'Given the low, low prices, the small, low-resolution LCD screen is understandable. '
'True, it doesn’t exude charisma in the looks and design department but it’s well put together and does what it says on the tin – and does it pretty darn well.'
'So, if you want a camcorder that is easy to control manually you should definitely look elsewhere. '
'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.'
'Ultimately it's slow to scroll through menus and all-too easy to 'select' items when you mean to sweep them.
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'The HDR-CX160 features several automated modes for better recording, including Optical SteadyShot for more stable videos, Tracking Focus to keep focus on a moving object, and Wind Noise Reduction. '
Great battery life
Excellent image quality and Exmor R CMOS sensor offers great low-light video recording.
'The HDC-SD20 can capture full HD 1920x1080 video directly to SD/SDHC cards, features advanced optical image stabilization to reduce blurry images at long zoom ranges and can operate in light down to 9 LUX with its built-in video light. '