Sony DCR-PC5: Highly recommendable camcorder

Author's Rating:

Pros: Sharp image, good color. Multiple video outs.

Cons: Light mounts in front of microphone. Some buttons hard to reach.

The Bottom Line: 
This camcorder is well worth the price. It has great quality and many features which make it one of the best on the market today.

Author's Review
I use the Sony DCR-PC5 to make short films. Keep in mind that these films are just a hobby, not a living. I don't need a top of the line camera, but I like one that has good quality. This camera fits my needs very well. The quality of image is astounding. The picture is as crisp and clear as real life. The colors are bright and don't bleed.
As far as features are concerned, this camcorder is unbeatable. It has a great zoom, with an easy to use switch. The switch is easy to find with your fingers while filming. Other controls are somewhat more difficult to use, especially if you need to use them while filming. However, most of them can easily be learned and mastered in a short amount of time. The user's manual contains all the necessary information on features and how to use them. Its features include a spotlight, several fades, titling, the usual mosaic, sepia, black and white, and mirroring built in.
It records digitally onto a MiniDV tape, which is about 2 1/2 inches by 1 1/1 inches. Some people wonder if there is a difference between that and Digital8, which records digitally onto 8mm tape. The quality is better on MiniDV, but not so much that someone could see the two and say "That one was recorded on MiniDV." If you don't plan to be using the camera a lot, you might want to consider Hi8 or Digital8. But if you want great quality and whatever happens to be state of the art, you will want a digital camera that uses MiniDV. Also, Digital8 may just be the medium bridging the gap between analog and digital, and will soon become obsolete.
MiniDV tapes are also smaller than 8mm tapes, which allows this camera to be smaller, which it is. This camera is very small, about the size of the palm of your hand, and about 1-2 inches thick. It is very portable. I have carried the entire camera in my front pocket before. (However, I was constantly harassed with the "Is that a camera in your pocket. . . ?" joke.)
You can export video to a computer for editing through S-VHS(S-Video), or through Firewire cable. I personally find Firewire to be better, but it is such a minute difference, that you can use either. But you will want to check your computer before you buy a certain cable, not all computers have S-VHS and Firewire. If your computer doesn't, you can buy a Firewire card fairly inexpensive(I'm not sure quite how much though).
The sound is decent, although you can't record in great quality if the person or thing being recorded is too far away. Also, the slot in which you mount a light for filming in darker areas, or as a flash if you are taking stills, is right in front of the microphone, so this also can make the sound quality bad.
The DCR-PC5 also has a built in still camera. I find this very useful, as you won't need a digital still camera in addition to this camera.
All in all, I think this is one of the best cameras on the market today. It has many good features, and great quality, at a fair price. I would recommend this camera to previous camera owners, people looking to produce amateur films, and people who want to make state of the art home videos.
~SalamiSammi