HD camcorders for less than $600 - CNET Reviews: " Canon Vixia HF M300, "

Potential contenders I have yet to test include the Panasonic HDC-SD90, the Canon Vixia HF R200, the Samsung H300 series, and the JVC Everio GZ-HM670.

ooking; the Canon Vixia HF R series delivers decent video at best, even for its modest price. But for a low-priced model with mic and headphone jacks, the HF R100 is a pretty good deal

I'd say it'd be a close fight between the Panasonic PV-GS150,Sony DCR-HC42 and the Hitachi DZ-MV730A. The 3-CCD technology of the PV-GS150 is an absolute steal at its price, while Sony, on the whole, has always made very good camcorders, with excellent video quality and features. The Hitachi DZ-MV730A is also one of the best DVD camcorders I've come across.

1. Panasonic PV-GS300 MiniDV Camcorder

The PV-GS300 camcorder records digital video onto MiniDV tapes. The camcorder has 3 1/6” CCD sensors for high-quality video, as well as a 10x optical and 700x digital zoom. Video is recorded through a Leica lens. The camcorder also has a built-in 3.1 megapixel digital camera for taking print quality still photos

Phillip answers:

I personally prefer Canon VIXIA HF M30 Dual Flash Memory Camcorder which is really good.

* Records up to 3 hours of crisp high definition video to an 8GB internal flash drive or directly to removable SD memory cards
* Genuine Canon 15x HD Video Lens delivers unsurpassed image quality
* Canon 3.89-Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor captures video at 1920 x 1080 resolution
* Canon DIGIC DV III Image Processor provides the ultimate in color and imaging performance
* Dynamic SuperRange OIS corrects a full range of motion

For the best HDV camcorder comparisons and reviews check out the Sony HDR-CX700V, Panasonic HDC-TM900K and Canon VIXIA HF S21. All three of these products not only offer high quality resolution but a variety of other features that make these the best HDV camcorders. If you would like more information, look into our articles on HD video camcorders.

camera with mic

Canon HV20 i but no headphone jack

Canon HF S20 has an external mic port.

Canon HV20, HV30, Sony HDR-HC7 and HC9. They are all miniDV tape. You need to increase your budget.

Canon Legria HF G10

Panasonic HDC-SD90

Originally reviewed by James Morris | 09 March 2011

Runner-up: Panasonic HDC-SD90

For its price, our panel felt this was an excellent camera, scoring extremely well on value. Image quality was high with the 26x optical zoom, although the 1500x digital zoom seemed like a gimmick in our test, resulting in a grainy, unstable image. For under £350 however, with the option of an external microphone, 3D shooting capability with an additional adapter and a generous 3in LCD touchscreen, we felt this was a worthy contender for camcorder of the year. While its video quality may have been put in the shade by its bigger brother, but it remains a great piece of kit.

Winner: Panasonic HDC-TM900

With a 12x optical zoom and 700x digital zoom, this camcorder records outstanding image quality in virtually all conditions. Our panel was impressed at the test footage we shot, which was smooths and pin sharp. As well as excellent image quality, the sound was markedly better from the on-board mic and the versatility of the Panasonic HDC-TM900 helped it become a clear winner for Best Camcorder of 2011.

Panasonic HDC-TM900 review

CX/XR 500, any of the 500 series, work fantastic in low light and should fit your budget.