Thirteen-year-old Jack Alexander loves to shoot home movies with his flip video camera. He says it's more convenient than a regular camcorder.
"It's not like a really big thing you need to tug around with you. It fits right in your pocket," he said.
Consumer Reports checked out 14 different pocket camcorders, all priced $200 or under. Included were ones from Flip, Sony and Kodak. Testers evaluated both video and audio quality.
"They don't compare well to full-size camcorders in terms of video quality, or even audio quality. But for their convenience and size, you can't beat them," Elias Arias said.
And then there's the newest iPod Nano that lets you shoot video.
"Compared to other pocket camcorders, the iPod Nano's video is as good as the best we've seen in pocket camcorders," he said. "However, the audio begins to distort as it gets louder.
Testers found all the devices make shooting videos nearly foolproof. And once you're done shooting, you can easily connect the camcorder to your computer, where you can save, edit, and share videos.
Consumer Reports says the Pure Digital Flip Video Ultra HD for $200 had the best video quality and is the easiest to use.
Or consider the Kodak ZI8 for $200.
Along with decent video quality, it has some great features, like image stabilization and an audio input that lets you adjust your recording levels.
If you like the small size of pocket camcorders but want a real video camera, for $460 dollars, Consumer Reports says to consider the Sony Handy Cam DCRSX60.
Plus, unlike many other pocket models, this camcorder has a zoom lens. It's still small enough to fit in your jacket pocket. And while it only shoots standard definition, the video quality is better than all of the high-definition pocket camcorders tested.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
