The HDC-TM700 will appeal to a limited audience due to its high price, but it's truly packed with features and its 1080/50p video is often stunning. You'll need to ensure your playback and editing hardware and software is up to the task of handling ...

Often stunning picture quality ; good still photos compared to other camcorders ; manual zoom and focus ring ;

Expensive ; 1080/50p playback can be unpredictable ; colours are sometimes overly vibrant ; no HDMI cable in the box ;

The Panasonic HDC-TM700 seems to have it all and more. Unfortunately, a couple of annoying technical issues mar what could have been the ultimate camcorder

Larger than some rivals, the 1080p Bloggie CM5 mini-camcorder nevertheless compares well to its competitors in terms of picture quality. It also offers a useful feature set, including a 5x optical zoom, swivelling display, memory-card slot and the ...

Can shoot 1080p and 720p video ; relatively large, swivelling LCD ; one-touch video uploading to YouTube and other sites ; removable, rechargeable li-ion battery ; HDMI output ; compatible with both Mac OS X and Windows machines ; dual Memory Stick ...

Relatively large ; no HDMI cable included for high-definition output to HDTVs ; no bundled carrying case ; Picture Motion Browser Portable software is underwhelming and won&apos ; t work on some operating systems ;

The Sony Bloggie CM5 isn't as compact as competing models from Flip Video and Kodak, but it delivers above-average features and video quality for the money

The Handycam DCR-SX30E camcorder is a good buy for those reluctant to make the leap to HD just yet. It offers a good feature set and decent standard-definition video quality for a reasonable outlay, while being far more configurable than similarly ...

Useful touchscreen ; long zoom ; good colour reproduction

Can&apos ; t shoot high-definition video ; no direct control over shutter speed ; no headphone or mic sockets

If you're really not ready to make the leap to HD, the Sony Handycam DCR-SX30E's impressive video quality, decent feature set and low price make it a good buy

If you're after broadcast-quality footage and full manual controls, the 1080p-capable Zi8 isn't for you. But if you're seeking an inexpensive, straightforward, pocket-friendly camcorder that produces relatively good video and photos, this device is ...

Amazingly cheap ; easy to use ; small and light ; included HDMI cable

Auto functions vary in their effectiveness ; few manual options ; poor built-in microphone ; no optical zoom

The Kodak Zi8 might not look much like a camcorder, but you'd be wrong to write it off as just a toy. While you're never going to get broadcast-quality video out of it, the Zi8 is compact, straightforward and capable of producing some relatively ...

With a 64GB solid-state drive, as well as an SDHC card slot, the high-definition HMX-H106SP is a robustly built, compact camcorder. Its video quality isn't the best we've seen and its autofocus can be rather slow, but it benefits from an LCD ...

Attractive design ; comfortable rotating grip ; manual shutter speed and aperture controls

Solid-state drive adds unnecessary price premium ; so-so video quality ; slow, inaccurate autofocus

The Samsung HMX-H106SP's interesting design doesn't offset the so-so video quality and performance. If you're set on a camcorder in the HMX series, the no-memory-included HMX-H100P is probably the best deal of the bunch

The straightforward SMX-F34 may not offer the best standard-definition video quality in the world, but it's comfortable to use and provides plenty of features for an affordable price. In particular, its 34x zoom lens and 16GB of internal memory are ...

Comfortable, compact design ; 34x zoom lens ; 16GB of internal memory ; good audio quality ; relatively easy to operate

Slow autofocus ; long zoom lens lacks optical image stabilisation

The Samsung SMX-F34 is a serviceable and inexpensive standard-definition camcorder, but the money goes more towards storage and the 34x zoom lens than towards video quality

The Panasonic HDC-SD10 is a great pocket camcorder that manages to combine diminutive dimensions with good-quality, 1080p high-definition video. Beginners will have no problems using it, but there are plenty of options to keep more experienced users ...

Small and light ; welcome balance between simplicity and advanced features ; pleasing video picture quality

Weak photo quality ; some construction issues ; over-eager autofocus

If small size and low weight are important considerations, but you don't want the poor-quality video that's typical of pocket camcorders, you should consider the Panasonic HDC-SD10

Easier to use than a toothbrush, the Camileo P30 is a decent pocket camcorder that manages to combine high-definition video with a small, lightweight body and budget price tag. The image quality won't blow your mind, but, for the price, the P30 packs ...

Small and light ; comes with some useful accessories ; very easy to use

Cheap look and feel ; limited menu options ; below-par video and photo quality

High-definition camcorders tend to be expensive, complicated beasts. Toshiba's Camileo P30 is a brave attempt to buck this trend by delivering high-definition video in the form of a small, simple, budget camcorder. But buyers will have to weigh cost ...

Squeezing a full-colour LCD screen into its small, ruggedised body -- something that's unusual for an extreme-sports camcorder -- the ATC5K Waterproof Action Camera is particularly easy to use. Its low-light performance leaves something to be desired, ...

Colour LCD screen makes it easy to use in the field ; useful webcam and live monitor functions ; waterproof, shockproof design

Front-heavy design makes the unit difficult to mount in a stable fashion ; abysmal low-light performance

The Oregon Scientific ATC5K Waterproof Action Camera is easy to pick up and start using, and can take bumps and splashes in its stride. Unfortunately, it falls flat when it comes to video and photo quality

Despite a relatively awkward user interface and a high price tag, the Handycam HDR-XR520VE is a great hi-def camcorder. It records first-rate video to an ample 240GB hard drive, offers great performance and sports a consumer-friendly feature set, ...

First-rate video quality and performance ; geotagging videos is fun

Annoying menu system ; no wind filter ; no manual shutter-speed, iris or audio controls ; relatively big and heavy ; expensive

Although its geotagging capabilities are mostly a novelty, its interface could use a complete overhaul and it's overpriced, the top-notch video quality, performance and consumer-friendly feature set of the Sony Handycam HDR-XR520VE make it a worthy ...