Pros: When I opened the box I was pleased to find that it is so small and light (with battery). The zoom is too good. I got some great shots from the outside, but the inside requires a manual exposure setting to get the best results. I think it's good that there is HD. The sound recording is amazing too. He recorded both distant and close-up rumbles. Image stabilization helps a lot. Now for the cons: The battery life is 1 hour. When I travel I definitely need an extra battery. Another disadvantage is that although it has photo and video function, the photo function is too poor. Any normal camera will do better. I've also read reviews of some "other" camcorders where people have complained about the photo capabilities. This is my first camcorder, so I don't know if there are any good cameras out there that take both photos and videos. You can't rely on this camcorder for pictures. If you've owned this, make sure you have a camera with you for important ceremonies/photos. Another option is to capture photos from videos. But I haven't tried it, so I can't comment on that. I'm going to use it for home video, so at $300 it's a very good buy.