Dynamic Range Optimizer Digital Camcorders

The Bottom Line: While it's a perfectly serviceable HD camcorder, the Sony Handycam HDR-XR100 should deliver a little more of everything for the money.

Specs: Camcorder, Exmor CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 11.6 oz

The Bottom Line: Though their geotagging capabilities are mostly novelty and their interfaces could use a complete overhaul, the top-notch video quality, performance, and consumer-friendly feature sets of the Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V and HDR-XR520V make them worthy camcorder options. Both are overpriced, but since 14 hours of recording time is plenty--especially if supplemented with flash media--the HDR-XR500V is the better deal of the two.

Specs: Camcorder, Exmor R CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 18 oz

The Bottom Line: Though their geotagging capabilities are mostly novelty and their interfaces could use a complete overhaul, the top-notch video quality, performance, and consumer-friendly feature sets of the Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V and HDR-XR520V make them worthy camcorder options. Both are overpriced, but since 14 hours of recording time is plenty--especially if supplemented with flash media--the HDR-XR500V is the better deal of the two.

Specs: Camcorder, Exmor R CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 18 oz

The Bottom Line: You can tell where Sony cut corners on this compact, flash-based HD camcorder. While it's decent, there are better options for the money than the Sony Handycam HDR-CX100.

Specs: Camcorder, ClearVid CMOS, 10 x, Flash card

The Bottom Line: You can tell where Sony cut corners on this compact, flash-based HD camcorder. While it's decent, there are better options for the money than the Sony Handycam HDR-CX100.

Specs: Camcorder, Exmor CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, 9.9 oz

The Bottom Line: You can tell where Sony cut corners on this compact, flash-based HD camcorder. While it's decent, there are better options for the money than the Sony Handycam HDR-CX100.

Specs: Camcorder, ClearVid CMOS, 10 x, Flash card

The Bottom Line: As the flash-memory-based equivalent of the HDR-SR11, the Sony Handycam HDR-CX12 serves up the same pleasing performance and quality as its hard-drive cousin.

Specs: Camcorder, ClearVid CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, 15.9 oz

The Bottom Line: As the flash-memory-based equivalent of the HDR-SR11, the Sony Handycam HDR-CX12 serves up the same pleasing performance and quality as its hard-drive cousin.

Specs: Camcorder, ClearVid CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, 13 oz

The Bottom Line: Sony's Handycam HDR-SR11 and SR12 60GB hard-drive-based AVCHD camcorders deliver top notch performance and image quality.

Specs: Camcorder, ClearVid CMOS, 12 x, Hard disk drive, 1.2 lbs

The Bottom Line: Sony's Handycam HDR-SR11 and SR12 60GB hard-drive-based AVCHD camcorders deliver top notch performance and image quality.

Specs: Camcorder, ClearVid CMOS, 12 x, Hard disk drive, 1.2 lbs