Overall Findings
With modern smartphones and portable camcorders, you’ll never have poor quality video. This is less of a concern than it’s ever been. Instead, this debate comes down to how you want to record and how serious you are about it. Nearly everyone has a phone. While it may not be the latest and greatest one, it may be good enough for most situations. So, if you recently started shooting video, your phone is a safe and inexpensive route. When you want to shoot the best quality video or a lot of it, there’s no substitute for a dedicated camcorder. There are also sports camcorders, like the GoPro, that are rugged and shoot top-notch video. If any of this sounds like your situation, it might be time to purchase a dedicated digital camcorder.
Video Quality: Phones are Good, Camcorders are Better
When it comes to video quality, the newest smartphones offer 4K, or 3840 x 2160 resolution. This brings realistic colors and higher frame rates. 4K is the standard that Vimeo and YouTube support. Some smartphones also have 4K screens. Most camcorders include at least a 10x optical zoom lens. Some have 3D capability, GPS receivers that add geographical identification (known as geotagging), or built-in (or pico) projectors. Newer models also offer 4K resolution. While this may seem a toss-up for everyday videography, pocket camcorders excel in specialized situations, especially action videos. For example, the GoPro line of camcorders is small, lightweight, and rugged, unlike a smartphone.
Price: Both Range Widely
While smartphone prices have come down and are subsidized by mobile carriers, you can often pay as much as $800 or more for one. Pocket camcorders can cost as little as $150 or as much as $1600 or more. With a smartphone, you pay every month for a voice and data plan. Price is also a factor when it comes to storage capacity.
Storage: Phones Store in the Cloud and Camcorders are Expandable
Pocket camcorders record to removable memory cards or internal memory. Most pocket camcorders rely on flash memory or micro SD cards, which are removable. Most smartphones don’t have this option. The micro SD cards are available in large capacities and provide more than enough storage for videos.
Lenses: Camcorders Have Higher Quality Options
Many camcorders make claims of 500x, 800x, or more zoom, which is a combination of optical and digital zoom. Optical zoom is a product of the lens and works like a 35mm SLR camera. The optical zoom is a real zoom where the lens moves in and out. Choose a high optical zoom in a camcorder. Digital zoom takes the pixels, which comprise the image, and makes the pixels larger. The picture may look closer, but it may also look blurry or distorted. Most smartphones feature digital zoom, although a few models have optical zoom.
Size and Weight: Phones are Built for Portability
There is an array of smartphones and pocket camcorders. Size and weight become almost a secondary consideration, behind the application.
Display: Phones Usually Have Larger Screens
Most pocket camcorders have smaller displays. Smartphones, by contrast, can have screens as large as 5.5-inches with multi-touch capability. Also, many smartphone displays are brighter and sharper than pocket camcorders.
Connectivity: You Won’t Have Trouble Either Way
When you’re done shooting your footage and want to transfer it to a PC or Mac, pocket camcorders make it easy. These devices have built-in USB ports and software that’s pre-loaded onto the unit. Smartphones don’t offer these features. Smartphones can (in theory) upload video on the spot using cellular or Wi-Fi networks. Uploading smartphone video over a cellular network isn’t cost-effective (or time-effective), but it can be done.
Ease of Use: Who Doesn’t Know How to Use Their Phone?
If you’re looking for something that’s point-and-shoot, smartphones are more complicated than a pocket camcorder. A pocket camcorder has fewer controls and menus to get lost in. However, most camcorders have more features than a phone.
Functionality: Camcorders Provide Professional Features
This one’s not even close. While pocket camcorders have become more feature-rich, these devices can’t hold a candle to the nearly limitless things you can do with a smartphone. Even in the video department, there’s a library of apps that can add effects and enhance videos. So, if the phone doesn’t offer video controls out of the box, third-party software can.
Durability: Camcorders are Built to Be Active
If you want to record video while at the beach, white water rafting, or trekking through a sandstorm, there are waterproof and rugged pocket camcorders, such as the GoPro line, that can handle what nature dishes out. Smartphones, on the other hand, are delicate devices.
Final Verdict
Are you serious about shooting quality video, or do you want to easily record on the fly? That’s what this all breaks down to. Anyone serious about video quality should consider a camcorder before using their phone. There are more options and features available. If you’re a casual user that only wants to record an occasional event or take video for your social media posts, your phone will serve you well.
