Sony HDR-TG3

Titanium: great for making spaceships less essential for consumer electronics, until now.

Sony's new pistol-corder feels hewn from a solid block of the precious metal, with a no-nonsense grey sheen that suits its precise, angled design perfectly.

If it's build quality and minimalism you're after, look no further than the TG3's 2.7-inch touchscreen, machined metal rocker dials and glittering Carl Zeiss 10x lens. Video (up to 1080i) is a touch less impressive, with good detail and strong colours fighting some grain and blurring from the unstabilised lens (the stabilizer is electronic).

The Sony's stereo sound is particularly clear and powerful. You also get Face Detection and 5.1 surround and (unsurprisingly) Memory Stick Duo. Overall, the TG3 is style statement that shoots almost as good as it looks.