Customer Reviews
underwhelmed for the price
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......
Stunning video, but maybe not suitable for the average consumer
For me, this camcorder is off the charts. If Amazon would allow it, I'd give the Sony ten stars.
For others, though, I imagine is might present some challenges.
I bought this camcorder three days ago, despite being a bit skeptical because of the low-light issues mentioned by some other posters. I also wondered if this might be a product that's arrived before it's time, given that it's currently impossible to store HD video on DVD.
There are some other annoyances, such as the fact that you're forced to use Sony's proprietary MemoryStick for still photos. But that's a nitpick.
My advice: If you're moderately sophisticated about gadgets and can afford this camcorder, you're going to love it. I'm absolutely floored by the quality of the video. A friend has the Panasonic GS-250, with three sensors, and the video from this Sony (I've only recorded in HD so far) absolutely blows away the Panasonic.
Unlike some other posters, I have no complaints about the Sony's low-light recordings. They're fine. Much better than the Panasonic. Besides, the optional video light is only about 50 bucks and weighs next to nothing.
Granted, I'm strictly an amateur video guy, so perhaps my standards for low-light video aren't as high as other posters. But I think that anyone who uses this camcorder for typical family videos will be happy with the indoor results and stunned by the outdoor results.
The one downside might still be the storage of HD video until HD DVD players make it to the market in 2006. For me the tradeoff is fine; I'm willing to suffer a little inconvenience to be ahead of the curve.
If you want a simple solution with the least amount of hassle, this camcorder probably isn't for you. But if you value video quality above all, the Sony will keep you smiling.
low light quality bad
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.....
