Top 10 Most Iconic Camcorders of All Time

[@benjones1917]

Great video. I just picked up a VX1000 for £35, sold as untested. A new battery and it works just fine, except the viewfinder image has a slight green tint. Bargain of the century i reckon 👌

[@brandoncameracollection]

That is a lucky find I’ve had my eyes on some Japanese models but not sure if they will work properly

[@broadman2048]

Great all reviews , love the vx1000 (owner) , cheers!

[@brandoncameracollection]

I’d love to get one myself but spending $750 on a working English model seems insane

[@3HOCFRESKO]

Great review and top! It helped me find the bearings for VCR camcorders! I have a list of my own but this was helpful. Thanks! If you can make another top with other VCR camera within the span of '88-'95 it will be great!

[@MattParson]

13:20 For me the t2i was revolutionary because in the HD DSLR wave the 5dmii was over 3k$, Then the 7d was around 2k$, And the T2i for body alone was under 1k$ while delivering the same quality footage as the 7d. I believe the 60d was the next released and first to have a flip screen.

[@Jergling]

The T2i was also the first generation of TXi cameras to get the Magic Lantern firmware hack. It was originally developed for the processor shared between the 7dmk1 and T2i/550d, and that was back when the only thing it added was screenspace zebras and manual gain control!

[@howiespancakeshack]

I saw a feature film this year called Foul Evil Deeds, the whole thing was shot on a VX1000 in 2023!!!

[@brandoncameracollection]

Heck yeah that’s awesome

[@babyslattratt4738]

Thankyou for including scootering

[@Dileo99]

perfect video dude

[@brandoncameracollection]

Thank you 😊 glad you found the video from Peru 🇵🇪

[@ebinrock]

I got a Sony CCD-V9 Video 8 (not even Hi-8) camcorder for high school graduation, and I shot the heck out of that thing. From the "Handycam PRO" line at the time (1988) - obviously not so pro, but all things considered, pretty darn prosumer for the time - one of the last consumer camcorders to have manual, tactile stops on the focus ring, which had the distance markings, by the way. Servo zoom rocker, but you could also manually operate the zoom ring with a stem attached, no less. Manual iris control was horrible, though, as it had a tiny knob on the side of the camcorder body so small you could only adjust it with your fingertip. Included a removable lens hood. Had 3.5mm mic input and headphone output. RCA composite video and stereo audio output. With an included adapter, you could connect the camcorder to your TV's antenna input (crappy, but good in a pinch) if your TV didn't have the RCA inputs. I loved that camcorder, for what it had at a fairly reasonable consumer price in those days. After just a few years, though, the tape mechanism started eating my tapes. I took it in for repair, and the shop assured me the problem was corrected, so I tried shooting a pirogue race (pirogues are similar to canoes) in Louisiana. My second cousin ran the thing every year before his passing. Back in even the late 80's, at least where this thing was, there was hardly anybody with a camcorder, so I pretty much had an exclusive and was going to try to sell copies of this video once finished. I had an exclusive interview with my second cousin, too, that I was going to cut in to the whole thing. Darn camcorder chewed my tape as I was shooting that day, so everyone who was buying copies at a table that my parents helped set up, I had to refund, and cancel the whole thing. 😥 The thing about those 8mm and Hi-8 (and later, DV) tape formats was that they were a marvel of engineering, but the parts were just too tiny to hold up for very long. Later, the camcorder was stolen in a burglary, so at least I'm glad that idiot got a broken camcorder. With depreciation and the broken state, that person probably didn't get much for it anyway. In hindsight, I probably should have opted for the CCD-V110, as shoulder-mount is more my style! At any rate, I heard the CCD-V9 was the first camcorder to go into space on the Space Shuttle.

[@brandoncameracollection]

Hey great story about that camera that’s sucks you didn’t get to sell copies of that race and it’s super cool that it was the first cameras to go into space. I might have to look around and see if I can find a working to make a video about.

[@NigelMelanisticSmith]

I recently got a Canon XL2 for cheap, and your videos helped me learn some neat features for it. Keep up the good work!

[@CHAD-RYAN]

Uhhg, did you buy it off of facebook market place because thats the one i was going to get but i was a tad late.... thanks...

[@NigelMelanisticSmith]

@@CHAD-RYAN no, I got it from my job. Our communications department was selling off old stuff.

[@CHAD-RYAN]

@@NigelMelanisticSmith oh ok, i thought i was about to have to beat you up on here

[@kennybrogan266]

Gracias Brandon por tu aporte a mantener estas cámaras de video presentes hoy en día y que no caigan en el olvido. Saludos desde españa!!

[@brandoncameracollection]

❤️💕🇪🇸

[@MichaelJantzen42]

One of my favorites was the TRV120 - I have one and I used it back in the day and it's pretty cool because you could run it for almost 20 hours on it's bigger battery.

[@brandoncameracollection]

Yeah I actually just got a trv120 from a friend. I just need a battery and a charger for it

[@MichaelJantzen42]

@@brandoncameracollection Fwiw it does use the same batteries/charge as the VX1000/2100 :).

[@fenixlolnope361]

don't forget magiclantern on the T3i for 2k footage on an overclocked SD card

[@dovid729]

HVX200 should've been instead of the HPX

[@toneohm]

Yeah HVX200 was the last big one before diving into dslrs... T2i.. 7d, 5dii, GH3

[@officerjenkins6097]

Holy shit so weird coincidence, for the first sample video you had for the Canon DM GL2 part, I im possitive ive been to this same place for to see a punk show, this is an underpass in San Jose California, saw the band Cockring whose from Sacramento. They had a show there and filled the whole place. Wish I had a camcorder at the time, woulda been an insane video. I took pictures at least on my fuji xt2

[@jimkappel]

The canon A1-digital (not actually digital) shot the old plan b videos, h street videos, a bunch of others too. It was the best around in skateboarding before the ccd-vx3 came out. Good stuff tho dude! I’m a geek with the old cameras too 🤜🤛

[@brandoncameracollection]

Yeah I love checking out all this old tech

[@dousiastailfeather9454]

I had a Canon A1 dig too! Loved the ergonomics!

[@FabioFroetscher]

z7 with changable zeiss optics definitely missing!

[@craigjoseph9374]

Nice video, I still have 3 fully functional JVC GYX-2B's and 3 fully functional Panasonic AG-DVX 100b's. Great cameras back in their era, and the 24fps on the DVX was selling point.

[@brandoncameracollection]

Sell me a gyx-2b and dvx100? 😁

[@craigjoseph9374]

@@brandoncameracollection, How do I contact you?

[@brandoncameracollection]

If you have instagram my username is @_brandeenoo_

[@craigjoseph9374]

@brandoncameracollection , just sent you a message.

[@brrberryb2997]

Would you sell me a gyx? I can send contact info I’ve been in the market for one.

[@jeffiot]

small detail that feels worth mentioning: you said jackass season 1-5 or 1-7 used the VX, but jackass only ran for 3 pretty short seasons. I believe viva la bam continued to use the VX100 as an "extra camera" though, and that went for 5 seasons.

[@CraigBickerstaff]

It's interesting, I never realized that the Sony VX cameras were that popular, I guess it makes sense in terms of skating videos but from where I was I always thought the more used camera was the Sony PD150. That's the one they had when I was at film school doing New Media in 2003, and I would see it everywhere in BHS documentaries etc. I know Jackass also used the PD150 and I always wanted one and subsequently the PD170 when that came out but I didn't have the resources to own one myself.

[@vanzetti7]

Same - at my school we were all hoping to afford one because it was the same camera David Lynch used to shoot his website videos lol

[@cantkeepmedown-6876]

Thanks for taking the time to make this detailed video. I'm from the generation that used vhs, hi 8, mini dv, hdv and recent. These cameras led the way to making home movies. It was a lot of work to make videos back then. Now all you need is a laptop and a cell phone. This new generation is so spoiled, ha ha.

[@brandoncameracollection]

Yeah that’s what makes these old cameras so much more fun to use Is the process of getting the footage. That and they are so much more mechanical like what not satisfying about opening up a brand new tape and loading it into your camera? Haha🔫

[@billgates3699]

‼️Thanks for inflating our niche hobby to astronomical gatekeeping prices Bud. Preciate ya. 👨🏻‍🤝‍👨🏿

[@toneohm]

VX1000...!!! Thee skate cam... I used this and the Canon GL2 in my hay day.. 2000-2006.. VX with Century Optics Fisheye!

[@brandoncameracollection]

Still a dream cam of mine is the vx1000

[@chefbrittan84]

Dvx100 for the win. That camera still has a place to this day. Sharp, yet can look like a film camera.

[@brandoncameracollection]

Definitely. I have yet to check one out. Been on the lookout for one that is at a good price

[@rajendrabiswas]

yes the visual language is beautiful

[@spicelord4782]

Wow I got a dvx100b for $100 few years back. Who knew it was the same exact camera for the quality of early 2000s tv I was looking for 😂

[@brandoncameracollection]

Yes can’t go wrong with any image from a 3CCD sensor🔥

[@CycloneCordVHS]

subbed!! I have a CCD-VX3 myself too and would like a VX1000 if it wasn't so expensive

[@brandoncameracollection]

Man hold onto that vx3 I’ve been looking for one also and they are so hard to find

[@thedadtris]

Same, got a vx3, vx2000, vx2100, pdx10, ax2000 but no vx1000 (yet)

[@westcoastplinkin6559]

Man I am sad I sold my VX1000 after I stopped filming. Wish I would've kept it. But I am looking to get a Japanese model. Does anyone know if you can change the menu language to english with those? If not, i'll just fork over the cash for an english one.

[@brandoncameracollection]

No unfortunately you can’t change the menu language I’ve been looking for a vx1000 for a while and a lot of the time a can’t find a Japanese model with any description to see if it will work or not

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

Not camcorders but for DSLRs Canon 5D Mark 2 and the Canon T2i. T3i is the best because of the flip out screen but it was not Canons first video DSLR. For mirrorless Panasonic Lumix GH1 and GH2. Some GH2 have a weird banding issue in video starting around ISO 800 in low light. The fix is too use fast lens or drop your shutter to 30th of a second.

[@LenKusov]

Ohhhh that explains why all the cheapest working examples of the VX and PD camcorders on ebay have mold and rust and mystery stains on them...

[@budthomason8890]

I like the Canon Vixia HV 40. I own 4 of them.

[@brandoncameracollection]

I’ll have to keep that in mind to check out in the future

[@budthomason8890]

I now have 5 of the canon vixia hv40

[@brandoncameracollection]

Send one over to me? 😅

[@andorcor]

Maybe you still "need" a Panasonic NV-M7 (VHS, 1988) or a MS-4 (S-VHS, 1992) and a Sony Hi8 V5000. Classics.

[@JeffCorcelius]

I think you forgot the Sony PD150. I shot so much on that in the 2000s.

[@brandoncameracollection]

Yes there are a lot of cameras I could have included. It was hard to narrow it down to just 10. The pd150 and 170 are awesome cameras.

[@ComeJesusChrist]

The Christmas tree went mental.

[@thedadtris]

I personally think the VX2000 should be up there in place of a few, but that's just me. Sick vid!

[@brandoncameracollection]

Yeah I definitely could have put in the vx2000 and vx2100 but I think they’re almost in the same bracket as the vx1000

[@thedadtris]

@brandonalldredge For me, the vx1000 and 2000 are like step brothers. In the same fam but different. The 2100 is just a 2000 clone with some minor improvements. Again all just my opinions. Nothing right or wrong here.

[@stashandskate]

@@brandoncameracollection vx 1 is way different color and even vx2 and 21 differ I have all 3 cams and to be vx1 is in it own lane but im a skate filmer so yeah hahahaha vx1 will always win but I use both vx1 vx21 and Sony fs5 almost always

[@fletzyproductions1190]

You should make a part 2 including the stuff people mentioned, if you do pls include Sony hdr fx1! i think its the First consumer hd camcorder. Made 1 year after the vx 2100. (2004) It films hd video on minidv tapes! I own a pro version of it :P (hvr z1) And it can film 1080i 60i (better than my dslr) It was very popular with paparazzi’s, storm chasers, even skaters It has a maximum 1/10000 shutter speed, and lowest is 1/4. It also has a 12x zoom i believe. Although it is 2x heavier than the vx (5.5 lbs) it is a great way of moving from the vx to hd if you still have a few tapes

[@brandoncameracollection]

Definitely I’ll have to do some research on more cameras

[@fletzyproductions1190]

@@brandoncameracollection forgot to mention that it can change formats, it can film hdv, dv sp, and dvcam, you can even change the framerate (60i, 50i, 25i, 25i). Back then you would have to buy cameras from different continents to use different framerates, so being able to use just one camera for litearlly any production was a big plus, if you wanted dv, switch to dv, if you wanted hdv, switch to hdv. It also has a built in down converter, that if enabled converts hdv to standard dv. Cool stuff!

[@lukexruggiero2063]

Panasonic dvx100 is the best mini dv film camera

[@Tricklarock]

Oh wow, but the lenses you could use with that Canon XL1S?!?!

[@LavelWashington]

Sick!

[@regalwalnut]

The Leica lens on the AG-HPX170 is pronounced "Like-uh", not "Leak-uh". Don't let any Leica rangefinder camera users hear you pronounce it that way! Cheers, mate 🙂

[@caprature]

Gh1 was legendary

[@Nennski]

🐐

[@emilytvmusic]

why would you put a canon t3i on this

[@teaxsskateboarding1]

Baker 3 barely had vx1 it was most trv

[@_No_Bueno]

I have an HVX200 in GREAT condition if anyone is interested

[@brandoncameracollection]

Let people know on my discord: discord.gg/qzxn72Kr9m

[@A10Jedi]

You have no clue. HVX200 doesn’t take tapes. It uses P2 cards.

[@brandoncameracollection]

Yes it does have P2 cards but it also has the option for mini dv as well

[@dousiastailfeather9454]

No. Hvx 200 recorded in SD and looked great! P2 got you hd.

[@brandoncameracollection]

@dousiastailfeather9454 I’ve recorded on mini dv with the hvx200 and you can only record in 480p and I think it looks pretty good still

[@grayhudsonn]

Why put the XL1s over the XL2? smh

[@brandoncameracollection]

I feel like the XL1S was a little more popular than the XL2

[@grayhudsonn]

@@brandoncameracollection maybe so but definitely not superior. The GL1 was more popular but not superior to the GL2 which You put. The XL2 was literally used for Blair Witch Project and 28 Days Later I believe Can't recall anything significant shot with the XL1s

[@grayhudsonn]

@@brandoncameracollection Regardless Though the List was Spot on

[@brandoncameracollection]

I thought the XL1S was used to film 28 days later? At least that’s what I found while researching. A lot of the cameras I put in this list were based more on popularity. Some were based on specs and capabilities. It was hard to narrow it down to 10 cameras since there are so many great ones out there.

[@DoubleMonoLR]

@@brandoncameracollection Yes, it was, there are even photos showing it being used. Specifically, from a forum post back in 2003: "Well it is *officially* official, this month's issue of AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER confirms that "28 Days Later" was shot with an XL1S with an OPTEX B4-XL adaptor and some CANON EC and EJ Hi-Def primes." Both the GL1 and XL1 were also used for the early seasons of Jackass, along with others: Canon GL-1, Canon XL-1, Sony DCR-VX1000, Sony DCR-VX2000, Sony DSR-PD150

[@billgates3699]

‼️18:50 “leaka lens” yes, that’s how to pronounce Leica, no doubt 🤣🤡

[@CountrySquireDiner]

I have the canonxl2 have the black screen what do I do

[@brandoncameracollection]

That I’m not sure on. Could be the viewfinder, could be something internally