Sony Handycam HDR-XR520VE

The Panasonic HDC-HS300 is a tough camcorder to beat. In video performance alone, the Panasonic outstrips the Sony in everything but noise. Colour accuracy and sharpness are particularly impressive. It's also a clear winner in low light performance, producing much higher sensitivity and the option of recording in 25p. While the Sony's optical image stabilisation is superior, the Panasonic's stabilisation is also quite good (both of these camcorders are head and shoulders above the rest). Still image performance is a bit better on the Sony, but that is not a very compelling reason to purchase a high definition camcorder these days.

For manual control users, the Panasonic offers quite a few options, including independent aperture, shutter speed, and gain control—three features conspicuously absent on the XR520. There is also a viewfinder for more accurate image adjustment and a great big manual control lens ring to make focus a dream (especially when paired with a basic focus assist tool). The one disappointment is that the ring can only be used for zoom and focus when the LCD panel is closed. Other features are only available when you are using the viewfinder. That makes the Sony's control dial a bit more versatile.

The Sony does offer some features that make operation simpler, such as the slick touch screen spot metering and spot focus. But with Panasonic's move to the touch screen, you can do spot metering/focus and take advantage of all the iA features Panasonic has to offer, such as AF/AE tracking. Finally, the Panasonic is a lot more accessible to beginners, with more intuitively organized menus and tools to help guide the first-time camcorder user.

Unless there are specific details about the Sony that really capture your attention (like GPS, a 240GB hard drive, or standard definition compression options), the Panasonic seems to be a clear winner.

	Comparison Specs
	Sony HDR-XR520VE	Panasonic HDC-HS300
Price	£1,199.99	£1,039
Primary Recording Media	240GB internal hard drive	32GB of built-in flash memory
Secondary Recording Media	Memory Stick Pro Duo card	SD/SDHC memory card
Image Sensor	1/2.88-inch CMOS	Three 1/4.1-inch CMOS
Effective Pixel Count	4.15-megapixels (video) 6-megapixels (stills)	2.07-megapixels (x 3) video 2.32-megapixels (x 3) stills
Mic Input	Yes, 3.5mm	Yes, 3.5mm
LCD	3.2-inch with 921,000-pixel resolution	2.7-inch with 230,400-pixel resolution
Viewfinder	Yes	Yes
Weight	590g (including battery)	445g (including battery)
Dimensions	71 x 75 x 137 mm	72 x 70 x 141mm
HD	Yes	Yes
Frame Rates	1080/50i	1080/50i, 25p (digital cinema mode)
Compression	AVCHD	AVCHD
Maximum Bitrate	16Mbps	17 Mbps
Optical Zoom	12x	12x
Stabilisation	Optical (with two settings: standard and active)	Optical

Sony HDR-XR520VE Colour Comparisons
Sony HDR-XR520VE	Panasonic HDC-HS300