Sony Handycam CX190 Full HD Camcorder - Black (5.3MP, 25x Optical Zoom) 2.7 inch LCD

I have traded in my old DVD camcorder (circa £400 from new 4 years ago) for this new HD camcorder. I have to say, I can't believe I didn't change sooner! My DVD camcorder was inherently unreliable, with around 1 in 10 discs failing - meaning I lost some valuable footage that I can never get back. It was also bulky. This Sony HD camera is light, small, compact and so easy to use. Once you record something, you can plug it directly into an external hard drive (using an adaptor ~£15 from Amazon). The camera automatically dowloads the scenes and pictures that you haven't yet stored, then off you go to record some more! Some fussier users might not like the fact that the options screen is not touch-screen - you control it using a lttle joystick - but for someone who wants good quality images combined with a robust piece of kit, this is for you! If you read some of the 'pro' website reviews, they say that the images are not genuinely HD, as the camera uses some clever software to enhance standard definition image capture (way beyond my technical expertise I'm afraid). However, when I play back the footage either directly from thecamera, or from my external device the image quality on my 32" HD TV is exceptional. I would recommend a high capacity SDHC card to get the best value. I got mine from [...]

I really rate this camera. I did a LOT of research before buying it - at the time of my search, it was one of the best video cameras available, and by far the cheapest for the specs it offers!It's full HD (1080p) resolution really captures ALL the details. Its fantastic at coping with varying amounts of light - it automatically adjusts to cope with dimly lit rooms (like parties) to full on facing the sun, which really impressed me! Easy to use, easy to plug into your TV to watch directly via HDMI. I would suggest, however, that if you plan to use it efficiently at high resolutions, you should also buy a high storage card to go with it, because the higher the quality of filming you take, the more memory it uses, so I suggest getting a 64Gb card.Its small enough to fit in your pocket, and it has an easy to use one-touch take photo button on the top, so it really is an all-in-one solution! Highly recommended!

Well where does one start? Firstly on the Sony website it's £219 so where £359 comes from is a mystery. Have only just received it so any long term review is not yet available, but it seems to do what it claims on first impressions.NIGGLES:Short battery life, having shot two 2 minute videos the battery has lost about 15% of charge.No memory or card included so you must order one at the same time or you have a very pretty looking tabletop ornament.No computer connection lead supplied, instruction book says buy a Sony lead with no specification to connect via USB. Checking around my leads I discovered that this is just a standard mini-USB connector, so that's probably £20 saved.POSITIVE:It's compact, takes standard SDHC memory cards with 32gb card giving 3 hours video at FX quality, 4 hours at nearly full HD quality and 7 hours at good HQ quality, or about 14 hours long play.It shoots in widescreen and has many other options. Test shoot results (well no 2) excellent picture although a hint slow to autofocus in low light going from 20 feet to 2 feet but I doubt if a £600 camera would fare much better.It weighs about 200 grammes including the battery.It is slightly longer than a hand (12cm including battery) and fits well when using the strap and everything is where you want it (RECORD, ZOOM.)OVERALL:Seems to be stunning for what it is. 25x optical zoom seems to work smoothly, overall for a simple, easy(ish) to use camcorder for this price £138 unbeatable. Mind you if you buy "Sony" lead, back up battery and big memory card it could double the price. Deals on AMAZON about £30. !!!!

I baught this item wanting a compact camera with the best quality for the best price. The quality of video on this camera is outstanding, I took it to Triumph Live where i filmed stunt riders and motorcycles going around the wall of death, the camera did an amazing job of keeping up with the bikes at high speed, with no camera wobble or blur. I also filmed the bands on stage from a distance of around 400 metres, and the zoom made it look as though we was on the front row! And considering it was in the dark the picture quality is still amazing.The camera switches modes automatically and in good time, it is a very clever piece of kit. I played all the footage back on my PS3, as you don't get a HDMI lead supplied, which was a little bit disappointing, but the video quality was great and would compete with any expensive camera. Also you don't get a memory card with this camera! So don't forget to order one off here. I paid around £10 for a 16GB card. I went in jessops to get a price and they started at £30 for a 4GB card! Cheeky B*stards! It was £90 for a 32GB! Also I got the case for this camera which is recommended and that is also an essential bit of kit for this camera. Shame it's not waterproof though.

Great camera,super quality

I lent this to someone filming a concert. In a small auditorium of around 200 this machine delivered results which were simply stunning from the back of the theatre. It clearly has terrific low-light capability. The machine was simply left on auto and the quality was a world away from my old Video8 machine. The gig was filmed in SD ONLY. The bundled software also made light of any transfer to PC.The downside to this machine and many modern bits of technology is that the build quality is a little disappointing. The navigation button on the LCD viewer felt as if it would be more at home on a children's toy. Personally, I'd prefer to pay extra for a more robust piece of equipment. However, at this price point, this is a wonderful piece of kit and would seem to be idiot-proof. I bought entirely on the strong reviews here on Amazon; they're not wrong. A great buy!!