Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10

Pros: + Images are crystal clear
+ Sound is very clear and realistic
+ Zoom button is easy
+ Touch screen menu is intuitive for capturing pictures
+ Projection feature is simply amazing
+ Battery life and video storage space included in the camera are generous

Cons: - Mini HDMI to HDMI cable is not furnished

Summary: I imagine most of the reviews to describe this handycam will include the term WOW, and that about says it all. Although I have not thoroughly acquainted myself with all the bells and whistles, I can start with the simplicity of the setup, ease of use, and quality of video, sound and projection.

In terms of simplicity, everything is self explanatory and there's no need to spend time running through the manual to start capturing high quality pictures and home video's and playing them back. I simply plugged in the battery, flipped open the viewer, ran through the setup which took less than 2 minutes with an easy to follow touch screen and it was already on standby ready for recording. The location of the record button is perfectly placed so you can reach it easily, but not accidentally press it everytime you move. The zoom button is also easy and the quality extremely impressive capturing images a half an acre away in my back yard. All of the functions and plugs are easily identifiable and the touch screen menu is intuitive for capturing pictures, movies and high speed action in slow motion.

In terms of the quality, it is everything you would expect and more from a Sony product. The amount of actual light required to capture bright clear images is simply inexplicable. I have plantation shutters in my home and as I walked through the room with the shutters closed, it was as if my whole room was lit with bright light. The images are crystal clear, and the projection feature is simply amazing. The brighter the movie or image dictates how large the projection can be. If it's an extremely well lit image, then projection is easily over 100", but if it's a low light image, then you're looking at a projection of around 40" for it to be seen clearly. There's also an easy slide trigger to help with the focus. Lastly the sound is very clear and realistic, capturing dog barks from a distance.

Overall, I couldn't be more impressed with this product. I've only had it for a few days and haven't tested the export features, but there's built in memory as well as an additional slot for capturing more images and videos, a USB cable for downloading, and a remote control for setting up the camera and either activating it from a distance or playing back in projection mode. Of course, like all new toys, the one thing this product hasn't stood is the test of time or customer service experience if something should go wrong. Be assured that if I run across any experiences that are beyond the norm through wear and tear in the first year, I will make an update to this review. If there's no update, then assume that there have been no issues. For now, all I can say is this handycam is outstanding. You will need to buy a carrying case with this product since it doesn't come with one, but other than that, if you're looking for a camera/camcorder that is ready to go when you open the box, this is it.

Updated on Aug 31, 2011

*** P.S. If you will buy this camcorder I suggest you have compare prices before you decide at: www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004H8FN8A?ie=UTF8&ref_=dp_olp_new_map&condition=new#?ie=UTF8&tag=***************&********=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957