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This is a large model using the older technology of Digital 8 tape, but the 355E has a good feel and shape. Manual functions give it some standing as a serious model, the menus are easy-to-use and there are features aplenty, including effects like slim, sepia, black and white, and mosaic to give you more control over the end result if you don't like playing around in editing software like iMovie or more full-featured packages. Another real bonus is 16x9 widescreen mode.

The zoom is good, for a button-controlled one - it's smooth and easy to control - but the steady shot is not that effective and manual focus is clumsy, virtually precluding any tricks like pull-focus - but the auto focus is effective enough in conjunction with the zoom. The eject button was a little difficult to find and a little stiff, but you'd get used to that.

The menu is easy to use, but the manual exposure display doesn't give a vast amount of info. Backlighting tends to blow the image out a bit, but would be fine in extreme conditions. White balance was hard to find, in fact impossible for us as our review model didn't have a manual. You can adjust the audio level but you can't adjust it live, so if you wanted to make a serious short movie you'd just have to hope for the best or add a soundtrack later (but dialogue syncing is difficult).

Verdict
A good, solid model with good features, apart from a few niggles, and Digital 8 is an aging format. But movie quality is pleasing and we liked the capacity for a plug-in microphone.

A small, one-handed camera in metallic gunmetal and silver, the PC330E has the innovative feature of a touch-screen LCD, but that's the thing we liked about it least. Apart from the stress this puts on the LCD's hinge, imagine the effect of greasy fingerprints all over your primary viewing device, especially as the optical viewfinder is small (although excellent in quality).

Having to control things from the screen also makes hand-held operation clumsy.
That aside, the PC330E captures excellent image quality from its Carl Zeiss lens, shooting three megapixels using holographic auto-focusing. Further, it has good features normally seen on bigger models, like a manual focus ring on the lens, innovative live distance measuring displayed on the LCD, 16-9 widescreen, night shot, image stabiliser etc.

Lots of accessories are available too, including a wide angle and telephoto converter, and microphone adapters.

Verdict
Fantastic camera, great features, great movies getting near pro quality; shame about the touch-screen LCD - although having a touch-selectable focus point is cool.

Another touch-screen LCD in a small gunmetal and silver handycam, and again with manual adjustments available, but all via that awkward-in-operation - despite the menus being straightforward - touch-screen (I mean, try focusing with a touch-screen!). But it's nice to handle, with a sensitive zoom - and the touch-screen selectable focus point is a cool feature.

Verdict
A good point-and-shoot with an annoying touch-screen.

One of the smaller units looked at, but very well designed ergonomically with everything falling to hand, the 10i has all the features you'd expect from a more professional model: manual exposure and focus, manual white balance et cetera. Extra good features, apart from vivid colour capture and good shadow detail, include audio level monitoring and adjustment, and in-camera effects like Art and sepia toning. There's even a simple blue screen capability on the supplied SD card.

Verdict
A good, compact camera with enough features to please amateur Peter Jacksons.