As far as mid-range HD camcorders go, the JVC GZ-HM200 ($579 MSRP) is a solid product. The sister-model to the GZ-HD300, the HM200 includes dual SD/SDHC memory card slots and offers a fairly straightforward shooting experience. The camcorder has some handling issues—marred by cheap construction and a flimsy hand strap—but, overall, it's a good mid-range model from JVC.

The Canon HF S11 is the latest flagship camcorder from Canon. The market is always interested to see what Canon has up its sleeve, but the HF S11 offers very few advantages over the HF S10, released earlier this year. Sure, you have the same solid video performance, but nothing has changed to improve the camcorder's low light sensitivity or the peculiar design elements that make this series intimidating for beginners.

The Panasonic HDC-TM300 (MSRP $1299.99) is the flash memory equivalent of the HDC-HS300, which we reviewed earlier this year. Without the bulky hard drive, the TM300 has a slimmer profile that's more comfortable to hold and easier on the eyes. However, it still has the impressive video performance that drew our approval when we reviewed its hard-drive-based sister model.

The Olympus E-P1 is—by far—the smallest video-capable camera on the market that offers an interchangeable lens system. The E-P1 isn't technically a DSLR camera, as it uses the Micro Four Thirds lens system that was jointly developed by Panasonic and Olympus in 2008. Along with its compact design, the E-P1 also has 1280 x 720 HD video capability, a live auto focus feature, and a basic set of manual controls that work with video mode. The camera is currently available for $799, which includes its 14 - 42mm kit lens.

The Rebel T1i is Canon's newest member of the emerging trend of video-capable DSLR cameras. With a price tag of just under $900, the T1i offers you the ability to capture full HD video with the option of using any EF or EF-S series of lenses from Canon. While the Rebel T1i does boast a full 1920 x 1080 HD resolution, the camera only captures video at the unusual speed of 20 frames per second when using this resolution. Other drawbacks include a lack of manual aperture control, which severely limits the camera's ability to adjust depth of field, and the absence of a continuous autofocus function. The camera does have some good aspects, however, including a vivid color performance, good sharpness, and a relatively simple interface.

This year, JVC is focusing more on mid-range HD models than other manufacturers. While Sony, Panasonic, and Canon all introduced new top-of-the-line products, JVC spent most of its marketing attention on the Everio GZ-HD300 and GZ-HD320—two camcorders that both cost under $800. The demand for affordable high definition video is on the rise and the GZ-HD300 seems to be JVC's answer. It's incredibly compact and easy to use, but lacks all the bells and whistles of the $1000+ competition. In the testing labs, the HD300 outperformed the competition in some areas, but fell behind in others.

The JVC GZ-HD320 is a mid-range camcorder that can record up to 50 hours of high definition videos to a 120GB hard drive. Priced at £499, it is a lot less expensive than the competition's top-of-the-line models. Maybe that is the reason why it lacks some of the bells and whistles you can find on the more expensive competitors. In many of our tests, however, the HD320 provide above average performance.

The HDC-HS300 is Panasonic's new flagship camcorder. In addition to a wide range of manual controls, the Panasonic offers a manual control ring and a retractable viewfinder, something pros can appreciate. The new touch screen LCD is a nice touch, as well, though its far from iPhone-quality. With up to 15 hours of high definition video on the 120GB hard drive, the HS300 is among the most intriguing camcorders of the year.

The Panasonic HDC-HS300 (MSRP 1399.99) has just about everything you could want in a high-end consumer camcorder. It features a wide range of manual controls, Panasonic's popular lens ring for making adjustments, a retractable electronic viewfinder, and a special set of automated controls that are designed to work with Panasonic's new touchscreen LCD system. All these features, combined with a 120GB internal hard drive and excellent HD video performance, make the HDC-HS300 a first-class camcorder.

The Canon Legria HF S100 is one of Canon's 2009 flagship camcorder, along with its twin the HF S10. Canon has given the HF S100 some major improvements this year. This includes the 8.59 megapixel sensor, a large lens and the marvellous new custom control dial, just to name a few. The video performance of the HF S100 was also enhanced, but its remarkably sharp videos, come at a price: the performance in low light is not as good, as expected. 

The Canon Vixia HF S100 (and its sister model, the HF S10) represent the top of the line from the manufacturer's 2009 camcorders. The 8.59-megapixel sensor, large lens, still photo capabilities, and excellent new custom control dial are just some of the features Canon has included to up the ante in this year's flagship models. Canon has also improved the overall video performance, although some low light performance was sacrificed in order to achieve incredibly high sharpness. With Panasonic and Sony both making significant strides in performance this year—and strong surprise performances from underdogs like Samsung and Sanyo—it will be tough to choose between the top contenders. If you don't already have a particular brand loyalty, purchasing a new camcorder this year might be a hard decision, based on a lot of personal preference.

The Sony HDR-XR520VE (£1,199) is a rather compact consumer camcorder with big features: a retractable viewfinder, a manual control dial, a 240GB hard drive, and a built-in GPS. In addition the XR520 has excellent noise levels and the motion is clear and smooth.

The Sony HDR-XR520V (MSRP $1499.99) packs a lot of punch—and a lot of hard drive capacity—into a relatively small consumer camcorder. The retractable viewfinder and the return of last year's excellent manual control dial are just a couple of the features that will intrigue proficient camcorder users. Also intriguing? The incredibly low noise levels, clear and smooth motion, built-in GPS, and 240GB internal hard drive.

Canon's HD-Camcorder HF20, selling for £799, features a 32GB internal flash memory and has loads of functions and options. It is the replacement for the Canon HF11, our Camcorder of the Year 2008. Canon, however, did mess around with some of the features that made the HF11 such a popular camcorder and the outcome is not always good. The HF20's low light performance is awful, its noise levels are very high, and the camcorder does not have full manual control.

The new Canon HF20 comes from a highly-praised, award-winning pedigree. It is being marketed as a less expensive alternative to our 2008 camcorder of the year, the Canon HF11. For an MSRP of $899 ($300 less than the HF11), you get an HD camcorder that's stuffed with 32GB of internal flash memory and many of the features that made the HF11 such a popular choice for consumers. Be warned, however, Canon also did a fair amount of tinkering under the hood—and some of the results aren't pretty. Compared to its older sister, the HF20 is a significantly worse low light performer and it consistently measured high levels of noise in our testing.

The Panasonic HDC-SD20 is one of three models designed by the company to appeal to the more budget-conscious entry-level camcorder user. With an MSRP of $549, it's several hundred dollars less expensive than many models from the competition. What you save in money, however, you also sacrifice in video quality. The SD20 can't quite compete with more expensive models like the Canon HF20. What it does offer is an incredibly intuitive and rewarding experience for beginners.

For those who do not want to spend too much money for a good camcorder, Panasonic offers three models. One of which is the Panasonic HDC-HS20. With a price of £549 it is a few hundred Pounds cheaper than the HDC-HS300 or top-of-the-line models from the competition. Besides the 80GB hard drive, to store hours of videos, the HS20 offers a beginner-friendly and intuitive design. But the HDC-HS20 does not just save you some money. Unfortunately the quality and performance are mediocre—especially compared to the Canon HF20 and other, more expensive camcorders.

With the instability of today's economy, it's perhaps fortuitous that Sony decided to push more heavily into the ultra-budget camcorder market in 2009. This year's Consumer Electronics Show saw the introduction of the Sony Webbie HD MHS-CM1, a traditional horizontal camcorder with a low price tag, easy high definition recording, and simple uploading to sites like YouTube.