Sony HDR-HC7

What’s in the Box?
All the essentials are here:

-AC Adapter
-Power Cord
-Wireless Remote Control
-A/V Connecting Cable
-Component Video Cable
-i.Link (IEEE1394) Cable
-USB Cable
-NP-FH60 Rechargeable Battery Pack
-"Handycam Application Software" CD-ROM

An HDV tape would have be nice, as most people want to start shooting right out of the box.

Other Features (4.0)
Super NightShot - Sony’s Super NightShot system is a cool but marginally useful infrared recording mode that’s built in to most HandyCams. When this mode is enabled, an infrared beam at the front of the camcorder illuminates nearby objects with an infrared beam. The camcorder records objects illuminated by the beam as grainy greenish images that are reminiscent of military night vision.

Super SteadyShot OIS- The HC7 employs the Super SteadyShot OIS, an optical image stabilization system. Image stabilization reduces the effects of hand held camera shake and other vibrations on the recorded image. OIS systems stabilize the picture optically, as opposed to EIS (electronic image stabilization) systems that use digital processing to achieve the same effect. When EIS systems are engaged, they reduce video resolution because they use the margins of the frame as a digital "buffer zone." OIS systems like Super SteadyShot OIS retain all information in the frame, and are a superior stabilization method.

Fades - The Sony HDR-HC7 includes a healthy dose of digital image effects that can be applied to footage during recording. These include Black, Monotone, Mosaic, and White fader effects. Applying a fade-in to the start of the shot is easy since you can set up the fade before pressing the Record Start/Stop button; applying a fade-out to the end of a shot is trickier, since you need to enable it in the touch screen menu. Good luck doing this without jarring the camcorder and ruining your shot.

Scene Modes - Scene modes are also digital effects applied in-camera, but they affect the look of a given clip, and are akin to Photoshop filters. These effects include Monotone, Mosaic, Negative Art, Pastel, Sepia, Skin Tone and Solarization Cinematic Effect, Flash Motion, Old Movie, Still, and (to evoke scenes from the Teachings of Don Juan) "Trail"