Best Mini DV Camcorders - 2 to 5 Hours Battery Life, 3 to 4 in. LCD Panel Size

'No card compatibility with Sony lat panel TVs.'

'sharp focus'

'Its 10X optical zoom might seem tame next to the 30X+ zooms now finding their way into lower-end models'

'it's harder to achieve a slow zoom with the variable zoom control'

'the HVX200's built-in camera mic is not adequate for critical sound applications.'

'The HDR-HC1 is also uncharacteristic of Sony's recent announcements in it's level of manual control of audio.'

'the HC1 has one significant downside for the enthusiast: tapes load from the bottom'

'Unfortunately, it compromises on video quality, which runs from mediocre under optimal conditions to poor in low light.'

'A light will be extra convenient because there is not a Night Shot feature.'

'There's no night mode for shooting in low light'

'the focus ring is far too sensitive, making subtle focus adjustments extremely challenging.'

'The biggest thing which camcorder enthusiasts will find missing from the HDR-FX1 is the option to shoot true progressive scan video, especially at the 24 frames per second rate which independent filmmakers seek out.'

'Decked out in pro-style charcoal grey,the HDR-FX1E means business and resembles Sony's PD170 DV/DVCAM camcorder,but is slightly larger.'

'The HDR-FX1E was too heavy to hold as a handycam after a time'

'without dedicated mechanical controls, taking manual control is often awkward and time consuming.'

'The chip size is will likely be a major drawback for many users'

'Auto focus is not the fastest'

'It's too bad that all the cameras in this range use servo motors to drive lens focus and zoom.'

'comes equipped with a slide-style zoom actuator, and as before, we found it inferior to a rocker-style model for adjusting zoom speed.'

'a poor choice for point-and-shoot beginners.'

'smooth operation. 2.1-megapixel sensor.'

'The price is a little steep'

'The only problems I see with this cam is not being able to use some of the functions when in 24p mode and the close proximity of the XLR sprockets.'