The Panasonic HM-TA1 minicamcorder offers above-average HD video recording in a small package, but is otherwise pretty lame.

The Flip UltraHD 1 Hour is an OK entry-level mini camcorder if you just need something simple to shoot and share video, but there are better options.

If you're looking to shoot great HD video on the cheap, keep looking; the Canon Vixia HF R series delivers decent video at best, even for its modest price. But for a low-priced model with mic and headphone jacks, the HF R100 is a pretty good deal.

The four sibling models--the JVC Everio GZ-HM300, HM320, HM340, and HD500--deliver subpar video for even their dirt-cheap prices.

Panasonic's quartet of entry-level HD camcorders--the HDC-HS60, TM60, TM55, and SD60--deliver a nice manual feature set and good performance, as well as solid video quality for their class. As long as you don't pay list price, the SD60 is a great value, and if possible, avoid paying the unnecessary price premium for the hard drive in the HS60.

While they're an excellent trio of camcorders, the Vixia HF S21, HF S20, and HF S200 are significantly more expensive than their respective competitors, especially since the S20 and S200 lack electronic viewfinders. If you can forego some of the subtleties of its manual controls, you can probably get what you need with a cheaper camcorder.

The flash-based Panasonic HDC-TM700 and its hard-disk sibling, the HDC-HS700, stand out for their low-light video quality and broad set of manual controls. However, while the TM700 is very attractively priced for its class, the HS700 is not, and not worth the price premium unless you absolutely need the hard disk.

The Sony Handycam HDR-CX550V fares well compared with the competition, though its video could be a bit sharper and the interface less cumbersome. Unless you absolutely need to store a lot of video on the camcorder--which I don't suggest--or if have large hands that could benefit from the extra grip that the hard drive provides, the CX550V is a better deal than its hard-disk-based sibling.

Sony gains ground against the minicamcorder competition with the Bloggie MHS-PM5, but its software and overall video quality keep it from moving ahead.

Sony gains ground against the minicamcorder competition with the Bloggie MHS-PM5, but its software and overall video quality keep it from moving ahead.