Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V

Though its limited manual controls might disappoint some enthusiasts, reviewers say the Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V delivers great video with a minimum of fuss and effort. This camcorder is also feature-packed, including a specially designed low-light sensor, an upgraded hand-shake stabilizer and a GPS receiver that will geotag your clips. The 240 GB hard drive can hold more video -- 29 hours of best-quality HD, or 168 hours of low-quality -- than any other camcorder, though some reviewers call that much capacity overkill for most consumers. For those who agree -- and have a smaller budget -- the Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V (*Est. $930) has a still generous 120 GB drive and is otherwise identical. If you demand more control over your videos, the Canon Vixia HF S10 (*Est. $1,140) has a fuller lineup of manual controls and shoots video that's a touch nicer. However, the Canon falls short when it comes to low-light performance, and its internal memory and swappable memory cards can't hold as much footage.

CamcorderInfo.com has by far the most comprehensive review of the Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V and rates the camcorder against a dozen others. Reviews at CNET and InfoSyncWorld.com are nearly as thorough. Although the reviews at Videomaker.com aren't comparative, they are detailed, as are reviews at the British sites TrustedReviews.com and TechRadar.com.