1. Still capture at 12 megapixels is probably a waste of disk space (and the extra processing time that it takes to deal with the larger pictures). Unless there is something revolutionary about the way that the camcorder would interpolate the native 6.2-megapixel still capture up to 12 megapixels, I would use the interpolation capabilities of, say, Photoshop back at home and set the camcorder to grab stills at 6.2 megapixels (native). The trailing question is whether that 6.2-megapixel mode at 4:3 is actually native, without any scaling or interpolation; there is a 9-megapixel mode at 16:9 that is probably not native, but Sony does not clarify anywhere.

2. I cannot perceive any degradation in AVCHD image quality between (a) Steadymove ON; and (b) Steadymove Active ON. Is there any good reason to turn off Active mode (or Steadymove altogether)?

3. SonyStyle.com is notorious for sloppily recommending accessories. They do not associate the correct case with this camcorder. You will be very happy with the LCS-DAB model, which has a slot for the hand grip which allows for easy and safe removal. Unlike the almost-identical other versions, the LCS-DAB's slot is offset from center in a way that works with the location of the hand grip on the HDR-XR500V/520V.

4. Another ridiculous error on the SonyStyle.com site is the retail price on its newest compatible 37mm wide-angle lens. The VCL-HGE07A retails for $99 rather than $229, and is inferior to the VCL-HGA07 at $199. The newer model also doesn't come with a lens cap, which is ridiculous.

5. The NAVTEC maps are largely disappointing. Most consumer GPS devices only reserve 1gb or so for map data, thus Sony really cheaped out with the NAVTEC maps. Don't expect any more detail than city names and the very occasional major route number, even when zoomed in to the max.

6. Low-light sensitivity is extraordinarily good. I am anxious to read professional testing on this, but it is poised to beat professional cameras. This backlit CMOS invention might really be a no-brainer for all future camcorders. It is a simple re-shuffling of the layers in the CMOS sensor.

7. The flash works surprisingly well. I know that this comment could elicit grumbles, but I am quite seriously prepared to say that this device is a full-blown replacement for my non-SLR digital camera -- and, with geotagging to boot.

8. I cannot find any time-lapse feature. Not sure if manufacturers generally don't bother anymore, but this is a big disappointment. As for the slow-motion feature, which is locked into 3 seconds of footage slowed down to 12, it works okay but Sony is not forthcoming about the extent to which the signal degrades. It is certainly not equivalent to 1080/60i, though. What actually is it?

9. The camcorder comes with a "demonstration" video. It is stunningly corny -- and if it doesn't make you laugh, God help you! At least by the looks of the video, Sony created this camera for clean-cut, pudgy boomers who want to shoot videos of their children with "Hollywood production values." My favorite moment is when the daddy in the peach-colored cashmere sweater jumps up and down like a schoolgirl. He is one cheesecake slice away from some serious gut-bobbage.

10. As if the camera weren't already overpriced, it has inspired pricey new wish-list items for me: (a) that new Bluetooth microphone set which plugs into the proprietary Active Interface Shoe; (b) a wide-angle lens, maybe not the VCL-HGA07 if there is a better one for 37mm that's easy to use; (c) a Sony tripod with a remote-controlling handle which plugs into the A/V Control port; and (d) a Steadicam Merlin, of course!

11. It's confirmed: The only difference between this model and the HDR-XR520V is $200 less cost and half the hard disk space. However, with 120gb giving you many hours and the additional option of using removable flash memory, I don't see much reason to step up.

Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB HDD High Definition Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom

The quality of the product surpassed my expectations. The clarity of the video in lower light conditions is impressive. The big problem I had with my previous camcorder was the picture would look grainy when taken indoors under normal indoor lighting conditions. This camera does a great job in lower/low light conditions. The fireworks and twilight modes are excellent. A feature that may not catch your eye at first but really adds alot to the product is the smiles shutter. While taking video, the camera will take digital stills when the camera detects a smile. The pictures taken this way lead to more natural looking smiles then pictures your subjects pose for. It is a nice treat to find some photos taken on your camera after you are done videoing. The included software and downloaded update makes is easy to transfer, store, and search downloaded content to my PC running Windows Vista 64-bit. You can easily create an AVCHD disc with direct burn through the computer (equipped with a dvd or bluray burner) without the need to tranfer anything to the computer first. Picture quality is phenomenal. Would highly recommend this product to anyone.

I hesitated a lot about buying the Panasonic TM300 or Sony's HDR-XR500V. Like most consumers cautiously waiting for spending circa US$ 1000+ in an electronic appliance, I read thoroughly all reviews. Unfortunately I had to make a decision, no procrastination allowed. I decided Sony. Perhaps this will help you decide. In light of this, I am sure that you may benefit from my line of reasoning.

1. Most of the informed reviews criticize the Sony model for not having prosumer type of features, such as manual controls, 24p, etcetera. I am a professional on the H.264 security video field, hence, I was inclined first for the Panasonic. (I had to rule out my natural inclination for fancier pro-cameras that will exhaust my hard-earned dollars instantly)

2. Then I read a whole lot of reviews saying that the Panasonic's HDC-TM300 LCD screen was not quite responsive. But image was good and all. Hence, now I was inclined towards Sony.

3. Then I read the comparisons about the heart of the camera: capturing the light. I was particularly interested at the fact that Panasonic put 3 chips and Sony put the Exmor one. Panasonic uses a respected Leica lens, Sony uses the G lens, instead of Carl Zeiss. At this point, I was not inclining towards neither of both. (I actually wanted to cancel the purchase intention altogether, but, as I said, I had to make a decision). And there is a lot of marketing behind the lens/chip thing.

4. I concluded that by reading I would not have a look and feel to develop the intuition and use the knowledge I had. Then I went to the store and experienced both. This is what I found:

* Sony is more economical (I would not say cheaper) as you will see in the price tag and the storage already included. That is a convincing point for my pocket :-)

* A larger LCD screen is quite convenient for configuring the options of this camera. The viewfinder is ok, but I can assure you that most of the footage will be taken with the LCD. Seems like a simplistic point, but a larger LCD means a friendlier user interaction with the product, that's why they manufacture with it.

* Despite the lack of pro-like options, during the life of the product (and depending on your individual preferences), you would be inclined over time to shoot at specific frame rates and resolutions, unless you have a myriad of situations where more manual controls would be necessary. That is not my case. The current 1080/60i with some basic options fulfills the needs of the target customer that would buy this machine. And I promised to myself that I will not feel sad when the new models come with 1080p, 120Hz, etc. I think I can be contented with my HD interlaced resolution for the consumer-type footage that I will shoot: my family, my children, my surroundings, etc. In 1.5 or 2 years the 1080p will be standard in consumer cams, but I can't wait that to get mine...

* The image quality (what the experts call "subjective quality") of Sony's codec is very good. It is not quite understood by the consumers that the video standard (in this case AVCHD) just defines the binary ENCODED STREAM, not HOW the manufacturer should encode the image, that is up to each manufacturer. Hence, the encoder in the Sony camcorder gave me a higher subjective quality, perhaps a result of a performance increase with the Exmor chip to facilitate the grayscale encoding in order to give the impression of less noise. Those videos are pre-processed and those tiny chips generate noise that will be eliminated with filters before generating the final stream, so, I realized that the good chips are only at the pro-cameras, not these small things for the masses ;-) Conclusion: Nice encoder, nice low light responsiveness for a consumer like me that won't have time to play around a lot with options. If that is your case, I would recommend the Panasonic.

* The image stabilisation software works very well. The optical/logical algorithms they use are well designed to correct the lower frequency oscilations of your nervous hand. That part of my "look and feel" trip to the store helped me a lot. The Panasonic algorithm worked well too, but the "subjective quality" on my head inclined towards the Sony. Please note that video quality is a science by itself, so the subjective results may vary from person to person, and there is no final decision with regards as to what is better: objective or subjective quality. Hence, Sony made an encoder that fits the preferences of the majority of the people that have newborn babies and children and wifes and trips to the beach and store them and view them in their HD 1080 Full HD TV sets and play around with their Sony Playstation 3 that is able to reproduce those AVCHD streams. Excellent !

* Someone said that "it is a heavy camera". Well, indeed it is heavier than the Panasonic. I liked that, because gave me the "look and feel" of a big camera. Remember, this is a fragile piece of equipment, with a running hard drive into it, but, gave me the unconscious impression that I was using something larger. I personally like that, instead of a ligher one that seems to be even more fragile...

* I totally ignored the GPS feature. Perhaps it will help to index the videos, who knows.

* Headphones + Mic jack, plus the omnipresent mini-HDMI, that is standard.

* Manual focus control, with a small round control that you can use with your left hand. Easy, convenient, simple.

* Plenty of hard drive to store. The Panasonic has less storage in its flash and requires an SD card. This can translate into spending less with the Sony, because of the larger storage device. I foresee a hard drive replacement in 3-5 years, so get your extended warranty from the seller. It makes sense.

* Stills ? I have a digital cam I am very fond to, so I did not pay attention to that. I want movies, not stills. That is an old-fashioned type of thinking.

You will certainly not going to spend your money on a product that is not well designed. It is not engineered for videophiles, but people of a certain age range. I fall within this category and it will serve me well, despite my natural inclination to buy that HD 1080p professional camera that will cost me a kidney. The encoder is solid, does not allow a whole lot of parametrization but I really don't need to pay the ticket for those additional features at this point. The encoder is solid to do what it is supposed to do: make you enjoy the video with the best subjective quality by encoding a stream that passed through a series of algorithms that eliminated redundant information from the original video signal, without degrading it too much. Remember: these are always lossy video encoders.

(Tip: Read first the Wikipedia article on H.264-AVC and then on the AVCHD codec)

Final thought: Go to the store and compare. And learn a bit about video encoding because this will be a never ending story. If you really need the camcorder, buy it. If not, wait until the HD 1080 30p gets to the consumer realm. But sit down and wait not less than 18 months... (perhaps less ?)

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2SGCER2N5H4BM This is filmed in poor light with no tripod. This camcorder is pretty amazing in low light and sports a fantasic stabilizer. I rendered this as a WMV 1920x1080 8MBps

BEWARE: Bought it in late September 09...hard drive crashed beginning of December 09. Didn't even last 3 full months. I never dropped or banged it to my knowledge, as a matter of fact, I was always very careful with it. After several attempts to contact Sony support, they confirmed that it was a hard drive failure and wanted $210.00 for labor to fix it in their only customer support center in Texas. Parts are covered under warranty for one year. Not covering labor for one year says something about the quality of Sony's products don't you think? I hesitated to buy the camcorder because of my past poor experience with Sony products, but it has been years since I bought a Sony product and decided to give them a try. On the other side of the coin, when it worked, it was an awesome camcorder and looked superb on my Samsung LED TV. Unfortunately, it didn't last and I've lost some good vacation memories to Sony oblivion. Alas, Sony...you lost my TRUST again! Shame on me for making the same mistake of buying a Sony product.

I extensively used during my recent foreign trip. I shot 365+ HD videos (ranging from few seconds to few minutes) and took more than more than 1000 pictures all in highest quality settings. I barely filled half the hard drive capacity!! The quality of pictures is stunning!! Price is what you pay for a good quality! The best out there !!

Recently I bought Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V and this is what I feel about my new camcorder. I fell in love with my Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V the moment I held it in my hand for the very first time. The camcorder is very sleek, lightweight and extremely steady. It took me couple of hours to get used to the control knobs especially the one meant for zooming, changing the mode from camcorder to digital camera and the one provided for taking still images. These controls are very close to each other. Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V records video of exceptionally high quality in Advanced Video Codec High Definition(AVCHD) format. These videos can be observed on any HDTV by connecting HDR-XR500V using the cable that comes with camcorder. The PMB software accompanying the camcorder is very useful in burning SD/HD DVDs. Little patience while using PMB can save you money and hassle of buying stand alone DVD Burner with AVCHD recording(SONY VRDMC6) or DVD Recorder/Player(SONY VRDMC10). I sincerely believe 12 MP still capture capability is more of a pain. The quality of still images taken using the camcorder is extremely poor. The strong flash is what ruins the still capture.

I have been using this camcorder for a month now. I liked pretty much all the features; especially still photo quality. I recommend anyone to go for it.

I've had this camera for a couple of months now and haven't really put it to the full test but so far I very much like it. I'm a total dunce when it comes to learning how to operate things like this but this camera was a snap. Sony's manual is very clear and easy to follow and the camera is intelligently designed. I just can't get over how small and light weight it is! The picture is gorgeous and it uploads on to my mac through imovie really easily. I did have to upgrade to Snow Leopard however, but that was something I needed to do anyway. I will be putting it to serious use in a couple of weeks and if my opinion of it changes I'll come back and update my review.
I should also mention I had a Sony digital camcorder before this one, and it was great and lasted 10 years even though I dropped it on the floor a couple of times. I loved it and it still works, but I wanted to upgrade to HD. I've had good luck with Sony products.

I can't ask for a better camera. The picture quality is exceptional and there is absolutely no jittery recording with this camera. The price was hefty but you get what you pay for.
One thing that I didn't like is the fact that, you have to turn on the camera to get the memory card out. It could be elsewhere where I didn't have to turn the camera on. This is not a big deal but I thought I mention it.
Also battery life sucks but it is not any worse than comparable products out there.
Overall, this is an excellent product. I love it.