Aperture-priority Digital Camcorders

The Bottom Line: An excellent flash-based prosumer HD camcorder, the Canon Vixia HF S11 has the advantage of an excellent image stabilizer but it disappointingly lacks an eye-level viewfinder.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, 15.9 oz

The Bottom Line: Like its cousin, the flash-based HF11, Canon's Vixia HG21 delivers excellent HD video quality and performance albeit in a slightly larger, heavier package. However, you do get more storage space and a lower price.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 17.3 oz

The Bottom Line: A very good prosumer HD camcorder, the Panasonic HDC-HS300 still isn't as good a deal as the similarly featured but flash-based TM300 and has the same annoying touch-screen interface.

Specs: Camcorder, 3CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 16.2 oz

The Bottom Line: A very good prosumer HD camcorder, the Panasonic HDC-TM300 nevertheless has an annoying touch-screen interface.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, 13.6 oz

The Bottom Line: While it's more expensive than its sub-$600 competitors, the Canon Vixia HF20 and Vixia HF200 deliver a more extensive feature set for the extra money. The HF200, which lacks internal memory, is probably a better buy than the HF20, though the HF20's all-black body is a bit classier looking.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 15 x, Flash card, 2.99 megapixels, 12 oz

The Bottom Line: While it's more expensive than its sub-$600 competitors, the Canon Vixia HF20 and Vixia HF200 deliver a more extensive feature set for the extra money. The HF200, which lacks internal memory, is probably a better buy than the HF20, though the HF20's all-black body is a bit classier-looking.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 15 x, Flash card, 2.99 megapixels, 12 oz

The Bottom Line: An excellent flash-based prosumer HD camcorder, you may nevertheless pass on the Canon Vixia HF S100 because it lacks an eye-level viewfinder. It's probably a better buy than the identical--but more expensive, because it has 32GB built-in memory--Vixia HF S10.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, 15.9 oz

The Bottom Line: An excellent flash-based prosumer HD camcorder, you may nevertheless pass on the Canon Vixia HF S10 because it lacks an eye-level viewfinder. And the identical--but cheaper, because it has no built-in memory--Vixia HF S100 may also be a better buy.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 10 x, Flash card, 15.9 oz

The Bottom Line: Like its cousin, the flash-based HF11, Canon's Vixia HG20 delivers excellent HD video quality and performance albeit in a slightly larger, heavier package. However, you do get more storage space and a lower price.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12 x, Flash card, Hard disk drive, 16.4 oz

The Bottom Line: Like its sibling the HF10, Canon's flash-based Vixia HF11 delivers excellent HD video quality and performance in a tiny package. However, the HF11 delivers a bit more value for its lower price.

Specs: Camcorder, CMOS, 12, Flash card, 13.4 oz