There's a schism in the video world. YouTube, iPods, and cell-phone cameras have all made it easier than ever to record video footage, but these technologies require small files that must be compressed to take up less space. The result? The videos look awful. High-definition videos, on the other hand, look astonishing, with vivid colors and clarity, but until recently most HD camcorders were professional models costing $10,000 or more.

Now a few electronics companies are offering consumer versions that sell for less than $2,000. Many use a new video format, developed by Sony and Panasonic, called AVCHD. The image quality isn't quite as good as that of pro machines, but the files take up less memory and work with DVDs instead of just tape (and they're still worlds better than any YouTube clip).

Here, a selection of five new HD camcorders for the holiday season (view slideshow).