Sony's entry-level HD camcorders fit quite comfortably in a jacket pocket. Though more expensive and larger than a minicamcorder, these models have a lot of things those lack, including a 25x zoom lens and the ability to capture 3-megapixel stills.
Camcorders in this class tend to be a little small for people with large hands. You may want to consider the larger-gripped XR150 if you're one of them. It has a manual built-in lens cover, which if you're like me, you'll probably forget to use.
2 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Controls
The zoom switch is pretty well-balanced, and comfortable for maintaining a steady zoom rate. On top, there's also a photo button and a rather hard-to-press mode button for switching between still and video.
3 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Connectors
Beneath a door you'll find the USB and mini-HDMI connectors; the charging connector and proprietary AV jack are under a door on the outside of the body.
4 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Minimalist controls
It has the usual set of buttons: direct DVD burn (via software when connected to a PC), playback, power, and iAuto on the body inside the LCD.
5 of 5 Sarah Tew/CNET
Menus
In the menu system, you can put six menu choices on a custom menu that pops up before you enter the full menu listing, with different custom menus appearing for video, still, and playback modes. I still find the straightforward but endless scrolling list confusing and tedious to navigate.
