First Camcorder purchase for a soon to be new Dad

ryno - the $599 GW77 is a really good camera for the price - and you''ll be able to take it down to the beach or to the pool (or out in the rain), when other cameras would have to stay home. One caveat - if you ever want to record sound with an external mic, monitor what you're recording with headphones, add a lens shade, or mount an external light - this isn't the camera for you. In other words - great camera - and you're much more likely to have it with you when you need it than if you had a more conventional camcorder - but you should be aware of its limitations before buying.

If you want a conventional (non-waterproof) camcorder with the same image quality and a little more room for expansion, you may want the $648 Sony CX580.

Hope that's helpful and congratulations on the new baby!

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

my wife went to a party with friends the other day. i told her to bring the sony xr550 to record the event. she took the sony gw77 from my pocket and said
the sony xr550 stays home with me.

so far i have taken lots of memorable video with the sony gw77. people think it's a small camera like smartphone. so they do crazy and funny moves
when the sony gw77 pointed at them. little did they know it got a mid range sensor and what they do cames out very sharp on tv when playback. unlike the big sony xr550, if they see me video them, they tend to shy away.

if you decide to buy a sony gw77 make sure to buy spare genuine sony battery.

hoping next gw77 upgrade will have better battery life and bigger sensor.
Edited by spyker1212 - 11/4/12 at 5:41am

I completely agree. The less your video taking machine looks like a video camera the more likely you'll get people to relax about it. And, smaller is better too.

A cousin married his third wife last summer. Lots of family were there. Whenever I got the camcorder out, I was despised! I got nothing usable.