Canon Vixia HF10, delivers excellent HD video quality and performance in a tiny package. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, 13.4 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 23 reviews

The Bottom Line: While it has its flaws and is a bit expensive, the ultrasimple Flip Video MinoHD produces impressive video for a camcorder of its size. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 3.3 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: An excellent flash-based prosumer HD camcorder, the Canon Vixia HF S11 has the advantage of an excellent image stabilizer but it disappointingly lacks an eye-level viewfinder. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, 15.9 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: Still one of the nicest models available, the second-generation Flip MinoHD offers a slightly improved design, double the memory, and an HDMI output for the same price that the original MinoHD used to cost. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 4.1 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 16 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Creative Vado HD may fall slightly short of the Flip Video Mino HD in terms of video quality, but it's stronger feature set may tempt you. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 3.5 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 8 reviews

The Bottom Line: An excellent flash-based prosumer HD camcorder, you may nevertheless pass on the Canon Vixia HF S100 because it lacks an eye-level viewfinder. It's probably a better buy than the identical--but more expensive, because it has 32GB built-in memory--Vixia HF S10. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, 15.9 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.9 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: A very good prosumer HD camcorder, the Panasonic HDC-TM300 nevertheless has an annoying touch-screen interface. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, 13.6 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 3 reviews

The Bottom Line: Like its cousin, the flash-based HF11, Canon's Vixia HG21 delivers excellent HD video quality and performance albeit in a slightly larger, heavier package. However, you do get more storage space and a lower price. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 17.3 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.9 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 12 reviews

The Bottom Line: Canon's XH A1 and XH G1 are excellent camcorders for entry-level professionals and independent filmmakers, with hard-to-beat prices for what they offer. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, 3CCD, 20 x, Mini DV (HDV), 4.7 lbs

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 28 reviews

The Bottom Line: A solid hard-drive based HD camcorder, the Canon HG10 nevertheless has its share of annoying quirks. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Hard disk drive, 2.07 megapixels, 1.1 lbs

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 6 reviews

The Bottom Line: An excellent flash-based prosumer HD camcorder, you may nevertheless pass on the Canon Vixia HF S10 because it lacks an eye-level viewfinder. And the identical--but cheaper, because it has no built-in memory--Vixia HF S100 may also be a better buy. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, 15.9 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 7 reviews

The Bottom Line: Sanyo's dual-camera Xacti VPC-CG10 has the design and features to easily shoot both HD-quality movies and 10-megapixel photos, but slow performance and mediocre photos keep it from being a solid do-it-all device. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 5 x, Flash card, 6 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 10 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Flip Video UltraHD may not be the sexiest mini camcorder out there, but it offers a respectable feature set and some of the best video we've seen from this type of cheap, YouTube-friendly camcorder. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, Flash card, 6 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.9 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 12 reviews

The Bottom Line: Though their geotagging capabilities are mostly novelty and their interfaces could use a complete overhaul, the top-notch video quality, performance, and consumer-friendly feature sets of the Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V and HDR-XR520V make them worthy camcorder options. Both are overpriced, but since 14 hours of recording time is plenty--especially if supplemented with flash media--the HDR-XR500V is the better deal of the two. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, Exmor R CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 18 oz

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Sony Handycam HDR-FX7 is an excellent high-definition camcorder from a video perspective, but it's less satisfying if you're an audio control freak. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, 3 ClearVid CMOS, 20 x, Mini DV (HDV), 1.04 megapixels

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.8 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: While it's a perfectly serviceable HD camcorder, the Sony Handycam HDR-XR100 should deliver a little more of everything for the money. Read review

Specs: Camcorder, Exmor CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 11.6 oz