Photos of the Sony Handycam HDR-XR100 and a discussion of its design.
Lori Grunin
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
The XR100's design is utterly average. The two-tone black and silver coloring isn't terribly stylish, nor is the camcorder particularly compact or lightweight.
Though it's nice that the camcorder ships with a big battery--even so, the battery only lasts about 50 minutes under typical usage--it protrudes extra-unattractively from the back of the unit.
