Best Mini DV Camcorders - CMOS Image Sensor Type, 0 to 13 x Optical Zoom

'The lighter-colored noise in the Sony is more apparent to the eye.'

'The lighter-colored noise in the Sony is more apparent to the eye.'

'On the left side of the body sit a few, slightly difficult to feel, controls: backlight compensation, display, and video light, plus a manual focus toggle and somewhat loose focus dial.'

'deplorable viewfinder'

'It's relatively big, weighing 1 pound, 5.4 ounces, though it fits into a large, loose jacket pocket'

'poorly located microphone.'

'It's a textured plastic that feels a bit like sandpaper – we're not huge fans.'

'sound quality is subpar'

'poorly located microphone.'

'It's a textured plastic that feels a bit like sandpaper – we're not huge fans.'

'sound quality is subpar'

'The hinge is thin, flexible, and could easily hyper-extend or even snap off if not handled with care.'

'The new Sony HD HDR-HC7 is bound to spark interest among beginning or casual shooters looking for their first HDV camcorder and even serious hobbyists looking for an unobtrusive second camcorder.'

'Annoying touch screen interface'

'Sony has attempted to improve colour shooting under low-light conditions with a 'color slow shutter', but this isn't perfect, with a juddery effect.'