The Video Cameras to Crave and Covet

Panasonic AG-AC90A
A budget-minded choice, this HD camcorder boasts a pair of SD memory cards slots and a five-axis stabilizer to keep your footage steady if you’re handholding the camera. You’ll find a 12x optical zoom with three rings for adjusting focus, iris and zoom, high-quality audio inputs and outputs, and a 3.5-inch high-res display that rotates 270 degrees to capture all the action without you straining your neck.
Price: $2,250

EDITOR’S CHOICE: Canon XF200
The XF200’s 20x wide-angle zoom lens uses the same eight-bladed circular aperture for gently blurring backgrounds that’s found on the company’s EF lenses. Light enough to be handheld for an event, the grip can be rotated up to 120 degrees in 15-degree steps to give plenty of options for creative framing. Built-in, dual-frequency Wi-Fi lets you transfer files to the cloud without the cords.
Price: $3,900

Sony XDCAM PXW-X70
None of the cameras featured here offer 4K and neither does the X70—yet. Spring for one now, though, and Sony will update the firmware in 2015 to enable 4K recording as well as wireless streaming. With its large, 1-inch Exmor R sensor (20 megapixels), 12x optical lens and generous file support, you’ll have plenty of options for recording high-quality HD while you wait.
Price: TBA

JVC Gy-HM600U
This handheld HD camcorder delivers high-quality HD video in a variety of file formats, giving you plenty of flexibility when it comes to editing. Its built-in 23x autofocus zoom lens gets you right on top of the action while a pre-record mode captures up to 15 seconds of footage before you even press record, ensuring you don’t miss critical moments fumbling for the record button.
Price: $4,695