Sony HDR-HC1 2.8MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
by Sony
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Our Price: $249.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony HDR-HC1 2.8MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
Customer Review: No analog video pass through
Summary: 4 Stars
I am very pleased with the image quality, especially outdoors. It does require a little tweaking in low light situations, But the overall quality is stunning.
I am very displeased with the lack of analog video pass-through. There are reviewers on other web sites that claim that this camera offers simple pass through. They are incorrect.
Customer Review: low light quality bad
Summary: 3 Stars
Always wanted to get HDTV footage so I had bought the Sony FX1 before this and I had to return it as it was too heavy and too big for normal everyday usage. Dont get me wrong I loved the camera but the FX1 attracts attention whenever you shoot with it.(and my wife found it too heavy :) ) So I was glad to see the Sony HC1 which was lighter and smaller. I just got it yesterday and I shot the same footage as I did with the FX1 and compared the two videos. I have to tell you that the extra $1300-1500 for the sony FX1 is really worth it if you are shooting in the night or lower than bright sunlight. The difference is really noticeable. The videos of HC1 is much too noisy and grainy. the colors tend to get smudged a lot. Details are lost. I guess this is expected for single CMOS camera. Comparitively the sony FX1 footage of the night shot was much nicer and sharper and looked more natural. It looked high definition and was cleaner. I really liked the quality of the FX1 videos.
Another thing I noticed was the auto focusing was really slow in the night for the HC1 and it takes significant time to lock the focus and by that time you will lose the shot. It was a nightmare to shoot from a moving car in the night. It took so long to focus onto something that all I got was a burry blob.
Daytime shooting was much better and colors are bright and realistic. Its comparable to FX1.
If you tend to shoot indoors and in lower lighting than the optimal light (the bright sun)..expect to get grainy and smudged videos.
Maybe I am being too critical with this HC1 camera because I used the FX1 first and had something to compare the quality with. Maybe people who buy this first will never know the difference and will be very happy with the quality.(it is still much better than DV)
I am sure we will be getting the FX1 quality in an HC1 package sometime soon.....
Customer Review: Anyone want a used Sony HD video camera?
Summary: 2 Stars
Save your money. I've owned this camera for a little over a year and, quite frankly, I can't wait to put it on ebay and try something else.
The biggest challenge with the camera are it's little quirks that, over time, get in the way of filming. For example, Sony for some reason has chosen to put the button that switches between video, still photos (which are awful) and video playback right next the the record on/off switch. It is *so* easy to toggle it when preparing to shoot. And the next thing you know you're scrambling to get it back into video mode. And you've lost your shot.
The video camera has a an exceeedingly long start up time and a seemingly random length transition from standby to record. It could take a second or it could take ten seconds. And since this thing chews through battery life, I've always been reluctant to leave it on, for fear I'll end up with the dreaded "blinking battery" and no spares. So I struggle to capture the events (mostly high school games) that I bought it for. It pains me to think of how many times I've pressed record and then missed the great catch or kick- watching the word "Standby" flash in the viewfinder as the camera struggles to enter record mode.
Finally, the colors, even in bright light, look washed out to my eye. My old 3 CCD panasonic G4 looked *so much* better. I've tried adjusting the white balance, color balance... you name it, with limited success. But why does it have to be so hard just to get decent color? And the low light performance is even worse.
I could go on... I was sucked in by the idea of cheap HD and a leading edge product. Yes, the picture detail is better than standard DV, but that only matters if you can actually get the shot.
Customer Review: Great Camera... Be *very* careful with it...
Summary: 2 Stars
Bought this camera and have been very impressed with the quality of the features as other have identified. The lack of the 3CCD isn't really that bad, except you do notice it in some low light situations, otherwise, the HD image it produces in normal light is top notch for a non-professional level camera.
However, one big gripe... In the first weekend of use the camera was knocked a bit -- not enough to really even come close to damaging the lenses, but the housing in the front section just fell apart like a kids toy... The two, microscopic screws holding the entire front section just gave, exposing the inside a bit, crowding the flash, so it no longer can pop-up as designed.
Sony's sevice center in Laredo, TX refused to stand behind the warrantee.
Bottom line... Great camera with great features, but I was shocked how poorly the unit was constructed. I'd never buy a Sony again because I'd be too afraid to actually use it for fear the thing would fall apart on me, and I now know the warrantee is worthless.
Customer Review: underwhelmed for the price
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought the HDR-HC1E the first weekend it was on sale as i wanted to update my old camcorder and thought this HD model woud be terrific. I was really excited to get it. However after a few months I'm quite disappointed with the performace for the $. Seriously consider the Panasonics (at a third less for the top line model) IMHO.
The picture is grainy and the low light level performance terrible. And i find with a 5 yo kid so many occasions are indoors...ballet concert, kindergarten parade etc etc, all the sorts of events i use the camera for.
We also just went on holidays and it's heavy and large compared to some new camcorders, which i wouldn't mind if the picture quality was first rate.
I also found very frustrating the lack of information to help me get the best from this particular model camcorder. There's really nothing i can find. *Maybe* that would help.
I would urge you if considering to go to a shop and compare models side by side first. I just took Sony's word......