<p>For high zoom, low light you need <em>all</em> these things.</p>
<ul>
<li>Large sensor.</li>
<li>Long lens [<em>not</em> software zoom].</li>
<li>Large aperture.</li>
<li>High ISO capability with low self-noise.</li>
</ul>
<p>This is not a cheap combination, by any stretch of the imagination.</p>
<p>I would very, <em>very</em> much doubt any 'camcorder' can do all the above. I don't know of any camcorder with a large sensor at all. They sacrifice sensor size because it's factors easier &amp; cheaper to make a long-throw lens for a tiny sensor.</p>
<p>I could suggest a good combination, but you'd need a spare $£€ 50,000 in your sock drawer.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-04T17:16:45.817Z
50k is way to high. I am not a professional. Currently I have Panasonic HC-VX9xx, which is quite decent up to cca 14x zoom. But at 20x it gets grainy / blurry. I would be happy with something that would be okay-ish at 20x zoom.  The low-light may be understood as "partly cloudy, 6 PM in the summer".
Ondra Žižka
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-04T17:30:15.973Z
*x-number-zoom* tells us absolutely nothing, I'm afraid. It's just a marketing number, comparing the shortest with the longest focal length, without describing either in real terms. I looked up the spec - Focal Length 4.08 – 81.6 mm…  which means it has a tiny sensor - 1/2.3, comparable to an old smart-phone. See https://newatlas.com/camera-sensor-size-guide/26684/ for a guide.
Tetsujin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-04T17:34:14.720Z
Focal lengths are usually compared using "35mm equivalent" values, which are a known quantity. The VX9xx has an equivalent of 37.0 – 752 mm which would be absolutely colossal in a real camera, in size, weight & cost. In real terms such a lens may not be possible to make at all. The one I was referring to in my answer is a 45 - 250mm, at a mere £42,000. [The extra cost was a basic 35mm camera body to fit it]
Tetsujin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-04T21:19:55.570Z
So, if i want a bit better picture on a higher zoom, I need to look most importantly for a larger good sensor, but still small enough to allow a construction of a zoom lens which would not cost tens of thousands, correct?  Is Panasonic X1000 or X1500 such?
Ondra Žižka
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-05T06:49:53.993Z
The X1500 has the same tiny sensor. I don't think what you're looking for is going to exist in a consumer format.
Tetsujin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-05T07:12:24.517Z
The newer phones have better sensors? Then maybe buying a phone and a telescope clip-on addon would be the best way to go in the end?
Ondra Žižka
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-05T16:03:27.083Z
A new phone may have a sensor a mm or so larger. It's still in the same ballpark.
Tetsujin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-03T18:07:10.670Z
2022-09-03T18:07:10.670Z
Tetsujin
<p>I would like to record sport events happening in the evening.
This would be recorded from static points, around 150 m from where the sporting people move.</p>
<p>I'm choosing the camcorders for this. What technical parameters should I pay attention to?</p>
<p>I've tried a few. They are excellent at a shorter distance, but as the zoom increases, the image becomes blurry and/or grainy - even in a direct sunlight from the right direction.</p>
<p>I have read some theory about how camcorders work, and it seems to be a physical phenomenon, going to the quantum nature of light. It improves with the size of the sensor and the camera lenses. But the zoom cameras tend to have rather smaller sensors.</p>
<p>What qualities should I prioritize to have a decent FHD picture?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-02T16:02:50.120Z
What is your budget per camera?
tomh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-03T11:59:44.897Z
The budget I intentionally left out, to find out what drives the quality of the zoomed recordings, and then adjust the budget expectations. But it's between $1000 and $2000.
Ondra Žižka
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-09T20:22:08.773Z
Out of budget, but better than 50k, the Sony Z280 ain't bad. The Z190 is lesser and cheaper, but might still be ok for your needs. I'm considering selling my Z190, if you're interested.
user3643
<camcorder><zoom>
What qualities to search for in a camcorder for high zoom, lower light?
Ondra Žižka
# What qualities to search for in a camcorder for high zoom, lower light?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-09-02)

I would like to record sport events happening in the evening.
This would be recorded from static points, around 150 m from where the sporting people move.

I'm choosing the camcorders for this. What technical parameters should I pay attention to?

I've tried a few. They are excellent at a shorter distance, but as the zoom increases, the image becomes blurry and/or grainy - even in a direct sunlight from the right direction.

I have read some theory about how camcorders work, and it seems to be a physical phenomenon, going to the quantum nature of light. It improves with the size of the sensor and the camera lenses. But the zoom cameras tend to have rather smaller sensors.

What qualities should I prioritize to have a decent FHD picture?

**Tags:** camcorder, zoom

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What is your budget per camera?  
> **username_0**: The budget I intentionally left out, to find out what drives the quality of the zoomed recordings, and then adjust the budget expectations. But it's between $1000 and $2000.  
> **username_2**: Out of budget, but better than 50k, the Sony Z280 ain't bad. The Z190 is lesser and cheaper, but might still be ok for your needs. I'm considering selling my Z190, if you're interested.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-09-03. Score: 3

For high zoom, low light you need *all* these things.

* Large sensor.
* Long lens [*not* software zoom].
* Large aperture.
* High ISO capability with low self-noise.

This is not a cheap combination, by any stretch of the imagination.

I would very, *very* much doubt any 'camcorder' can do all the above. I don't know of any camcorder with a large sensor at all. They sacrifice sensor size because it's factors easier & cheaper to make a long-throw lens for a tiny sensor.

I could suggest a good combination, but you'd need a spare $£€ 50,000 in your sock drawer.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 50k is way to high. I am not a professional. Currently I have Panasonic HC-VX9xx, which is quite decent up to cca 14x zoom. But at 20x it gets grainy / blurry. I would be happy with something that would be okay-ish at 20x zoom.  The low-light may be understood as "partly cloudy, 6 PM in the summer".  
> **username_3**: *x-number-zoom* tells us absolutely nothing, I'm afraid. It's just a marketing number, comparing the shortest with the longest focal length, without describing either in real terms. I looked up the spec - Focal Length 4.08 – 81.6 mm…  which means it has a tiny sensor - 1/2.3, comparable to an old smart-phone. See https://newatlas.com/camera-sensor-size-guide/26684/ for a guide.  
> **username_3**: Focal lengths are usually compared using "35mm equivalent" values, which are a known quantity. The VX9xx has an equivalent of 37.0 – 752 mm which would be absolutely colossal in a real camera, in size, weight & cost. In real terms such a lens may not be possible to make at all. The one I was referring to in my answer is a 45 - 250mm, at a mere £42,000. [The extra cost was a basic 35mm camera body to fit it]  
> **username_0**: So, if i want a bit better picture on a higher zoom, I need to look most importantly for a larger good sensor, but still small enough to allow a construction of a zoom lens which would not cost tens of thousands, correct?  Is Panasonic X1000 or X1500 such?  
> **username_3**: The X1500 has the same tiny sensor. I don't think what you're looking for is going to exist in a consumer format.  
> **username_0**: The newer phones have better sensors? Then maybe buying a phone and a telescope clip-on addon would be the best way to go in the end?  
> **username_3**: A new phone may have a sensor a mm or so larger. It's still in the same ballpark.  

---

