Sony HDR-SR12 10.2MP 120GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom by Sony
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Digital camera reviews of Sony HDR-SR12 10.2MP 120GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Digital camera Review: Great Camcorder With A Few Flaws
Summary: 5 Stars
I am new to high definition camcorders and I really looked forward to getting this one since I have been using a Sony DV camera for about 4 years now.First the bad, when I received it the first thing I noticed was how Sony was stingy on accessories like no remote, no good software, no firewire support(oh come on Sony),no good instructions, no mini hdmi, no memory stick, no bigger better life battery.You would think for a $1400 camera they would of thrown something in.Since I had already had a Sony camcorder I was already used to the interface and how to get to certain aspects of the camera so I never really read the instructions but a first timer may have problems with it.
In low light conditions this camcorder chokes and quality gets bad so you have to do some adjusting.Focusing for it also became a problem in low light.I noticed if I changed exposure or brightness to much the shot would get jerky.I am still looking for a way to fix this.
I wish the lens was a little wider and the optical zoom a little more.Digital zoom in my mind is worthless unless you have it set up on a tripod b/c you gotta have a robotic steady arm to keep it still.I usually only use optical zoom but noticed even when I zoomed all the way with it the picture would start to shutter and degrade.
The camera part is good if you currently dont have a camera but my Sony Cybershot is more simple to use and has better quality and easier to use than getting the camcorder out to take pictures.You can tell from the quality it is not a 10.2 mega pixel but merely face value on the camcorder to help sell.Its pretty nice to have it on the camcorder in case you want to take quick pictures.With my DV camera I could take digital stills from the video and quality wasnt that good of course so I was expecting this $1400 camcorder to really shine but so far digital stills are sub par.Hopefully as I get more experience with it I will learn tricks to fix this.The menus were easier to navigate in my DV camera as well.I am not sure exactly what I need 5.1 surround on a camcorder for but its still nice to have.I will probably do something later with it.
My final complaint is a lack of software to import AVCHD and so far I have found 3.Looking at reviews of the software the best I have found that is affordable is Sony Vegas 8 platinum.I would like to get Pro later but as of now the cheapest I have seen it is $350.
Other than those complaints the camcorder takes amazing film and outdoor locations look phenomenal.I have daughters 1 year old and a three year old and its nice to have a camera that records colors so vividly b/c I want to see exactly what my kids look like since my DV camera footage always looked different than reality.I find my self looking for things to record outside.Since I own a Playstation 3 I just hook it straight to that to watch on my Sony 40 inch Bravia.Some odd reason I always stick with Sony since I have had pretty good luck with them.Anyways As we watched the video I recorded outside and the camera moved sideways and the shake of my hand almost makes it throw up inducing.I haven't tried importing on my computer yet and my understanding is it takes a long time depending on quality of what was taken.I like a challenge and my computers about a year old so hopefully it wont struggle to much we'll see.I may make another review based on that.
Some people I read didn't like the weight or size of the camcorder but I prefer being able to feel the weight b/c to me it feels more comfortable.Its not like you start to burn arm and hand fat from holding it.Its probably personal preference.
I guess my 5 star rating comes from the overall experience from recording my family and events in their lives to just zooming in on a bees nest or just normal everyday things ,that slow motion thing is does is kinda cool.I know this camcorder will bring us joy for years to come.I usually stick with Sony products so you may find a different brand better.If you can afford it I highly recommend this.Do the research and look at other camcorders and make sure this is the exact right camcorder for you b/c what I think is great may not be what you use it for.
Digital camera Review: Great Camera
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this camera now for about 2 weeks. I love it. It's small, light and the battery it comes with lasts long enough for me. However I did buy a Sony case which came with a smaller battery. The other day I was at an outsite restaruant with a perosn singing and playing guitar. Since it was at night the light was very low. The video and audio came out awesome. This camera does very well in low light. The software it came with is okay for simple viewing and some small edits (can crop lenght only I think, can't murge files). I was able to find a plug for Adobe Premeier however I have not yet had a chance to test it. It's a great camera with a nice feel of quality. If you have an older Sony camera and purchaced the optional lenses, they should fit.
The only negative I have found so far is that you can not send video into this camera, such as another camera or VCR. I have an older Canon minidv camera which has inputs so you can back up old analog tapes to digital. For example, older 8mm tapes. I still have the Canon so this in not really an issue for me.
I'm heading to France next week with my wife and I'm looking forward to taking this every where I go.
Digital camera Review: Great Camera With Excellent Features
Summary: 5 Stars
We bought this camera to augment a Cannon GL-2 when shooting in the field. We edit the video in Sony Vegas Pro 8 (Vista) and Final Cut Pro (Mac) and have had no problems. The video quality is excellent and the menus are very easy to use. The "easy mode" on the camera works as advertised. The focus when zooming is good and keeps up well. Battery life is good but a longer life one would be beneficial. The hard drive is very nice and we can shoot several hours without having to worry about keeping up with tapes (handy for outdoors). The microphone and zoom feature of the mic is excellent but it will pickup wind noise outside if there is a strong breeze. There are several options that can help with this (microphone input to use a hand held or lapel mic or wireless options using either the microphone jack or the accessory adapter on the top of the camera). I would definitely buy this camera again and if you watch the prices for a while you will get a good deal.Digital camera Review: Great Camera!!! HD Quality is great. Yipee, no tapes!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful camera. You can shoot and shoot and shoot with no tapes. Review your clips with a visual thumbnail index. Lots of options to customize settings via menus. Touch screen interface works well.
Picture quality is fabulous. As stated in other reviews, 3rd party software is still catching up with this format. The newest Adobe suite, CS4, can now ingest these files. However, it is very slow to process this format. You can use other 3rd party software to convert the files from AVCHD to avi or mpeg2 and get better results, but it is a bit of a drag. This should resolve itself over time.
Overall, though, well worth the trouble converting for the freedom of tapeless operations and HD clarity.
Digital camera Review: Great Gift
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this camcorder from Amazon for my boyfriend for Christmas. He LOVES it. He is extremely techy and never leaves it at home. It is always with him. He just purchased the case that allows you to take the camera under water to shoot video and pictures and it works great. The picture is exceptional. This camera has an option to shoot in the Matrix mode which is very cool to watch. I definitely recommend!