Sony's first CMOS based consumer HD camera brings control and fidelity to images in a package that's hard to beat.

Editing performance with HDV remains sluggish, but DV-editing ability is formidable.

Canon grabs the crown for the most fully featured HDV camcorder for under $1500

Impressive and free antivirus and antispyware package

With its limited editing features, it would be hard to see anyone choosing PowerDirector 5 over the Adobe, Pinnacle or Ulead competition.

HD camcorders enter the mainstream once and for all. With image quality like this, there’s little reason to spend more.

Great real-time performance, particularly with high definition footage. But the EDIUS Pro software still needs a few more features to usurp the competition.

Vegas has a huge array of editing features for the money, plus powerful bundled DVD authoring.

As it focuses more on the new user, beginners will find this release easy to get to grips with.

If you want your film to look good in front of an audience of thousands, these are the cameras you should be using.

HD cameras are wonderful, but to wrangle the best out of your camera there are a few things you should know before you start rolling.

AVCHD support and some useful new effects keep this as the leading entry-level video editor.

Great image quality and plenty of enthusiast features for a very reasonable price

This version brings some real improvements, but there are still a few features missing.

HDV support and seven video tracks make this a massive upgrade, but only for the plus version.

Excellent features and performance, but it’s pricey and you need a suitably powerful PC to make the most of it.

Canon’s first hard disk-based AVCHD camcorder gets it mostly right, with a good level of features and the best image quality we’ve yet seen from the format.

HD DVD support is the big new feature, but the automated ad-removal tool and enhanced menu customisation make this a great app for the money.

HD editing finally heads to the desktop in this major update to a favourite consumer editing package.

Find out why your AVCHD camcorder has been given a breath of fresh air and which company to thank.