I tried over 20 camcorders and read all the reviews before purchasing this one. Price aside (which is a bit high for a single CCD camera) this is the most interesting thing you can get from this site! Believe me! The features are plentiful, the quality is fantastic and the fact that you can shoot 1-megapixel shots is handy, although you wouldn't believe it now. I had this camera at a Christmas party and was able to snap a video and a few photos without much setup or bags full of bags. The size makes it easy to carry around without having to drag this heavy monster from place to place. Hours of events are slowly slipping from my mind because I didn't want to take the video camera with me. Come on, who needs another hour of wedding video? I think so, because I won't miss a single moment! This thing fits in my coat pocket. I'm not sure some people know what this camera is for. They write that digital video has returned to VHS and the quality has deteriorated. Hm? If you're considering that, I'd just buy a cheaper Super8 camera or digital tape. The whole point of this camera is to use a Firewire (IEEE 1394) connection and edit video on your computer. Sony even now offers MGI VideoWave video editing software! You can then copy it to a DVD or CD for safekeeping. No fuss, no fuss! This thing is wonderful! And that's 520 lines, almost broadcast quality, in a small handheld camera! You can't beat that! I should admit. I'm a gadget freak and this thing is full of gadgets! With Super NightShot I can take photos at night and send them to my Sony laptop via the LaserLink wireless transmission system. You can use A/D conversion to convert old VHS videos to digital format. It's better that way! If you don't have Firewire, you can use the slower but just as easy-to-use USB interface. The camera also has imagery and digital effects which I haven't used yet because I use Photoshop and After Effects but they would be nice for those looking to save some money after buying this baby. I would take the camera. The only thing I would like to change is to improve the sound recording, but that could make the camera too big and that would be a shame. Maybe one day the technology will get better. At Sony, they'll probably upgrade next year. I'll take these too! Buy It Now! Thank me later!