Both Toshiba and Sony are making an assault on the 3D camcorder market this year with both models primed to bring user-generated 3D movies into the living room.

For Sony, this is its second stab at a 3D camcorder. Its first, the HDR-TD10, was a device which managed to pipe out superb footage but was one helluva chunky beast – it measured 59mm in width, 66mm in height and a meaty 130mm in depth.

To be fair, this was because the chassis had to house 1920×1080/50 sensors and dual lenses.

Nevertheless, this is something Sony has tried to sort out with its successor, the Sony HDR-TD20, by making the chassis that little bit leaner and trimming some of its height to make it easier to hold.

The Toshiba Camileo Z100 is Tosh's first stab at a 3D camcorder and it has decided to go down the budget route, while Sony is looking at the high end.

This doesn't mean that there are no decent features on the camera. For a start it has decided to go down the twin lens approach and inside are two 5-megapixel CMOS sensors.

Footage is recorded in Full HD and there's a glasses-free flip-out 3D screen on the device.

It's only 2.8-inches though, so if you're after a bigger view then it's best to stick with the Sony TD20 which has a 3.5-inch viewfinder.

Another place the Toshiba Camileo Z100 falls down on is its incessant use of digital over analogue. The camera only allows digital zooming and stabilisation is also done digitally.

The Sony TD20 on the other hand utilises Optical SteadyShot and has a 10x optical zoom which can be extended when using its 3D capabilities.

But these are two cameras at the opposite end of the budget spectrum – although the Toshiba Z100's pricing hasn't been announced we are expecting it to be a fraction of the price of Sony's heavy hitter.

What it does show is that 3D is beginning to proliferate all corners of the camcorder market and could well prove to be the shot in the arm this sector sorely needs.

Both the Toshiba Camileo Z100 and Sony HDR-TD20 will be available Q2 of 2012, with pricing to be announced.

Kodak has issued a statement to clarify its current position outside of the US, after announcing that it was filing for bankruptcy protection yesterday.

The company notes that its "non-U.S. subsidiaries are not included in the filings and will continue to operate as usual. Accordingly, these international operations continue to honour all obligations to customers and suppliers, whenever incurred.

"Our European business is not affected by the decision that has been taken by our US parent company to file for voluntary Chapter 11 business reorganisation for US businesses." Philip Cullimore, managing director for Europe, said.

Focus on printers

"In Europe we have seen a significant shift towards business-to-business imaging applications, and are weighted towards printing. These businesses in Europe are performing well and growing fast."

So, for the moment at least, it's business as usual in Kodak UK's headquarters at Hemel Hempstead.

Kodak has launched a new website - Kodaktransforms.com - where it intends to update information about the company's reorganisation. The company has once again confirmed its commitment to continue to provide staff with their wages and benefits throughout the reorganisation process, which should be completed in the US by 2013.

Best camcorder: the best HD models

The age of HD video for everyone is very much upon us, with everything from our mobile phone, stills camera and even webcam able to capture full 1920 x 1080 HD video.

So what is the best camcorder to buy in this ultra-modern age?

The good news is that you have a full range of features and specifications open to you - fully automated, hardware stabilised, broadcast quality video in the palm of your hand, and often for less than £500

With such a glut of products on the market, some are bound to be better than others, and sifting through the jargon can often be difficult. What makes a £1000 camcorder better than a £200 one? Why are any of these better than the video camera on my phone or DSLR?

If abbreviations like dynamic IS, CMOS, MPEG4 and AVCHD scare you - never fear, we've debunked the myths to help you identify the best camcorder to buy in 2012.

Sony Bloggie PM5KW - £79.99

The Bloggie enables fast capture of everything around you

The Sony Bloggie range is fantastic for on-the-go shooting. The PM5KW is a slim-bodied camcorder which will fit nicely into most coat pockets and backpacks with ease. Featuring full HD capture at 30 frames per second, the Bloggie is perfect for recording the moments you want to remember with respectable clarity.

The Bloggie also has a rotating lens allows you to turn the focus on yourself and the supplied 360 lens lets you take panoramic video, meaning you capture all the action. This can be great for parties and festivals where there is lots going on at once.

For a penny under £80, you aren't going to get the best possible quality, but for ease of use, the Bloggie is a winner.

Read More: Sony Bloggie

Toshiba Camileo P100 - £93

Toshiba P100 offers a great gateway into the world of HD recording

Similarly to the Sony Bloggie, the Toshiba Camileo range uses a vertical form factor, but this time using a 'pistol-grip' style, rather than the Bloggie's candy bar shape. The real standout features here are the 8X optical zoom, 8 megapixel stills capture and HDMI connector - allowing for direct playback through an HD TV.

A three inch touch screen lets you control the most important functions of the camcorder and recording buttons are easily placed for quick access.

At only £13 more than the Bloggie, the Toshiba feels like a more well thought out product, and the video results are very good. Overall the P100 feels like a luxury product, considering its sub £100 price-tag.

Read More: Toshiba Camilio P100

Panasonic HX-DC1 - £128

This pistol-grip camcorder packs a serious punch and a small form factor

Keeping with the pistol-grip style, the Panasonic HX-DC1 offers a significant upgrade over our previously mentioned camcorders. Featuring an impressive 14 megapixel stills capture resolution, 12X zoom as well as the expected full HD recording, this camcorders spec list is impressive.

The design and build are very high quality and the camcorder has an almost futuristic look to it. Similarly to the Toshiba, the HX-DC1 allows you to connect to your TV through HDMI. Another bonus of this camcorder is that it records two-channel audio, meaning you get stereo sound on all your recordings.

Read More: Panasonic HX-DC1

Toshiba Camileo SX500 - £179

The SX500 is a very stylish and capable HD camcorder

Toshiba's Camileo SX500 sticks to the more traditional camcorder shape, but makes it stand out with stylish lines and high build quality.

Featuring full HD capture, 5X optical zoom, 10 megapixel still image capture and 2.7" LCD viewing screen, the SX500 ticks all the boxes, but its low light filming capacity is what makes it stand out from the camcorders above.

Cheaper camcorders often behave badly in less than perfect lighting, resulting in grainy footage and washed out colours. The SX500 helps to overcome this with its '4 Lux' technology.

If you plan to record from dusk 'til dawn, this could be the camcorder for you.

Read More: Toshiba Camileo SX500

Panasonic HX-WA10 - £201

The HX-WA10 offers high resolutions stills, HD video and, oh it goes under water too!

The Panasonic HX-WA10 is very similar to the Panasonic HX-DC1 mentioned earlier, but features a beefed up specification list and is waterproof too. Why might you need a waterproof camcorder you might ask? Imagine being on a Caribbean holiday and being able to record the wildlife under the surf, or less romantically - being out in a storm and capturing the violent weather.

Twin this 'go-anywhere' attitude with a 16 megapixel stills camera, 12X zoom and funky design and you are onto a winner.

Read More: Panasonic HX-WA10 review

GoPro HD Hero 2 - £274

For the hardened action-man, the HD Hero 2 is everything proof!

GoPro have long been the go-to name in sports videography, and with their latest camcorder the HD Hero 2, the brand is starting to get some serious consumer focus too.

If you are into skiing, surfing, sky jumping and more then this is most definitely the camcorder for you. Featuring a waterproof, shockproof full HD camcorder as well as all the possible accessories you could need, the HD Hero 2 is the full package.

The HD Hero 2 is used across TV for its ability to literally record anything, and with its latest pricing structure, it is an affordable and fun addition to anyone on the extreme side of life.

Read More: GoPro HD Hero 2

Canon LEGRIA HF R26 - £290

A great camcorder for those looking for a bit extra when on a budget

The Canon Legria HF R26 is similar to the previously mentioned Toshiba Camileo SX500 in many ways, but as it's made by Canon, includes their high quality lenses. This results in a decent quality video recording and the hardware (rather than software) based image stabilisation means you get smooth footage even when walking.

The Legria HF R26 adds a fun element to your video, straight from the camera - you can add image decorations, music and more, without having to connect to a PC.

If the Toshiba appeals to you, but you are looking for a better quality lens and a few more features, then this could be your camcorder of choice.

Read More: Canon Legria HF R26

Panasonic HDC-SD900 - £580

This brilliant camcorder offers everything you could want

The Panasonic HDC-SD900 begins our lineup of semiprofessional camcorders . At 66mm x 72mm x 146mm (W/H/D), the HDC-SD900 is not a pocket friendly camera, but it makes up for it with features.

As well as the expected specs, such as full HD, 14 megapixel image capture and hardware image stabilisation, the HDC-SD900 allows for fully automatic control - letting you fiddle with ISO, white balance and manual focus.

You can even get an adapter and make this thing fully 3D too! If you are a budding filmmaker or want something more from your home movies, then the HDC-SD900 is for you.

Read more: Panasonic HDC-SD900 review

Sony CX360VE Handycam - £610

A well built camera with impressive built in storage and a multitude of features

Where the Panasonic HDC-SD900 had more features then you could shake a stick at, the Sony Handycam does a smaller amount of things, but incredibly well.

This camcorder is all about the video, featuring full HD capture able to record a super-smooth 50 frames per second footage, Sony's high quality optics, 3-way image stabilisation, low light mode and a microphone capable of recording 5.1 channel surround sound.

The CX360VE also has 32GB flash memory built in, meaning you can record around 13 hours of full HD video.

Sony have really set the bar for semipro camcorders and the CX360VE is one of the best in their range.

Read More: Sony CX360VE

Canon Legria HF S30 - £850

Canon have put all their knowledge of lens technology into this feature packed, well built camcorder

The Canon Legria HF S30 builds on the plus points of the previous Sony Handycam by adding Canon's award winning lenses a slightly larger 3.5" display and DIGIC DVIII colour control - this results in deeper, more lifelike colour representation in your movies.

The HF S30 also has a 25 frames per second mode which matches the look of traditional film, and provides enhanced low-light shooting performance.

Whether the Canon is worth the extra £240 when compared to the Sony will be up to you to decide, but comparison aside, this is a fantastic camera that will let you create stunning videos for use at home and more.

Read More: Canon Legria HF S30

Canon's new EOS C300 cinema camcorder, which aims to give users the functionality of a video camera with the large sensor of a DSLR, is on pre-order for less than expected.

When Canon announced the C300 in November, it quoted a likely price of US$20,000 (around £13,000). In the UK it's now available for pre-order at £11,760, over £1,200 cheaper than expected.

Choose your weapon

Canon's cinema camcorder comes in two versions – the C300 which uses Canon's own EF mount DSLR lenses, and the C300PL which uses PL mount cinema lenses from the likes of Zeiss and Arri.

The C300 uses a Super 35mm equivalent 8.29 megapixel CMOS sensor that Canon claims is better in low light than conventional professional camcorders, producing a brighter image with less noise.

Promising to bring the ease-of-use of conventional camcorders together with the cinematic effect that DSLRs can produce with their interchangeable lens system, the C300 is certainly getting a lot of attention.

While the form of the camera itself is brand new, the resolution it uses is not. The C300 shoots at 1080p (1920x1080 pixels), which is a resolution that most pocket camcorders can now achieve, though with huge difference in quality. By comparison, the recently updated RED Scarlet-X shoots at a staggering 4K (4096x2160 pixels) and doesn't cost as much.

We wait to see what the reception of the C300 will be like when it comes out in March.

To see what the EOS C300 is capable of, Jonathan Yi's video entitled Canon EOS C300 = Awesome should give you a pretty good idea.

JVC has hopped aboard the Wi-Fi camcorder bandwagon with its new Everio range announced at CES 2012.

The Everio EX, VX and GX series all come with Wi-Fi connectivity to make uploading videos to YouTube and the like easy as pie.

The Wi-Fi enabled models can also be set to automatically emails pictures or 15-second videos taken with the movement detect function, so you could potentially use it to monitor your home while you're out.

Paranoid android

All the cameras in the seven-model-strong range offer Full HD AVCHD shooting, an "industry-leading" 24 Mbps sampling rate and an HDMI-out.

At the lowest end of the scale is the Everio E/EX series; these come with a Konica Minolta HD lens and 40x optical zoom and handy entry-level features like smile detect and pet shot.

Next up is the Everio V/VX series, with premium styling thanks to its aluminium LCD door. Its main skill is low-light shooting thanks to the F1.2 Super LoLux capability.

Finally, the Everio GX series rocks a 29.5mm Wide/HD GT lens which has been designed specifically for use with the 1/2.3-inch 10MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor.

Sadly there's no sniff of a JVC Everio UK release date nor UK pricing just yet.

JVC has announced the world's first handheld 4K camcorder with the GY-HMQ10, offering 3840x2160 footage at 24 or 50p.

With a surprisingly small price tag of £4340 and a UK release date of March, the JVC Professional offering is likely to bring a fair bit of interest form those looking at the television trends towards Ultra Definition.

The camera is powered by HVC's Falconbrid large-scale integration (LSI) chip and has a half inch CMOS imager with 8.3 million active pixels.

Birth of a new market

"We're witnessing the birth of what is destined to become a broad market for full 4K end-to-end production," said product manager, Gustav Emrich.

"The GY-HMQ10 is a breakthrough product that opens up 4K imaging to users who previously wouldn't have considered it."

JVC explains that the big problem with 4K for video is processing power, but that this is now shifting.

"There just hasn't been the ability to capture, process, display and record full 4K images in real time until now," adds JVC.

Apparently this is due to the Flaconbrid LSI processor which can take the raw image data and dematrix or DeBayer it in real time.

That means it can output to a monitor in real time with 'virtually no' latency, or save up to two hours of 4K footage to your SDHC or SDXC memory cards.

"Historically, JVC has been a leader in camcorder and display technology, and the GY-HMQ10 is our latest breakthrough," added Gustav.

"It's part of a larger move at JVC to bring 4K technology to a wide range of customers."

Toshiba has unleashed its first full HD 3D camcorder in the shape of the Toshiba Camileo Z100.

Not only can the camcorder capture dazzling (apparently) 3D, but it can also play it back on the 7.1cm glasses-free 3D touchscreen. Now that's multi-tasking.

The dual lens system also offers 8x digital zoom, full HD 2D capture (1920 x 1080 at 30fps) and can take still pictures up to 16MP.

Camileo camilea

The two CMOS image sensors are 5MP quality with back side illumination to boot.

Sadly there's no Wi-Fi on board the Z100, but you do have a mini-HDMI and Mini-USB 2.0 port to play with.

Although the Toshiba Camileo Z100 UK pricing is yet to be revealed, the camcorder will be hitting the UK in Q2 2012.

Sony has outed a large range of new Handycam models, from entry level models with touch panels and 8GB flash memory, to high end models with inbuilt projection and 3D capture.

Top of the pile is the Double Full HD 3DHDR-TD20V, which Sony describes as "a feature-rich 3D product.Once again the camcorder employs an integrated dual lens system, which includes two of each key component -double Sony Wide Angle GLenses,double Exmor R CMOS image sensors, and double BIONZ image processors, but this time in a much smaller package."

Sony calls it the world's smallest and lightest Full HD 3D camcorder, with a 'very realistic stereoscopic effect'.

Next up is the HDR-PJ580V, which features 100-inch projected shots and a 32GB internal memory for up to 40 hours of Full HD recording at 24 frames per second and 20.4MP still image capture.

Easy to read

Then we have the very similar-sounding HDR-CX580V, which has the same imagine capabilities as the PJ model and has a 3-inch Xtra Fine LCD screen with TruBlack easy to read technology, and an Exmor R sensor for low light shooting.

Going up the scale is the HDR-PJV10V, which offers and 24.1MP still sensor, Balance Optical SteadyShot, a 26mm Wide Carl Zeiss lens and comes with a built in projector.

The HDR-CX760V and PJ760V are next up, with Full HD 24p recording, 96GB Flash memory and Balanced Optical SteadyShot, with 10x optical zoom and manual control plus a 3-inch Xtra Fine LCD. The PJ760V also throws in an inbuilt projector so you can show off your large-screen escapades.

Low end

Down at the low range we see the HDR-CX190, the HDR-CX200, HDR-CX210 and the HDR-PJ200, which have a price tag between $300 and $440 and feature the lies of 8GB flash memory, Exmor R sensor and touch panel LCDs.

And finally the mid range (or 'Step Up' as Sony calls them) we get the HDR-CX260V, the HDR-XR260V and the HDR-PJ580V – which all have a 8.9MP stills capture, Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation, Closer Voice technology for enhanced speech capture and Auto Wind Noise Reduction.

The XR260V comes with a 160GB hard disk drive, and the PJ260V offers up a stereo speaker, 5.1 channel microphone and built in projector.

The new camcorder line up will be available from March 2012.

Panasonic has launched four new 1MOS system camcorders, with three categories to suit different users.

First up is the top-of-the-tree HC-V700 model, which features no end of top-level gadgetry for all your Scorsesian escapades.

"Equipped with a 28mm wide-angle2 setting, Intelligent 46x Zoom, and supporting 3D shooting, the V700 is a truly all-around camcorder for a wide variety of shooting situations," says Panasonic.

Portable power

"The V700 is equipped with Panasonic's newly developed High Sensitivity Sensor, which dramatically improves image quality.

" The new sensor portrays brightly lit scenes beautifully, and also captures dimly lit scenes with crisp, bright images and minimal noise. It produces stunning images in all kinds of situations, such as shooting indoors and at night."

The HC-V700 will also start up in less than a second from when the LCD is opened, and also features a touch-sensitive 3.-inch screen for easier use – plus uses SD memory cards for easier transfer of data.

Easy to use and portable

Next up are the HC-v500 and HC-v500 M – the only difference being the V500M uses flash memory while the V500 will need an additional SD memory card.

Both camcorders are able to convert from 2D to 3D, and can handle 50x zoom shooting with Intelligent Zoom and Crystal Engine Pro image processing.

"The V500 and V500M enjoy a number of features that further add to their appeal including the new 2D to 3D Conversion function, I-sec Quick Power On, touch operation LCD and Advanced Highlight Playback as seen with the V700.

"The Intelligent 50x Zoom and powerful HYBRID O.I.S + further complement the stylish design of these compact and user friendly models," whispers Panasonic seductively in its explanation of the couple.

Portable pal

Designed 'with users in mind' (which we're now worried the others aren't) the HC-V100hasa low power consumption that will allow you to record continuously for up 155 minutes.

The camcorder will also stabilise low frequency hand shaking due to breathing rhythms or wind, and eliminates blurring too.

It can also easily detect faces, and can smooth skin tones of up to 15 people at once, should you be present at the reformation of the So Solid Crew and want to remember them in their early 2000's heyday.

The new models will be available from February this year, although no pricing has been announced as yet.

Panasonic has unveiled its flagship HD camcorders, with the HC-X900, X900M and X800 all boasting 3MOS system Pro, Leica Dicomar lenses and Crystal Engine Pro II.

Panasonic insists that its latest offerings prove that it is not sitting on its laurels, suggesting that the trio of new arrivals all provide "bright and beautiful images".

With an optional 3D conversion lens, all three camcorders will shoot Full HD 3D footage in AVCHD 3D format.

But what of the features? All three models bring 3MOS System pro - combining Advanced 3MOS sensor with a new picel shift tech and a Leica Dicomar Lens with Nano Surface Coating technology and that Crystal Engine Pro II image processor under the hood

Higher

The new arrivals are, according to Panasonic, capable of providing the company's highest-ever image quality.

Also thrown in willy nilly is the company's Hybrid OIS to reduce blur, OIS lock to maximise stability in shaky times and intelligent auto (iA) with Face recognition.

Then there's the time lapse recording features and 60 fps burst shooting - on top of the expected Full HD video recording - with 12x optical zoom and 23x 'intelligent' zoom.

The lower end X800 has a 3 inch LCD, whilst the X900 and X900M have half an inch more touchscreen and also get a manual ring and 5.1 channel sound. The last two only differ in their recording methods with the X900M utilising flash and X900 SD cards.

The camcorders have a UK release date of February 2012.

Samsung has shown off a camcorder range it is describing as its 'strongest yet' at CES 2012.

The Korean giant has shown off a new line-up of 'Smart' camcorders that are designed to work with the data cloud.

"The new line up forms Samsung's range of Smart camcorders that revolutionise the shooting, storing and sharing of movies with their ability to store images directly to the cloud, access them anywhere in the world and instantly share with friends on social networking sites," explains Samsung.

Smart

First up is the successor to the Q10, the Samsung Smart Q20 and its more social brother the QF20, which incorporate Switch Grip 2 which now includes 'vertical recording' and the ability to record from three angles.

That means a 'g-magnetic' sensor (read: gyroscope) which flips the display so you can see what you are doing.

The Smart QF20 allows you to upload your Spielbergean effort through built in Wi-Fi, and an auto backup means that none of your carefully angled memories can be lost.

Spec wise it brings 1080i recording (which Samsung's release is somehow calling Full HD), 20x optical zoom and the ability to add 'fun' effects by shaking the camera. No, we don't either...

Rugged

The next cameras are the W300 and W350 which are built for outdoorsy types and are suitably rugged.

"With its dust proof design and ability to be submerged in up to five metres of water and remain shock-proof from heights of up to two meters it is ideal for capturing all of the action and adventure of an outdoor lifestyle in 1080/30p full HD video," says Samsung.

There's also an optional bumper float should you wish for mock-alligator POV shots and the 5M BSI CMOS sensor and 2.2 Bright Lens are designed for lowlight shooting.

Last is the 'family-friendly' F80 which brings 720p 30fps recording, 52x optical zoom and 1080i upscaling.

Strong

Nick White, Head of the Digital Imaging, Samsung UK, said, "Our latest camcorder line-up is our strongest yet, offering the perfect camcorder for every lifestyle and budget.

"With the new QF20 we're delighted to be able to offer Smart capabilities to make shooting, sharing and saving people's special memories easier than ever.

"Whether it's for an active family, outdoors enthusiast or budding director, each camcorder in our range offers stand-out design and functions to make creativity come alive."

Canon has announced a new set of wireless and full HD camcorders: the Canon Legria HF M52, Legria HF M56 and the Legria HF M506.

These pocket shooters come with a range of functionality, and all three offer a 7.5-cm touchscreen and Canon HD CMOS Pro Sensor with 10x HD Video lens "to provide outstanding, professional-quality Full HD video, even in low light" – in fact, a 20% increase in low-light performance if Canon is to be believed.

The first two models, the M52 and the M56, both also come with Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability to record to MP4, which works wonders when combined with the iOS Movie Uploader app to connect directly to iOS devices such as iPads or iPhones.

Three Legria affair

Each device also comes with Audio Scene Select to choose the correct sound profile for the scenario you're trying to shoot, and Optical Intelligent IS, which automatically adapts the IS settings based on the scene being filmed to capture footage more easily on the go.

All three devices come with SDXC memory card slots, while the M52 comes with 32GB of onboard storage, the M56 with 8GB and the M506 left with nothing – so you'd better invest in a decent card.

The Canon Legria M-Series release date has been set for April 2012, although no word on US or UK price as yet.

Canon has unveiled its latest entry-level camcorders in the form of the Legria HF R-series, notable for coming with full HD recording and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The R series camcorders come with a 3.2MP full HD CMOS sensor and Canon HD video lens that offers 51x advanced zoom.

Intelligent Image Stabiliser (IS) keeps your footage steady even when you're zoomed right in – it adapts to whatever's being filmed and adjusts its settings accordingly.

Do away with wires

The handy built-in Wi-Fi means you can upload your videos directly to YouTube or Facebook et al without having to go through a computer – and if you want to edit them first, Story Creator can help you work them through.

There's an iOS app which lets you transfer video directly to an iPad or iPhone too.

At the top of the range sits the Legria HF R38, which offers Wi-Fi, a 7.5cm touchscreen, 32GB of memory and an SDXC card slot. Next up is the HF R36, which is the same save for the memory which is a relatively paltry 8GB.

Finally, the Legria HF 306 retains the 51x zoom, full HD sensor and Intelligent IS, but doesn't feature the Wi-Fi nor any onboard storage. There is an SDXC card slot though, never fear.

The Canon Legria HF R-series UK release date is set for April, with UK pricing to be confirmed.

South Korean electrical giant Samsung has announced new image sensor chips and processors for the mobile market.

The image sensor, known as the S5K2P1, packs a whopping 16 megapixels and backside illumination for sensitivity and low-noise performances.

Although designed primarily for smartphones, Samsung believes the S5K2P1 will also find its way into digital still cameras and camcorders.

This is due to its incredible video capabilities: Samsung reckons it's capable of 60 frames per second 16:9 video at up to 8.3 megapixel resolution - although you'd probably have to strap a small hard drive to your cameraphone to handle the sheer size of the video files.

The sensor is currently being sampled by "select customers", with mass production scheduled for November.

The long ARM of the law

In addition to the epic image sensor, Samsung has unveiled the Exynos 4212 dual core ARM A9 processor.

Based on a 32nm HKMG logic process technology with dual cores, it's said to offer a 30 per cent lower power level and 25 per cent increase in processing power.

It also packs 50 per cent higher 3D graphics performance, video recording and playback at full-HD 1080p resolution and an on-chip HDMI 1.4 interface.

Again, the new processor will be sampled by "select customers" in the latter quarter of this year, and Samsung has unveiled an official site for the chips.

It seems Samsung is sticking two fingers firmly up to Apple following the iPhone manufacturer's decision to switch to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co for the production of upcoming mobile chips.

Sony has introduced two new digital binoculars which are capable of capturing video and stills.

The binoculars are the world's first digital binoculars that record Full HD video with stereo sound. A 3D record mode is also available.

Both feature variable zoom, which allow you to scan a wide area before seamlessly zooming in to a given subject, such as a bird.

On the DEV-5, optical zoom is available up to 10x, and then expandable up to 20x with digital zoom. The DEV-3 has a maximum magnification of 10x.

Most traditional binoculars use manual focus, but the DEV-5 and DEV-3 use electronic autofocus to keep even moving objects sharp at all time. A dial at the top of the camera allows for adjustment of manual focus.

Electronic autofocus can be used as close as 1cm away when recording in 2D, or 80cm away when recording in 3D.

For 3D images, separate images for left and right are captured by a matched pair of precision G optics by Sony with Exmor R CMOS sensors and BIONZ processors.

Independent electronic viewfinders provide images for left and right eyes.

Steadyshot

The DEV-5 and DEV-3 both use optical Steadyshot, the same optical stabilisation system that's found on Handycam camcorders and Cyber-shot cameras. Optical Steadyshot is designed to keep images crisp and stable, even when viewed at high magnification.

The binoculars can be connected via HDMI to any HD television, while 3D videos can be watched on 3D-compatible BRAVIA models. There's also a USB terminal for transferring images and video clips to a computer.

The DEV-5 also includes an on-board GPS receiver that automatically geotags video clips. Tagged clips and images can be viewed after shooting in online maps.

The binoculars are able to capture still images in 4:3 ratio at 7.1 megapixels, while 16:9 ratio images can be captured at 5.4 megapixels.

Head of Testing for Future's Photography Portfolio, Angela Nicholson, was at the press event for TechRadar and spent some time with the binoculars. She said, "Sony's new binoculars are a bit bulkier than other binoculars I've used in the past, but they are also easier to use because of the autofocus system. Nevertheless, I think keen birdwatchers and the like will find digital view a little strange, it makes you feel a little more remote from the subject, almost as if you are watching a TV closely.

"I used an early preproduction sample and was not allowed to keep any of the footage or images I shot, so it would be unfair to comment upon the performance which may be enhanced before the binoculars go on sale. However, I found the controls sensibly arranged and easy to get to grips with."

Pre-orders can be made with Park Cameras, who will include a free high capacity battery alongside the standard battery with every pre-order.

The DEV-5 will retail for approximately £2,300, while the DEV-3 will be priced approximately £1,780, with shipping starting in late October or early November.

Cameras for video: Introduction

At the over £1,000 and sub £2000 price point there are several DSLRs and compact system cameras (CSCs) that have taken movie capture to a high-spec level. Some offer top-notch settings that promise professional quality and intelligent controls.

When spending upwards of £1,000 there's a lot to consider: which model produces the best quality footage; which can autofocus with ease (if this is important to your movie making); or how much manual control do you get over exposure?

There's also a mixture of Four Thirds, APS-C and full-frame sensors available.

We've rounded up five current models over the £1,000 threshold and break down what they're capable of to help you choose the right model for shooting video.

Cameras for video: Panasonic Lumix GH2

The bigger brother of the Lumix G3, the Micro Four Thirds GH2 is Panasonic's ultimate movie-recording stills camera. Its 3in, vari-angle touchscreen can be positioned through any angle and is ideal for movie shooting, plus the hands-on 'touch for focus' approach makes for unique yet pinpoint autofocus control.

The GH2 provides the full array of manual controls as well as automated movie shooting. This means that both shutter and aperture can be controlled in real time when recording – though doing so will cause a small 'blip' of overexposure while the camera quickly adjusts. It doesn't look particularly smooth, so sticking to exposure compensation for a more fluid exposure transitions is one way to maintain smoother results.

The Programme Auto (P) mode leaves the GH2 in charge of most settings for more simplified point-and-shoot recording, as commenced by the one touch button just behind the main shutter button.

Sensor

As the GH2 has a different Four Thirds sensor than other Lumix cameras (this one has more processing power and is a slightly different size to accommodate all aspect ratios, including 16:9 movie, without unnecessary cropping) its readout is of a higher capacity too. This translates into a 24p (progressive) cinema mode, compared to all other Lumix cameras that capture interlaced files.

It also means a 24Mbps data rate, which is on par with that of a professional spec camcorder, and adds that extra depth of quality to final files.

The GH2 also provides a 50 or 60i capture should this be preferable, plus there's a Variable Movie mode that can capture at 80%, 160%, 200% or 300% of usual speed inside the camera (by adding or skipping frames) for a slower motion or sped-up capture. It's an extra wave of creativity, and similarly there's also an Ex Tele Converter mode that uses an exact 1920x1080 pixel section of the sensor for a 3x magnification without quality loss.

Autofocus

Autofocus is super fast when using single focus (AF-S), and the full time autofocus (AF-A) is very smooth and accurate when shifting between subjects. This is the same system as employed in the excellent Lumix G3, though the GH2 does have one distinct downer – the focus area is restricted to a far more central portion of the screen that causes distinct limitations.

Panasonic's AVCHD capture format means movies need to be processed in order to use them outside of the camera, but this keeps file sizes far smaller than they would be otherwise.

Audio

Sound-wise the GH2's built-in stereo microphone captures decent quality audio, though the 2.5mm (again, not the more standard 3.5mm fitting) will have those wishing to use many third party microphones at a loss. Panasonic makes a variety of microphones with the 2.5mm fitting or there are 2.5-3.5mm converters available for little money, though using the latter isn't the most elegant or reliable way of recording.

Video specs

Approx price: £1,049 with 14-140mm kit lens
Sensor: Micro Four Thirds (2x magnification)
Maximum resolution: 1080p capture (1920x1080px)
Frame rate: 24fps (1080p) / 50/60i fields per second also available (output as 25/30fps)
Compression: AVCHD capture (or Motion JPEG at QVGA resolution only)
Audio support: 2.5mm mini audio jack for external microphones
File format: AVCHD format MTS files require decoding; M-JPEG
Exposure mode: Programme mode with real time exposure compensation; Manual mode with real time shutter and aperture control; Aperture & Shutter Priority modes
Focus modes: Full time (AF-C), Subject Tracking, Single (AF-C) and Manual (MF) focus options
Connectivity: HDMI & A/V outs

Cameras for video: Nikon D7000

At the top end of Nikon's APS-C format 'consumer' range, the D7000 doesn't claim to be a professional camera, though a browse through its features list quickly suggests otherwise. It's the most proficient Nikon DSLR for movie recording, even above and beyond the full-frame D3s (the latter's older sensor accommodates inferior Motion-JPEG recording only).

Autofocus

With the ability to use single (AF-S) or full time (AF-A) autofocus, the D7000 has among the most responsive live view focusing systems to be found in a DSLR camera. However, the continuous autofocus, as per that of the D5100, isn't quite quick enough to keep up with all subjects, plus the audible clicking sound of autofocus is picked up in shots.

Furthermore the AF seems lazy when zooming the lens, often resulting in an out of focus shot that needs a half shutter depression to coax the system back into play. However, compared to much of the competition it is an effective autofocus system overall – just not a patch on many Compact System Cameras or Sony's A55 (see Best DSLRs for video £500-1,000).

Manual control

Where the D7000 outdoes its D5100 cousin is with the addition of manual control. Manual mode allows for adjustment of shutter and aperture as a means to set exposure, though the latter can only be adjusted outside of live view mode – an oddity as this means a lot of unnecessary flicking of switches and dials just to set the aperture as desired.

Although it appears that Aperture and Shutter Priority modes are also available, they're not, as the values displayed on screen are nothing more than relics from stills shooting that the camera ignores in practice. Using the camera in its auto mode is most proficient as real time exposure compensation and exposure lock are both available and make it easy to fix exposure/brightness as required.

The D7000's 1080p movies are captured at the cinematic 24 frames per second frame rate and output as MOV files. H.264 compression means quality is good, though the 175MB/minute rate is less than some other models out there and this shows in the final captures – although decent, they've not for the same cutting detail and smoothness as from, say, the Canon EOS 7D (which we'll look at later in this article).

Audio

Sound is dealt with using an on-board microphone or there's a 3.5mm mic jack for third party microphones. The latter is particularly useful as sound is a little muffled; it sounds 'squashed' and over-compressed when recorded from the camera body.

Video specs

Approx price: £1,059 with 18-105mm kit lens
Sensor: APS-C sized (1.5x magnification)
Maximum resolution:1080p capture (1920x1080px)
Frame rate: 24fps (1080p) / 25/30fps (720p)
Compression: H.264 compression for video and Linear PCM audio (mono)
Audio support: 3.5mm audio jack for external microphones (stereo)
File format: MOV
Exposure mode: Programme mode with exposure compensation & AEL; Manual mode with live shutter control and pre-determined aperture control
Focus modes: Single autofocus (AF-S), Full-time autofocus (AF-A), Manual focus
Connectivity: HDMI-C out, A/V out

Cameras for video: Olympus E-5

As Olympus focuses its attention on its PEN range of Compact System Cameras there's been a lot of suggestion that the Four Thirds format E-5 will be the company's final DSLR camera. Even so it's also the first Olympus DSLR to feature a movie mode.

Able to capture 720p HD clips, the E-5 utilises the Motion JPEG format at a 1/12 compression ratio to capture its AVI movie files. The format means large files at around 285MB/min, but the final quality doesn't seem to correspond to this high number.

Compression is excessive, colours appear muted and shadow areas (even at lower ISO settings) show presence of mottled image noise that doesn't make for the most appealing shots. Framing up is also difficult as the movie mode uses a different portion of the sensor than for its stills shots (even in 16:9 mode) that results in a sudden 'crop in' where recording captures a slightly different frame.

Autofocus and manual control

However there are some plus points: the E-5's autofocus system is nippy (though only single autofocus or manual focus is available); full manual controls are available for shutter and aperture control; a 3.5mm mic jack means external microphones can be attached; and Art Filter modes can also be used in movie capture for added in-camera creativity such as Grainy Film, Soft Focus and several more.

On the downside the camera is expensive (£1420 covers just the body without a lens) and the Art Filter modes drop the movie frame rate so low that they're unlikely to be of use. Even when setting focus prior to shot the final captures are often a little out of focus unless focus is re-acquired during recording, manual controls can't be adjusted in real time during capture, plus the on-board microphone captures a hissing mid-high frequency that's distracting compared to competitor models.

Indeed the E-5's movie mode feels like it was 'tacked on' rather than added as an intrinsic part of this camera.

Video specs

Approx price: £1,419 body only
Sensor: Four Thirds (2x magnification)
Maximum resolution: 720p capture (1280x720px)
Frame rate: 30fps
Compression: Motion JPEG 1/12
Audio support: 3.5mm audio jack for external microphones
File format: AVI
Exposure mode: Programme mode with pre-shooting aperture, ISO and exposure compensation control; full Manual, Shutter and Aperture Priority control (pre-determined values prior to recording only)
Focus modes: Single autofocus (AF-S), Full-time autofocus (AF-A), Manual focus
Connectivity: HDMI-C out, A/V out, USB out

Cameras for video: Canon EOS 7D

One of the big guns when it comes to stills shooting, Canon's APS-C format semi-pro spec 7D also delivers quality on the movie front too.

On the rear of the camera there's a movie live view mode switch that surrounds a Start/Stop button to commence recording. As this individual control features here the position of the main mode dial on top of the camera – to select between Programme or Manual modes – is crucial depending on how much exposure control you want to have.

Shooting modes

The 7D doesn't do things by half measures: either you take full control of both aperture and shutter values (and ISO if you should choose) when in Manual mode; or the P (Programme Auto) mode automates exposure and controls all settings on your behalf.

Aperture and Shutter Priority modes are not available, instead these act as per the P mode, and it's only in Manual that full control of all settings is available.

Exposure compensation can be adjusted live during recording using the rear rotational wheel, and the exposure lock button can also fix the exposure value to the current subject in order to stop the camera adjusting for changes in light. The occasional flash of light can occur as the camera auto adjusts for exposure, though it's not a common occurrence.

Autofocus and manual control

Focus-wise it's either single autofocus (AF-S), as controlled by the AF-ON button on the rear of the camera (that's quite awkward to use due to its placement) or manual focus. The focus is as per many other DSLR cameras – there will often be over- and under-focusing issues, plus the camera (even when in Manual mode) may briefly up the exposure value in order to obtain a higher area of contrast for focusing and this then relays in final capture playback. So it's not so slick unless you take full control of everything, including focus, by hand.

Although the 7D isn't a point-and-shoot model by any means, the main reason to consider buying one is the final quality of its movie clips. The 1080p files can be captured at 24, 25 or 30fps and are rendered as MOV files using H.264 compression. The end quality is quite staggering in terms of fine detail, motion fluidity and careful use of compression – indeed at around 375MB/minute there's a whole lot of data being squeezed into the clips, and it shows.

Audio is handled by an on-board microphone or a third party microphone can be plugged into the 3.5mm mic jack for more professional off-camera recording.

For full manual control and high quality movie clips the 7D does a fantastic job, though the autofocus system is best avoided if you're after truly professional quality final clips. 


Video specs

Approx price: £1,445 with 18-135mm kit lens
Sensor: APS-C sized sensor (1.6x magnification)
Maximum resolution:1080p capture (1920x1080px)
Frame rate: 24, 25 and 30fps
Compression: H.264 compression for video and Linear PCM audio
Audio support: 3.5mm audio jack for external microphones
File format: MOV
Exposure mode: Programme mode with exposure compensation & AEL; Manual mode with live aperture and shutter control
Focus modes: Single autofocus or manual focus
Connectivity: HDMI-C out, A/V out

Cameras for video: Canon EOS 5D MkII

Canon's 5D MkII is deemed by many as the ultimate stills camera for shooting pro-spec videos – so much so it's even been used in Hollywood movies such as Iron Man 2.

It's clear to see why the industry in the know is keen on the Canon's technology too. The 5D mkII's 1080p capture can record at the cinematic 24fps frame rate or native PAL (25fps) and NTSC (30fps) settings. Although we're not talking about true Digital Cinema 4K capture (or indeed higher; but that's outside of any still camera's reach at the moment), the final quality of the Canon's clips is fantastic.

Full-frame sensor

There's a twofold reason for this: as per the 7D, the 5D MkII squeezes some 375MB/min into its MOV files; but it's the full-frame sensor's extra physical size that adds pronounced shallow depth of field (blurred background) that's out of reach of smaller-sensor cameras. Pair the 5D mkII up with some stunning wide aperture lenses and its clips will exude professional quality.

Of course such extra physical size can cause some constraints. For example, a 50mm lens on the 5D mkII equates to roughly peripheral vision, whereas the same lens on a Canon 7D would equate to 80mm. If you want long-reaching shots from telephoto lenses on the 5D mkII then be prepared to surrender not only your wallet due to the sheer expense, but also your spine thanks to the potential weight burden (depending on how much kit you intend to carry).

Shooting modes

Control-wise and the 5D mkII has exposure provisions as good as any other model we've seen. Manual, Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority modes each provide full control over settings that can be manipulated live during capture. Do note that stopping the aperture up or down while recording can result in a very brief 'flash' of overexposure however.

Programme mode can be used much like an 'Auto' option, though it's still possible to adjust exposure compensation or fix the exposure to a specific subject using AEL (exposure lock) while recording.

Autofocus is akin to the 7D's control, where the 'AF-ON' button on the rear of the camera is used to adjust the single autofocus. However it's less accurate than its sister model and can sometimes miss focus completely – certainly not the way the Hollywood movie buffs will be using the camera.

Lens advice

Lens focusing noises can also be picked up by the onboard microphone (depending upon what's mounted and whether it has silent focusing or not – always worth checking for Canon's USM, aka Ultrasonic Motor, for silent focusing), although a 3.5mm mic jack is available to connect third party microphones for more professional off-camera audio recording. Although autofocus is one noise of concern, image stabilisation may also produce a continual whirring/clicking sound – something else to keep an ear out for, but that's dependent on the lens in use.

The 5D MkII's white balance isn't a problem, as such, though leave the camera on AWB (Auto White Balance) and you may find changes in light being overcompensated for or stronger colours appearing more muted then they ought to. Setting the WB manually overcomes this issue easily.

This camera isn't one for casual point-and-shoot users, largely down to the so-so single autofocus mode and lack of any other camcorder-like features. But aspiring moviemakers will be pleased by the 5D mkII's immense final quality and provision for full manual control. The large sensor delivers quality not matched by any other (the Nikon D3s is the only other current full-frame, movie-capable stills camera), though adding extra kit to hone your steady hold and manual focusing abilities may be an essential in order to deliver true pro-looking shots.

Video specs

Approx price: £1,700 body only
Sensor: Full-frame 35mm (1x magnification)
Maximum resolution:1080p capture (1920x1080px)
Frame rate: 24, 25 and 30fps
Compression: H.264 compression for video and Linear PCM audio
Audio support: 3.5mm audio jack for external microphones
File format: MOV
Exposure mode: Programme mode with exposure compensation & AEL; Manual mode with live aperture and shutter control; Aperture Priority with live control; Shutter Priority with live control
Focus modes: Single autofocus or manual focus
Connectivity: HDMI-C out, A/V out

Cameras for video: Conclusion

All five of these stills cameras provide some level of manual control, in itself signifying that these aren't low-level playthings. Often pro-spec, it's likely you'll need some existing camera, video and lens knowledge to make the most out of using these models for the best possible video capture.

Only the D7000 and GH2 provide continuous autofocus that's likely to appeal to the more casual point-and-shoot user, whereas the other models are big beasts designed for pro-aspiring users in the know.
Of the five models the Olympus E-5 is at the bottom of the pack (in fact lesser models will achieve far more). Its low resolution, low quality files and AVI format just won't cut it in today's market and this model feels out of date in a video capture world that's moving at a rapid pace.

A step above is the Nikon D7000. It's got plenty to sell it such as the continuous autofocus mode, but focus and fluidity of playback fall just below the mark at this price level.

The two Canon models are of a similar high-spec ilk, though the 5D mkII has unrivalled final quality thanks to its full-frame sensor. If quality is what you're after and full manual focus and controls are integral to you (an aspiring film maker, perhaps) then this is a great route to head down. Canon's lenses, while not to the same level (or cost) of, say, Panavision lenses, they are still staggeringly good and there are a whole host of wide aperture primes available that can take your shots to the next level.

For the more point-and-shoot minded the GH2 is the most successful marriage of quality and ease of use. The smaller sensor means files don't outdo the 5D mkII, but the Lumix's 24Mbps 1080p quality is up there with top of the range camcorders. Add to this the touchscreen control and silky smooth continuous autofocus and there's a whole lot to like about the Panasonic – it's the one most likely to banish camcorder rivals off the shelves.

Introduction

Most stills cameras – whether a DSLR, compact system camera (CSC) or one of Sony's latest SLT (Single Lens Translucent mirror) models – come equipped with a video capture mode.

If you're looking to spend upwards of £500, but less than the crucial £1000 mark, then there's a wide choice available that each offer their own pros and cons. The more you spend doesn't always equate to a 'better' movie mode, however, so there's a lot to consider.

In our guide to the best DSLRs, SLTs and compact system camera (CSCs) under £1000 we'll explore every detail through from operability to final capture and audio quality.

While we've seen all these cameras individually and assessed them on their overall ability, this feature solely focuses on each of the camera's movie capture abilities. The selection of models represents the most prolific cross section available on the market within the price bracket. So which of these sub-£1000 models is best for video capture? Read on…

Sony Alpha A55

The Sony Alpha A55 is among the first of a new breed of camera. Dubbed an 'SLT' (Single Lens Translucent), the A55 may appear like a DSLR from the outside, but its internal construction is quite different. The mirror inside is translucent which means light can permanently pass to the sensor while reflected light is always fed the autofocus sensor.

As technological as this may sound, all you need to know is that this allows for true continuous autofocus that's perfect for tracking moving subjects during movie recording.

Auto focus

The A55's continuous autofocus works like a dream, indeed it's the best continuous AF system for movie of any stills camera, though it's not without its issues.

Clever though it may be to quickly slide focus between one subject and another, there's little choice as to what the camera will focus on as the camera always focuses on the most central point. Should someone walk through your shot, for example, the camera will quickly adjust to this new subject, even if that's not your intention.

What the A55 lacks is the ability to easily toggle the focus on or off, or manipulate the focus sensitivity. It is possible to pop many lenses into manual focus using their direct AF/MF switches, but this isn't a practical way of 'pausing' the focus.

Exposure

The A55's movie shooting mode doesn't venture outside of the automated Programme mode either, which means beyond the ability to control exposure compensation and exposure lock (AEL) during capture there's little else at your disposal.

LCD

Design-wise the A55 comes equipped with an LCD screen that's mounted on a vari-angle bracket. This means the screen can be moved away from the camera and rotated through a variety of angles – it's most useful for waist level shooting for lower-angle shots.

Performance

With Sony, as per Panasonic cameras, the choice to use AVCHD as its primary movie capture has a series of benefits and downsides.

On the one hand the H.264 compression is very good as it maintains high quality while rendering small file sizes. The 17Mbps data rate is high for a camera of this type, and a minute of footage equates to around 135MB.

On the other hand, the native MTS files captured aren't useable in most computer programs or editing suites (VideoLAN - VLC can read them though not always smoothly) and this means files need to be decoded into a different format, such as the larger MOV file type, using (free) software such as Windows Movie Maker or Apple's iMovie.

The 'Full HD' branding of the A55 comes with a slight pinch of salt: the sensor captures files at 25fps in an interlaced format, i.e. odd lines are captures on one pass of the sensor, even lines on the next pass. It can be hard for the human eye to recognise this as a problem until, that is, fast moving subjects show signs of 'tearing', which is a like seeing one frame in one position and the next frame slightly offset from the other half.

Downgrade to Sony's 'AVC' capture and you'll get progressive capture, but at a 1440x1080 resolution with a far lower data rate that's then upscaled (to Full HD). This secondary option produces MP4 files direct from camera that are more immediately useable, but the quality just isn't as top notch.

Audio

Audio is handled by the camera's built in microphone, though this will pick up surrounding sounds such as the lens's autofocus. However, flip open a panel to the left side of the camera and a 3.5mm microphone jack means you can record using an external mic with improved results.

Overall the A55 is up there with the best when it comes to point-and-shoot capture and continuous autofocus. It's not 100% reliable, however, as using the sensor's SteadyShot image stabilisation system will cause overheating (resulting in cut out) after around nine minutes depending on the ambient temperature. It's not an exclusive Sony issue, but one to be aware of.

Key video specifications

Approx price: £600 with 18-55mm kit lens
Sensor: APS-C sized sensor (1.5x magnification)
Maximum resolution: 1080i (1920x1080px)
Frame rate: 25fps
Compression and file format: H.264 for AVCHD video and AAC audio compression, AVCHD format requires decoding; 1440x1080 Motion JPEG format playable straight from camera as MP4 files
Exposure mode: Programme mode with exposure compensation, AEL, ISO control and (prior to recording only) aperture adjustment
Connectivity: HDMI-C out port with Bravia Sync, 3.5mm audio jack for external microphones

Panasonic Lumix G3

Panasonic's champion mid-level compact system camera, the Lumix G3, is small in body but big on its automated movie features.

The camera's 3in, vari-angle touchscreen LCD screen extends from the side of the body and can be rotated through any angle. The G3 even includes a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) that, due to the camera's construction, can be used during capture for extra stability where needed (this isn't possible with any DSLR camera).

Auto focus

What really sells the G3's movie mode is the camera's continuous autofocus (AF-C) mode combined with the touchscreen technology. Pressing a finger onto the screen itself dictates the point of focus and this can be used in real time during recording – the camera glides the subject into focus and rarely over- or under-focuses due to the controlled speed of focusing.

Focus can be achieved anywhere across the screen, meaning even subjects to the edge of the frame aren't out of reach. For more accurate focusing the 1-Area AF Mode realises a square-shaped focus area that can also be resized with the drag of a finger.

Face Detection, Subject Tracking and a 23-Area auto mode are also available. Pop the camera into single autofocus mode (AF-S) and focusing is just about as quick as it gets, owed to the impressive live view AF speed, but can falter a little from time to time.

Manual focus is also available and a 'macro-landscape slider' shows on screen to assist with focus distance, but its generalised terms aren't overly helpful and no full-size zoom assist to show the recording in actual size on the screen means tweaking focus can be problematic.

Using the zoom during recording can cause a bit of a battle with the autofocus system too, as the focus here fails to keep up.

Performance

Although the G3 fails to offer full manual control (something seemingly reserved for the higher pegged Lumix GH2 model), the AVCHD 1080i capture at 50 fields per second (output at 25fps for PAL or 60i output at 30fps for NTSC standards) is of good quality, though the MTS files will need to be decoded into MOV files (using software such as iMovie or Windows Movie Maker) for use with other devices.

Exposure compensation is available, but this is only prior to commencing recording rather than during capture.

Exposure itself can occasionally 'jump' between levels as the light changes, though slow shifts in light won't cause such problems. In addition to AVCHD, a Motion-JPEG capture is also available which produces larger-sized AVI files of lesser quality but which require no processing for use straight from camera.

Audio

Sound-wise the G3 has an onboard stereo microphone in front of the hotshoe, or a 2.5mm (yup, not a standard 3.5mm fitting!) mic jack is available for external microphones. The onboard mic's location keeps it out of reach from the lens and no autofocus sounds are audible in playback.

Overall the G3's a great point-and-shoot bit of kit for video capture that can accurately track subjects and glide between focal depths with accuracy. It's just the lack of manual controls that hold it back.

Key video specs

Approx price: £619 with 14-42mm kit lens
Sensor: Micro Four Thirds Sensor (2x magnification)
Maximum resolution: 1080i capture (1920x1080px) maximum resolution
Frame rate: 50i (25fps sensor output) PAL / 60i (30fps sensor output)
Compression: H.264 for AVCHD video and AAC audio compression
File format: AVCHD format MTS files require decoding; M-JPEG
Exposure mode: Programme mode
Focus modes: Full time (AF-C), Subject Tracking, Single (AF-C) and Manual (MF) focus options
Connectivity: HDMI & A/V outs, 2.5mm mini audio jack for external microphones

Nikon D5100

The thing that really sells the D5100 is its 921k-dot, 3in, vari-angle LCD screen. As this is mounted on a side hinge it's possible to turn it away from the camera and rotate it through any angle. This provision is particularly useful for video capture where a waist-level or high-up shooting position may be desired.

It's worth noting that the D5100 was released before the more budget Nikon D3100. However, the latter release benefitted from live view improvements that translated into faster movie autofocusing. When the D5100 was released these improvements had not been rolled out so, as a benchmark, the D3100 is actually a more capable video-shooting machine in terms of its autofocus ability.

Auto Focus

The D5100 offers edge-to-edge focusing across the whole screen, and it's possible to move the AF-Area focus point anywhere using the d-pad. In addition there are Face-Priority AF and Subject Tracking AF modes that do a good job of selecting subjects and recognising their movements, yet can't always follow this up with the swift autofocus to maintain focus at all times.

Performance

Although the D5100 offers a 24 or 25fps frame rate choice at both 1080p and 720p, the resulting (1080p) MOV files equate to around 150MB per minute and have the same excess compression characteristics of the D3100's files.

There's just not the biting detail that you'd expect from a Full HD file because of this, plus exposure can 'jump' between brightness levels in certain circumstances.

Exposure

Control-wise, the Programme mode takes care of all the settings and, despite the screen relaying aperture and shutter values these are only displayed as a carry-over from the stills shooting side, they're not values that apply to the movie capture – the camera takes care of all that.

The only exposure control that can be tweaked live during capture, is exposure compensation adjustment.

As well as a built in mono microphone the D5100 adds a 3.5mm microphone jack for use with external microphones. When using the in-built option it's easy to pick up lens focusing sounds, so the capacity to use an external mic is a significant and essential benefit. 


Key video specifications

Approx price: £690 with 18-55mm kit lens
Sensor: APS-C sized sensor (1.5x magnification)
LCD screen: 3in, 921k-dot, vari-angle
Maximum resolution: 1080p capture (1920x1080px)
Frame rate: 24 or 25fps
Compression: H.264 video compression and Linear PCM audio
File format: MOV
Exposure mode: Programme shooting mode
Focus modes: Full time (AF-F), Single (AF-S) and Manual (MF) focus options
Connectivity: HDMI-C and mini-USB AV out ports

Canon EOS 600D

The direct competitor for Nikon's D5100, the Canon EOS 600D has notable similarities – most prominently a 3in, vari-angle LCD screen. However in the Canon camera's instance the screen is as high a resolution as they (currently) come, at a whopping 1,040k-dots. The articulating mount means it can be put through almost any angle for unusual framing and is particularly useful for lower-angled shots when capturing video.

Auto Focus

The 600D utilises a contrast-detection autofocus system when in live view (and therefore movie mode), which is far from swift off the mark. Indeed focusing isn't any better than the budget Canon EOS 1100D model and has trouble with over- and under-focusing when attempting to acquire focus. It's therefore best not to re-focus during movie capture unless you're tweaking manual focus only.

Unlike the Nikon D5100, the 600D doesn't offer a continuous autofocus option during movie capture.

Exposure

Although the autofocus isn't great, the 600D offers plenty of manual control – through from aperture and shutter speed to ISO sensitivity and exposure compensation, everything is at your disposal should you so wish. Of course a quick flick of a button in the main menu can also set the exposure to 'Auto' for point-and-shoot simplicity too.

Movie Digital Zoom

One quirk of the 600D is the Movie Digital Zoom option that gives an additional 3x magnification without loss of resolution (it can offer up to 10x mag though this will come with some loss of detail).

As the 1920x1080 Full HD movie resolution only equates to around 2-megapixels in total, it's far smaller than the full 18-megapixel sensor on offer. By using a smaller portion of the sensor, the camera is able to multiply its zoom capabilities.

Theoretically the 600D's sensor could fit three 1080p captures side by side across its sensor, hence the 3x equating to no detail loss.

Performance

Video files are captured at 24, 25 or 30fps and rendered as MOV files using the H.264 compression codec.

Quality is very good overall, with a (variable) 45mbit/sec data rate in our test squeezing some 360MB of footage into a single minute.

Audio is dealt with using on on-board microphone, though those looking for better sound will be pleased to see the 3.5mm mic jack for external microphones. The linear PCM sound quality is good (though can get distorted due to wind when using the built-in mic).

Key video specifications

Approx price: £700 with 18-55mm kit lens
Sensor: APS-C sized (1.6x magnification)
LCD screen: 3in, 1040k-dot, vari-angle
Maximum resolution: 1080p capture (1920x1080px)
Frame rate: 24, 25 or 30fps
Compression: H.264 video compression and Linear PCM audio
File format: MOV file format
Exposure modes: Programme and Manual shooting options
Focus mode: Single (AF-S) and Manual (MF) focus options
Connectiveity: HDMI-C and mini-USB AV out ports, 3.5mm jack for external microphones

Olympus PEN E-P3

Like a suped-up version of the E-PL2 (as found in the under £500 section of this article), the latest Olympus PEN E-P3 has a lot of video control on offer.

This is the first PEN model to introduce AVCHD capture, though this doesn't directly replace the Motion JPEG capture of previous models – both options are available.

AVCHD capture uses better compression for smaller files that then need to be rendered outside of camera, whereas M-JPEG is a series of JPEG images replayed as a movie (AVI format) that can be used straight from camera.

Exposure

The E-P3's movie capabilities have some great quirks: Full manual control means aperture, shutter and ISO options can be adjusted for absolute control. However none of these settings can be changed during capture, a significant oversight that could have stepped up the camera's capabilities considerably.

Pressing the one-touch movie button will start recording rolling, but accurate composition is flawed here as the E-P3 uses a different portion of the sensor for movie capture. This causes cropping, i.e. the original frame you thought was going to be captured will suddenly be more 'zoomed in' and lose the surrounding edge (this even occurs if set to 16:9 ratio in stills mode). Small details like this hold the E-P3 back from having a more pro-fulfilling movie mode.

Auto focus

During recording there's the option of continuous autofocus, single autofocus (both of which can have the addition of manual override) or manual focus.

The E-P3's continuous autofocus mode is the one that particularly impresses, as it eases subjects into focus with little problems. It's a frustration that the focus point can't be moved around during capture, which becomes yet more of a misgiving when considering the E-P3's touch-sensitive screen (that's rendered useless in movie mode). It should have taken a leaf out of the Panasonic G3's book and allowed for full touchscreen focus control during capture.

Performance

The E-P3's 20Mbps data rate should produce high quality, though compression seems a bit over the top at times – looking in detail areas reveals processed, 'fuzzy' edges. A lower 'Normal' compression option is also available as a further space-saving option.

Sound is captured via the on-board stereo microphone, though wind noise can be an issue. While it's possible to employ an external microphone the Olympus-only Accessory Port means there's only one current microphone (SEMA-1) available. A standard 3.5mm fitting for third party microphones would have made more sense and opened the camera up to an even wider audience.

Overall the E-P3 improves capture options from previous models but fails to iron out small details that would have taken this good camera to levels of greatness.

Key video specifications

Approx price: £799 with 18-55mm kit lens
Sensor: Micro Four Thirds (2x magnification)
Screen: 3in, 610k-dot, OLED touschsreen
Maximum resolution: 1080i capture (1920x1080px) maximum resolution
Frame rate: 60i (output as 30fps)
File format: AVCHD or Motion JPEG recording
Exposure modes: Full Manual and Auto shooting options
Focus modes: Continuous (AF-C), Single (AF-S) with Manual Focus override available
Connectivity: HDMI-C and mini-USB AV out ports, accessory port for Olympus SEMA-1 microphone

Pentax K-5

Pentax's K-5 is the company's most able video-shooting DSLR, capable of capturing Full HD 1080p clips at 25fps in the Motion JEPG (AVI) format.

Although the K-5's body is rugged and weather-sealed, which makes it hard wearing and ideal for use in sandy or rainy conditions, there aren't too many movie-based perks for the videographer.

Auto focus

The main thing lacking from the K-5 is that there's no autofocus available during video capture – instead it's only possible to predetermine the focal point and then commence recording after.

When attaining focus prior to capture, the K-5's focus system, as per its live view operation, is very quick and will zoom in to the image (to actual size to ensure accurate focus is made).

Manual focus is also available, but this isn't always practical as assessing focal distance isn't easy to judge using a DSLR. It's made more tricky by the K-5's lack of a manual focus assist (to show the image zoomed in to actual size on screen for more accurate focusing).

Exposure

The K-5 makes up for its AF shortfall elsewhere by the provision of Aperture Priority exposure control (though the aperture can only be set prior to recording) and the inclusion of a 3.5mm mic jack to connect an external microphone.

Exposure compensation and exposure lock are available during capture for more critical exposure decisions, as in Aperture Priority mode the camera auto-adjusts the exposure level.

Other fun options include 'Cross Processing' and Digital Filter modes that can also be applied to videos to add an 'arty' edge (but once they're applied there's no way of removing the final effect).

Performance

The K-5's final movie quality is very good, though there are some signs of grain in shadow areas. The rendered AVI files are also huge, with a minute of footage eating up some 430MB of space (though this is why the quality is high). A three-tiered compression option accessible via the main menu means file size can be reduced by compromising further on quality should you need the extra space. Sound-wise it's mono recording only, which is of adequate quality, though not a match for straightforward stereo sound.

Key video specs

Approx price: £930 with 18-55mm kit lens
Sensor: APS-C sized (1.5x magnification)
LCD screen: 3in, 921k-dot
Maximum resolution: 1080p capture (1920x1080px)
Frame rate: 25fps
Compression: Motion JPEG and mono sound
File format: AVI file format
Exposure modes: Programme and Aperture Priority shooting options
Focus modes: Fixed pre-focus only and Manual (MF) focus options
Connectivity: HDMI-C and mini-USB AV out ports, 3.5mm jack for external microphones

Conclusion

As the price bracket increases so does the expectation for more features and greater control over video making, though this won't be realised in every purchase.

Despite the Pentax K-5 being the most expensive of the cameras on test in this price bracket, it's the only camera that doesn't offer any autofocus ability for its movie mode. While, arguably, some of the other cameras' autofocus modes aren't of pratical use, and therefore obsolete, this is certainly an area Pentax needs to see some progression in. The AVI files are good quality, but the file sizes are huge and this just isn't going to cut it for more pro-grade applications either.

The other two remaining DSLRs – the Nikon D5100 and Canon 600D – are very similar on paper and have some great features, but are quite different beasts.

The vari-angle screens of both cameras are very practical for movie shooting and the 3.5mm mic jack of each model means external microphones can be connected for sound recording. The D5100's continuous autofocus is a step in the right direction, but it's not fast enough to deal with all subjects and the video files are a little 'choppy' rather than 'cinematic' in playback.

Although the Canon 600D's files may look the better of the pair, its single autofocus system is no better than that found in the Canon EOS 1100D, which mis-focuses by such a margin that it's next to useless (this could explain why Pentax avoids implementing such a system in the K-5).

Then things step up a notch.

The E-PL3's movie capture abilities are great, there's full manual control and the continuous autofocus is fantastic too. The letdown is in the final quality however, which lacks the sharpness and clarity of its peers due to over-processing. But still a very strong effort that's a breeze to use.

The Sony Alpha A55 also puts in a sterling effort. Its continuous autofocus is very, very fast and equally as accurate, which allows for swift focusing between a variety of subjects. However the A55's main autofocus strength is also its main 'weakness' in other regards: as the camera can only autofocus to the centre-point of the screen there's a lack of control; no single autofocus features; nor are there manual controls. But it is the cheapest one of the bunch here, and for that it's a grand performer that's far faster than anything else out there.

At the top of the tree is Panasonic's G3. For the snap-happy consumer crowd this camera has (almost) everything you could need. Final quality is great, the touchscreen is fantastic for changing focus points during capture (something the Olympus E-P3 failed to address), the continuous autofocus is very smooth as is the ability to track moving subjects. I

t may not be quite as swift as the Sony A55, its 2.5mm mic jack is annoying and there's no full manual control. But what you do get, however, is a device that's small, affordable, endlessly useable and will appeal to the wider masses that want good video capture and controls right at their fingertips.

The Amazing Spider-Man may not be out for another year but some footage of the movie has already been shown, with John Schwartzman, cinematographer of the movie, said it is the "best images I have ever seen."

Now you would expect the creator of the footage to be 'happy' with what they have shot, but this seems to be all down to the quality of the footage coming from the Red Epic camera.

The Red Epic is a camera of choice for Hollywood at the moment, with James Cameron buying up 50 of them for his productions and Peter Jackson using a not-too shabby 30 Epics to shoot the Hobbit with.

In a blog post, Jim Jannard, creator of the Red camera, said: "So we were invited to see some Spider-Man footage today at Sony. John Schwartzman was there and we talked a bit before going into the screening room.

"'This is the best looking footage I have ever shot... these are the best images I have ever seen!' was his comment. I asked him if this was just his enthusiasm spilling out or if this was actually the case (pretty big statement).

"He thought for a few moments and said 'No, really... this is the best footage I have ever seen from any camera. Ever.'

Stunned. Shocked. So incredible

The blog continued: "So, with that, we went in. There was a Sony T420 projector (same as we have at Red Studios) in a grading room at Colorworks.

"We talked to 'The Steve' (colorist) about his experience with the Epic footage and opinion. He confirmed his opinion matched John's and we sat front row with huge expectations.

"I have to say that we were all stunned. Shocked. So incredible. Not like Red One MX. Not like anything we had seen from another camera. Same resolution and feel of our new Epic reel, but with actors and a story and Schwartzman's ability to light."

Obviously Red has a vested interested in telling the world how awesome its cameras are, but this initial feedback does sound promising.

And it's a far cry from the frankly rubbish shaky cam footage we have seen leaked on to the web so far.

The Amazing Spider-Man has a UK release date of 4 July 2012. The movie is currently being shot in 3D.

Best camcorder under £350: 6 tested

With most phones, compact cameras and of course SLRs offering video recording, you have to wonder if there's still a place for a dedicated camcorder; even more so when you consider that in most cases these devices shoot HD video.

Fortunately for the camcorder, in most cases the design and primary use of these other gadgets means either that they're lacking in features or need a high level of skill to turn out even mediocre results. So the purpose-made camcorder really is the way to go if you want to film decent-quality footage with minimal fuss.

When it comes to buying one, the first thing you'll notice is that unlike the flooded compact camera market your choice is pretty limited, and once you've had a good think about features, price and of course looks, you'll normally only have a couple of choices left.

But is there a great deal of difference between a camcorder costing £250 and one at £350, especially when the specifications and features of those two models seem surprisingly similar?

We're looking at camcorders around the £300 price mark, which include full HD, stereo audio, memory card recording and direct playback through HDMI; some offer features that will enable the most novice filmmaker to create professionally styled movies.

Canon Legria HFR18 - £360
Panasonic SD80 - £342
Samsung H200 - £250
Sanyo VPC SH1EXBK - £297
Sony HDR-CX115E - £300
Toshiba Camileo SX900 - £250

Test one: Recording

When someone says HD then you instantly think cinematic, high-quality video footage with big sound. But in the more realistic world HD only refers to the resolution of the device.

All six camcorders here feature full HD at 1920x1080. The Panasonic SD80 and Sony HDR-CX115E both record good natural colour, with fast auto-exposure and focus. Sound quality captured from their front mounted microphones is good and picks out vocals while limiting the ambient noise.

Both the Sanyo and Toshiba record vibrant footage, although quality was noticeably less when compared with the others in test. These two cameras also take longer for the exposure and focus to settle when moved around.

The Canon Legria HF R18 and Samsung H200 both perform well visually, and focus and exposure adjust swiftly, but audio for both don't match that produced by the other two. The Canon's sound can be marred by wind noise.

Test two: Features

The most notable features of these cameras are their touch screens and shooting modes.

The Panasonic SD80 comes in top of the group, including iA (intelligent Auto) and built-in video lamp. Footage for all camcorders is stored on SD HC or SD XC cards, while all but the Toshiba, which uses H.264, capture their footage in the AVCHD format. The Canon features an automatic lens cover, cleverly protecting from dirt.

The quality of the LCD screens varies - the Canon is a disappointment for the price, while the Sony's, on the other hand, gives a good representation of what you're capturing.

All camcorders have the ability to shoot stills and the quality of the images produced is better than you'd expect from a camera phone. But due to the lack of flash or control, quality is less than you'd expect from a good compact camera.

When it comes to viewing your footage, all cameras feature a standard HDMI cable link that fits into your TV.

Value for money and handling

Test three: Handling

All the camcorders are small, with the Toshiba Camileo SX900 just beating the Sanyo Xacti for smallest status.

Worries about the ultra-compact size making them difficult to handle are dispelled in use, with both the Toshiba and Sanyo shaped in a way that makes their handling comfortable to manoeuvre and zoom.

The larger models are easier to keep steady, especially when using the zoom feature. The slightly bulkier size and shape of the Canon, Samsung, Panasonic and Sony means they fit comfortably in the hand while still enabling easy adjustment over features and settings.

Navigation for all camcorders is easy, but the carefully thought-out design of the menu screens make both the Panasonic and Sony the easiest to adjust.

Using a more traditional joystick-style of navigation, the Sanyo is well-thought out. The Canon, using a similar joystick for navigation, is actually quite tricky to use in comparison.

Test Four: Value for money

All camcorders in the test are available for around £350 or less, which for the features and quality of footage is exceptional value.

The Panasonic at the top end of the price bracket shows that spending a little extra does buy you more features and better quality. But this can't be said for the Canon, which features a low-quality LCD, and during the test consistently had issues with picking up wind noise.

The Sony is the one camera where design and features seem to meet perfectly, with its small compact size making it easy to use and carry, yet still retaining features you could want for a small point-and-shoot.

Although the image quality of the Sanyo and Toshiba is lacking compared with the others, their small size makes them ideal as an everyday camera. The Samsung, similar to the Sony, does the job it was designed for; the only downside is the boxy design.

When it comes to value, the real winner is the Sony at just under £300.

The best camcorder under £350 is: Sony HDR-CX115E

While the Canon and Samsung both perform well, their extra bulk weighed against them. Size-wise, the Sanyo and Toshiba win favour by easily slipping into a pocket, with the Toshiba just taking the edge, purely for its no-fuss ease of use.

At the top of the test are the Panasonic and Sony, with similar features with touch screens and iA; image and audio quality from both is also exceptional. But the Sony's smaller size and build quality just take the top spot.

Although the Sony doesn't have a video lamp, it does have a maximum aperture of f/1.8, which helps it cope with low light.

In the end, the Sony has all you could want from a point-andshoot camcorder with build, features and quality putting it ahead of the rest.

Samsung has revealed its latest pocket-friendly camcorder, the W200, which captures full HD video and can be used underwater.

The W200 Pocket Cam is rocking a 5MP BSI CMOS sensor which should spell reduced noise on your flicks, and an F2.2 bright lens for superior low-light shoots.

It shoots in full HD and you can your amateur masterpiece back on the 2.3-inch LCD screen which offers a multitude of viewing angles.

Under the sea…

It's the underwater shooting mode that makes the W200 perfect for you holidays though, reckons Samsung, as it comes with anti-fog glass, anti-water drop coating for the lens and an Aqua Mode setting.

Like the popular but now sadly demised Flip camcorders, the W200 comes with a built-in USB arm.

With microSD storage and autofocus as standard, the W200 hits the UK's shelves in May, but there's no word yet on pricing.