I read a ton of reviews from various sources before buying this camcorder, but I wish I had also gone to a store and held it in my hand. I agree with other reviewers that there is a lot to like about the unit, such as good picture quality, a viewfinder and good battery life. However, the ergonomics are surprisingly poor. My hands are about average size for most men, so I doubt these problems are unique to me:

1) The REC/PAUSE button is right where my thumb wants to rest to hold the camera steady, so it is hard to avoid hitting the button by mistake even with practice. The button also has no light on it to show which mode it is in.
2) The ZOOM control is a sensitive toggle bar on the top of the unit right where my first finger wants to rest to hold the camera comfortably, making it hard to avoid inadvertent zooming. The only alternatives for that finger are on the PHOTO button or the REC/OFF/PLAY rotary switch.
3) The viewfinder does not pop out, nor does it have an eye cup of any kind, so you have to smash your face up against the back of the unit to use it.

On a more functional note, the anti-shake feature doesn't seem to be as good as it was on my old Canon Elura 10. It might be partly that the higher definition may make any shaking more noticeable.

I know the camera will suffice with practice, and perhaps a couple ridges of epoxy applied to keep my fingers from slipping onto the controls. Still, if my old Elura 10 hadn't died, I would gladly forgo HD and stick with its better ergonomics and pop out viewfinder with a rubber eye cup.