JVC GZ-HD3 – not bad HD camcorder with HDD

This is a Full HD camcorder, which enables you to shoot in 1920 x 1080 resolutions to an internal 60 GB hard drive, providing the clearest video when viewed on your HDTV. The internal hard drive provides a tape free format with an SD/SDHC expansion memory card slot, in case you need more for recording or to capturing still images. Combine this with the compact, modern design of the HD3 and you have a camcorder that not only captures excellent images but also can go anywhere you go, without being conspicuous or cumbersome.
JVC GZ-HD3 Key Features
- The Konica Minolta HD Lens for the GZ-HD3 provides the best performance for the 3-CCD sensor. Clear, beautiful images are the result with this made for HD lens.
- The compact design of the GZ-HD3 allows you to take a camcorder anywhere you go. Weighing only 1.5 lbs the camcorder fits in a pocket or small bag - you will forget it is even there.
- The built-in light on the GZ-HD3 automatically comes on when you are shooting in a low-light situation.
- In an effort to get the shot and save your battery power, JVC designed the GZ-HD3 so that it automatically turns on when the LCD screen is opened and turns off as soon as it has closed.
- You can check on the amount of battery power you have left as well as the camera's recording time with this function, available with JVC Data batteries only.
- By dedicating each of the 3 CCD Sensors to pick up red, green, and blue when shooting the GZ-HD3 provides you with natural color rendition. Pixel Shift Technology shifts the red and blue pixel locations relative to green, quadrupling the color information via interpolation.
Specifications:
- 3CCD 1/5" Sensors (570 k)
- Konica Minolta HD lens Focal length/3.2-32mm f-stop/1.8-2.4, 10x optical Zoom
- Filter Size: 46mm
- Electronic image stabilization
- Video: MPEG-2 TS
- Still: JPEG
- 2.8" Widescreen Clear LCD (207 k pixels)
- 4:3 1440x1080 / 1024x768 / 640x480 16:9 1920x1080
Power Consumption: 6.7W
Dimensions (WxHxD): 3 x 3.2 x 6.1" (75 x 82 x 154mm)
- Weight: 1.5 lbs (670 g) with battery

Sony Handycam HDR-CX7 as a smallest camcorder

With the Handycam HDR-CX7 model, Sony presents its dexterity to make really small and sleek camcorders. We can see a model that records in the AVCHD format, as this one does, match the quality of the footage we have seen from tape-based models using the HDV format. For an AVCHD camcorder, this does produce very nice video, and will likely blow your socks off if you are used to a standard-definition camcorder.
Sony made the most of the fact that the HDR-CX7 records its video to MemoryStick Pro Duo cards. The camcorder is little more than a lens and LCD screen in terms of size, though that is both a positive and negative thing. Sure, you can fit the CX7 into almost any bag, and even a large jacket or sweatshirt pocket, but the ergonomics of the grip are a little off.
Specifications
- 1/2.9 inch Optical Sensor Size 3 megapixels
- ClearVid CMOS Optical Sensor Type
- Min Illumination at 0 lux
- Digital Video Format: AVCHD, MPEG-2
- Special Effects: Sepia, Pastel, Monotone, Old Movie
- Optical Image Stabilizer
- Digital Scene Transition: Black fader, White fader
- Min Shutter Speed: 1/2 sec
- Max Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec
- Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs: Beach, Candle, Sunset, Sunrise, Fireworks, Landscape, Spotlight, Portrait mode, Sports lesson
- White Balance: Presets, Automatic / Indoor, Outdoor
- Exposure Modes: Program, Automatic
- Built-in flash
- Memory Stick PRO Duo
- Zoom lens - 5.4 mm - 54 mm - F/1.8-2.9, 10 x Optical Zoom
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Lens Manufacturer: Carl Zeiss
- Filter Size: 37 mm
- Focus Adjustment: Manual, Automatic
- Zoom Adjustment: Motorized drive
Sony Handycam HDR-CX7 is a nice AVCHD camcorder. It will only become that much more attractive, and the smaller physical size that goes along with a flash-based camcorder will make it more practical to have.

Canon HG10 with 40 GB on board as the best Hard Disk's camcorder

Canon made its first hard disk based camcorder this October, the AVCHD-compatible HG10. It based on the innards and lens of the Canon HV20, the HG10 nevertheless uses an almost completely different design, one that takes a few chances, its not necessarily successful ones.
Canon HG10 is significantly smaller than the HV20, though at 1 pound, 4 ounces, it is not a whole lot lighter. Though it weighs a tad less than its main competitor, the Sony HDR-SR7 does, it is also a bit taller; the silver-and-dark gray body does not look quite as snazzy as Sony SR7's mostly-black chassis, though. The taller body does make it easier and more comfortable to grip. Canon moved and reshaped many of the controls. In some cases, as with the large, extremely smooth zoom rocker switch and the extendable eye-level viewfinder, the changes work for the better.
Specifications
- Effective Sensor Resolution at 2.07 megapixels
- Total 2.96 megapixels
- 1/2.7 inch Optical Sensor Size
- CMOS Optical Sensor Type
- Min Illumination 0.2 lux
- AVCHD Digital Video Format
- Special Effects: Vivid, Cinema, Neutral, Skin Detail, Low Sharpening
- Optical Image Stabilizer
- Digital Scene Transition: Art fader, Wipe fader, Black & white fader
- Min Shutter Speed: 1/2 sec
- Max Shutter Speed: 1/2000 sec
- Shooting Modes: Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs: Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, Spotlight, Night mode, Sports mode, Portrait mode
- White Balance: Custom, Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets: Shade, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light (warm white)
- Exposure Mode: Program, Automatic, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority
- Built-in flash
- Flash Modes: Auto mode, Red-eye reduction
- Built-in Hard disk drive at 40 GB
- JPEG 2048 x 1536, JPEG 1920 x 1080, JPEG 1440 x 1080, JPEG 848 x 480, JPEG 640 x 480
- Zoom lens - 6.1 mm - 61 mm - F/1.8-3.0
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) -- 9
- 10 x Optical Zoom
- Built-in lens shield
- Filter Size 43 mm
- Focus Adjustment: Manual, Automatic
- Min Focus Range 0.4 in
Canon HG10 renders well-exposed, saturated, and sharp video and photos. There is some visual noise and softness in dimly lit scenes and blown out highlights in bright ones, but no more than usual for this class. It cost $720-1200.