$600 several years ago would not have purchased you a very good camcorder. High-quality digital camcorders were at one point so expensive only professional videographers could afford to buy them. Now, many camcorder manufacturers are making excellent quality digital camcorder, at price points many consumers can afford. These digital camcorders include MiniDV, Hard Drive, and DVD models, as well as a 3 CCD option, virtually unheard of at this price point until recently. Here are the top digital camcorders under $600.
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.
2. Canon DC100 DVD Camcorder
The Canon DC100 records video directly onto a compact DVD. The camcorder has a 25x optical and 1000x digital zoom, as well as a 2.7” widescreen LCD. The camcorder has a 1/6” CCD, and records two-channel Dolby Digital audio.3. Sony DCR-DVD105 DVD Camcorder
The Sony DCR-DVD105 records video directly onto DVD. The compact camcorder uses a professional quality Carl Zeiss lens, and has a 20x optical and 800x digital zoom, as well as a 2.5” LCD screen. The camcorder has a 1/6” CCD, manual focus, and a variety of built-in shooting modes including an infrared “Super NightShot.”4. JVC Everio GZ-MG37 Hard Drive Camcorder
The JVC GZ-MG37 camcorder has a 30G hard drive, making it possible to record up to ten hours of continuous DVD quality video. The camcorder has a 32x optical and 800x digital zoom, a 2.7” LCD, and a 1/6” CCD. The camcorder records Dolby Digital audio, and has a built-in low resolution digital camera.