Small SD/HD camcorder for £300-£400

Va_Va_Voom · 07-03-2008, 10:11 AM

Hello! I would like to get a new camcorder but I know very little about them

! I currently own a sharp viewcam. I want something with a decent video quality, uses either SD card or HDD as its media format and is pretty portable. I will be using it primarily to make movies of my family and want it to be as portable as possible for trips abroad. It really won't get that much usage (a couple of hours a month?) which is why I don't really want to spend a fortune on one..max would be £400 mark.

Your advice and thoughts would be very welcome!

rhubarbe · 07-03-2008, 10:46 AM

May I suggest the HDC-SD5 which is has just been discontinued by Panasonic?

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hdc...006-38,GGGL:en

It's widely available at just over £400, takes SDHC cards which are becoming really cheap nowadays.

Va_Va_Voom · 07-03-2008, 11:19 AM

Thanks rhubarbe, I have looked at reviews for the Panasonic H250 and the SDR-S150 what are your thoughts on either of these?

Va_Va_Voom · 07-03-2008, 11:22 AM

Also, what do you think of the Sony S52 and S190?

rhubarbe · 07-03-2008, 11:23 AM

Yes, both excellent. I had two SDR-S150s. Nice little cam.

Don't know anything about the Sonys. Father in law has a 290, he says it's OK.

**senu** · 07-03-2008, 11:47 AM

The SR190 is very nice, the S52 I dont know at all

Va_Va_Voom · 07-03-2008, 2:31 PM

Thanks senu, I think its a choice between the the two panasonic's..they are both roughly the same price and seem to have the same technical spec..is this right?

rhubarbe · 07-03-2008, 2:57 PM

Yes, except that one takes just SD (or SDHC - I had mine up to 8GB SDHC and i think it may well take 16 and even 32GB SDHC cards). Battery isn't up to that size of card, of course.

BlackDwarf · 07-03-2008, 3:27 PM

Sony HDR-HC5E for £369.99?

rhubarbe · 07-03-2008, 3:31 PM

If it's your bag it's a great price..

redsox_mark · 07-03-2008, 3:37 PM

SR52 is like the SR32, not very good.

Those Panasonics or the SR190 are all decent standard def non-tape models.

The HC5 is a cut above any of the others in terms of quality, especially if you have or will eventually get a High Def TV. But it is tape, and it's a bit larger (though not exactly huge).

rhubarbe · 07-03-2008, 4:01 PM

Or there is the close-out HDC-SD5 which I recommended above - HD cam but takes SDHC cards.

redsox_mark · 07-03-2008, 4:20 PM

Yes, sorry. The SD5 is in the same league for quality as the HC5, and is indeed smaller and uses SD cards... if a bit over the stated £400 budget.

rhubarbe · 07-03-2008, 4:32 PM

£434 though, posted on that other thread, it's only a tad over now, isn't it?

Va_Va_Voom · 07-03-2008, 4:55 PM

Thanks redsox/blackdwarf.. the SD5 is out of my budget unfortunately. (Getting the clearance to spend in the £300 range was hard enough!)

If there isn't too much to choose between the panasonic's and the sony I'll look at getting the one I can get the best deal on?

A mixture of quidco and my cashback AMEX should bring the price down a bit more!

Thanks again for your help guys.