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CNET Reviews - Most Popular Digital Camcorders

Rank Most Popular Titles
1 Sony Handycam HDR-SR11
Sony's Handycam HDR-SR11 and SR12 60GB hard-drive-based AVCHD camcorders deliver top notch performance and image quality.
2 Canon Vixia HF100
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.
3 Canon Vixia HF10
Canon's first flash-based camcorder, the Canon Vixia HF10, delivers excellent HD video quality and performance in a tiny package.
4 Canon Vixia HV30
An extremely minor upgrade from the HV20, the Canon Vixia HV30 remains a quality HDV camcorder with a couple of performance issues.
5 Panasonic SDR-H18
Combining the simplicity of SD recording, a roomy 30GB hard drive, a long zoom, and pleasing image quality, the SDR-H18 is a good choice for a standard-definition, hard-drive camcorder.
6 Canon FS100 (silver)
Convenient, well-designed camcorders that look pricier than they are, models in the Canon FS series--FS11, FS10, and FS100--nevertheless deliver typical budget video in line with their budget price tags.
7 Canon XH A1
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.
8 Canon Vixia HG20
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.
9 Sony Handycam HDR-CX7
As the flash-memory-based equivalent of the HDR-SR7, the Sony Handycam HDR-CX7 serves up the same pleasing performance and quality as its hard-drive cousin.
10 Sony Handycam HDR-SR12
Sony's Handycam HDR-SR11 and SR12 60GB hard-drive-based AVCHD camcorders deliver top notch performance and image quality.
11 Canon Vixia HF11
Like its sibling the HF10, Canon's flash-based Vixia HF11 delivers excellent HD video quality and performance in a tiny package. However, the HF11 delivers a bit more value for its lower price.
12 Panasonic AG-DVX100B Mini DV Camcorder
Panasonic has listened. The third incarnation of the AG-DVX100 offers unrivalled bang for the buck in a prosumer standard-definition MiniDV camera.
13 Sony Handycam DCR-SR45
The Sony Handycam DCR-SR45 has a good design and reasonable feature set for its price, but the video quality doesn't measure up to the rest of the package.
14 Panasonic SDR-SW20 (Silver)
The Panasonic SDR-SW20's only saving grace is its water-, shock-, and dust-proof body (and even those have limitations). Otherwise, there's no reason to buy this pocket camcorder.
15 Panasonic SDR-H40
16 Kodak Zi6 (black)
While bigger than most of its competitors and high priced for a mini camcorder, the Kodak Zi6's attractive design and decent video quality adequately compensate for some usability drawbacks.
17 Panasonic AG-HVX200
With its AG-HVX200, Panasonic raises the bar again, bringing us professional HD versatility and quality at a lower price than ever.
18 Canon HG10
A solid hard-drive based HD camcorder, the Canon HG10 nevertheless has its share of annoying quirks.
19 Flip Video Ultra (60 minutes, black)
With improved video quality, a slightly trimmer design, and upgraded software package, the Flip Video Ultra is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the emerging low-end digital camcorder category.
20 Canon FS11
Convenient, well-designed camcorders that look pricier than they are, models in the Canon FS series--FS11, FS10, and FS100--nevertheless deliver typical budget video in line with their budget price tags.
21 Panasonic HDC-SD9
Despite its trio of CCDs, the video quality and performance of the Panasonic HDC-SD9 are a bit too inconsistent.
22 Flip Video Mino (black)
Despite some minor flaws, Pure Digital's Flip Video Mino is the best mini camcorder for straight-to-Web video currently available--but it also costs more, and it can't match the features of a video-savvy point-and-shoot camera.
23 Sony Handycam DCR-SR85
If you don't want to, need to, or simply can't shell out a couple hundred dollars more for an HD camcorder, the Sony Handycam DCR-SR85 delivers decent SD video and copious recording time.
24 Sony Handycam HDR-CX12
25 Sony HDR-FX1
Though it lacks some audio flexibility and isn't recommended for 24fps shooting, the HDR-FX1 provides advanced consumers with professional-level video controls and entry-level pros with an affordable starting camcorder.