Sony DCR-SR45 30GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom

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Compact, But Not Perfect
I bought this camera as a replacement for a VHS-C camera that I never did manage to use because it was just too cumbersome. The HandyCam SR45 is certainly small -- it fits in my purse! But it does have a few flaws I wish I had realized before purchasing.

First of all, it doesn't have a wide-angle lens. That is an optional accessory. This limits my filmmaking abilities more than I realized it would. Secondly, it dosn't have a viewfinder. You are forced to use the viewscreen at all times. In bright sun you can't see the image on the viewscreen at all, so without the option of switching to the viewfinder it's hit and miss if you are filming what you think you are filming.
And the last major challenge I have is that it records in MPEG2 format. This is the format (I guess) that you need to output directly to DVD. But for editing, this is not the best format. To edit in Windows Movie Maker you have to convert the file types and the quality tanks. I am looking at some MPEG2 editors right now, but I hear that editing right in MPEG2 format you lose some ability to make fine-tune edits.

On the plus side, I never have to buy tapes for this thing, and with something like 6 hours of recording built in at the highest quality I doubt I'll even need to buy memory cards for it. (Even on a great vacation, over 6 hours of footage is too much! Edit yourself!!) No running out of room in the middle of something exciting happening.

The lens cap is built in, which is also great, but I'm forgetting to close it all the time. And the 40x Optical Zoom is fantastic! It takes some great up-close shots without having to get up-close. And transferring to JPEG for still shots is easy with the new software I'm trying, and the stills look great.
And the nightshooting is really cool, too. I just don't know if I'll ever use it other than to torment my cat.

Overall it's a nice little camera, but there is room for improvement.

As good as any of the other Camcorders in this price range.
The last time I bought a camcorder was in 1994, when my first Daughter was born. It was an 8mm Panasonic. Since then I have bought Point and Shoots and SRL Digitals that really impressed me. I was so used to the quality of my Canon Rebel, that I just assumed that a new cam corder would get me the same quality or close to it!

I put down my $408.00 (got a deal) on a new Sony DCR-SR45. I like the Carl Ziess lenses and thought this has got to give me good quality! I also was impressed that it was all on a hard drive..30gb drive is more than enough for my needs.

. The HandyCam SR45 fit right in my hand, it weighs less then my Canon Rebel(with the 50mm lens) and is pretty easy to use. I love the touch screen...but then it came time to test the camera out....
My first test was in my Home office...and it looked grainy. I checked the settings and it was set to "SP" so I set it to "HQ" and tried again....Still grainy.

I decided that maybe it is just too little light in my office, so I waited until the next day to try it outside. I did...it looked fine through the 2.7 inch view screen, but porting it to my Computer, I just thought the quality should be a lot better...I mean...its 2008 and this did not seem to be a better quality than my old Panasonic Tape camcorder.

I was upset. I called Sony and they had me do a reset and try again....Still looked about the same....The telephoto was impressive, but the regular video was not up to my standard. The photo stills are just a joke...don;t think this is going to replace your point and shoot on vacation...it is just not able to at ALL...pretend that function does not exist.

So I was all set to send this back to the seller..I had it bundled up and the RMA on the box.. But I decided to go shopping once again and compare this model to others in the price range (I am not about to spend $1000 for a camcorder that I use only on Holidays, trips and Graduations)..So I looked at the quality of the video in the $340-$600 price range and came to the realization that this Camcorder is really on par with the others.

It was my own perception of what it should have been that was wrong.
So I went home and compared my two point and shoots that do Video Clips (Kodak and Nikon)and my old Camcorder and realized that this the quality of this camcorder is better!
I still give it a 3 star, because
1) Photo Still Images are just a joke!
2) The software stinks.
3) I am being picky, But I would have liked it if the lens cover closes automatically when the camera is shut off. I forget and leave the lens open....its just asking for trouble!
4) Battery that comes with the camcorder lasts about 45 minutes.
I would suggest getting a 6.5 hour extra battery...use that as the primary and use the one they gave you as a backup.

Great Camera, Great Price
I bought this camera 2 weeks ago and I must say, it's really neat. The quality of the camera while recording at first was a little less than I expected it to be, but that's because I had the recording mode in LP (medium quality) so I put it at the highest (HQ) and everything looked fine.

Honestly, the best things about this camera is that it's very small, can fit in the palm of your hand with ease.

The next thing is the Night Vision mode, this is the best, I was able to record in TOTAL DARKNESS inside my house (w/ all lights off) and I could still see things!

Last major noticeable thing is the fact that you don't have to keep changing discs every 30 minutes to record new video. You can record straight to the Hard Disk for up to 9 hours at the highest quality!

Listen, if you're looking for a good quality, small compact video camera for under $500, get this. It's a really good camera and a really good deal. Thanks, Sony!

About Sony DCR-SR45 30GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom detail

Amazon Sales Rank: #1220 in Camera & Photo
Brand: Sony
Model: HDR-SR45
Dimensions: 3.20 pounds
Display size: 2.7

Features

Capture video to hard disk drive; 30 GB storage
40x optical zoom, 2000x digital zoom; Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens
2.7-inch widescreen touch-panel Clear Photo LCD
Built-in zoom microphone with 5.1-channel recording
Memory Stick Pro Duo media slot

Product Description

You're always making memories, why stop capturing them? The DCR-SR45 Handycam camcorder is ready when you are, with a built-in 30GB Hard Disk Drive (HDD) for storage and up to 20 hours of recording time (LP). A generous 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Monitor keeps all the controls at your fingertips, while a 40x Optical / 2000x Digital Zoom keeps all the action up close and personal. And when it comes time to share your memories, it couldn't be easier than with the One Touch Disc Burn capability and the Memory Stick Duo media slot. The DCR-SR45 brings simplicity back to video sharing.

Amazon Price: $349.98

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