Get to grips with Toshiba HD camcorders

So you're interested in buying a new camcorder? Well, the good news is that Toshiba makes three different types of camcorder, each designed to appeal to a different type of user looking for a specific mix of features. So which is the right type for you – a Pistol Grip, Candy Bar or Palm Held camcorder? Let's look at what each has to offer.

The HD camcorder market really has matured over the past couple of years. With full HD 1080p recording now standard nearly across the board, plus the convenience offered by today's storage media, the ordinary consumer has never had such a wealth of performance and portability options to choose from.

And Toshiba's range of HD camcorders reflect those choices by falling into three different model types to make it easier to identify what you want right from the start. Let's take a closer look...

Pistol Grip: so named because you hold it vertically, with the lens facing forward almost like you're holding a pistol. The screen flips out from the camera body and rotates to face you. For more information, please visit Toshiba.

The Pistol Grip-style camcorder is the most compact design, with the large rotating screen giving you plenty of shooting versatility along with the obvious portability.  Pistol Grip camcorders are available in a range of great colours, such as red and blue, as well as the more conventional black or white editions.

Candy Bar: thicker and more substantial than the Pistol Grip camcorder, the Candy Bar camcorder is still held vertically, but the screen is housed in the camera body itself. For more information, please visit Toshiba.

Toshiba's Candy Bar camcorders are chunkier for a reason – they're designed with the outdoor adventurer in mind, and feature ruggedised construction and waterproof casings allowing you to capture footage in perfect full HD clarity everywhere from the beach to the ski slopes with complete  confidence and safety.

Palm Held: the more traditional camcorder form factor, where you hold the camcorder in your palm, with your hand held up before you to record your video footage. For more information, Toshiba.

Because of their greater internal volume, Palm Grip camcorders allow for bigger lens components and internal elements, so if you're looking for features like powerful optical zoom or manual focus, this is the form factor for you.

Already own a Toshiba camcorder, what's your favourite type? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments below.
 
For more on Toshiba's full range of digital HD camcorders and accessories, please visit Toshiba UK.