Sony Handycam DCR-DVD505

Pros: Excellent picture quality

Cons: Zoom lever got flaky

Summary: I've been using this camcorder for about 6 months to record indoor hockey with poor lighting. The picture quality is better than any camera I've had before, and I can't imagine it being any better. There is a manual white balance, which lets me get the color just right. The LCD screen has excellent resolution and it's touch-screen, which allows it to pack a lot of settings without a lot of crazy buttons. The only problem I've had with mine is that the zoom lever got flaky. If I "massage" it before use, then it works most of the time. This camera has a "true" 16:9 widescreen mode, unlike some other camcorders that fake it by just cutting off the top and bottom. Or you can use regular 4:3 mode. Formatting an RW disc is very fast, about 12 seconds if it has been used before. I use double-sided RW discs, and I've never had any problem with lost data (unlike tapes, which also wrinkle and wear out). Still photos are 4MP, and can go right onto the disc, allowing tons of storage. But the still photos are not quite as good as what you would get from a dedicated still camera.