SonyHDR-CX300 16GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder Review

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(More customer reviews)I considered the HDR-CX300 (this one), HDR-CX350V, and the HDR-CX550V.
In a nutshell my decision process went like this:
The CX550V has a better lens than the others, and more memory, but was completely out of my price range - so out of the question.
The CX300 and CX350V appear to be similar except:
- the CX350V has 32GB built in memory instead of 16GB
- the CX350V has GPS capability
- at time of purchase the CX350V was a good bit more expensive than the CX300 (but there is only a ~$40 difference now).
To address each of these points:
- Built-in memory is a non-issue. These camcorders have SD card slots so you can effectively expand to whatever capacity you need (and typically at much cheaper than the premium you pay for "built-in" memory). Also, this camcorder can store about 85 minutes video on the built-in 16GB memory using the highest quality setting (24MB/s high def). Do you really need to record more than 85 minutes at a time, really? I'd wager that most folks grossly overstate their memory requirement. The obvious exception to this is event recording, e.g. recording a child's play/performance/game etc.
- GPS would have been a "nice to have" but not necessary for me. I understand that enabling this feature on the higher end models drains the battery faster.
- At time of purchase the CX300 was considerably cheaper.
Considering these points I selected the CX300.
Thoughts on the CX300:
Pros:
- I upgraded from a standard def DV camera (Sony DCR-HC96). No comparison in quality, this camera blows it away. I can't compare to other AVCHD cameras, but I'm pleased.
- Low light performance is pretty good, especially at maximum bit rate (24MB/s setting), I know the CX550V is better with a larger sensor, but I've got no complaints, and if you don't go start pixel peeping then I'll bet most people would never know the difference between the two.
- image stabilization ("Optical SteadyShot") is an order of magnitude better than any consumer grade camera I've used
- really really small (think soda can size), smaller means you'll carry it more - it can fit in a loose pants or jacket pocket
- no "dock" to deal with like my previous camera (e.g. for charging, syncing, etc)
- auto mode is pretty good (I'm an enthusiast still photographer, but I just use this thing on auto and it works great)
- macro mode is impressive, it can focus really really close up
- there are a few 'gimmick' modes, e.g. slow motion etc - they work as advertised
- footage is actually "smaller" (per hour) than standard definition DV footage, something like 13GB/hr for SD DV, and 11-12GB/hr for this camera at the highest quality setting
- wide angle lens, makes the camera much more usable indoors
Cons:
- no viewfinder, have to use LCD for recording (I don't mind this, but in bright light situations it can get a little washed out) - minor issue in my opinion
- ergonomics aren't great - the zoom toggle is a little hard to use depending on how you hold it (try it out in a local store first)
- supplied battery is mediocre. good enough for a day's worth of intermittent shooting on a family vacation, but probably not enough for recording a long event
- haven't found a good case for it, the smallest sony case is still a little too big - have to stuff some additional padding in there
- CX350V is now only marginally more expensive, so now less of a case for buying this camera
- menu is small and tedious to use (expected at this price point I think)
Other/misc:
- This camera records to AVCHD format straight to internal memory or SD card - no tapes involved. There is a lot of debate about this. On the plus side it means you can transfer the footage to your movie by just doing a file copy without having to play it back at normal speed on the camera to transfer it to computer, like you do with a DV tape. On the down side, tapes are a fantastic automatic back up (assuming you don't record over your tapes), but you've got no back up here. It's up to you to back up your files just like you do your photos, important docs, etc.
- AVCHD is a fiddly format to handle. Not all software deals with it well for transferring editing. For Mac, if you connect the camera and import *directly from camera to imovie* (i.e. recent versions of imovie 08/09) it will work fine. IMovie transcodes this to Apple Intermediate Codec on import. This blows up the file size by quite a bit. IF YOU COPY THE MTS FILES STRAIGHT TO YOUR COMPUTER FIRST, THEN IMOVIE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THEM. That's just the way iMovie works (it expects a certain folder structure found on the camera in order to recognize the footage). If you copy the files straight to your computer first then you need to convert them to another format (e.g. AIC) or use something like VoltaicHD to deal with them (Voltaic works great and is cheap). I have no idea how all this works on PC but the camcorder comes with PC software for managing the footage. AVCHD support will get better in the coming months/years as more camcorders adopt this format.
- You can burn *high def* footage to a DVD (in AVCHD format), and this can be played in some blu-ray players (not DVD players), but only if you do not select the highest (24MB/s) bit rate option.
- If you find online prices that are too good to be true, they probably are (i.e. they are grey market, or they'll call you to upsell you accessories you don't need). Amazon's price is competitive (was for me).
- still photo quality is adequate, nothing to write home about
I'd recommend this camera to a friend, but now that the CX350V is not much more expensive, I'd also tell them to consider the CX350V.

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Sony HDR-HC5 4MP MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)I am writing this as someone who is not a true videophile, but who nonetheless pays some critical attention to picture quality and ease of use. I have no interest in making any videos other than reasonable quality family videos. I have owned a SD miniDV camera for 7 years before buying this one. The picture quality was observed on a Sony SXRD 60" HDTV using component cables. I didn't have the HDMI cable with the mini connector to try out a digital connection.
I bought this camera last week and tried it out during a Memorial Day trip with the family. The picture quality is extremely good. It's not quite as good as a top-notch HD feed (such as Discovery HD), but appears to me to be equal to most HD channels we receive over Comcast cable. Another poster said the quality is not much better than DVD, but for me this is clearly not the case--it's *much* better than DVD. Although in some detailed reviews online there are still images showing interlace artifacts, in viewing running video I have been unable to notice any effects of interlacing at all, even in fast-moving objects. Pans work well, with no objectionable artifacts or lagging. For outdoor scenes the picture is really stunning. Indoors at night, with ordinary light levels, the picture is not as good, with a graininess that is especially apparent on objects with a smooth texture, such as painted walls. Still, the picture is acceptable to me.
The camera has lots of features, mostly accessable from its touchscreen display. However, you can set the camera in "easy" mode, which selects a reasonable set of default settings. I confess that's the only mode I used, and the results were impressive. As I learn more about the camera I may fiddle with more advanced settings.
The camera can also take decent still photos, not up to par with a good digital camera but perfectly acceptable for when you don't want to lug around a separate camera. One cute feature is that it's possible to take still pictures in 16:9 mode while filming. This doesn't interrupt the filming, and the pictures are stored on the Memory Stick. Up to three such pictures can be taken in any filming sequence (from start to stop).
[Added 6/4/07] I have used the still camera some more. I compared the 16:9 pictures taken in video camera mode to those taken in the standard 4:3 camera mode, and I couldn't see any significant differences in quality (other than the 16:9 being wider). This in spite of the fact that Sony states the 16:9 mode pictures have an "effective resolution" of 2.3 Mpixels while those in 4:3 have a resolution of 4.0 Mpixels. (Note that, as far as I can tell, the camera doesn't actually have a 4 MP sensor, but uses some sort of interpolation to get 4 MP.) I also compared these pictures to ones taken with my 2001-vintage Canon Powershot digital camera; those from the Sony HDR-HC5 were clearly better. HOWEVER, the low-light capabilities of the Sony still camera modes is very poor, much worse than its low-light video capabilities. In ordinary indoor lighting the pictures are very grainy. Even in outdoor shots, faces that are in shade have a certain graininess. So in good light the stills are fine, but in low light they're not very good. [End]
The battery life was OK. I estimate I got an hour or so from the included battery. This was enough for shooting perhaps 30 minutes of video under real world conditions.
I was able to read in and edit the video using iMovie HD on my Mac. I couldn't send it back to tape because of a FireWire problem with my computer, but I assume it would look just as good as the original.
Overall, I can heartily recommend this camera to anyone who cares about picture quality, but is not an advanced videographer needing special features. For instance, there have been some complaints about the lack of a manual focussing ring, but in my daily use (and my 7 years with my SD camera) I have never felt the need for this. Now I'm waiting for inexpensive HD-DVD or Blu-Ray burners!

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Imaging Device: 1/3" 2100K Gross Pixels ClearVid CMOS Sensor
Pixel Gross: 2100K
Recording Media: MiniDV Cassette, Memory Stick Duo Media, Memory Stick PRO Duo Media Recording and Playback Times: High Definition: 60
minutes; Standard Definition: SP=60 min., LP=90 min.
Video Actual: 1430K Pixels (16:9), 1080K Pixels (4:3)
Still Actual: 1490K Pixels (16:9), 1990K Pixels (4:3)
SteadyShot Image Stabilization(Super; Electronic)
Accessory Shoe , Active Interface Shoe
White Balance: Auto/Outdoor/Indoor/One Push Memory Stick PRO Media Compatibility: Tested to support up to 4GB media capacity; does not support high speed transfer function; does not support Access Control security function.
Still Image Mode(s): JPEG
Minimum Illumination: 2 Lux (0 Lux with Super
NightShot Infrared System
Low Light Capability: Super NightShot system
Easy Operation
Fader Effects: Black, Mono

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Sony HDR-SR1 AVCHD 2.1 MP 30GB High-Definition Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)I received the camcorder a couple of days ago to replace my older Sony miniDV camcorder that is nine years old (still works well). I bought the new one after buying a Samsung 46" LCD flat screen and seening what I have been missing in HD television and it made the my existing camcorder look mediocre. I needed an HD camcorder to go with the HD display.
I have seen other photographers using hard drive camcorders with USB ports and decided then that I would go that for next purchase of a camcorder. I saw two advantages over the miniDV tape of the hard drive: (1)the ability to transfer the images onto a computer quickly (it is more than twice as fast as transferring a miniDV tape using firewire) and (2) the HD had 4 hours or more of operation without changing tapes. I film my son's sporting events that run two hours and changing tapes is always ackward.
I have used on trial basis a camcorder that had the small DVD burner built inside and it worked fine but the need for for having the camcorder operate on the charger for 15 minutes or more to "finalize" the disk was very annoying. I also worry about the miniDVD disks skipping during filming while using miniDVD camcorders in high shake environments such as in the back of speedboat. The just seem intuitively more vibration prone, but I could be worried about nothing. Thus I chose the hard drive version over the miniDV tape and the miniDVD disk similiar camcorder that Sony sells.
Thus far the device has worked well and looks great on the HD large screen TV. I film my son's first football game in HD tommorrow. I had to go back to the store to buy the bigger QM71 battery. The battery the come with camcorder claims to work 90 minutes, but this goes by quickly. The QM71 battery lasts for more three hours. I amd considering also buying the QM91 battery but it very thick and takes up lots of space behind the camera. I like to have two batteries, one to charge and one to use. I also bought a travel charger for the camcorder that makes it possble to charge the battery at home while using the camcorder untethered with a second battery.
I read reports about some people no liking the touch screen and finding it confusing. This is a complicated and it is at time confusing but I like the touch screen.
The worst part of the camcorder is not the camera at all, the software is not up to the rest of the amazing capabilities of the rest of the gear. I use the camera with Windows XP and so I used the free sony software the came with the camera. THe camera puts out .m2ts files. I would guess that none of your current software recognizes this. Mine certainly did not and I have lots of different current software. Apparently .m2ts is the file extentions for the new AVC/H.264 the Sony and Panasonic (of VHS tape fame) are jointly trying to establish. I bought this camera because I this this new disk format with dominated the prosumer video space and many companies will sell slick software for it.
One surprise (it should not have been but I did think about it) was that the HD video images require much more computing horsepower to display than the prior generations of video. A 3 GHz Pentium 4 is the bare minimum to allow a PC to show the video images without jerkyness (Also the new Pentium DUOs work was well). If your current computer is a little old you can use the camcorer to play the videos on your flatscreen but this is not a long term solution. Is possible to fairly easily move videos back forth between the camcorder and your old computer using the USB port. The transfer speed is around 500 MB per minute so the entire 30GB may take an hour. I may a little optimistic on this transfer rate but it not way off. I have just done a few transfers thus far and never have I transfer the whole drive. The longest transfer was 20 minutes and this around 1/3 of a drive. This is much, much fast than the 120MB per minute that I have been getting using my miniDV tape drive on my old Sony camcorder. The radical increase in transfer speed is what I was looking for. While the now think of this as being awesome fast, it will not take more than a few weeks before I think that even this speed is painfully slow. That is why technology is, never enough.
The camera controls, zoom, etc are fairly conventional. Although the detail in the images is awesome since they are HD. I use the 10X optical zoom with a 2X digital zoom mode selected which give me plenty of zoom range. There is a 10X digital zoom range mode but the images are very pixelated at the extreme end of the zoom.
The camera is surprisingly small and compact, moreso than my old camcorder.
The sound is awesome (Dolby 5 channel surround sound). I never new how important sound was until four years ago when I got the surround sound for my DVD player. Have surround for football games and basketball game filming will put the crowd behind me and the field noises in front of me. I will learn more how works out in the future, but inital test show it is working as it seems it should.
The real test will come after using the camera couple of months and seeing all the difference in the new film results. I sure the camera will out well. I many have to buy a new computer or a new video card to using my computer as a player, but I still have some software changes to try.
I can burn traditonal DVDs or a new kind of HD DVDs (called AVCHDs). If I get a bluray burner I can make Bluray HD DVDs. Many options for playback. I store all of our currently family videos on a 750GB hard disk for which I have a USB 750GB drive for backup. I like this method of storing the video collection. Many Blurays or othe DVDs is not my first choice. I have seen dedicated HD video players that can operate through the ethernet. This another avenue to explore. Meanwhile I will use the camera as a video player and see if buy a new video card for my computer fixes my jerkiness with my 2.5 GHZ Pentium computer.
The best thing about the camera is the awesome look of the videos on the large flatscreen LCD display and the worst thing is the annoying software that comes for free with the camera (although it does 75% of what you want).


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Sony DCRTRV950 MiniDV Digital Camcorder Review

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(More customer reviews)great camcorder. the 3CCDs really make a difference in video quality in my opinion. unfortunately, you pay for this quality!
pros:
- as expected from a 3CCD camcorder, the trv-950 delivers excellent video quality - colors are reproduced accurately.
- 1 megapixel still capability.
- miniDV media is widely supported.
- 12X optical zoom!
- steady shot optical stabilization system works well.
- ability to record mpeg videos directly to memory stick.
- progressive shutter system.
- offers color bars and zebra striping.
- the 3.5" LCD screen is great.
- built-in flash for stills.
- built-in mic does a good job picking up sound from the target, not the operator.
- great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.
- buttons along the left side and back of the camera body control essential camera functions (manual settings for focus, white balance, audio level, shutter speed, and special lighting situations) so you won't need to dive into menus for these commonly used capabilities.
- side-mounted cassette means you can change tapes while the camcorder is mounted on a tripod.
- low motor noise.
- intelligent accessory shoe - very useful if you use the appropriate accessories.
- allows a great deal of manual control.
cons:
- no built in video light but you can get a video light for less about fifty bucks.
- you could do better on the still photo department. for example, sony's trv80 and trv70 have 2 megapixel capability while panasonic's pv-dv953 delivers 3 megapixel stills.
- as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.
- don't expect miracles from 1 megapixel stills.
- not as compact as i would like. dimensions are 4"H x 3-3/4"W x 8"D, weighing 2.4 lbs.
- the included 8MB memory stick is unacceptable. be prepared to shell out more money for at least a 32MB or bigger memory stick.
- does not have a NightShot mode (although i'm not a big fan of this feature).
- MPEG movies saved to Memory Stick are much darker than the same scene recorded to a miniDV tape.
- noticeable shutter lag for still captures.
- bluetooth communication requires optional purchases = more $$.
- touchscreen menu system is not intuitive.
this is great camcorder if you are looking for a 3CCD system. it sits atop sony's prosumer line. the competition is catching up though so make sure you also consider the panasonic pv-dv953. peace.

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Near the top of Sony's line of MiniDV camcorders stands the DCR-TRV950, the successor to the wildly popular TRV900. Packed with features such as the CCDs, 12x optical zoom, pop-up flash, manual and automatic controls, and a large 3.5-inch LCD screen, aspiring moviemakers find a true performance camcorder at an agreeable price.
Lens The lens boasts three separate CCD sensors, with each one dedicated to capturing a certain hue of the image. That means sharper imaging, 530 lines of resolution, with colors that are true to life. The SteadyShot function stabilizes the picture and reduces camera shake. The TRV950's optical zoom magnifies up to 12 times, which is enough for most purposes. Turn on the digital zoom, which electronically magnifies the optical image, and reach up to 150x.
Digital Stills Digital stills can be stored on a Memory Stick that works independently from the DV tape system. The camera performs with 1-megapixel resolution, making it capable of sharp images that are up to 1,152 x 864 pixels in size. When you need more light for your photos there is a built-in flash unit that can pop up. The camera can also shoot in MPEG movie mode, storing 320 x 240 videos onto the memory stick.
Inputs and Outputs The TRV950 is equipped with the standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire) for a super-fast, lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines. The USB connection is used to transfer digital photos and MPEG movies, while the innovative wireless Bluetooth capability adds network connectivity. The traditional S-video and RCA connections are also provided for direct viewing on a television or VHS dubbing.
The DCR-TRV950 comes with one 8 MB Memory Stick. Memory Sticks are reusable, but if you tend to take a lot of digital images, then you'll want a bigger card.
MiniDV Format MiniDV digital technology delivers clear, sharp video with over 500 lines of horizontal resolution--far superior to the 240 lines of resolution offered by 8mm camcorders. You'll also get minimal color noise interference for a more stable picture.
You'll also get excellent sound quality, recorded in either 12-bit or 16-bit audio recording modes.

16-bit audio includes on set of stereo audio tracks to produce CD-quality sound.
12-bit audio utilizes two sets of audio tracks so you can easily add background music or commentary into your videos while maintaining the existing soundtrack.

This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of two full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

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