What it is: A high-definition camcorder

What's cool: Sony's HDR-SR11 renders footage in full 1920 x 1080 resolution, a level of clarity that not even all HD televisions can handle. With a 60GB internal hard drive, this camera can capture more than seven hours of video in the highest definition possible. It has a large 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen, records surround sound, and uses a so-called zoom microphone that homes in on your subject's audio.

Drawbacks: The video files are large. Editing and archiving them will hog space on your computer's hard drive. Uploading videos to YouTube severely degrades the quality, but there are a few places on the Web to share HD video, including Vimeo.com and SmugMug.com.

Price: $1,200

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