MEGA-TEST
HEAD
SMALL SCREEN GEMS...
INTRO
Is size important? We think so; here's a
selection of half a dozen of the smallest and lightest camcorders around, and
as you will see small doesn't necessarily mean expensive
COPY
Six camcorders, costing from £700 to £1200,
but what have they got in common? It's size, or rather the lack of it, because
these six are amongst the smallest and lightest machines on the market. But is
that an important issue anymore, with the average weight of a compact camcorder
now little more than a kilogram? The lightest machine in this round-up has an
all-up weight of just under 800 grams,
so there's only 200 or so grams in it -- about as much as a large apple -- so it would seem not, but weight isn't the
only consideration.
The difference in size between these machines
and the rest of the pack is quite considerable, the smallest of them will fit
comfortably into a coat pocket, stow easily in weekend luggage or slip into a
briefcase. That's the dividing line between a real go-anywhere sort of
camcorder, that you're happy to take with you wherever you go, and one that
spends most of its time gathering dust in the bottom of a cupboard, because
it's just a bit too large drag about, except on special occasions. As you can
see the traditional link between size and price has been broken, and the
smallest machines are not necessarily the dearest anymore, though it has to be
said that if you want to combine small size and performance then you can expect
to pay over the odds, but if it means you're going to get more use out it, it
has to be money well spent.
By the way, you may be wondering why we
haven't included the smallest and lightest camcorder of all, the Panasonic
NV-CS1; that's because it's a nasty, overpriced record-only machine and we
don't like it; ignore it and pay the extra for a proper camcorder!
CANON UC40Hi, Hi8, £1200
One of Canon's instantly recognisable
'upright' machines, a close relative of the UC5 which has an optical image
stabiliser and costs a further £200. Above average performance with its Hi8 and
stereo sound recording systems but otherwise fairly modestly equipped for a
machine costing the better part of
£1200. The main features include a 5-mode program AE system, covering
most routine shooting conditions, manual shutter, 16:9 widescreen recording
mode and a Control L editing terminal. The optical zoom is supplemented by a 2x
electronic zoom, taking the maximum magnification up to 24x, though the picture
starts to look a little ragged once you get past 15x.
It's reasonably easy to use, with all of the
important controls close at hand. The limited number of creative facilities and
manual controls means this machine is better suited to straightforward
recording work; the auto-systems cope well with the unexpected, though the
autofocus can sometimes be indecisive if there is a lot of movement within the
scene. On-screen performance is fine, horizontal resolution is a little over
380-lines, when viewed on a TV or monitor equipped with an S-Video input, even
on an ordinary TV the picture still looks sharper and more detailed than an
ordinary 8mm or VHS-C camcorder. Fairly expensive but a well-engineered
machine, capable of very good results in relatively undemanding situations.
SPECIFICATION
OPTICS
Zoom/lens 12x optical/24x electronic, f/1.8, 5.4-65mm
Filter diameter 46mm
CCD 0.3in
Min. illum. (lux) 3
Size (mm) 73 x 134 x 195
Weight 0.8kg (inc. tape and battery)
VIDEO DECK
Long Play (LP) yes
Max. rec. time 240mins (LP mode)
IR remote control ? yes
Edit terminal? yes (control L)
MAIN FACILITIES
Manual iris
no
Programmed AE? yes
(5-mode)
Manual white balance? no
Manual zoom? no
Backlight compensation yes
Insert edit? no
Character generator? no
Digital Superimposer? no
Video light? optional
Fader? yes
AUDIO
Audio Dub? no
Stereo? yes
Mic socket? yes
PERFORMANCE
Resolution 380-lines
Colour fidelity very good
Picture stability average
Colour bleed negligible
White balance average
Exposure good
Autofocus lively
Audio performance good
Insert edit manual inserts clean
Playback thru adaptor N/A
VC RATINGS
Value for money 8
Ease of use 8
Performance 8
Features 7
HITACHI VM-H37, Hi8, £900
Reaching the end of the line now, so you may
have to hunt around for this machine, but it's worth the effort, taking into
account the price, specification and very low shooting weight. It's showing its
age just a little by not having a programmed auto-exposure system, and manual
camera controls are rather thin on the ground but to make up for that it has a
two-mode digital zoom (20x and 64x) three-mode fader, digital filter (sunset,
sepia and monochrome) and digital effects which include slim and wide recording
modes. It has a stereo recording system but the microphone doesn't create a
very wide image, and there's no external mic. socket, which is a disadvantage.
Layout and handling are both quite good,
though we're not very impressed with the viewfinder extension tube which has a
rather feeble latch and tends to collapse back to the stowage position if too
much pressure is applied. It's very simple to use, mostly because it has so few
controls, but the auto focus and exposure systems do a reasonably good job,
most of the time. Picture quality is adequate, our sample managed to resolve
around 370-lines, (S-Video), which still looks a great deal better than most
ordinary camcorders, but isn't going to break any records when compared with
other high-band machines. Almost a classic in its day but now mostly of
interest to those looking for a very small, light and easy to use high-band
machine, that's not going to break the bank.
SPECIFICATION
OPTICS
Zoom/lens 8x optical/64x electronic, f/1.4, 6-48mm
Filter diameter 34mm
CCD z0.3in
Min. illum. (lux) 2
Size (mm) 80.5 x 104 x 238
Weight 0.78kg (inc. tape and battery)
VIDEO DECK
Long Play (LP) yes/no
Max. rec. time 240mins (LP mode)
IR remote control ? yes
Edit terminal? no
MAIN FACILITIES
Manual iris no
Programmed AE? no
Manual white balance? no
Manual zoom? no
Backlight compensation yes
Insert edit? yes
Character generator? yes
Digital Superimposer? no
Video light? no
Fader? yes
AUDIO
Audio Dub? no
Stereo? yes
Mic socket? no
PERFORMANCE
Resolution 370-lines
Colour fidelity good
Picture stability good
Colour bleed none
White balance average
Exposure good
Autofocus average
Audio performance good
Insert edit good
Playback thru adaptor N/A
VC RATINGS
Value for money 9
Ease of use 9
Performance 8
Features 8
JVC GR-AX35/55, VHS-C, £600/750
Two for the price of one; the JVC GR-AX35 and
AX55 are so closely related that we can include them both in this selection of
smallest and lightest machines. On the surface they're unremarkable-looking
VHS-C palmcorders with 6-mode program AE systems, a fair sprinkling of creative
and convenience features, and a built-in video light, in the case of the AX55.
However, what makes both machines so special is the RM-V704 remote control ,
which comes as standard with the AX55, or as an optional extra on the AX35, for
£60. It contains the business end of a sophisticated but simple to use
assemble-editing system that will work with a wide variety of VCRs. Up to eight
scenes can be automatically transferred from the AX35/55 to a VCR, handy for
cutting out all the mistakes and tedious bits, turning a commonplace home video
into a watchable mini production.
Although the picture isn't as sharp or
detailed as a high-band machine it is nonetheless very good, with horizontal
resolution for both machines a little above 240-lines. The AE system covers most shooting situations;
colour accuracy is, or should be near perfect with no less than nine white
balance presets, covering just about every type of natural and artificial
light. It has a few rough edges; manual focus is cumbersome, there's no
external mic socket, and several important facilities can only be accessed by a
second optional remote control, otherwise they're ideal for movie-makers who
want to take their hobby just a little bit further. By the way, the AX35 is by
far the better deal, even taking into account the extra cost of the remote
control handset.
SPECIFICATION
OPTICS
Zoom/lens 10x, f/1.8, 6-60mm
Filter diameter 43mm
CCD 0.3in
Min. illum. (lux) 4
Size (mm) 184 x 120 x 111
Weight 0.9kg (inc. tape and battery)
VIDEO DECK
Long Play (LP) yes
Max. rec. time 90mins (LP mode)
IR remote control ? no (optional)
Edit terminal? yes (see text)
MAIN FACILITIES
Manual iris no
Programmed AE? yes
(6-mode)
Manual white balance? yes
Manual zoom? no
Backlight compensation yes
Insert edit? yes (see text)
Character generator? no
Digital Superimposer? no
Video light? no/yes (see text)
Fader? yes
AUDIO
Audio Dub? yes
(see text)
Stereo? no
Mic socket? no
PERFORMANCE
Resolution 240-lines
Colour fidelity good
Picture stability good
Colour bleed none
White balance very good
Exposure good
Autofocus average
Audio performance average
Insert edit see text
Playback thru adaptor good
VC RATINGS
Value for money 9/8
Ease of use 8
Performance 9
Features 7
PANASONIC NV-R50, VHS-C, £900
As if to demonstrate that Panasonic can still
design and build top-notch camcorders the NV-R50 almost makes up for the
horrible little CS1 record-only machine. In fact the two look quite similar,
however, the only possible thing they have in common is a colour viewfinder.
The CS1 has an optical system, the R50 uses a tiny LCD colour display, built
into a hinged podule at the back of the machine. The feature list is most
impressive, it has a 3-mode program AE and six digital effects. They include
gain-up, strobe, zoom, image stabiliser, wipe and mix, the last two being a
very eye-catching way of easing the transition, from one scene to another. In
addition it has a still or 'snapshot recording mode, and best of all, an RMC or
'5-pin' editing terminal, so it can be used as a source deck with a wide range
of edit controllers and VCRs.
The R50 was one of the first machines to use
the new quarter-inch CCD image sensors, this has enabled the designers to save
weight by using smaller, more compact lens assemblies. The R50 is powered by a
4.8-volt battery, instead of the larger and heavier 6-volt pack. Neither
innovation has any significant impact on running times or performance, though
low-light sensitivity is 10 lux. which is the upper end of the range for most
of today's machines. Horizontal resolution at 240 lines is approaching the
limits of the VHS-C system, and colour accuracy is also very good. The LCD
viewfinder is an acquired taste, and manual focusing can be difficult,
especially in poor light, but they're comparatively small niggles and this is a
most agreeable machine that you definitely won't want to leave at home.
SPECIFICATION
OPTICS
Zoom/lens 10x optical/15x digital, f/1.8, 4.6-46mm
Filter diameter 37mm
CCD 0.25in
Min. illum. (lux) 10
Size (mm) 76 x 118 x 233
Weight 0.9kg (inc. tape and battery)
VIDEO DECK
Long Play (LP) yes
Max. rec. time 90mins (LP mode)
IR remote control ? no
Edit terminal? yes (5-pin RMC)
MAIN FACILITIES
Manual iris no
Programmed AE? yes
(3-mode)
Manual white balance? yes
Manual zoom? no
Backlight compensation yes
Insert edit? no
Character generator? no
Digital Superimposer? no
Video light? no
Fader? yes
AUDIO
Audio Dub? no
Stereo? no
Mic socket? yes
PERFORMANCE
Resolution >240-lines
Colour fidelity very good
Picture stability very good
Colour bleed none
White balance good
Exposure good
Autofocus good
Audio performance average
Insert edit manual inserts clean
Playback thru adaptor good
VC RATINGS
Value for money 8
Ease of use 9
Performance 9
Features 9
SAMSUNG VP-405, 8mm, £700
This Korean-made machine has broken through a
number of important barriers, not least
the fact that it is now the cheapest 8mm machine with stereo sound; that's all
the more remarkable at a time when camcorder prices have been steadily rising.
Although at first glance the design appears a little dated -- it resembles
palmcorders of a year or two ago -- the specification wouldn't shame most
recent mid-market sub-compacts. It has a 5-mode program AE system, title superimposer,
manual shutter, self/interval timers and inner-focus lens, though the manual
focus control is nothing to write home about. Fortunately the rest of the
controls are fairly well placed, and easy to get at.
Although the E405 isn't especially small it
is very light. We suspect this may, in
part at least, be a result of the thinner panels and less rigid construction,
compared with some other palmcorders, though we have to say that as far as
we're aware this hasn't affected the machine's reliability or survivability.
Compared with rival machines, costing between £700 and £900 the E405 gives a
very good account of itself and there's little or no sign of cost-cutting when
it comes to picture quality. The program AE system isn't especially effective,
and one or two modes didn't seem to do much at all, however, with horizontal
resolution approaching 240 lines recorded images look crisp and detailed, with
natural-looking colours.
SPECIFICATION
OPTICS
Zoom/lens 8x, f/1.8, 6-48mm
Filter diameter 37mm
CCD 0.3in
Min. illum. (lux) 3
Size (mm) 106 x 109 x 175
Weight 0.9kg (inc. tape and battery)
VIDEO DECK
Long Play (LP) yes
Max. rec. time 240mins (LP mode)
IR remote control ? yes
Edit terminal? no
MAIN FACILITIES
Manual iris no
Programmed AE? yes
(5-mode)
Manual white balance? yes
Manual zoom? no
Backlight compensation yes
Insert edit? no
Character generator? no
Digital Superimposer? yes
Video light? no
Fader? yes
AUDIO
Audio Dub? no
Stereo? yes
Mic socket? yes
PERFORMANCE
Resolution 240-lines
Colour fidelity good
Picture stability average
Colour bleed none
White balance good
Exposure average
Autofocus fair
Audio performance fair
Insert edit good
Playback thru adaptor N/A
VC RATINGS
Value for money 9
Ease of use 8
Performance 7
Features 9
SONY CCD-TR1 Hi8, £1200
This is the colour viewfinder version of the
mould-breaking, and recently discontinued, Sony TR8. One of the reasons this
camcorder is so small and light is its compact but high-power lithium-ion
battery, which fits inside the body of the machine, it can also be charged
in-situ. Lithium-ion batteries are immune to energy-sapping effects such as
cell imbalance and charge memory, which means they should have a significantly
longer life. In addition to the Hi8 recording system, and stereo sound, the TR1
has both manual and programmed (3-mode) exposure controls, a half-decent colour
LCD viewfinder and a Control L editing terminal. Altogether a very well thought
out design with its clever 'Handycam Station' power adaptor/charger and AV
converter. The machine 'docks' with the station, cutting out the need for extra
cables and boxes.
In spite of its very small size and shape the
controls are all reasonably accessible and very easy to use. A most attractive
looking machine in its unusual sliver-grey livery, it's unmistakably Sony.
Picture quality is very good with horizontal resolution a little over
380-lines, making it one of the top performers in its class. We noted some
slight intolerance to knocks and bumps on one of our samples but in normal use
it delivers crisp, bright picture with lifelike colours. The smallest machine
in this selection by quite a margin, and that, combined with better than
average performance and facilities, puts it at the top of our list.
Recommended.
SPECIFICATION
OPTICS
Zoom/lens 8x, f/1.4, 5.9-47.2mm
Filter diameter 37mm
CCD 0.3in
Min. illum. (lux) 3
Size (mm) 92 x 102 x 173
Weight 0.86 kg (inc. tape and battery)
VIDEO DECK
Long Play (LP) yes
Max. rec. time 240mins (LP mode)
IR remote control ? yes
Edit terminal? yes (Control L)
MAIN FACILITIES
Manual iris yes
Programmed AE? yes
(3-mode)
Manual white balance? no
Manual zoom? no
Backlight compensation no
Insert edit? no
Character generator? no
Digital Superimposer? no
Video light? no
Fader? no
AUDIO
Audio Dub? no
Stereo?
yes
Mic socket? yes
PERFORMANCE
Resolution 380-lines
Colour fidelity very good
Picture stability average
Colour bleed none
White balance fair
Exposure very good
Autofocus good
Audio performance good
Insert edit manual inserts clean
Playback thru adaptor N/A
VC RATINGS
Value for money 8
Ease of use 8
Performance 9
Features 8
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© R. Maybury 19930312
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