Sony's new HDR-HC7 - compact, capable and affordable - is bound to kindle interest among beginning or casual shooters looking for their first HDV camcorder, as well as hobbyists looking for a low-profile second camcorder. The HC7 uses a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens and a single 1/2.9" CMOS sensor with 2,280,000 effective pixels. It has an impressive list of pro-level features all crammed in a very small package. These include color bars, built-in spot meter, manual control of all basic functions and audio levels, super slow-motion, zebras, external mic jack, and lens filter threads. Capable of shooting in HD, it most certainly warrants your consideration. Though packed with features, Sony's HDR-HC7 is user-friendly, as you can switch to Easy mode at the touch of a button. Overall, it’s a HDV camcorder that’s reasonably priced with great image quality.