What's a good camcorder with a built-in light?

Q. I'm looking for a relatively small/cheap camcorder (good quality but not willing to spend like $1000 on it) with a built-in light. I can't seem to find any that aren't a ridiculous amount of money.

A. Admittedly I'm basing my answer entirely on my Canon HV20 (which originally retailed for $1000+ new,) but I doubt you'll find many good ones. Built-in lights will be small so it won't add bulk or sap too much power, and not really illuminate too much.

You'll probably be better served by purchasing a separate video light

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Is HD camcorder quality supposed to be grainy indoors?

Q. I just bought a Sony HD camcorder (HDR SR10) but the quality of the videos are very grainy even though the resolution is 1920x1080. When I go outside where its very bright, the quality is very good but when I'm in my living room, where there's a decent amount of light, the quality's really grainy. Is this normal?

A. I haven't been too impressed with the hard drive camcorders. We tried an Everio...Nasty!

I'm surprised, Sony camcorders normally do awesome at night. We have an HDR HC-7 and love it. The SR5 & 7 are rated good for low-light conditions by Consumer Reports.org ( your model isn't listed).

You may verify that your settings are capturing at the full HD rate of 16 MPS. You could also try the "Nightshot" setting, although my experience is that it will contribute to your graininess. Last, you may try improving your light conditions. Perhaps your camcorder includes it's own light source? Good luck!

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