The DCR-HC96 from Sony gives you a full-featured, compact MiniDV camcorder at an affordable price. Highlights include the Advanced HAD CCD imager, which captures stunning detail and clarity, and 10x optical zoom with Super SteadyShot picture stabilization, which focuses on distant subjects, providing clear close-up images with less distortion. The Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens offers less glare and increased contrast for vivid, more life-like color and tones. A 3.3-megapixel sensor allows you to take still images that can be printed at photo quality up to 10 x 14 inches. Make your personal videos complete with additional customization features such as Picture and Fader effects for creative and professional looking enhancements. Picture Package software helps you easily organize and edit still images and video.

Specifications

3.3 Megapixel (Gross) Advanced HAD CCD Imager
3.3 Megapixel (Gross) Advanced HAD CCD Imager
1/3-inch Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD with 2050K (effective) pixels provides stunning detail and clarity with exceptional video (up to 530 lines of horizontal resolution) and still image performance. The Megapixel technology enhances your digital videos and digital still photography performance.

MiniDV Recording
Offers up to 530 lines of horizontal resolution, 3x the color bandwidth and a significantly higher signal/noise ratio, to provide spectacular video performance.

10x Optical/120x Digital Zoom
The optical zoom helps to bring the action close up from far away. In addition the digital zoom interpolation means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zooms.

Professional Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* Lens
Carl Zeiss lenses have an advanced optical multi-layer coating that offers less glare and flare with increased contrast. This results in vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation and perfect renditions of subtle tones. The additional T* coating on the lens further reduces unwanted glare and flare.

2.7-Inch Wide Touch Panel SwivelScreen LCD Display (123K Pixels)
The 2.7-inch wide (16:9) LCD screen provides excellent viewing clarity with improved resolution. The high resolution 123K pixel LCD screen rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles providing sharp, detailed images for monitoring or playback, and the widescreen format makes shooting in 16:9 mode and composing shots even easier.

Analog to Digital Conversion with Pass Through
Convert and/or record any analog NTSC video source to digital video via the analog inputs. Analog NTSC video can also be passed through the digital Handycam Camcorder directly into a PC via the i.LINK interface in real-time for easy PC editing of your analog footage

Digital Still Memory Mode with Memory Stick Duo Media
Capture still images at 2016 x 1512 (3.0 megapixel) resolution, directly onto Memory Stick Duo Media for easy transfer to PCs for e-mailing, printing or sharing with other compatible Memory Stick devices.

Progressive Shutter System
A mechanical shutter system that provides progressive scan performance while utilizing an interlaced scanning system. Digital still images will be sharp and clear with excellent definition.

Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System
Picture stabilization system that uses motion sensors to detect and compensate for camera "shake" without compromising picture quality like some other digital stabilization systems.

Handycam Station
The supplied Handycam Station cradle provides quick and easy connections to a TV for viewing or to a PC for editing and sharing video. Just placing the camcorder on the Handycam Station instantly makes the connections. No need to search for cables or wires when charging or playing back.

i.LINK DV Interface
A digital high-speed bi-directional interface which provides audio-video communication between two compatible devices. This connection allows for pure digital transfer between devices equipped with an IEEE1394 interface, such as camcorders, digital VTRs, capture cards, and PCs.

One-Touch Wide-Angle Shooting
Easily switch between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios for shooting with just the touch of a button

Manual Focus
Allows the user to manually adjust the focus of the camcorder using the touch panel. Manual focusing also allows the user to control the focus in difficult situations where either the environment or the subject does not allow the camcorder's auto focus to perform optimally, such as when shooting through a window or in a crowded environment.

Super NightShot Infrared System
With Sony's NightShot Infrared System you can capture natural looking video, even when shooting in low light. Record subjects up to 20 feet away using the built-in infrared system.

Additional Features
Tele Macro function
Active interface shoe
USB streaming
On-screen zoom and record controls
Program AE (autoexposure) modes
Picture effects
Digital effects
Battery information
Easy Handycam button
Picture Package software

Review

This is a nice camcorder but the Handycam Station makes it less appealing. I have to remember to take the docking station everywhere I travel. What makes it worse is that the Handycam Station is very loosely snapped onto the camcorder. It can easily fall off and disconnect when you try to transfer video/picture through it. The camcorder itself does not have USB or IEEE1394 built-in. All these vital ports are in the Handycam Station. If it were not for this awkward docking station, I would have bought this camcorder.
Source: http://www.amazon.com/