Best Financial Markets Analysis Article The must have consumer gadget of 2009 is a Full HD camcorder / digital camera combo which is the target for this review and selection process.

Key Points Targeted

Price Range £800 to £1200
Full HD Camcorder
Good MOS Sensor i.e. pixels
Good Optical Zoom, at least X10 preferably higher.
8MP Camera or higher
Good Audio

After some 20 hours of research of the camcorders currently available, the choice comes down to one of the following three camcorders.

1. Sony HDR-XR520VE

Specs

Price £1,150.
Full HD Recording
240gb Internal Hard disk (101 hours video)
Memory Card - Pro DUo
3.2inch LCD
View finder/
Weight 510g
MOS - 6.6 MP.
Max Frame P/S - 25
Camera - 12 MP / 8 MP (Dual record).
Optical Zoom X12

Review

At the top of the price range.
Good sized LCD and with viewfinder.
Useful Touch screen.
The hard drive is prone to shocks and therefore not as reliable as a solid state device.

2. Canon Legria HF S10

Specs

Price £1050
10X Optical Zoom
MOS 6.01MP
Camera 8MP
32 Gig Dual Flash / SD Slot (4 hour footage)
LCD 2.7
Weight 450g

Review

Near Top of the price range
No viewfinder
Useful manual focus ring

3. Panasonic HDC-TM300

Price £850
Full HD
MOS - Triple 3MP each = 9MP
Camera - 10.6MP
32 gig dual flash / SD (4 hour footage)
LCD 2.7
Optical Zoom X12
Weight 385g

Review

Useful touchscreen
Very light weight compared to others.
Triple CMOS improves picture quality.
Many extras such as face detection, pre record, time lapse recording etc.
The Mike poisition at the top can be prone to pick up wind noise.

Conclusion

The choice has to be for the Panasonic HDC-TM300, primarily due to better images / video due to the triple mos sensor chips, lighter weight, X12 optical zoom, and an acceptable 10MP stills camera. This camcorder also happens to be significantly cheaper than the two alternatives.

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA9 - Honorable Mention

In the course of this analysis the new camera from Sanyo perked my interest, especially given its pistol grip design and waterproof credentials.

Specs

£250
Waterproof
MOS 9MP
Not Full HD (1280/720)
Camera 9 MP
Optical Zoom X5
LCD 2.5
SD Memory upto 32gig

Review

A good cheap waterproof camcorder for holidays if Full HD is not a requirement.

By Nadeem Walayat
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk

Nadeem Walayat has over 20 years experience of trading derivatives, portfolio management and analysing the financial markets, including one of few who both anticipated and Beat the 1987 Crash. Nadeem's forward looking analysis specialises on the housing market and interest rates. Nadeem is the Editor of The Market Oracle, a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. We present in-depth analysis from over 300 experienced analysts on a range of views of the probable direction of the financial markets. Thus enabling our readers to arrive at an informed opinion on future market direction. http://www.marketoracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any trading losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors before engaging in any trading activities.

Nadeem Walayat Archive

Comments

tiyeds
25 Aug 09, 13:25

coincidence: i was searching too for a HD camcorder in UK

WhatyaCoincidence!

I was researching for HD camcorder in the UK, but never expected to find a review like this on Market Oracle.

Your choice seems to be a good one, but better check out for performance under low-light conditions when going for CMOS sensors. I remember reading of such a warning somewhere.

My choice was for Panasonic HDC-HS300 (also a 3 CMOS based camcorder)

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