When you open the display, it shows a control panel for playback and rewinding the cassette. We particularly liked the "BattInfo" button. When the camcorder is turned off and you press it, the display lights up showing you the remaining battery life, both with and without the LCD display in use. A great feature!

The color viewfinder is adjustable, but seemed a little narrow for a model of this size. There's a built-in shutter-type lens cover, which is a lot more practical than the typical lens cap (which often bangs against the camera body when it is in use). The HDR-FX1's body is quite long at 14.4" (36.5 cm) and also rather heavy at 4.6 lb (2.1 kg.) Sony sells an optional shoulder brace that will save your wrist during press work.