The Sony HDR-XR520V packs plenty of punchand lots of drive capacityinto a comparatively small buyer video recorder.

The retractable viewfinder and the return of last year’s glorious manual control dial are only 2 the features that may intrigue expert video recorder users.

Also intriguing? The incredibly low sound levels, clear and smooth motion, built-in GPS, and 240GB internal drive.

There are some disadvantages that clients of each ilk will have to weigh for themselves : no manual aperture / shutter control, average low light performance, the absence of 24p or 30p frame refresh rates, and a menacing array of buttons, switches, and layered menus. It isn’t the best camcorder for a first-time user, nor does it offer each bell and whistle the experienced videographer could desire. It does have some intuitive features and wonderful video performance : a combo that could be just what some customers are searching for.

Sony put lots of effort into reconditioning the lens and imaging system on this year’s flagship lineup. The star of the show is the new 0.5 .88-inch back-illuminated Exmor-R CMOS sensor, which Sony is featuring in its top two models, the HDR-XR500 and HDR-XR520. The new sensor design moves the photodiode from underneath the circuitry wires to above ; possibly less interference will mean improved and less noise. Sony has taken its six-blade aperture G-lens from their prosumer line and brought it to the customer models, including the XR520.