Panasonic HDC-SD5

Glamcorder.

We tend to spray the word "sexy" around like so much bodily fluid, but it is, we swear 100 per cent true about the SD5. One of the smallest and lightest HD camcorders around, it still boasts a spec list that'll make chunkier rivals wince, including 1920x1080 HD recording, three CCDs and a 10x zoom lens from Leica. Advertisement With a smart black body that'll fit comfortably in the palm of any hand, it looks way tasty, while simple menus make for marvellously hassle-free shooting. The 2.7-inch LCD is also terrific, rotating through 270 degrees, and with a 'Power LCD' setting so it can be seen easily even on those insufferably bright days we so often get in Britain. You can fit a not-huge 40 minutes of 1080i HD footage on a 4GB SDHC card, rising to 90 minutes for standard-def footage. Hi-Def material, viewed through the miracle of HDMI - no cable included - is superb, so our only real complaint here is that you can only view it on a PC via the supplied HD Writer software. If you're looking for something that's both tiny and Hi-Def, the only thing smaller - just - and of comparable quality is Sony's £900 HDR-CX6EK.

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