Sony HDR-SR12E review

There are smaller, better-performing camcorders in this group but nothing as desirable as the HDR-SR12E. It looks incredible and feels tough, but it's the large 3.2in LCD that got us really excited.

The screen's incredible 1,920x480 layout means its horizontal resolution matches the camcorder's horizontal HD resolution. This provides a great idea of what final results will look like, and helps immensely with manual focusing. It is also a touch screen, and the extra space makes navigating menus a breeze. You can also use it to select focus points in a scene, or alternatively use face tracking, which will adjust focus and exposure automatically for the best results. One drawback to having a large LCD is a low battery life, which is limited to only an hour and a half.

Video is shot at 1,920x1,080 and then compressed to 16Mbit/s using the AVCHD standard. Unlike the other HD camcorders here, the HDR-SR12E can't shoot in progressive mode, so only produces interlaced video. This shouldn't be a problem as long as your TV has good de-interlacing, although you may see problems with fast-moving objects. Video is impressively life-like, with plenty of detail and vibrant colours, but it can't quite match the HV30's video quality.

There's a massive 120GB hard disk, which will store almost 15 hours of footage at the highest quality setting. There's also a Memory Stick Pro Duo slot, though we can't see anyone ever needing it. Photo quality is among the best in the group, alongside the DC50, thanks to a 5.6-megapixel sensor. A proper flash is provided, but there's no video light.

The top of the camcorder has a number of useful features. Sound quality from the surround-sound microphone is good, there's a sliding flap that covers a Sony accessory shoe, and the viewfinder at the back tilts upwards for easy access. It's a great camcorder with a massive storage capacity and a great LCD, but Canon's HV30 has better image quality, and Panasonic's HDC-SD9 is better value.