Editors' top pro and semipro camcorders

If you're a serious amateur videographer or an independent professional, you'll settle for nothing less than a three-chip camera with extensive creative controls. These models not only provide a CCD sensor to capture each of the three color channels, but also put the manual controls you need at your fingertips. They're compatible with a broader range of accessories and other devices than lower-end cameras, too, and that's important if you want to capture high-quality sound or put your own video studio together.