Exceptional HDD HIDEF camcorder

I first purchased the 30gb version of this camera (HDR-SR1) when it was released last year. As my son was born I wanted the absolute best video we could obtain as we only have one chance to film these wonderful early years.

The camcorder itself is very compact and sturdy being smaller than the prior SR1 series cameras which were already compact; very portable for such a powerful little camcorder. The item is pricey and value is always subjective depending on one's budget.

Image quality is superb to say the least which is my primary reason for the purchase. There are several formats for video quality though I only keep it at the best setting. The 60gb hard drive holds 8 hours of video at the highest setting so there are no worries there however I highly recommend picking up 2 or more extra batteries as they get drained long before the hard drive capacity is met.

The video in hi-def mode is recorded in AVCHD format and herein lies the largest caveat of mine and most others on these cameras which is the after market software support.

EDITING
For one year there was really nothing on the market that allowed for proper editing of this hi-def video. Sony does supply software but it is very limited in features and scope and honestly for a $1200.00 camera is a bit disappointing. Finally Nero released their latest support for AVCHD videos and this is a pretty good start. I highly recommend a stout multi core PC for editing hidef video as it requires some horsepower. I also recommend updating the Nero software as the initial batches had some flukes such as jittering and stalling.


Another feature I enjoy is the fact that the video from this camera is supported by my PS3 which is also my Blu-Ray player on my primary 58" plasma TV in the entertainment room. One can simply just record the AVCHD movie from the PC directly to a standard DVD (no BD required) and play it on the PS3. The resulting video is stunning. Or better yet just burn it to your PS3 network drive for access anytime. The simplest option is to just plug this into your TV via HDMI and watch it directly on the TV. Of course at some time you want to transfer the video to your computer to make BD DVDs or regular DVDs.

Keep in mind that camcorders are known as one of the most unreliable electronics product sold so if you intend to hold onto it for a while consider an extended warranty. Repair cost on a camcorder is not cheap so some piece of mind is in order plus many of the plans carry accidental damage coverage as well.

Cables supplied are good though for some reason Sony changed their full size HDMI port to a mini version which is not included and is more difficult to find vs a regular HDMI cable which also equates to more expensive.

Low light to zero light video mode is awesome. My backyard is very large and yet this camera has no problem with picking up the edge of the backyard from my upstairs window with no problem. There is also a super low light mode which is incredible to say the least but the video can be jerky for movement. Either way the options are there depending on the situation.

Image stabilization is also very good and works as it should for steady video even at zoom range.

The built in digital camera is not bad thought far from my Canon 40D camera. For quick convenient quick shots it is pretty decent. 6.1 for regular still and 4.0 megapixel when the video recording mode is used.