Canon VIXIA HV30

For stunning HD video, experts and users say you can't top the Canon Vixia HV30 -- but you will sacrifice some convenience. The HV30 delivers nearly pro-quality video because it records to tape in the older HDV format. That's also where the inconvenience comes in: Recording time is relatively short (about one hour per tape); you have to hook up the camcorder to your TV to play the tapes, and transferring video to a computer for editing is slow. The newer AVCHD-format camcorders don't have those problems, and testers find that a few of them are finally catching up to the HV30's video quality. Still, critics say that the video quality of the Canon Vixia HV30 is terrific, and that the tapes allow for total, frame-by-frame editing control, which is not yet available in AVCHD.

CamcorderInfo.com offers the definitive review of the Canon Vixia HV30, thoroughly testing every feature and comparing the camcorder with its closest competitors. The test at TrustedReviews.com, a British site, is nearly as thorough. Reviews at CNET and Laptop Magazine cover the important points about the Canon HV30 in a more concise way. Macworld's review is useful, even for non-Mac users, and Amazon.com is a good place to find out how owners like it.