Sometimes I like to look at camcorders with the intention of purchasing a newer model, with better quality video, however this always becomes a long drawn out process of looking through meaningless drawl, watching video’s on youtube to attempt to find any footage actually recorded in the high definitions stated to look for something that doesn’t have motion blur, terrible slow autofocus etc.
On top of this you have to decode where 16mp interpolated with a 1.5mp actual cmos sensor is worse than a 5mp cmos camcorder, fish eye lenses which give a horrible stretched out viewpoint at the extremes, wether HD really means HD as this can be from 720p to 4k ultra HD, often this is not the easiest information to find but is usually the most useful in my opinion in what will provide the better video quality.
What I would like to see is a standard where interpolated is not mentioned, still shot megapixels is not noted as the primary selling point when you’re looking for the megapixel recording quality of the camcorder, sure you can mention it later in the tech specs, but with the title to draw you in, mention the camcorder qualities after all that is what the shopper is looking for, and you’re more likely to get a sale than trickery and filling your page with gumph.
So what features would I really like to see?
Standardisation amongst the industry, cmos recording quality without the digital trickery, lens type, focus speed and factors that effect blurring while filming, obviousely there would be a desire for lighting issues so you can see what works well in a variety of light ranges. And an easy way to search for camcorders on shopping sites where you don’t have to look through individually you can actually select the cmos quality as a primary function, so you get the best cmos sensor initially and you can weed it out from there, along with having something in your price range, rather than spending 3 hours looking, finding something that seems reasonable but then noticing its 2.5mp cmos than the 5mp you’ve been looking at in the same range for the last hour and a half but not going with because of the blur or focus, but the footage you’re watching is deliberately slow and not showing something that might highlight these issues and just giving up shopping yet again.
I’m sure one day I will find something that will meet my means within a reasonable price range that doesn’t look flimsy and tiny and puts me off, but for now I just can’t do it, especially when there is due the leap from 1080p to 4k hd and inevitably prices will come down for really good quality camcorders soon enough, but for now I just can’t pick out a reasonable one I would be happy with over the cheap knockoffs that just wont cut it, so I stick with what I have.