Canon Vixia HG21

Although it doesn't have the behemoth 240 GB hard drive of the Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V (*Est. $1,300), reviews say the Canon Vixia HG20 is a very good HD camcorder. Its 120 GB hard drive holds about 15 hours of HD video -- probably more than enough for most users -- plus even more with added SDHC memory cards, and it costs hundreds less than the Sony. The HG20 is also one of the few camcorders that includes a viewfinder in addition to the standard 2.7-inch LCD screen, although it lacks a lens ring for precise manual control (testers say the joystick control isn't as good). Footage is sharp and vibrant, although not quite as much as the top-rated Canon Vixia HF S10 (*Est. $1,140). Some testers also complain that the battery life is short and that the microphone picks up too much wind noise. The Canon Vixia HG20 (*Est. $655) is basically the same camcorder minus the viewfinder, with a 60 GB hard drive.

Macworld and CNET both test the Canon Vixia HG21 and rate it alongside other camcorders. Tests at InfoSyncWorld.com and DigitalTrends.com are more minutely detailed, but also less critical. Amazon.com posts user reviews for most camcorders on the market, including the HG21.