Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Good Low Light Quality mini HD Camcorder Recomendation

Dec 25, 2010 2:56PM PST

can any1 vouch for a cam giving bright/decent videos/photos during night?
this is basically the list i'm narrowing down of used cams but dunno if gonna end up with 1 that makes dark videos like jvc picsio i had. Was gonna do compare youtube tests but somehow the picsio vids looked bright at night/twilight which mine sure didn't:


sony webbie mhs-pm1
Sony MHS-CM5 5X optical 20X digi, 5mp,
Sony bloggie
Samsung U20
Insignia NS-DCC5HB09
Creative Labs Vado
DXG-567V
DXG-535V
DXG-569V
DXG 579V
Aiptek Hi-Speed HD 720P
Aiptek A-HD
Insignia 5MP HD Digital Camcorder
RCA EZ409
Gigaware HD Camcorder with Touchscreen
Sanyo VPC-HD100
Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10
Insignia NS-DV1080P
Insignia NS-DV720P
Samsung HMX-U10
SVP T-500 T500 5Xoptical
Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Waterproof 80$, 5mp, full hd, stabilizer
RCA Small Wonder EZ209HD

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Nothing in that list looks good.
Dec 26, 2010 3:34AM PST

But why didn't you read the replies to prior low light posts?

- Collapse -
because
Dec 26, 2010 3:59AM PST

because my post is unique in that I'm looking for a specific sized cam for a specific price. okay i understand that bandwitch costs money, but why did you click on it and reply if it was a waste of your time?

on topic, i read the creative labs vado takes bright vids

- Collapse -
Seems to be the same issue.
Dec 27, 2010 2:12AM PST

None on your list would seem to work. Maybe you need to create such a device if this is some scientific endeavor? Of course that would blow the budget but it's that once in lifetime shot?

I replied since we have discussions about this in this forum which would have answered why none of these will do.

Until a new breakthrough in sensors happens we have to get big lens and big sensors to deal with low light.

Hope this helps you avoid losing money trying that list of cameras.
Bob

- Collapse -
"a cam giving bright/decent videos/photos during night"
Dec 26, 2010 6:13AM PST

means the "cam" has large lenses (to let light in) and a large imaging chip (better yet, large imaging chip array).

None of the cameras/camcorders/pocket cams you list has large lenses or large imaging chip system.

ANY camcorder can capture decent video under good lighting conditions.

The expensive parts of a camcorder are the glass and the imaging chips. There are many reasons the professional grade equipment has big glass and big imaging chips - and their result is good low light video capture. If the small, inexpensive cams provided "bright/decent videos/photos during night" the professionals would not need the camcorders with large lenses and imaging chips.

Your other option is to add your own light.

In either case, this may not be the answer you want, but it is what it is...

- Collapse -
thanks
Dec 27, 2010 4:18AM PST

and sorry for not searching.
So, would a cam slightly larger with a larger lens than the cigarette-pack-sized ones I listed take noticably brighter vid/photo? Like the ones the size of the Sony Webbie MHS-CM1 $70 used? contrary to what you are saying about a small lens not letting enough light through, if you google -"creative labs vado" bright- people say its so bright it's almost a problem.

- Collapse -
uhh,..
Dec 27, 2010 4:34AM PST

I can't seem to even find the 'search' tab. can someone please link a helpful thread?
some on my list have Quarter-sized lenses as opposed to the mini/smallest dime-sized ones that you are saying don't allow enough light in. Will the Quarter-sized ones be noticably brighter? thankss

- Collapse -
The "decent" low light
Dec 27, 2010 7:38AM PST

behavior consumer cams I like have a 58mm lens filter diameter and larger. I had a Canon HF S100 (I gave to to my son). I continue to use a Sony HDR-HC1 (37mm lens filter diameter; single 1/3" CMOS imaging chip) and HDR-FX1 (72mm lens filter diameter; three 1/3" CMOS imaging chip array system). Sorry - I use the camera specs for measurements. The 37mm is larger than a quarter. The 72mm is almost as wide as the short edge of a one dollar bill.

If the "creative labs vado" gets such high marks, why is it not on your list?

- Collapse -
Oops... I see the Creatve Labs Vado
Dec 27, 2010 7:40AM PST

is on your list. Rephrase the question - why aren't you buying it?

I wouldn't - but I am curious to understand why - you are asking here if you have already read what you want about the Creative Labs Vado...

- Collapse -
camcorders are cool
Dec 27, 2010 9:47AM PST

why am i not buying CL Vado? =It's still a possibility that I might. I'm gonna compare it and any others on that list that I find to have bright vid/pic to the ones the size of the Sony Webbie MHS-CM1 (that size genre with a larger lens [and a cap yippie!] to let more light through for brightness, with the screens that hinge out to the side when in use and are just larger in size than the mini cigarette-pack-sized ones like the flip mini etc)


"I am curious to understand why - you are asking here if you have already read what you want about the Creative Labs Vado....


Most would say I should narrow down the list first and then post any intelligent questions if any. But, I make the thread first in case there's something I should know that I probably won't find out while comparing the products. In this case, I probably would never have known that the small lens size/chips is what makes almost all the mini camcorders have dark vid/pic. I would have used the search function and not made thread if I'd have learned this beforehand. Also, I'll take a credible forum member's word for it over almost any sub-professional reviewer's and especially those reviews on retail websites next to the price and 'check out shopping cart'tab, where most those people don't know what they're even talking about.

I think it boils down to marketing schemes where manufaturers don't tell all the specs and what they do on their offical websites, and that's why we have to pay subscription consumer forums to easily understand which products are better than others.

- Collapse -
time
Dec 27, 2010 9:51AM PST

it's also a lot of sorting through websites for specs and then comparing them is why i made a thread hoping a spec junkie would have all the answers for me off the top of their head Happy

- Collapse -
oops
Dec 30, 2010 12:53PM PST

stupid human error on my part. I've had my monitor brightness and contrast to all the way down to zero for years-because it's easier on the eyes,kinda saves energy, and that's all one really needs it to be for internet browsing, unless video games and google earth for me but haven't played games in years and just forgot when looking at pictures that were so dark that the monitor was max minimum. Although peolpe are saying the small pocket sized camcorders all give dark quality because the lenses are so small. Just don't want to give the wrong info and discourage anyone from buying a pocket sized cams. Youtube reviews show they aren't all that dark unless it's night time of course.