Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I could not wait to get my hands on this camcorder. I thought it would be an improvement to the one that I have, (the Sony HDR-CX150) but was I wrong. I am going to give the most thorough and honest review that I can give. When I read all the details on this camcorder, it gave the impression that it was far superior to the one that I had, and by advertising it as a "newer model" than mine. I did a side by side comparison and shot the same video at the same time with the new Sony HDR-CX260V and the older model Sony HDR-CX150 and here is what I came up with. Keep in mind, that the older model records in 1080i, has an older low lux function for low light shooting, does not have a wind filter, has 25x zoom, and does not have a wide angle lens. With all that said, let me break the Sony HDR-CX260V down for you: Records in 1080/60p - pros: A nice clear picture. Cons: Takes up a lot of memory fast, and to be honest, I thought the picture looked a little muted compared to the older model. Low Lux (for low light shooting) - pros: Images do come out better in low light, like for indoor shooting. Cons: over exposes. My nephew's face came out so white and there was a bright glare on his face. Also it tends to be a little grainy around the edges. There is also a constant clicking sound when the low lux is turned on. Wind filter - pros: You can still hear you, and other people when speaking on a windy day. Cons: even though you can hear voices more clearly, it seems to lose the stereo sound when the filter kicks in. Almost sounds like the voices are coming from inside of a wind tunnel. 30x optical zoom and 55x extended zoom - pros: The 30x zoom works like a charm, it gets very close to the action without losing any clarity. Cons: The 55x zoom takes a while to focus and seems to lose the HD quality. Image stabilization - pros: The image stays nice and steady, even when running. No shakiness what-so-ever. Cons: none Wide angle lens - pros: It does capture more of what you're filming, I'd say probably 3-4 feet more on each side. Cons: if you move to fast, it stretches the video on the sides and it comes out distorted. So in closing, when comparing the older model with the newer model side by side, the older model outperformed the newer one in almost every way. The main reason for buying an HD camcorder is for the video quality and I saw a HUGE difference in the way the older model's quality (1080i) was compared to the newer one (1080p).The older one is much sharper and richer then the 260v. This camcorder also feels very cheap and flimsy, almost hollow. It is not worth $550.00. The only thing I liked better about the new model is it has a nice big 3 inch touch screen, a built in GPS that works nicely, and a built in USB cord, but the USB cord seems to only work when it wants to. So remember, "Newer" doesn't always mean better. (See my review on the Sony HDR-CX150)