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Camcorders for covert surveillance

Grant • 22 November 2020

Choosing the right camcorder for Covert Surveillance

When selecting a camcorder for covert surveillance it can be difficult to choose from the variety of options available to you. We at Operant look at these 3 things before we purchase any camera:

Minimum Lux - The minimum amount of light the camera needs to produce an image
Optical zoom - Zoom which is produced through optics meaning no decrease in quality
Resolution - The quality of the images

Minimum lux is incredibly important for those night time shots and lowlight situation we find ourselves in regularly. This is usually one of the most important numbers on the camcorder. The technology inside may be useful for lowlight outside of the stat of minimum lux however we recommend watching some video recordings of it in use and speaking to others first before making that conclusion as the minimum lux stat is usually best for determining night capabilities. 

We also recommend ensuring the camera has some of these features too:

- Charging while recording
- Power on time, from a powered off state to recording, less then 4 seconds
- Maximum SD card size (128gb + ideally) for long term recordings

Charging while recording is ideal for longer surveillance work, even more preferable is charging while recording using a USB which can be plugged into a power bank or the vehicle, perfect. If you can get this feature for your camera it would be ideal. This may save you buying costly additional batteries.

The power on time is critical to ensuring you get the footage you need. You usually cannot keep the camcorder on standby for lengthy periods without emptying the batteries. However charging while recording options do mitigate this. The best option is that the camcorder switches on in under 4 seconds and is possible under 2 seconds for better models. This will prevent you missing those key moments; sooner or later it will happen.

Maximum SD card becomes more and more of an issue the higher quality the camcorder records in. The following are some suggested absolute minimum capacities needed for our type of use 720p (32gb+), 1080p (64gb+) & 4k (128gb+). If possible we suggest using a 256gb for 4k usage if the camcorder will allow for it, most at the present time are limited to 128gb. It is critical we utilise proper speed SD cards', Sandisk extreme pro or Lexar cards should do the trick.


We have looked at some of the options on the market today and provide our analysis of the models using our 3 point check. It is important to recognise the more expensive models as a whole tend to have higher maximum SD card capacity and most offer charging while recording.


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As you can see 1080p remains the mainstay of the market and 4k comes at significant cost. The lux values tend to be lower in more expensive models however the Panasonic HC-V800EB-K offers amazing Lux values for a cost effective price point. However our budget pick at less then half of that price is the Canon R806 for an incredible £199, however this price does seem to fluctuate see the Canon store.


The Sony AX53 would be the all singing & dancing model however with only x20 optical zoom is leaves us wondering if there will be a model available soon with 4k image, low lux & good optical zoom, for now we must pick & choose. If you have to choose and want the best the AX53 will last you a long time, perhaps in conjunction with something with higher levels of zoom when needed.


The CX625 is particularly disappointing and is most definitely our worst option with it's only redeeming factor being the x34 optical zoom however that's where it's good points end.


Our best value pick has to be the Panasonic HC-V380EB-K with a Lux value of 4, 1080p resolution, 50x optical zoom, 128gb maximum SD card capacity, recording while charging & optical image stabilisation. Hands down for £239  you cannot go wrong with this one. For higher quality and better lux values the AX53 is still superior however this comes at the cost of reduced optical zoom and more then double the price.






Update 01/07/21 The Panasonic VX980 currently has 4k, 25x optical zoom and 2 min lux for less than £390.

Update 09/09/21 The AX53 is frequently out of stock on my websites, we suggest pre-ordering well in advance






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