Sony HDR-HC3E

In the end, this makes the HC3E a winner, despite its lack of manual controls. It's clearly aimed at the consumer wanting to capture great footage of family events and holidays, and for that purpose it's superb. The more serious hobbyist should still snap up the HC1 while stocks last for its more professional features, or go for the semi-pro HVR-A1E, which has the same CMOS with even more bells and whistles. If your leanings are less professional, Sony's HDR-HC3E offers stunning HD video in a compact form, and at £680 it's an absolute bargain.

Author: James Morris