We gave these YouTube-friendly camcorders from Sony, JVC and Panasonic a run for their money in Las Vegas. Also, will uploads of spy videos propel in 2009? Get the scoop here.
Sony MHS-PM1
 HD from a little slab of orange plastic? It's hunting season and Sony's got its sights set on the Flip Mino. Aside from being obscenely compact, the new Sony MHS-PM1 features a swivel lens that rotates up to 180 degrees for those dangerously hard-to-reach shooting locations. The Sony MHS-PM1 has a 5-megapixel 1/2.5" CMOS sensor and records exclusively to Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.
Perhaps the most enticing factor here is the Sony MHS-PM1's colorful appearance and built-in Picture Motion Browser software for enhanced YouTube uploading. We've used PMB in the past and had no monumental issues. Uploading was solid and the software was intuitive for the most part. Sony managed to cram a 5x optical zoom in the mighty little Sony MHS-PM1 and the camcorder offers a handful of Scene modes. Price: $170. Release: March 2009.
JVC Everio GZ-MS130
 We remember having mega issues with JVC's first generation GZ-MS100. The built-in software just couldn't cut it. This year, JVC walked us through the JVC Everio GZ-MS130's built-in software, which was a much-needed improvement. We were able to view video clips in a calendar format and upload in batches via drag-and-drop functionality. You'd have to live under a rock your entire life not to be able to grasp the new upload procedure.
The JVC Everio GZ-MS130 has a basic 1/6" CCD, so we're expecting an average standard-definition performance. But that really won't matter since YouTube crapifies any video that happens to be uploaded. The JVC GZ-MS130 is a tiny camcorder, and consumers can choose between iridescent Onyx Black or Topaz Blue, colors that will attract tweens and moms questing for internet fame. Price: $350. Release: February 2009.
Panasonic SDR-H80
 Since most 2009 standard-definition Panasonic camcorders have built-in uploading software, in addition to a YouTube shooting mode to cap users at the magic 10 minute mark, we're going to blow your minds with something else. The Panasonic SDR-H80 is equipped with an absurd 70x optical zoom, which beats the pants off of any other zoom in the camcorder world at the moment. This should be illegal. We were able to reach the other end of the convention hall with one of these bad boys. The Panasonic SDR-H80 is certainly one device that will not fare well in the wrong hands.
The Panasonic SDR-H80 has a 60GB HDD and a tiny 0.8-megapixel 1/8" sensor, perfect for YouTube quality. This zoom machine is also exceedingly compact and comes in Silver, Black, Blue and Red. 70x optical zoom…what is this world coming to? Price: $450. Release: April 2009.
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