The good: Excellent video quality; extremely customizable; great lens and optical stabilizer; fast focus. The bad: No 720p recording capability; coarse, low-resolution LCD.

The bottom line: Canon's XH A1 and XH G1 are excellent camcorders for entry-level professionals and independent filmmakers, with hard-to-beat prices for what they offer.

CNET Rating Excellent 8.9 (8 out of 10)

Avg. Price: $2000 - $2500

SRC: Alaska Cabling