The CX-130 was my first foray into the world of high definition video and after comparing several models, decided that for the money, the 42x zoom was hard to beat. The price was about $340 which was a little more that I originally wanted to spend since video is not my priority. But it seems to be a fairly decent camera. I will start with the main drawback first.

A very noticeable drawback is that there is no viewfinder, which comes in handy when shooting outside and the screen is hard to see. There are a few times this would have come in handy.

Second, when you are trying to pan the camera the video seems to lag about 1/2 a second behind the movement. I have found it near impossible to get a smooth, precise pan, especially when the subject stops.

Third, the image stabilization leaves a lot to be desired. Once you start zooming it does not seem to work very well as it says on the packaging. If you leave the lens completely unzoomed then it works fine, but as soon as you start to zoom in you will need a stable platform to record shake free video.

The one I bought did not include any software for transferring videos or converting between video formats, but a purchase of Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 did the job.

When you open the screen, the handycam automatically turns on and the screen protector opens, which is really convenient if you are like me and always forgeting the lens cap. The screen is touch driven and the menues are relatively simple to work through. There really are not many controls on the body of the camera. On top are the zoom controls, shutter button for still images, and Mode select for video or camera mode. On the left side, under the screen when it is closed, is a power button and playback button. The right side is home to the record/stop record button. Pretty much everything else is selected on the touch screen.

Video is saved onto an SD card, I bought a 32 GB card and have not even come close to filling it up in the 2 months I have had it. It can also take 3.3 MP images, though the results leave a lot to be desired. I still use my Nikon D300 or Nikon S570 for that. One useful feature is that videos and photos are automatically sorted into folder by date making organizing a much easier task. The touch screen makes going between dates much easier. When plugged into the USB the camcorder does not seem to copy the folders over to the computer. It will download the first folder with no files and ignore the rest. Each folder is done one at a time. Of course I have not invested a lot of time to see if there is alternative ways yet.

Shooting modes include Movie, Photo, Slow Motion, and Golf Shot. I don't play golf, but it is my understanding that it takes several shots through a golf swing and lays them out side by side so you can analyze your swing. Slow Motion is fun to play with, especially with the kids running around and playing. The slow motion does seem to record in a lower quality mode, but it is still usable for web applications.

            All in all I have been satisfied with the Sony CX-130. For the money it was worth it to upgrade from the old standard Sony camcorder I had. The only issues are the image stabilization is not very impressive and when panning or moving the camera, there is a slight delay of movement and stopping.