Last Updated on February 19, 2018 by Tim

Camcorders have been evolving especially since you can now just pick up your smartphone, open your favorite camera app and film away. There are phones that compete with the quality of camcorders, including High definition images and vlogging is increasing in popularity. But there is still an edge to owning a proper camcorder to record videos especially, rather than your regular smartphone. Although handy, resolution on a smartphone can skip or jump, and handling a phone to record things just doesn’t liberate you from the dangers of a jittery shot.

Best Camcorder Under $500

GoPro Hero4 Silver Edition

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Why we chose it:

1. Bestseller Camera on Amazon with almost 2K customer reviews
2. Price is right on the budget
3. High sense of portability and attachable to body

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You almost know when a movie has been shot on a phone. You know it’s been held in an awkward position, you might even have a video on portrait mode rather than landscape, depending on how you hold your phone. That can be annoying, since if you record in portrait, then there’s much of the screen you can’t use.

What you would really want to record with is a proper camcorder in HD that will satisfy your viewing pleasure when you show off your videos to your friends or to the world. You’d like a recorder that plays in different format depending where you play the video, and you’d like to be able to film the way you were intended to hold a video camera— in landscape.

There are many great camcorders in the HD model for under $500, let’s take a look now at the top models available.

Brand / Model	Features to Expect	User Feedback	Price Level	Our Rating
Canon VIXIA HF R72 Camcorder	57x Advanced Zoom, DIGIC DV 4 Image Processor & SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer; 3.28 Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor; with 3” capacitative LCD touch panel & records up to 12 hrs of video	Very good	Mid-range	4 / 5
GoPro HERO4 Silver	Built-in touch display, shot-framing and playback; professional 1080p60 and 720p120 video with 12MP photos up to 30 fps; Protune™ with SuperView™ for cinema-quality capture and advanced manual control with the most immersive wide-angle view	Excellent	Mid-range	4.5 / 5
Sony FDR-X1000R/W 4K Action Cam	Best for people who love the performance of the GoPro series; with image stabilizer & Zeiss lens; Ustream allows for streaming live for events on the web	Very good	Mid-range	4 / 5
Panasonic HC-W580K Full HD Camcorder with Wi-Fi, Built with Multi Scene Twin Camera (Black)	Super-sharp Full HD 1080p recording; Intelligent 90x zoom with 5-axis Hybrid Optical Image Stabilization for maximum handheld stability; Exclusive High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode to reduce overly high contrast	Very good	Mid-range	4.3 / 5
Panasonic HC-V770 HD Camcorder with Wireless Smartphone Twin Video Capture	Long 20X zoom lens; exclusive high-dynamic range feature for reduced bright spots for professional looking shots; connects to smartphone's video camera for a picture-in-picture video effect	Very good	Mid-range	4.3 / 5
Canon Vixia HF R62 32GB Full Dual Flash Camcorder	Records up to 1920 x 1080/60p Video with 3.28MP Full HD CMOS Sensor & DIGIC DV 4 Image Processor; 57x Advanced Zoom & SuperRange, O.I.S. Dual Recording in AVCHD & MP4 Formats; slow and fast motion recording with capacitive 3" LCD Touch Panel Display	Very Good	Mid-range	4 / 5
Records up to 1920 x 1080/60p Video with 3.28MP Full HD CMOS Sensor & DIGIC DV 4 Image Processor; 57x Advanced Zoom & SuperRange, O.I.S. Dual Recording in AVCHD & MP4 Formats; slow and fast motion recording with capacitive 3" LCD Touch Panel Display	Full HD Video/ 9.2MP stills with Exmor R CMOS sensor & 32GB internal memory; Built-In Projector 30x optical zoom lens with balanced optical steady shot; MP4 3.0" Flip-Out LCD viewscreen with built-In wi-fi w/NFC multi camera control	Very Good	High	4 / 5

Best Camcorders Under $500 Compared

7. Canon Vixia HF R72 32GB Full HD Camcorder

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This camera records in full HD, and has 32x zoom lens, and provides you a clear image regardless if you’re filming in bright or low light. Providing you better sound options with an external microphone jack, record voice overs clearly or provide better audio to a person you’re filming. No wifi capability but you have options for HDMI connections.

6. GoPro Hero4 Silver Edition

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The GoPro Hero4 Silver edition comes with its own carrying case, accessories, include headstrap and monopod , chargers, wrist strap, and other things that would make owning a GoPro worth the effort of buying it. The thing I don’t like about the GoPro is the lack of a viewing screen for you to see what you’re actually filming. Very little is displayed on the LCD screen for you to artistically scale the shot. The Hero4 moves up a bit in this category as you can now review the footage taken at least. However, if you are looking for the ultimate action shot, then GoPro is perfect for those extreme sports enthusiasts who love a POV type of video.

5. Sony FDR-X1000R/W 4K Action Cam

This unit would best fit people who are into action shots without the extreme factor that the GoPro series would usually be accustomed to. The camera will stabilize the image of any form of jitter you might encounter while holding the camera in a moving vehicle, or when biking, or running. The live view remote kit allows you to control multiple live cams while filming, and will allow you to create a highlight video from multiple clips.  Ustream allows you to stream live for events on the web. The wide screen Zeiss lens will guarantee you get a very good view of your subject even in low light.

4. Panasonic HC-W580K Full HD Camcorder

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Record in Full HD with 90x zoom and  a 5-axis stabilization, avoiding those shots that disorient your viewers whenever you handle the camera a bit wobbly. The camera has a twin camera function so you can record a picture in a picture. Wifi lets you connect to a twin camera in range so you can share the view from camera 1 or 2. Wifi capability and NFC allows you to immediately share content right after you film.

3. Panasonic HC-V770 Full HD Wifi Camcorder

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This full HD recorder records in a variety of different types of memory card, and has lens designed specifically for low light situations. The wide angle lens can take more of the background than normal, and stabilization is superb, making use of its 5 axis correction. A 32GB memory card will provide you approximately less than 3 hours of filming.

2. Canon Vixia HF R62 32GB Full Dual Flash Camcorder

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The dual flash memory on this unit allows you to film more than the usual 2 hours. You get an internal memory and an external memory up to 32GB from an SD card. You can record excellent videos in low light and an external microphone jack lets you record audio a lot better if you are filming an individual or recording your own narration. The LCD screen turns off the camcorder whenever the LCD display is opened up.

1. Sony Handycam HDR-PJ670 Full 32GB Projector Camcorder

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With a projector function, this camera will let you share the image you have captured via the LCD door. The quality of the shot also boasts of Balanced Optical Steadyshot, which stabilizes your videos regardless how you shot them. Apart from projecting directly from the camera, the unit also allows you to connect the unit to any other device for viewing. Wifi and NFC allows you to share content instantly.

Camcorder Buying Guide

A camcorder device records video footages of your desired happenings. Looking for the right camcorder can be a daunting task. There are various models to choose from that differ in price, size, and features. This buying guide will help you sort through the many options that you have today on the market.

Types of Camcorders

Camcorders today have become smaller and more lightweight. They can easily fit in your hand and bag as they often weigh less than a pound, but offer plenty of powerful features. There are models that have 3D capability, geotagging, and other advanced capabilities. Most of them can now capture video footages in high definition, but there is a new comer in the scene: the 4K resolution or ultra high definition setting. Sports enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies will appreciate the action-cameras, such as the GoPro, for compact video recording.

Key Features

Today’s available models offer some or all of the following features:

• Flip-out LCD: This feature is common on full-sized camcorders. It helps you review the video that you have recorded, or have a better view of your subjects that using an eyepiece viewfinder.
• Image stabilizer: This one automatically reduces the shaking effect that happens when you hold the device during recording.
• Full-auto switch: This control makes your point-and-shoot recording much more convenient by automatically setting the camera to produce the best results.
• Autofocus: It adjusts the camcorder for maximum sharpness.
• Zoom: This lets you zoom in or out to get a better view of your subject/s.
• Optical zoom: It normally ranges from 10:1 to 50:1 for improved capturing.
• Digital zoom: This one works like the optical zoom feature, but records at a lower resolution.
• 3D capability: Some models can record videos in 3D.
• Viewfinder: Most models today do not have this feature, but it lets you view your shot better without looking on the display.
• Wi-Fi: This one lets you transfer the files easier to your computer or upload them directly to social media sites.
• Waterproof: Most models, especially the action cameras, have this feature.
• 4K: This is the latest type of image resolution that is four times better than the high-definition resolution.

Bottom Line

The best video camera should be able to accommodate your video recording needs. The tips and information above will help you determine the type of camcorder that you should buy. To further narrow down your choices, read as many product reviews as you can.

There are many options available when considering buying a new camcorder under $500. The 7 options above are the current top-rated camcorders in the $500 and under price range.