well well, here we meet again...i delayed my HC16 review since i really have mixed feelings about this little cam. I used it for 3 weeks while on holiday and i can say more about it than on day one.

* battery life is excellent, the indicator is very accurate.
* nightshot is very good, it really does make a difference and the quality is really acceptable.
* the LCD menu is really useful and easy to use. The "easy" mode simplyfies it even more.

negatives

* it is loud...i mean almost like a small coffee grinder when ff/rew the tape at fullspeed.
* the on/off switch can be a bit annoying
* the main negative i have about it (or is it just my cam) is that after not even a week of use, it reported a "dirty head". Since then my recordings have gone astray...missing video at the beginning of the tape, grey horizontal bars or grey pixelation thru video...my tape time goes to hell and back, nothing is timestamped properly anymore in certain spots.

funny thing is even after i use a head-cleaning tape they still show up. After a while they disappear??!!!!??? I mean it just CAN'T be true that the heads get dirty THAT fast...from what??? I tried different tapes too (fuji/sony), in SP/LP more, easymode/default recording, 12/16bit sound...everything.

I read about some other users that had similar problems with the HC** series, they all have RMAed their cams. Very nice ending after spending a great amount of time doing research on those little bastard cameras

I think i'm going to return it too and buy a JVC DX27 or a Panasonic GS22/30 (which i had before for a week). If i can't do it, then i'll send it back to Sony (thru the store) and get a replacement HC16. If that will exibit the same problems, then i'll be pissed off with Sony for good.

Hope this small post helps potential HC** buyers, and if any HC** owners have had similar problems, please post here what happened to yours.
Thanks.