Best camcorders at any price

(Sony)

Are you the family documentarian? There are lots of capable full-size HD camcorders to be found this holiday season. Or perhaps you're into extreme sports and like to shoot parasailing, surfing, or skiing videos. Then consider an action cam, like one from GoPro or others.

Most action cams cost between $200 and $400 and full-sized models cost between $500 and $1,600. If price is no object, though, check out Sony's new 4K camcorder: Like ultra HDTVs, it gives you four times the detail of conventional HD models—for a steep $4,500.

We test camcorders for how well they perform in bright light and low light, and we assess the quality of the model's image stabillizer, if they have that feature. Take a look at our suggestions below; these are just some of the models that scored well in our tests. (Click on the links for detailed model information.)

For more on full-size or action models, check out our buying guide and Ratings for camcorders.

$200 or less

Polaroid XS80 action camcorder, $130
Vivitar DVR787HD action camcorder, $175
Liquid Image Model 727 the EGO action camcorder, $180
GoPro Hero3 White Edition action camcorder, $200
Sony HDR-AS15 action camcorder, $200

$500 or less

DXG 5G9V HD IronX action camcorder, $250
GoPro Hero3 Silver Edition action camcorder, $300
Sony HDR-CX290V full-size HD camcorder, $350
Drift HD Ghost action camcorder, $400
Sony HDR-CX380V full-size HD camcorder, $450

$1,000 or less

Panasonic HC-V720 full-size HD camcorder, $550
Sony HDR-GW77V full-size HD camcorder, $700
Sony HDR-PJ430V full-size HD camcorder, $850
Sony HDR-TD30V full-size HD camcorder, $1000
Canon VIXIA HF G20 full-size HD camcorder, $1000
JVC Everio GC-PX100B full-size HD camcorder, $1000

$1,600 or less

Sony HDR-PJ790V full-size HD camcorder, $1600
Sony HDR-PJ710V full-size HD camcorder, $1200
Sony HDR-PJ650V full-size HD camcorder, $1100

—Terry Sullivan