Sony Handycam DCR-HC52 Digital Camcorder - Tape Drive - 16:9 - 2.5 Color LCD - 40x Optical/2000x Digital
Sony
- DCRHC52
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Reviews
(54)
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Item was straw purchase; I purchased it for someone else, a friend who has never chosen to use any form of credit card. But anyway, the camera works flawlessly in it's chosen use, filming skydiving students/customers while mounted on a helmet.
Only a little lack of info on Amazon site, but easily obtainable on Sony site was the lens size/thread pitch so a wide angle lens could be purchased. Overall, no complaints, camera and Amazon worked as expected.
Only a little lack of info on Amazon site, but easily obtainable on Sony site was the lens size/thread pitch so a wide angle lens could be purchased. Overall, no complaints, camera and Amazon worked as expected.
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Easily put this is my 3rd Sony Handycam to die on me in ten years! I bought this camera 6 months ago to replace the exact same one that I got 3 years before that. BOTH died on me and with very normal use! I have tons of money invested in batteries and accessories. Sony customer service is terrible. To just have someone try to fix the problem it would start out at $150 which is a joke for a camera that was bought 6 months ago. I will never buy another Sony camcorder based on the short life span, quality of picture and customer service. I highly recommend going with a different brand and certainly not buying this model. Maybe their higher end models are better and last longer but I have had zero luck with their products. Ugrading to an exensive HD camcorder now and will spend even more because I wont buy another Sony. Sadly, my batteries and accessories will go to waste.
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Highly recommend this camera. Compact design; multiple color choices; nice viewfinder feature to access menu. No need to touch screen (scratching it over time); small LED light for low-light filming. Auto turn-on when you open viewfinder. Snapshot feature great at the touch of a button. Anti-jiggle feature. Large storage capacity. Easy to download to computer or save to disk. I went for the returned cameras at Best Buy; getting a brand new camera that someone didn't want for $150 less than the never-been touched. Well worth it! 90-day guarantee. Can purchase extended warranty within one-year of purchase. Great camera for the serious filmer.
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This is a great little video camera. Lite weight and easy to use. Night vision mode works well for video in low light! A great value for the price!
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let me start by saying, Canon and Sony are two of the big name cameras used in the television station I have worked at. Second of all Firewire and digital tape (DV) have been one of the most ideal standards for dealing with professional digital video for years. It's just lately I think solid state cameras are really coming into play here. As a consumer level camera canon, sony and others such as panasonic, jvc have solid reputations, but as with any company and mass production these days lemons show up. Anyway I wanted to address a couple of the reviewers here and their complaints. First of all Firewire was mainly developed for macs by apple and texas instruments. and I think sony had a hand in it too. as a rule of thumb windows computers do no have firewire out of the box. Of course it's possible to add or even buy already present on any computer these days. As for the reviewer who complained about no audio in wmp. Windows as a whole does not play nice with DV support the dv standard.
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I bought this camera for my Uncle. I bought this video camera because it was the cheapest camera that used mini DV tapes. I am very happy with the purchase. The only thing I wish this camera had, is the ability to capture video or pictures on a SD card. The camcorder is very small and compact and seems to be very good quality. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cheap camcorder that has decent video quality.
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I purchased this several days ago to replace a Sony Handycam DCR-HC36 (dead firewire port) that I had been using for about 4 years. And of course this was THE ONLY cam I could find anywhere with i.LINK. I did not want a cam with USB. It works the same as the old cam, but much better quality & zooming. Pictures are clear. Does everything I want/need it too. Sadly there is no remote control though. Some of us like to set up the cam on a tripod & record from a distance, where zooming in & out with a remote is required. But, ohh well. I cannot comment on the battery, as I run the camera directly from it's AC adapter. I also do not use the mini cassettes, because I stream video directly into my iMac or MacBookPro. For $250 I got a decent little cam. No special bells or whistles, but I really was not looking for that. This is perfect for home use & short videos to be published online.
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I love the picture quality. i love that you can transfer videos if you have 1394 cable and card... but what if you don't have either one.. I would have been happier if they supplied the 1394 cable with the camcorder... The biggest advantage of the the mini-DV ... you are not dependent on a hard drive (which for all it's convenience is still a less reliable media when compared to a DV tape or DVD. The picture quality is very good.. I had a DCR HC20.. was very happy with it.. got the DCR hc52.. it had more zoom.. but they completely eliminated the USB.. which was kind of Bizarre.. but it's Sony and they like to be proprietary retained the firewire.. Would have loved it even more if they could find a way to attach a flash.. but I knew about these minor drawbacks even before I bought... and went ahead all the same 'cos i loved the picture quality with my dcrhc 20.. so far the hc52 has been as good as anticipated
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Esta cámara es práctica, cómoda y con una calidad de imagen verdaderamente limpia para ser una cámara de aficionado. La función de Night Shot es un atractivo especial y de mucha utilidad para mi que necesito grabar algunas escenas nocturnas. Su panel LCD es Touch Screen funciona muy bien, y la cámara tiene buenas funciones para foco manual. Lo mejor para mi es poder grabar en cintas de Mini Dv y no en memoria, porque así mis videos son tangibles y puedo archivarlos. La batería dura unos 120 minutos aunque yo trato de usar el visor en vez del LCD para alargar la duración de la misma. Totalmente satisfecho!
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I love this camera, i use it for filming skateboarding and it works great. it was $40 off and it shipped in 3 days suprisingly!! i highly recommend it for skateboarding. it uses dv cassettes and not SD cards which some people would not like, but it works great. i am putting a fisheye on it , and with the record button and zoom button on the screen, it makes it easy to use. its great!!!
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I'll try my best to update as soon as I've logged some hours, but first thing's first. My Canon ZR-10, bought in June '01 (to tape honeymoon) just said goodbye as the tape got tangled and took a head with it as I grabbed it out of the camcorder. So I did some research, saw that miniDV, while on its way out, still provides the best video quality (as compression algorithms necessary to facilitate using DVD-R, HDD, or Flash memory noticeably compromise in this area), has the longest projected lifetime, and is currently the cheapest on the market. I'm still thinking about the Elura 100, but it's at least 3 years old now, and I don't feel like trying a used seller for such a purchase. Having used the DCR-H52 for about an hour so far, (1) FireWire works fine with my Mac, (2) Mac immediately recognizes it, and (3) what's the fuss about buying FireWire? Get it on the cheap online, no worries! Having used the Sony Hi8 format back in the day (mid 90's) as well as to record my honeymoon when the ZR-10
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Good Camcorder for the Value, nothing compared to the features and quality of the 1600 dollar JVC I bought 8 years ago! I got this Camera in order to transfer my old MiniDv tapes to PC and DVD. I hooked it up with 3 different NEW I Link Cables, 2 PC's with Vista 64 bit and one with Win XP laptop and to a DVD/VCR 1394 connection. Nothing worked! Spent hours and days with Sony Tech Support that were clueless and woudl not admit that the Camera port was an issue. Spent hours with teh very helpful HP support who thru diagnostics established it was the Camera port. Sent the camera back and Amazon replaced it in Two days (Which was the Great service I have known Amazon for). Another good reason to buy directly from Amazon so that you don't have to send directly back to Amazon or Amzon's vendor. I also ended up paying 29 USD to buy "Driver Robot" to get any and all possible Vista 64 bit. Luckily the newly Replaced exact same Camcorder worked. Extensive research on the net shows that Sony
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I own 4 different Sony camcorders. I bought this one because all of the others stopped having the ability to transfer video to a PC using the IEEE 1394 firewire (iLink) cable. Right outta the box, this one is not recognized by 3 different PCs, all having firewire ports, all having WinXP, tried with a variety of 4-pin to 6-pin cables. I'm done with SONY. The reason I kept purchasing SONY was to transfer SONY video. I used a Samsung camera to transfer video but the codecs caused choppy video. My camcorders are all $300 and below in cost. If you search the Internet forums you'll see that SONY has serious problems with their firewire ports. Another SONY for my useless collection.
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Preserve special memories and important events on MiniDV discs with ease thanks to this Handycam camcorder. Get up close and personal with the 40x optical zoom lens and let SteadyShot image stabilization keep things looking sharp and detailed.
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I purchased this camera for our first cruise. I am editing the video in iMovie and displaying it via my AppleTV on a 720p HDTV. The video quality is poor when set to the LP mode, which I used for the extra time. Most of us know from the VCR days that longer modes have poorer video quality, but the poor quality was quite surprising. Lots of jagged edges and poor color saturation plague this camera. Even with the understanding that this is an entry level camera, this picture quality still looks poor to me. To be fair, some of this poor quality is also due to iMovie's implementation of stabilization, which zooms in on the video to increase stability. Unstabilized video looks ok, but it still isn't great. If relatively poor video is ok with you... This camera is lightweight, sips battery, and is small. It fits perfectly in one hand. The touch screen is a nice-to-have, but not a requirement. It does reduce the number of physical buttons, which is nice. I bought a larger extra battery,
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It is a very good camcorder to have, I loved it when I got it for christmas. It's very easy to hold and it has a night shot control. Also it includes a video on how to use it. It plays a big part in my skateboarding.
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I love this camera. You can even use it in the dark. It has good battery life, the quakity is excellent and you even have a touch screen which makes it eaiser to use. I have not found a bad thing about it exept you have to buy your own firewire connector, so you can upload your videos.
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This is a great beginner camera, and has some higher level features at an entry level price. It has a great picture and fine sound. The major complaint made in the reviews I've read was that there was no firewire cable included. Of course Sony likes to sell their proprietary iLink which is their name for the ieee 1394 cable. The reason I believe it's not included, is because they don't know which cable to include. If you have a laptop with built in firewire, you will probably need a 4 pin-4pin, if you have a PCI card in your desktop, you will probably need a 4 pin-6pin. Then there is the question of length, 3', 4',6'.etc. Everyone's needs are different so it's best to order the cable separately. Cables run from 5.00 - $45.00 so a good online search is recommended.
Some fault the camera for not haveing a still capture, but most of the camcorders that do have them are such low quality poor resolution that they are worthless. I use a separate digital camera of my choice for that.
My
Some fault the camera for not haveing a still capture, but most of the camcorders that do have them are such low quality poor resolution that they are worthless. I use a separate digital camera of my choice for that.
My
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This is a great beginner camera, and has some higher level features at an entry level price. It has a great picture and fine sound. The major complaint made in the reviews I've read was that there was no firewire cable included. Of course Sony likes to sell their proprietary iLink which is their name for the ieee 1394 cable. The reason I believe it's not included, is because they don't know which cable to include. If you have a laptop with built in firewire, you will probably need a 4 pin-4pin, if you have a PCI card in your desktop, you will probably need a 4 pin-6pin. Then there is the question of length, 3', 4',6'.etc. Everyone's needs are different so it's best to order the cable separately. Cables run from 5.00 - $45.00 so a good online search is recommended. Some fault the camera for not haveing a still capture, but most of the camcorders that do have them are such low quality poor resolution that they are worthless. I use a separate digital camera of my choice for that.
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This is a great beginner camera, and has some higher level features at an entry level price. It has a great picture and fine sound. The major complaint made in the reviews I've read was that there was no firewire cable included. Of course Sony likes to sell their proprietary iLink which is their name for the ieee 1394 cable. The reason I believe it's not included, is because they don't know which cable to include. If you have a laptop with built in firewire, you will probably need a 4 pin-4pin, if you have a PCI card in your desktop, you will probably need a 4 pin-6pin. Then there is the question of length, 3', 4',6'.etc. Everyone's needs are different so it's best to order the cable separately. Cables run from 5.00 - $45.00 so a good online search is recommended.
Some fault the camera for not haveing a still capture, but most of the camcorders that do have them are such low quality poor resolution that they are worthless. I use a separate digital camera of my choice for that.
My
Some fault the camera for not haveing a still capture, but most of the camcorders that do have them are such low quality poor resolution that they are worthless. I use a separate digital camera of my choice for that.
My
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The overall positive reviews on this mini-dvd camera are warranted. This is a great little camera for the money that produces some very good video. I have a Panasonic DVX100B, and I initially purchased this camera as a low cost video deck alternative, so I wouldn't wear out the motor on the DVX while downloading video footage into my computer...and this camera serves that purpose very well. But, I found that this camera is just a fun overall camera to have just to shoot video on the run without the need to set up a bunch of other equipment.
I highly recommend this camera.
I highly recommend this camera.
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I bought this product to replace one of the first Sony Digital8 Camcorders that ever went on the market (DCR-TRV510). I've had that camera for 9+ years and have loved it. I bought this camera because because the reviews were decent, the price was good, and I like Sony products. I've had the camera about two months now and I'm very disappointed with the color of the videos. They are very dark compared to what they should be.
My most recent project was filming a basketball game where I had four different Sony digital camcorders in use on the same court (I film a complete game once a year). The other three Sony camcorders (all older, different models) produced far better color than this one. The colors produced by this camera are, quite simply, terrible. The one caveat to that is outside on a bright, sunny day will produce a rich color saturation. Other than that, though, you're out of luck.
I originally thought it was maybe just my camera, but another reviewer also talks about
My most recent project was filming a basketball game where I had four different Sony digital camcorders in use on the same court (I film a complete game once a year). The other three Sony camcorders (all older, different models) produced far better color than this one. The colors produced by this camera are, quite simply, terrible. The one caveat to that is outside on a bright, sunny day will produce a rich color saturation. Other than that, though, you're out of luck.
I originally thought it was maybe just my camera, but another reviewer also talks about
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I returned the Sony DCR-SR47 because everything worked great until I plugged it into the TV and was really disappointed with the picture quality.
I took this camera on a road trip, and got some great shots from a moving vehicle. Easy to use, easy to playback on the TV for friends.
I like the mini tapes over hard disk, I like knowing I have an instant hardcopy backup. I also have a separate DVD burner for my media, and yes you do need to pay extra for a firewire to transfer to computer. And in my case extra for a PC card with a firewire port to go to my laptop.
With the camera at such a low price, I was OK with these extra costs.
I took this camera on a road trip, and got some great shots from a moving vehicle. Easy to use, easy to playback on the TV for friends.
I like the mini tapes over hard disk, I like knowing I have an instant hardcopy backup. I also have a separate DVD burner for my media, and yes you do need to pay extra for a firewire to transfer to computer. And in my case extra for a PC card with a firewire port to go to my laptop.
With the camera at such a low price, I was OK with these extra costs.
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We had originally bought a Hard Drive camcorder. We were pleased with it but the Video is not nearly as good as this Mini DV. Also this is much more compatible with our Mac which is nice i would recommend this camera to anyone that wants to shoot good quality footage at a decent price. Hope this helped
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This is an excellent camera but you will need to buy an i-link or equivalent (mini firewire) cable if you want to edit video on your PC computer. Actually the manual does not indicate that connection to a computer is possible. The instructions in the manual indicate that with the optional cable you can import video from a VCR but references the next model up (HC54) if you need to export to a PC.
Once I purchased the cable I was able to capture video without problem. Windows computers have the appropriate drivers preinstalled. Just connect the cable set the camera to play/edit and select capture in your favorite editing program (this assumes your PC has a mini firewire port-not all do).
Although Mini DV cameras have older technology, they take better movies than SDHC (card) or harddrive camcorders because the pictures have far less compression. Also the format used .avi is much easier to edit than MPEG-4 which the other formats typically use. They do use more power so look for a
Once I purchased the cable I was able to capture video without problem. Windows computers have the appropriate drivers preinstalled. Just connect the cable set the camera to play/edit and select capture in your favorite editing program (this assumes your PC has a mini firewire port-not all do).
Although Mini DV cameras have older technology, they take better movies than SDHC (card) or harddrive camcorders because the pictures have far less compression. Also the format used .avi is much easier to edit than MPEG-4 which the other formats typically use. They do use more power so look for a
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I purchased this camera last fall, along with a firewire interface card. Had a problem with the interface card and exchanged it. Replacement card had the same problem (it was a usb/firewire combo card that the computers I tried it in failed to recognize). I then ordered another firewire card that seemed to work. Note the qualifer, 'seemed'. No matter what computer I installed the card into or what OS that computer was running, or which of the several cables I tried, the camera was never recognized. Obviously, the firewire port on the camera was either defective at the time of manufacture, or the design is defective, causing it to fail in NORMAL usage.
In and of itself, this problem probably wouldn't warrant a one-star rating. However, when I finally decided (well within the 12 month warranty period) that the problem was with the camera's ilink port, I attempted to contact SONY for service. It turns out that the 12 month warranty covers only parts, labor is only covered for 90 days
In and of itself, this problem probably wouldn't warrant a one-star rating. However, when I finally decided (well within the 12 month warranty period) that the problem was with the camera's ilink port, I attempted to contact SONY for service. It turns out that the 12 month warranty covers only parts, labor is only covered for 90 days
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So far, this is a great camcorder for Macintosh owners since Macs come with Firewire ports. The touchscreen LCD is a great plus, it makes navigating through the menus so much more user friendly.
Another great features with the Sony camcorder is that it has the NightShot features which allows the camcorder to be used as a infrared nightvision camera which is more effective than having an LED lightbulb for a built in Lamp.
Another great features with the Sony camcorder is that it has the NightShot features which allows the camcorder to be used as a infrared nightvision camera which is more effective than having an LED lightbulb for a built in Lamp.
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I was amazed that it has better sound quality than my own ears (I could clearly hear a light conversation about 20 feet away! and still hear wht is close to me better). Also when I used it, it looked HD. The comfort of holding this made me hold it ALL the time and allowed me to shoot steadier videos. Other amazing feature was the focuses, lighting ajustments, and the ways you can make the screen face with the picture right side up. There is so much good stuff I can put here. There were 2 small problems though. It is hard to understand some functions and it was extremely hard to find a connection cable so it can hook up to the computer.
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I purchased this camera in mid October 2008, and so far have been very pleased given the low price. I initially wanted more features, but did not want to spend over $250-270 total (with accessories like MiniDV tapes, firewire cable, bag, extra battery). I use it for recording my children's music performances.
Plus:
- The video quality is very good. 40x OPTICAL zoom. This was the highest optical zoom I could find in a camera in this price range.
- The sound quality is good in the 12 bit mode, and even better in the 16 bit mode.
- Easy to use.
- Compact.
- Intelligent Lithium battery.
Minus:
- No MiniDV tape included. You will need to buy some.
- NO PASSTHROUGH MODE. This camera cannot accept input from analog sources (like output from an old VHS-C camera or a VCR). If you plan to use this camera to transfer from older analog to digital video, it won't do it.
- Battery life is short, 115 minutes according to book, but I get between 90 and 100 minutes. Buy an NP-FH50 and use the battery
Plus:
- The video quality is very good. 40x OPTICAL zoom. This was the highest optical zoom I could find in a camera in this price range.
- The sound quality is good in the 12 bit mode, and even better in the 16 bit mode.
- Easy to use.
- Compact.
- Intelligent Lithium battery.
Minus:
- No MiniDV tape included. You will need to buy some.
- NO PASSTHROUGH MODE. This camera cannot accept input from analog sources (like output from an old VHS-C camera or a VCR). If you plan to use this camera to transfer from older analog to digital video, it won't do it.
- Battery life is short, 115 minutes according to book, but I get between 90 and 100 minutes. Buy an NP-FH50 and use the battery
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This is a very good camera if you are needing something that you are not worried about the price. It has its ups and downs. I marked the features low because there really aren't any features. It is your entry level camcorder so even though you are spending a little over 200, do not plan on incredible features. However the picture quality compared to several years ago is so much better than it used to be. I was amazed at that part. This is coming from a guy who doesn't have the money to spend 800 on a camcorder so I was impressed. It is very simple to use. Turn it on and start playing.
I would recommend it to anyone who cannot afford a hard drive camcorder, and wants a good camcorder for the price.
I would recommend it to anyone who cannot afford a hard drive camcorder, and wants a good camcorder for the price.
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Just like my other Sony's - I have trouble going through the menu(s). I can not seem to understand what the "Display Guilds" are? The manual talks real basic and does not explain what they are for. I can not find any option to remove the date/time stamp from recording.
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I appreciate the size and ease of use of this camera. The touchscreen menu is pretty easy to follow and the night shot feature gives an interesting effect. I would definitely recommend this camera.
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great purchase for recording football games. We have used it 10 times + now and haven't had any problems. We had limited school funds to work with and this has filled the need well. We haven't experienced any problems yet and do not expect too. It has been very easy to setup and use and the zoom is appropriate for out needs.
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it is a great little camera. very easy to use. lightweight. so not so heavy when have to carry.
only thing is in bright sunlight have to keep screen closed and pull out eye piece. other then that is
a wonderful camera. I recommend anyone buy it and can use it very easy.
only thing is in bright sunlight have to keep screen closed and pull out eye piece. other then that is
a wonderful camera. I recommend anyone buy it and can use it very easy.
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Bought this Saturday based on the fact that it came with all cables and software for video transfer to PC. On the Best Buy website it says all that comes with the camera. Low and behold..they don't! You have to order a special Firewire cable and the software to transfer movies from Sony. It does take good movies, but does not meet my needs. Very disappointed in Sony for charging extra for something that should come with a digital camcorder.
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i went to best buy looking at cameras and i decided to pick this one up for skate videos, out of the box the camera ate the tape and didnt work. i took it back and got another one, turns out the tape i put in was twisted and the camera works great. easy to use and self explained, i have pro cameras as well and i will be using this one as much as the pro cameras i use cause its light weight small and easy to use. i wouldnt hesitate to buy again and will be getting another for multi angle shots
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My husband and I bought this particular camera after we got married, about 3 years ago. At the time, it was pretty fancy, and we paid about $400 for it. 3 years later, I can say it was worth the money. The photo quality is pretty good for video. It worked right out of the box, and you could pretty much operate it without even reading the manual. To be honest, I never read the manual and have never had a single problem with it. The sound quality is pretty good, but I've never tried the photo button. I have a Nikon CoolPix and Sony Cybershot digital cameras, so I've never needed that feature. If you're looking for a inexpensive, easy to use, dependable camcorder, I definitely recommend this one. All of my major electronics are Sony and I've always been happy.
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Awesome camera with A lot of good stuff. The only thing that i don't like about the camera is the supplied battery's Short lifespan. other than that i highly recommend this camera.
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Started using this camera right away not reading the manual. Great camcorder, easy to use. The camcorder is even friendly to a left hander.
Would recommend.
Would recommend.
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I have been renting a Sony DCR-HC21 from my college for a month or so now. I'm a photographer by trade but I really became interested with editing digital video so I looked around for a camcorder that was a bit above mid range. This is it, it has enough professional functions to make it just right for me. Ability to recored in 16:9 widescreen, touch screen LCD, ability to control exposure, manual and auto focus, 40x optical zoom, and it's an awesome buy at the price.
The one Con I can think of is that the battery provided with the camera is very poor. Only lasts for 115 minutes, which seems nice but in comparison to the NPFH50 that lasts for 3 hours it's poor.
The other thing that I can't fathom is that none of these minidv camcorders come with the firewire data cable. It seems like including an 8 dollar cable wouldn't be that difficult, Sony afterall bundles the software needed to transfer the video to your PC.
All in all this is the best camcorder for the money,
The one Con I can think of is that the battery provided with the camera is very poor. Only lasts for 115 minutes, which seems nice but in comparison to the NPFH50 that lasts for 3 hours it's poor.
The other thing that I can't fathom is that none of these minidv camcorders come with the firewire data cable. It seems like including an 8 dollar cable wouldn't be that difficult, Sony afterall bundles the software needed to transfer the video to your PC.
All in all this is the best camcorder for the money,
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This is a great little camcorder. We bought ours at BestBuy over a year ago, and use it all the time. The mini DV tapes give a great quality picture, and it is easy to transfer to DVDs with the computer software we have.
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I bought this camcorder 2 months ago and have thoroughly enjoyed using it. The set back is a small factor: the battery that comes with the camcorder has a short life. You will probably want to purchase a new, longer lasting battery. This camcorder has a great optical zoom, 40x, but does get shakey when you are holding the camera and zooming in to the maximum amount. I have found that, with practice, the video is less shakey when you zoom in. Be sure you have a fire wire outlet in your computer or that you can install one if you want to put your video to a dvd. It is a little time consuming to do this, but it is not a huge problem if you stay on top of doing this and don't wait (like I did) to burn all your mini dvs to a dvd after you've filmed 25 hours worth. Overall, this is a great camera and works well. When I was looking for a camcorder I was really worried about video quality. This camcorder's video quality is GREAT!
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I tried to buy this camera from Amazon but their server was trashing on 6/6/08 so I dashed over to the local WalMart and picked up one. After spending the last 7 hours going over every feature and nuance, I wish I'd had this camera last week for videoing a great rock band in Illinois... the spot metering feature would have provided me vastly better results than the old Sharp miniDV it replaced! One review of this camera is extremely biased by the buyer's ignorance of technology... firewire is the only way to go for transferring DV to computer, and this feature works flawlessly on this camera. I'm very pleased to have one, and not even sorry to have paid more at WalMart than Amazon's great price! Image quality is excellent!
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When I bought this camcorder, I had to compare it to a Canon side by side but went with this anyway since the Sony has better features. It's easy to use, great zoom and lens and the touch screen works great and very light when you really need to be on the go! The only bad thing I noticed is the battery that is provided to you, it only last for about an hour so you will probaly need to purchase a longer lasting battery, I did and it last 6.5 hours, it does cost a lot but its worth it.
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if you are looking to upload these videos to your computer then i wouldn't recommend this product for you. this camera doesn't come with a usb, it is very hard to find the certain usb that it needs (for example best buy, cercit city etc.. will not have it). If you want to upload it to your computer you need to get a fire wire cable which are very pricey and older computers don't support them. I would recommend getting the Sony DCR-DVD610 its the same thing but you can upload the disk straight to the computer (the tapes cost more then the disks).
Sony DCR-DVD610 Link:http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=product&tab=7&id=1196470790929&skuId=8661968&childSku=null&count=null#headerCustomerReviews
Sony DCR-DVD610 Link:http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?type=product&tab=7&id=1196470790929&skuId=8661968&childSku=null&count=null#headerCustomerReviews
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I have been renting a Sony DCR-HC21 from my college for a month or so now. I'm a photographer by trade but I really became interested with editing digital video so I looked around for a camcorder that was a bit above mid range. This is it, it has enough professional functions to make it just right for me. Ability to recored in 16:9 widescreen, touch screen LCD, ability to control exposure, manual and auto focus, 40x optical zoom, and at $234.99 it's an awesome buy.
The one Con I can think of is that the battery provided with the camera is very poor. Only lasts for 115 minutes, which seems nice but in comparison to the NPFH50 that lasts for 3 hours it's poor. Do yourself a favor and buy the NPFH50 Battery for $26 here on amazon.
The other thing that I can't fathom is that none of these minidv camcorders come with the firewire data cable. It seems like including an 8 dollar cable wouldn't be that difficult, Sony afterall bundles the software needed to transfer the video to your PC.
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The one Con I can think of is that the battery provided with the camera is very poor. Only lasts for 115 minutes, which seems nice but in comparison to the NPFH50 that lasts for 3 hours it's poor. Do yourself a favor and buy the NPFH50 Battery for $26 here on amazon.
The other thing that I can't fathom is that none of these minidv camcorders come with the firewire data cable. It seems like including an 8 dollar cable wouldn't be that difficult, Sony afterall bundles the software needed to transfer the video to your PC.
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First let's correct the Amazon description, this is a 40X optical zoom camera, not 25X as seen on the product itself.
This is a great camera to start out with, the simplicity of Mini DV tapes makes this a good value choice. DVD camcorders in this price range suffer from bad battery life, and disk errors that can render your disks useless. The Mini DV tapes are tried and true.
I use an Apple computer at home and the camera connects to iMovie with no problems using the iLink port on the camera. All you need in most cases is a Firewire 6pin to 4pin cable, and you are good to go.
The video and audio quality are good, and the night vision is fun too. This is not a upper level camera so don't expect several bells and whistles, but it performs great, and has the basic features most people will ever need. The battery life is fair, but that is expected, all camcorder companies want you to buy an extra battery, but at least Sony gives you several options.
With a full charge and a new tape,
This is a great camera to start out with, the simplicity of Mini DV tapes makes this a good value choice. DVD camcorders in this price range suffer from bad battery life, and disk errors that can render your disks useless. The Mini DV tapes are tried and true.
I use an Apple computer at home and the camera connects to iMovie with no problems using the iLink port on the camera. All you need in most cases is a Firewire 6pin to 4pin cable, and you are good to go.
The video and audio quality are good, and the night vision is fun too. This is not a upper level camera so don't expect several bells and whistles, but it performs great, and has the basic features most people will ever need. The battery life is fair, but that is expected, all camcorder companies want you to buy an extra battery, but at least Sony gives you several options.
With a full charge and a new tape,
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This camera is great for a person first starting out with recording video. The camera comes with an instructional video which is helpful. You will need a tripod or monopod because of the camera shake issue. Highly recommended :)
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Just got my new camera today and so far I love it. It's small and lightweight. Easy to operate, very user friendly. The only complaint's I have right now are that the battery could be a size bigger for longer recording times. Also, when you zoom in the picture get's really shaky so unless you have rock steady hands, a tri-pod is a must. For the price it's a great deal and I would definitely buy another one.
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Overall this is a great camcorder for someone who just wants to mess around and take some video. It has great colors, takes good sound and is very easy to use. Plus, it is small enough to take anywhere.
I have shot hours and hours of film with this and though I am no Steven Spielberg, with the editting software I am able to create some great memories!
I have shot hours and hours of film with this and though I am no Steven Spielberg, with the editting software I am able to create some great memories!
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I got this camera and have been using it to shoot some videos with friends. It was very easy to use, fit nicely into my hands so i could move with it. The only problem was that the battery life was a little shorter than I would have liked. I would film for 4-5 hours a day and always neeed to have an extra battery with me and sometimes it would go through both. Otherwise I really loved it and highly recommend it
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I just got this 2 weeks ago, and I really like it. It's got great zoom capabilities,fits great in my hand, and is compact and easy to use.I did have difficulties holding the camera steady when zoomed in, unless I had it on a tripod, or braced really well. I also had trouble playing back a disc. I recorded the majority of my daughter's concert and then was unable to finalize it or play it back because it kept saying the disc was scratched or needed cleaning. It was only briefly out of the camcorder, and was put directly into a case, and has been "cleaned" several times since, to no avail. I'm hoping this is an isolated incident. So far my other discs have been fine.
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I bought this camcorder as a replacement for one that quit working. I use it primarily to film birds and other wildlife. The zoom capabilities of this camcorder make it easy to get close shots from some distance. The absents of a snapshot feature is missed. Overall it a great little camcorder.
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This is great piece of video equiptment for beginners and intermediate users. The 40x optical lens is out of this world and brings the world to within reach. Can't beat the value of camera. Great additional to my collection of cameras. I only wish the battery life was longer so I could film even longer. Compact size is a real plus.
