Panasonic SDR-S150

Pros: SD Card, compact size, easy operation

Cons: No viewfinder

Summary: I have had this camera for over a year and I think most people would find it a good choice. Previous cameras have been 8 mm, HI8 and mini DV. They all have had acceptable video but this also can obtain decent snapshots. Too often I get hung up on specs but in the real world what I find most important is convenience, which this device delivers. The quality is decent and the SD cards are much easier to use and transfer to computer than tapes. The cards are also now quite inexpensive ...a 4 Gig is less than $20 now. I have it set to shoot in 16:9 ratio (cropped I believe). This works fine for editing in the included software but the images are compressed into 4:3 when opened directly (unedited) in Windows Media Player. I have not looked for a fix for this but hope that there is one. The battery life could alway be better and since there is no viewfinder it is nessesary to use the LCD to compose shots. Controls are logical and allow for one handed operation. I find I enjoy using this camcorder more than others I have had because it is so small and easy to carry around. For the sort of family videos and images I use it for it does a great job.