HOME ENTERTAINMENT : Low-End Camcorders, High-End Features

If a low-cost camcorder is on your shopping list, here are a few tips.

Prices dropped again this year, so that “low end” now means $400-$600, with $500-machines very common. Quality remains surprisingly high, as machines in this price range continue to improve. Today’s $500-unit is superior to the $500-machine of a few years ago, as more features from the top-of-the-line models have filtered down and become standard. Low-end models now routinely include automatic exposure control, auto-focusing zoom lens and sound-level controls.

The big difference between the low-end and higher-end models ($700 to $1,000) is that the more expensive ones offer higher quality parts and features that make shooting and playback easier.

Some low-cost units now provide better close-up capabilities than in the past. Often you still get a 6:1 lens, but you can find camcorders with a better 8:1 lens for under $500. Two years ago, it was hard to find such machines for even $700.

When choosing a format (VHS, VHS-C or 8mm), consider which features are more suitable for you or whomever you’re buying for.

You’re more likely to find bargain prices in the most popular format--8mm. There’s no significant difference in picture quality provided by the formats at the low end--no matter what the salesmen tell you. But if sound is crucial, go for an 8mm unit, since they have better sound than the basic models in the other formats.

If size is a prime consideration, the compacts--8mm and VHS-C, weighing in at two to three pounds--might be preferable. If you have big hands, however, using these small machines can be awkward. A five- or six-pound, full-size VHS model may be more comfortable for a large person.

If playback convenience is important, the full-sized VHS may be your best bet. You can play the finished tape in a standard VCR without an adapter (as required for the compact VHS-C) and without hooking the camcorder directly to the TV (as required with the 8mm camcorder). Also, the full-sized VHS units can use standard VHS tapes, which are the least expensive.

In the lower-price range, don’t be swayed by claims that one model is far superior to another when shooting in dim light. No low-end units really shoot well in such circumstances.

At the low end, you won’t find a camcorder with the mini-TV viewfinder, like the Sharp models that are frequently advertised on TV. It will take a few years for that feature to be available on low-end units.

Regarding brands: In a survey of experts, many recommended RCA’s low-end camcorders in general and singled out Sony in the 8mm format and Panasonic in VHS-C. Many mentioned General Electric’s CG818, an 8mm machine, and RCA’s CC188, in the VHS-C format, as great buys. You can find both for under $500.

What’s New On Video

“Blown Away” (MGM/UA): In this action-thriller, Tommy Lee Jones plays a revenge-crazed Irish terrorist who escapes from a Northern Ireland prison and uses his explosives expertise to torment a former friend (Jeff Bridges) who’s working on the Boston police’s bomb squad. Despite a few exciting sequences and Jones’ enjoyably over-the-top performance, it’s still basically a “Cape Fear” clone that rarely rises above the routine.

“Baby’s Day Out” (FoxVideo): Anyone over 10 will probably think this is an insufferably stupid slapstick flick. It’s the preposterous adventures of a 9-month-old Chicago boy who escapes his kidnapers and crawls in and out of hair-raising situations. It stars Lara Flynn Boyle as one of the toddler’s rich parents and Joe Mantegna as one of the kidnapers. A version of the wealthy-kid-in-peril, “Home Alone” formula, produced and co-written by John (“Home Alone”) Hughes.

“I Love Trouble” (Touchstone): Trashed by critics and a box-office disappointment last summer, this resembles those romantic comedy/mysteries that were big in the ‘60s. Nick Nolte and Julia Roberts play rival Chicago reporters chasing the same story. While they’re getting in and out of trouble and constantly needling each other, romance blooms--naturally. Because of the sub-par script and the glaring lack of chemistry between stars, it’s mild entertainment at best.

Special Interest

According to several fitness experts, one of the best stomach exercise tapes on the market is “Tamilee Webb’s Abs Abs Abs, “ which offers effective workouts for both beginners and the super-fit. The routine for beginners, they said, is especially sound. For $20 from A*Vision, (212) 275-2900. . . . Anyone who likes to watch puppies romping and frolicking will get a kick out of “Puppy Love,” which is simply 35 minutes worth of puppies--of all breeds--at play. It’s the ultimate feel-good tape. For $10 from ABC, (800) CALL-ABC.