Sony HDR-FX7 First Impressions Camcorder Reviewby John NeelyPublished on Sep 22, 2006 2:00 PM 
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Conclusion
Sony's HDR-FX7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $2599) is a very well-designed camcorder, and it fills an important niche in the world of prosumer HDV. For $3500, it would be difficult to find a better camcorder, with terrific video performance, assignable buttons and all the most vital manual controls within easy reach. The Canon XH A1 (Specs, Recent News, $3279.99) may well offer more, and includes features lacking on the FX7, such as XLR inputs and some additional manual controls - but it will cost about $500 more. Sony has also shown that there is a strong demand for prosumer camcorders with a slightly scaled back feature set. The HVR-FX1 and the DCR-VX2100 (Review, Specs, $1980) are both popular camcorders and the HDR-FX7 should appeal to a similar group of users who want a camcorder that’s capable of producing professional results – but without the bells and whistles they don’t need. The HDR-FX7 does not shoot progressive scan video, lacks balanced audio inputs, and lacks the extensive gamma controls on camcorders like the HVR-V1U. It is an approachable, portable, and refined camcorder that handles like a typical Sony - and I found it just plain likable.