The lofty price of the HVR-Z7E will put it out of the reach of all but the most serious videomakers. Corporate and events cameramen will long for it, but may struggle to justify the expense. Nevertheless, it points the way forward for professional camcorders, particularly now Panasonic has announced that more models using AVCHD and SD will be arriving later in 2008. Sony's embracing of solid state recording is a sign of how tape's days as a primary recording medium are numbered, even if it's still the most cost effective choice for long-term archiving. With its removable lens system and choice of recording systems, the HVR-Z7E is a great camcorder for electronic news gathering and independent filmmaking alike.
