A Brief Look at Camcorders

I saw this list on a CNET review and found the information pretty interesting. I agree with most all of what is said here. I will say that I would add the Sony EX1 to this list if it was my list. Also, these are really all consumer camcorders... or at best the higher end ones are prosumer. We'll get into the professional cameras another day, but expect to see the Sony XDCAM and the Scarlet from RED. That said, most consumers can't afford the more expensive cameras (over $1000). That is why I think there is no doubt that for the average consumer there is no better camera for the money than the Canon VIXIA HV30. I own one myself for shooting video at my boys baseball games and on our trips to the river. The image (at least outdoors) is phenomenal. That is the one camera on this list that I can personally recommend.

Canon XH A1
Have you ever wanted to be the next Ken Burns? Do you have an incredible independent film hidden away in the folds of your brain? If you want to unleash your cinematic vision upon the world, the XH A1 has the tools you need to get the job done and will leave your production budget in better shape than a lot of its competitors would.
Price:$4,999.95 - $4,999.95 (check prices)
Filed in: Best pro camcorders, Best HD camcorders
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Panasonic HDC-TM300 (Black)
While its touch-screen interface might annoy, the TM300 provides lots of manual controls, produces very good HD video and is one of the few camcorders left to offer an EVF.
Price:$1,056.95 - $1,299.95 (check prices)
Filed in: Best HD camcorders
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Canon Vixia HV30
With all the talk of hard drives, flash memory, and DVDs, you might think that tape doesn't cut it any more. But, it's still one of the best ways to capture high-definition video and this Canon maintains the high video quality and comfortable design of its predecessor, the HV20.
Price:$599.95 - $1,499.99 (check prices)
Filed in: Best home movie camcorders, Best HD camcorders
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Canon Vixia HF200
Recording video onto flash memory instead of tape or hard drives lets manufacturers create smaller, lighter camcorders. The main downside is that you need big cards and that can get pricey. This Canon delivers great video quality and makes the most of its flash-based design, while leaving a little room in your budget to buy some memory cards.
Price:$539.00 - $889.95 (check prices)
Filed in: Best home movie camcorders, Best HD camcorders
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Flip UltraHD (black)
While direct-to-Web minicamcorders provide pretty lackluster feature sets, they can't be beat if you're looking to cheaply create viral cat videos for YouTube. And for that, the UltraHD goes to the head of its class.
Price:$169.99 - $214.99 (check prices)
Filed in: Best budget camcorders
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This information comes from Lori Grunin Senior Editor (link: http://reviews.cnet.com/best-camcorders/?tag=rb_content;contentNav)