 "Great camcorder that uses DV tapes for recording" | 2009-10-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3FJ5DTJ4GDEGN |
| I wanted an HD camcorder but was turned off by the units that used a hd for storing the video, this unit took care of that. It uses the regular DV tapes you can buy just about anywhere. My experience with the battery has been very good but it wouldn't hurt to buy an extra. Video quality is great and playback is a snap since it has an hdmi output. The video quality DOES degrade when in a low-light situation. A good "for instance" would be when we went to the aquarium in Gatlinburg, the video of the fish was very sharp but when I panned to my family (who was lit only by the light from the tank) the video got grainy. The built-in flash is EXTREMELY strong. Only problem I've had with the camera part is that it doesn't always focus as fast as I'm used to so give it a second or two. I've transfered some video to my Sony VRDMC5 via the dv output and the quality is pretty good though down-converted. Price around...got mine for $399. |
| |
 "Good camera but way over-priced and notoriously terrible customer service" | 2009-04-02 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3PTG5V447NJNW |
This was a great unit when it came out, but now it's just WAY over-priced.
Mine just died after 2 years, and I'd only used it about 15-20 times. Sony wants me to pay more than $500 for a flat-fee repair. Unbelievable.
Do a search online -- the error message I got was really common, and MANY people got the same $500 assessment.
I'll never buy Sony again. |
| |
 "Met Buyer's Expectations" | 2008-08-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1E8Y1H3E84YER |
| The product showed on time and well shipped. I suspect the product box was opened. However, all materials were enclosed and were in "Like New" condition. The is an older model so I expected it. Thank you for the smooth and good transaction. Yes I would buy from this seller again. - John |
| |
| "HI DEF SONY CAMCORDER" | 2008-05-13 |
| - Reviewed By robertca99 |
| I love this camcorder. I used in during my vacation in Hawaii. I still can't believe how amazing it looks on the screen. Most of my guests who started watching the video thought that we were watching a discovery channel broadcast. It works it's best outside especially with great lighting. Lighting really is the key. The more the light, the better the image. I just use the component video cables on my HDTV LCD. I'd recommend it to anyone who's really into image quality. |
| |
 "BEWARE of ieee PORT!" | 2008-02-10 |
| - Reviewed By fikretbocek |
The Sony HDR-HC3 worked well. However the great drawback of Sony camcorders is shown in my recent experience with my HDR-HC3 which I purchased here on Amazon.
We went as a family on a cross-country trip this past summer, filming hours worth of video. When we finally arrived home I plugged my camera into the DV port of my computer. In the past I have had no problem uploading video and making DVDs of family adventures, using our old Canon DV camcorder. We liked that the HDR-HC3 had the option of normal DV or HDV output.
However, unlike with my Canon, my computer (and subsequent computers) could not recognize my camera. After much research online, I found that the problem was that I had assumed the ieee was similar to firewire in that it was hot-swappable. In fact, it was not. Both the camera and computer must be off when attaching them, or the port will fry.
It takes a lot of concentration to remember how to connect the camera. According to other Sony users on various webcam boards, this is a common problem for the general public who are used to USB hot-swappable devices.
The repair fee for this "misuse" is from Sony about $350, according to what they said. One person mentioned that they had been able to open up the camera and purchase a $75 fuse and connected that to the camera hardware....a complicated vs expensive choice of options for a general user like me. Sony acknowledges the fact that the port is extremely sensitive, but still considers it a user-mistake and the fried port is not covered under warranty.
Consequently, I am in the market for a new camcorder that I will only use connected to my computer.
Use of tapes filmed on my Sony HDR-HC3-- Oh, the clincher is this: I tried to use my Canon as a conduit for uploading my footage to computer, but because it was HDV, my Canon could not read it--and this goes for trying to use my Canon to watch the video footage on television. Also, you cannot plug the camera into the TV with a normal 3 to 1 composite DV cable, it requires a camera-specific cable, so tough luck if you forgot to pack it!
This all said, I am pleased enough with the camera that having experienced all of the above, I have learned from my mistakes and probably will purchase another one on ebay for my computer uploads.
I hope that you will learn from my mistakes if you decide to purchase this camera. |
| |
| "Decent HD Camcorder" | 2007-09-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2Y7MZMDE8UYZ7 |
I purchased my HC3 several weeks ago to film a family wedding. I didn't really intend on purchasing an HD camcorder, but I got a really good deal on a closeout and went for it.
Having shot quite a bit of VHS and 8mm tape in the past, the images from this camcorder are unbelievable. Even downgraded to DV format, I'm amazed at what this little camera can do. I'm also very impressed with the auto focus and white balance. I reprogrammed the small "manual" button to do AE-shift and it worked perfectly. Even in very strong backlight or high contrast shots I was able to quickly dial in the exposure. Very very good.
I also used the still image capture feature quite a bit. Despite being a camcorder, the images I got were almost as good as those taken with my small Casio EX-Z. However, they weren't nearly as good as the shots from my Canon G. My only complaint on the still imaging is a significant release delay between pushing the button and capturing the shot.
The only thing I don't like about the camcorder is the steadyshot feature. I was hoping for more. Long-zoom shots were not nearly as corrected as I had hoped. I don't have expereince with the Canon or other steadyshot models, so I can't compare. Still, I was hoping for more. If you're going to do a lot of long-zoom video with this camera, because of its size and low mass, you'll need a tripod or steadicam.
Low-light performance is average. I've seen better.
Also. I purchased the Sony Bluetooth wireless mic and videolight. These were great. I can't say enough good thinga about the wireless mic. It worked perfectly. The videolight is terrific for its size and weight. It won't give enough light to fill a room, but it does a great job for what it is.
|
| |
