The marker has been laid down. Sony's pulled off another AVCHD stunner that will be hard to beat this year

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

One beautiful camera, with one awful flaw.

A smart mini-DV cam with more features than most

Sony has done a good job of packaging a top quality camera into such a compact size. While it's not the smallest of the Sony range, it'll appeal to those who don't want anything too bulky.

The problem with making a camera too small is that they can become difficult to handle; the DCR-IP55e overcomes this by swinging the battery holder down to form a pistol grip.

This camera is so small you can put it in your pocket just like a mobile phone, yet it packs quite a punch. Compared with earlier cameras, the DCR-IP7 has been improved and added to, and is no longer just a video camera for home movies and still shots.

There is barely an area of consumer electronics that Sony does not have a hand in, and its contributions are seldom substandard in quality.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the size and performance of this digital format. The cameras are a fraction of the size of the old camcorders we used to lug around the countryside, the batteries last longer, the tapes get smaller and, the quality gets better.