Best Camcorders - SP Recording Speed, true MPEG Movie Mode, 1 to * CCD Quantity, CMOS Image Sensor Type

'sizable 3.5-inch screen'

'high quality recording'

'excellent high-end camcorder'

'It excels in low-light environments and it's also ideal for macro shooting.'

'You press and hold the center button to select the dial's operation: manual focus, exposure compensation, aperture or shutter, mic level and automatic gain control limit--which caps the signal boosting in low light to minimize visual noise. '

'The new touchscreen system is intuitive and good for beginners, but we did find it a bit frustrating for navigating the camcorder's long menu system.'

'the display is clear and viewable even in quite bright conditions.'

'The quality is quite good, particularly indoors, there was little jarring noise.'

'the main zoom is large and the record button comfortably placed for the more traditional HandyCam posture.'

'nice, large zoom rocker switch'

'The new GZ-HM1 HD Everio offers a full slate of technologies to optimize picture quality and an array of manual controls for creative flexibility. '

'Special shooting modes for capturing subjects lit by a spotlight or other specific sources can be helpful.'

'unique shooting functions'

'The camera is so light it almost feels like there is nothing there.'

'The HF M31 has 32MB of flash memory built in, which is enough for three hours of footage at the top quality mode. '

'It is also capable of taking excellent looking video — especially in bright lighting. '

'streamlined user interface'

'The camera includes 32GB of built-in flash memory and supports SDHC cards, and it encodes the video as AVCHD files with data rates up to 24 mbps, the format's maximum capability. '

'The camcorder earned an audio score of Good, with noticeably better clarity and volume than rival camcorders offered. '

'impressively deep and professional manual controls'