Camcorder recommendation

You should google up recommendation sites for and from vloggers. the two that seem to be most used are a Sony DSLR and a Go Pro.

That sort of depends on what you want to use it for to be honest.

I had a “camcorder” in the 90s, didn’t know they still existed. A Go-Pro is called a video camera.

First question: Does anyone actually still make a "camcorder"?

Most DSLRs and other digital cameras are also (excellent) video cameras. In addition to the GoPro series, there are many great options from Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, Olympus...they typically look like a compact DSLR. Check out "mirrorless micro 4/3" cameras. These are being used for Hollywood-quality full-length films.

A GoPro and a DSLR aren't camcorders of course.

A DSLR is a stills camera at heart, but of course many shoot very good video. There may be disadvantages to having interchangeable lenses as well as advantages and will often require adding a microphone to get good audio.

A GoPro is an "action camera", designed originally for shooting sports and other activities on a chest mount or strapped to your bike helmet. There's no interchangeable lenses and the standard is to have a very wide angle lens, which may not always suit what you're trying to capture.

Camcorders are still a viable option, though maybe not as popular as they once were.

Small compact cameras often shoot very good video these days and have the advantage of being smaller and lighter than a DSLR.

I really rate the chap I'll link to below for reviews of camcorders and compact cameras on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ-ERztAd2M

I think we can assume that "camcorder" was used as a generic term for "recording video," like Kleenex is used for tissues.

I watch a lot of travel vloggers (OK probably too many), their standard setup seems to consist of a DSLR, a Go Pro and an Iphone. And they use them together and interchangeably. Apparently yes you can get fisheye from the lens on a Go Pro but it is usually suctioned to a window (train or plane) and just left running, or for shooting in bad weather. The DSLR and Iphone are used as the primary video tools. Of course this requires quite a bit of editing after the fact.

I think we can assume that "camcorder" was used as a generic term for "recording video," like Kleenex is used for tissues.

You sure about that? It's not an assumption I would have thought to make.

I have a camcorder in the closet which I haven't used for about 15 years but I am convinced that if asked it would do the job. Last time I used it was in the Berner Oberland.

People shouldn't knock old tech that still works.

I can't recommend a specific model because mine ( a Panasonic ) isn't made anymore.

Camcorders are still good if you intend to be rolling for hours on end and shooting all day. In my last job I used Canon XF405 and XF605. Those are maybe too cumbersome and expensive to recommend for taking on vacation though.

If the OP would come back and clarify if they did actually mean a camcorder in the true sense of the word, or just a camera to shoot video, I can probably throw out some recommendations for specific models of various types. In the camcorder realm, I'd personally be happy to make a purchase based on a recommendation from MarkusPix that I linked to above.

As I said I watch a lot of travel vloggers and no one is using a camcorder. Besides, a true camcorder would record on VHS or Hi 8 which are about as old fashioned as one can get.

There are digital "camcorders" which use memory cards.

However, I would not incur the bulk and expense of carrying a dedicated camera, let alone a camcorder. Another device to drop, be stolen or waste time charging.

A good smartphone (iphones, pixels, high end samsungs, etc.) can take amazing photographs and videos.

If you take the time to learn how to use a smartphone and post-process, you could produce professional looking full length feature film.

Or you could spend $5,000 on a high end whiz-bang digital DSLR or video recorder and still shoot shaky vacation videos with crooked horizons.

Since you are an amateur (presumably) but have a desire to do a little better than amateur, I would say you have two choices.

Buy the newest phone with the best camera for maybe $1500 https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-phone-cameras,review-2272.html

Or buy something like an Olympus EP7 (I still carry, almost daily an antique EP1) for about $600. It doesnt have the bulk of a DSLR but it has the interchangable lens so you can pick for the situation. The EP can do near professional results, grow if your interest grows (interchangeable lens) and almost fits in a pocket. https://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/olympus_e_p7_review OR pick up a nice used earlier model on ebay for a few hundred. It will last you a lifetime. Here are a couple of snapshots from a 15 year old version of the EP fitted with a pretty nice lens. https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ai7Zk-szxfTJi74a_8pO30m1PkDBHw?e=L5aRW7

For those of you who are skeptical or uninformed about whether camcorders actually exist, here's a link.

https://buyersguide.org/camcorder/t/best?m=b&d=c&c=646639414972&p=&oid=kwd-13195930&lp=1025594&li=&nw=g&nts=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoIezw7nVhAMVWWBHAR0X8wryEAAYAiAAEgJVkfD_BwE&tdid=9134237&gad_source=1

cfendley237 no, i wasn’t being critical of the concept. I live in a tourist town and it’s not unusual at all to see them being used. My first trip to Europe I carried a Betamax camcorder that was about the size of the largest legal under seat personal item. I was just offering an unsolicited consideration. I doubt you are going to get more than anecdotal remarks on camcorders in this forum as a great number pride themselves on how little they carry. Some people have it all figured out, some others didn’t consider …. So I figure it doesn’t often help, but rarely hurts.

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In my opinion Go-pro is best option for travelling,