Sony Handycam HDR-SR5 user reviews (40GB)

Pros nice lens and friendly use

Cons no software was attached to the product when I bought it in NY now I am stucked

Pros Great picture

Cons very shaky and slow focus

Summary So dissappointed in SONY on this one. I cannot begin to share my frustrations with you. First the good stuff: awsome sound and picture quality. Now for the bad: auto focus slow, picture is really shaky, software is not worth installing. Had it out to repair several times to Best Buy and SONY. No changes, won't stand behind product. My worst experience with Best Buy and Sony.

Pros high video quality outdoors, great microphone

Cons clicking noises heard during playback, video noise evident in indoor (low) light

Summary I just bought this camcorder and am surprised that very few wrote about this camera's drawbacks - its low video quality in indoor (low) light conditions, and more importantly: the CLICKING noise of the hard disk is recorded and easily audible during playback of video clips. Perhaps SONY should have provided a more silent hard disk or isolate the internal microphone better from the hard disk. Also would be nice to have the microphone featuring a wind screen/filter. I would like to ask others if they experienced the clicking noise. Otherwise the camera is too easy to use and fun to use.

Pros small and good picture

Cons no view finder and LCD display does useable in bright sun

Summary We bought camera for our Panama Canal vacation and found that in the daylight it was impossible to see the LCD display. We captured no outside video from the trip. Best Buy miss represented the performance of the LCD telling us it would function in bright light. Manual that came with the camera says, "use view finder in bright light" (there is none). Best Buy would not consider letting us pay for an upgrade to the SR-7 as we had the camera longer than 16 days which is their return policy...Don't buy this camera and don't buy from Best Buy.