Hard Drive Camcorders

Sony Handycam HDR-XR500VE

Even though it's expensive and its user interface could do with a revamp, the Handycam HDR-XR500VE is a great camcorder, recording first-class video to its 120GB hard drive. It also sports a consumer-friendly feature set, including built-in GPS, and offers great performance

Editor's rating 7.9

Sony Handycam HDR-XR100

It's rather expensive, but the Handycam HDR-XR100 records decent 1080p video to its 80GB hard drive, and rectifies some of the problems suffered by the HDR-CX100. Sporting a simple and functional design, it's also comfortable to operate and quick to start up

Editor's rating 6.8

Sony Handycam HDR-XR520VE

Despite a relatively awkward user interface and a high price tag, the Handycam HDR-XR520VE is a great hi-def camcorder. It records first-rate video to an ample 240GB hard drive, offers great performance and sports a consumer-friendly feature set, including built-in GPS

Editor's rating 7.9

Canon HG21

Our main issue with the HG21, Canon's high-class, high-definition camcorder, is that it may be too good for its own good. Now that should tell you something. The HG21 comes with a whopping 120GB hard drive, a vast array of high-end features and produces video that is absolutely breathtaking. If you think you can make use of it all, this one's a winner

Editor's rating 8.6

Toshiba Gigashot A100F

The Toshiba Gigashot A100F has put high definition and large capacity into the hands of the everyday shooter with its venture into the HD camcorder world. It's a beautifully-styled, respectably performing excellent HD camcorder for someone looking to film some simple footage

Editor's rating 7.0

JVC Everio GZ-HD3

The JVC Everio GZ-HD3 is a scaled-down version of the Everio GZ-HD7 released a few months ago. It includes the same triple-CCD design and many of the same features, although it includes a Konica Minolta with a 10x optical zoom range and digital image stabilisation

User rating 4.5

Editor's rating 6.1

Sony Handycam HDR-SR8

Leading Sony's charge on to the high-definition battlefield is the gorgeous Handycam HDR-SR8, a camcorder that boasts a gargantuan 100GB hard drive, a 10x Carl Zeiss zoom lens and Sony's Super SteadyShot and Super NightShot systems

Editor's rating 9.2

JVC Everio GZ-HD7

JVC's Everio GZ-HD7 is a hard-drive-based camcorder that attempts to combine the benefits of three CCD sensors with high-definition image quality. It doesn't produce the best videos we've seen, however it does offer an excellent range of features

User rating 5.0

Editor's rating 6.3

Sony Handycam HDR-SR1

Sony's sturdy, adaptable camcorder is a pleasure to use. Hard disk capacity, a great design and a broad feature set -- including AV, component and HDMI output jacks and a manual control ring for adjusting exposure, focus and white balance -- make this the consumer HD model to beat for 2006

Editor's rating 8.0

JVC Everio GZ-MG505

JVC's Everio GZ-MG505 is a hard-disk-based 3CCD camcorder that follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the GZ-MC500, which remains an extremely impressive camcorder, even by today's standards. The MG505 adds a larger hard disk and improved optics, but it still records to proprietary video format, which may not please more professional users

User rating 7.3

Editor's rating 7.7

JVC Everio GZ-MC500

Because of the MC500's 3CCD system, the picture recorded to the internal Microdrive is better than anything a single-CCD system is capable of. The most convincing reason to consider the MC500 is its size, though. Unlike most camcorders, it will fit in your pocket

User rating 6.0

Editor's rating 9.3