Whether you're in the market for a new camcorder for that trip of a lifetime or are a newcomer thinking of getting into video blogging, there's plenty of choice when it comes to how (and in which format) you record your home movies.

Small yet well constructed, fast in operation, storage capacity expandable via larger SDHC media

Storage via SD media only, picture and sound not as impressive as competing larger-build models

While it seems like a good mid-range option, performance in low light is not as good as the others, with overall picture quality not as sharp. Auto white balance performance is also variable, and its audio is not quite as 'full' sounding as we'd like. It...

Now that HD DVD has drawn its last gasp and the format war is over, Hitachi must be breathing a sigh of relief, having just introduced a pair of Blu-ray supporting HD camcorders, of which the 5.3mp CMOS sensor DZ-BD7HE is one. Due to the fact that it writ...

Records to 30GB hard drive, removable Blu-ray disc, DVD or SD card; both high- and standard-definition capture

Bulkier than hard drive or SD-only devices, discs easily corrupted, operation overcomplicated and fiddly, sluggish to focus and noisy in low light

Unfortunately, the Hitachi also delivers one of the noisiest low light performances here, and its lens provides a narrower field of view than the others. While colour is vivid, it's too warm to match reality, and the audio is a little hollow sounding.

Whether you're in the market for a new camcorder for that trip of a lifetime or are a newcomer thinking of getting into video blogging, there's plenty of choice when it comes to how (and in which format) you record your home movies.

Generous 40GB hard disk storage is more than enough, viewfinder is handy when LCD visibility suffers in sunlight, robust build and reliable performer

Too large to be pocketed, awkward positioning of some controls, stills committed to removable card only (which costs extra), auto focus sometimes hunts

More positively, you can further enhance the look of your footage by selecting the built-in cinema mode, which, combined with its 25fps (frames per second) progressive frame rate, lends your digital images a film-like feel. Footage displays naturalistic (...

Sony is selling the HDR-TG3 as "the world's smallest and lightest high definition camcorder", and this dinky model certainly lives up to that claim. We take a closer look at this superb new camcorder.

Small and lightweight, lightening fast automatic focus, instant on recording, 4GB Memory Stick DUO included, stylish, Component and HDMI-output

Lacks manual controls, no DV-in so you can't use it to record, HD clips can only be captured on a Intel Mac

We were truly and genuinely impressed by Sony's HDR-TG3 camcorder. Small upright camcorders all too often sacrifice video quality and provide gimmicky features, but the HDR-TG3 is a triumph of automated functionality and good quality in a small form facto...

Capture HD video, and high-resolution stills, with this budget-priced camcorder. We take a close look at this SD video recording option from Sanyo.

Supremely easy to use, HD video capture, 7.1-megapixel stills capture, healthy number of scene modes, carry case and USB dock bundled, built-in flash, good audio quality, mic socket

MPEG-4 video lacks quality, no accessory shoe, non-integral lens cap, no optical or electronic viewfinder

For the video enthusiast keen to work with high-definition footage, the VPC-HD2 is a great option. The lens is only 10x optical zoom, but go much further and you're looking at having to use a tripod. MPEG-4 capture is highly compressed and there's no acce...

Turn your photographs into digital art with this Photoshop plug-in from Alien Skin. We wonder if Snap Art is an effective replacement for manual Photoshop brushwork.

Wide range of traditional and unique art effects, simple interface, easy to use

Long rendering times, some effects look artificial

Snap Art offers a painless way to create natural-media art from photographs. Its ease of use and variety of customisable effects make it an efficient alternative to Photoshop's native brushes and actions, and to full-featured painting and natural media ap...

Allowing for recording direct to mini DVDs or to an internal hard disk, the Hitachi DZ-HS300E has much to offer the hobbyist videographer.

Built-in hard disk drive, responsive 25x optical zoom, effective image stabilisation, clear flip-out widescreen LCD

Fiddly transport controls, no external mic socket, no accessory shoe, no built-in flash, recording to optical media is time-consuming, cannot import directly into iMovie, only 0.4mp stills

The DZ-HS300E is inexpensive and offers the convenience of HD storage. It's easy enough to use, but the recording format is not one that iMovie can import. But if you don't mind having to convert footage before editing, this is a low-cost route into amate...

Add lighting effects to Google's Sketchup

Adds lighting effects and surfaces, makes SketchUp models look photorealistic

Slows down SketchUp considerably

Before purchasing a photorealistic plug-in such as TurboSketch Studio, play with SketchUp to see if the basic rendering options that come with the program are sufficient for you. If you require more high-powered lighting and surface effects to use in pres...

With essential upgrades to iWeb, iPhoto and Garageband, Apple's iLife 08 has much to offer.

Impressive upgrades for iWeb, iPhoto and GarageBand

iMovie '08 - what were they thinking?

On the whole, we have very few criticisms of iLife. As ever, it represents superb value for money and the new versions of iPhoto, GarageBand and even iWeb are impressive (barring a few iWeb glitches of which you need to be aware). Even the minor upgrade t...

There is a vast range of HDV camcorders available today. One of the newest from Canon, the XH-A1, has inherited a lot of features from its bigger brother the XL-H1, a very powerful professional camera.

Excellent image quality even in low light, 3 CCD, can record in 1080i or DV, fantastic manual controls, works with all Apple editing applications

Unintuitive screen menus and navigation, small LCD screen, uncomfortable eyepiece, heavy, not for the faint hearted

This camera is of such excellent value that most of the defects are quite minor in comparison. It isn�€™t for everyone, and definitely not for the novice user, but if you�€™re a professional filmmaker on a budget or a dedicated amate