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"Extremely limited by its Brand" on by olsjoe
Pros: Nice features, Interface, screen, nightshot, compact
Cons: Cradle, battery, cables, charger and more...
Summary: I work with DV cameras quite a bit documenting events all over the world. Prior to this camera I had three other sony's a panasonic, a cannon and two jvc's. The problem with this sony is that it is completely incompatable with anything and everything that isn't a NEW sony. Not even the cables from my old sony cams work with this camera. Sony even has its own version of the AV cable which means that you have to have the specific cable with you if you want to display a video on a TV.
In addition, the cradle is a great idea, however the engineering is rather poor. If you have the camera on the cradle and try to switch a camera will come off the cradle and disconnect from the computer whenever you open the door. This makes the cradle essentially useless for me.
The mode button requires you to scroll through all the different modes to go to the one you want. It's not like the dial that you would find on a cannon or JVC camera. It's a small thing, but can get on your nerves if you are trying to view your tape quickly.
My final beef with this camera would have to be that if you plan on shooting in 4:3 be prepared for an extremely small display as the camera is set up for 16:9.
Summary: If you are a basic, once a month camera user with no intentions of video editing, or if you can afford to purchase all new sony parts and accessories, then this camera is for you. However if you want something that works well with other parts, and you plan on purchasing more cameras in the future, than I highly suggest looking in a different direction. -
"Powerful Lil' Guy" on by Matty2Jay
Pros: Extremely small, stylish, 2.7 inch 16:9 LCD.
Cons: No replay functions without opening LCD. No Accessory Shoe.
Summary: All-in-all, good bang for the buck. Nice features. I wish there was an option for a mic/flash or headphones, but...I'll live. Top loading tape...which is sweet for tripod use. Can't replace tape in the dock, that's a little bit of a pain, but not a huge loss. No regrets, happy customer.
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"Awesome Mid-Range Camcorder" on by mwrisner
Pros: Good image quality (even indoors), traditional viewfinder
Cons: Included ImageMixer software
Summary: The Sony DCR-HC46 is a terrific mid-range digital camcorder. It has a more than adequate 12x optical zoom (any more and even image stabilization won't remove the jitters). There are quick access buttons on the body of the camera, and a ton of features in the on-screen menus (available only on the swing-out LCD viewfinder). Using your fingers on these menus is much easier than I thought they would be, and most of those features are for infrequent occasions. In addition to the LCD viewfinder, there is a color traditional viewfinder (missing on many up-scale models like the DCR-SRxx line of hard drive camcorders), which is great when outdoors where the sun can wash out the LCD. We really appreciate the Handycam Station that makes connections to computers and TVs a breeze while charging the battery. Now that really is "handy."
Technically, the image capturing technology is the same as the hard drive-based DCR-SR80. However, MiniDV recording technology does not compress the digital images where hard disk and Mini DVD technologies do. Therefore when you transfer the data to your computer for editing, you avoid the uncompress process required by the latter two technologies. When you create the resulting DVD, that is the first and only compression to hit your video, meaning you get better image quality.
The cons? Well, the included software is woefully lacking. I'd like to author DVDs, but ImageMixer is a Video CD authoring tool. And VCD is so ten-years-ago. And the built-in 1 megapixel camera is truly a joke. -
"Last year's model (DCR-HC42) was a better camcorder." on by DCuerpoJr
Pros: Lower MSRP than its predecessor. Color viewfinder.
Cons: Subpar video quality. Optical zoom is lower than the HC26 and HC36. Touch Screen interface is too cumbersome.
Summary: When compared to last year's model, the HC42, there are very little technical changes. They have similar 1 migapixel CCD's for stills, the same 12x optical zoom, same size touch screen, same size CCD, and the very same interface. The HC46 has lost some stylish design features that made its predecessor smaller, sleeker and more attractive; however they have cut the overall retail price down a 100 bucks. Though you might want to check any stores that have clearances on the HC42 as it is being phased out in favor of the newer model.
You can get a little more "bang" for the buck from the competition, try out the Panasonic PVGS or the Canon ZR series that generally have a better optical zoom, more manual controls, and a different interface.
The Sony touchscreen interface that has been the standard for over the past few years in the HC series as its flaws. First; the screen is small, making the on screen menus harder to touch. Second; touching the LCD continously to access the menus may lead to scratches or even break the screen. And Third; the menu displays are very redundant and can become irratating to navigate through.
All in all, this model does have more features than its siblings, but if you find the video quality and touch screen interface to be subpar then you might want to check out other manufactures. -
"FANTASTIC Camcorder for price" on by mlarry48
Pros: TINY, Color : Very Good, Sharp Focus
Cons: connectivity issues
Summary: I almost did a double take when I saw the rating for this and ready to get into it with the editors till I noticed they gave every reason to like the camcorder but gave it such a low score? Can I ask why? lol
I was waiting for the butssss. but there weren't any lol. Cnet says at their camcorder rating guide that mini dv has best quality - or close then goes on to give every other gendre better ratings. What a joke. I can't find one darn thing bad about this and I tried many camcorders. I agree the connectivity features suck , but once getting that figured, show me better video for focus, color and price anywhere in the world. Come on guys get real!!!!!!
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