| Article Index |
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| Sony HDR-SR1 AVCHD HDD Handycam Review |
| Page 2: Using the Camera |
| Page 3: Recording and Image Quality |
| All Pages |
Hard Disk Drive camcorders are nothing new to the DV market, but the HDR-SR1 from Sony has something special – the
ability to record in High Definition 1080i resolution and 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital Audio. Retailing for around AU$2000, this has to be one of the best cameras on the market today, we take a closer look.
The HDRSR1 records to a 30GB internal Hard Drive that can hold 4 hours of High Definition video at the highest quality or up to 21 hours of Standard Definition video. The need for external optical or tape media is well and truly gone. Sony has the same camera with DVD storage also available (HDRUX1), and at full quality can only store 15 minutes of footage on an 8cm single layer DVD, or 27 minutes on dual layer. Why anyone would go for the UX1 with DVD option when the SR1 with its HDD storage is the same price is beyond me.
AVCHD Recording:
The SR1 uses the newly developed AVCHD format (Advanced Video Codec High Definition), which is essentially an MPEG-4 format using H.264 codec, allowing for efficient compression while sacrificing very little in the way of quality. AVCHD was introduced for use on media such as 8cm DVDs, Hard Disks and flash memory, and utilising these types of media gives the ability for true random access as opposed to tape media such as MiniDV which is linear access and must be fast forwarded and rewound to the point you want.
Audio recording with AVCHD is either in uncompressed 7.1 channel digital, or AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 Channel compression, the SR1 uses the later for its sound recording.
DVDs that are burnt with the AVCHD format instead of the normal MPEG format are playable on any Blu-Ray device, as well as your home PC so long as you have the required software installed.
The software included with the SR1 is typical of Sony, install a myriad of software to make things ‘easier’ when you (well most people) only want to grab the video and burn it to a DVD or leave it on their PC. One such annoyance is Sony’s HDD Hanycam Utility, which intercepts any image device connected to your computer, whether it’s a Sony camera or not, this becomes a little tiresome.
The software included with the SR1 does however make things easy, plug the camera in, the program pops up and asks if you want to transfer everything or selected clips to your PC, then launches the ‘Picture Motion Browser’ where you can either convert your videos to MPEG’s to save them, or burn straight to DVD and many other options. All rather hassle free overall for the basic functions at least. You don’t have to use any software for getting the still images off though, as the camera acts as a mass storage device when connected to windows, so it appears as another hard drive in my computer, simply open it up and copy off the images you want. You can copy the movie files this way as well, but you won’t be able to use them without the Sony software.
Using the Camera:
Using the SR1 is more or less just like every other camcorder around today, single touch start/stop recording, simple power toggle switch, easy zoom control, responsive auto-focus and a separate still photo button within easy reach. For more advanced functions you use the 3.5” LCD touch screen to access the rather extravagant menu system, which while being easy to use and navigate has so many options it can take a little while to find what you’re after.
A manual control ring is included around the lens for optional manual control of focus, white balance, AE shift and exposure if you feel you can do a better job than the camera’s automatic controls. Also included around the lens are buttons for backlight compensation, a flash selector, night shot switch as well as an external microphone connection.
On top of the lens is a 4 channel microphone, where the camera inputs all audio and converts it to 5.1 channel Dolby Digital audio for recording. Sadly there is no wind noise reduction function in the camera, this can lead to quite bad noise when recording outdoors if conditions aren’t ideal. Behind the microphone is the Active Interface Shoe, which allows for accessories such as a video light, flash or external microphone.
An external wired remote control, called a remote commander is also included with the SR1, able to start/stop video recording, take a still photo and control zoom functions. This plugs in near the power switch on the rear corner of the camera, above a headphone jack which allows for private listening to your recordings.
The standard Lithium-Ion battery included with the SR1 is good for around 100 minutes of recording, with larger capacity batteries available to give up to 380 minutes of recording time. No external charger dock is included with the SR1, instead the batteries are charged in the camera, but only when the camera is off. When the camera is on and the power pack connected, the battery is not used in any way, it would be a lot better if it could be charged at the same time.
Video output from the SR1 comes in a variety of flavours, normal RCA video and audio, Component video and HDMI output. RCA and component cables are included, but the HDMI cable is an optional extra. Sony’s spec sheet list the SR1 as having S-Video out capability also, but no S-video cable is included, nor is there one on the options list. Nice work.
Recording and Image Quality:
Whilst I’ve had the camera in my possession I have been making some short clips and playing them back on my PC as well as a 42” Panasonic HD plasma screen (which still can’t display full 1080i HD) and the image quality is outstanding. Because it is an interlaced recording you can see the interlacing sometimes in fast movement, 1080p instead of 1080i would be better suited for LCD and Plasma screens, but still the image is excellent.
This is thanks in a big part to the high quality Carl Zeiss Lens and Sony’s ClearVid CMOS Sensor which is found on most of Sony’s higher-end models these days. The lens gives 10x optical zoom, with the camera able to zoom in another 8x digitally (giving a total of 80x digital zoom), but I, like anyone who wants a decent looking image, would never use digital zoom as it ruins the image significantly, so I didn’t even bother enabling it.
Aside from giving the ability to record in 1080i HD, the SR1 will also take very good quality still images, up to 4.0Megapixel in 4:3 aspect ratio, or a still reasonable 3.0Megapixel in 16:9 AR.
If you want to take (good) photos while recording a movie, you can do it with the SR1, you don’t even need an additional memory stick like many other models (though you can use one if you wish) as it records it all to the hard drive at the same time. Images taken whilst recording video (call Dual Record) are at a lower resolution of 2.3MegaPixel for 16:9 aspect ratio and 1.7MegaPixel for 4:3. Still a very useable resolution and the pictures are of excellent quality. Even at full 10x optical zoom in a florescent lighted office there was no grainy appearance to the image at all, and the image remained crisp and clear. I have seen proper digital still cameras give more vibrant colours, but still images are always a bit of a compromise on a DV Cam, and here they are certainly better than average.
If you need some removable media for your still images the SR1 will accept Memory Stick Duo and Duo Pro flash memory, but you won’t be able to put any video on it, only stills, and no memory stick, not even a small one, is included with the SR1, they must be purchased separately.
A cool feature called ‘smooth slow record’ is built into the SR1, what it does is record at 4 times the usual frame rate for smooth slow motion playback. However, it only records 3 seconds worth of footage (for 12 seconds of playback), so it’d be great for analysing something like a golf swing but sadly not much else.
{mospagebreak title=Page 4: Conclusion}Conclusion:
The HDR-SR1 is a camera so filled with features it’s unlikely you’ll ever get around to using them all, yet it remains simple to use. The widescreen LCD is bright and displays vivid colour, and the touch screen function is easy to use and doesn’t require a special stylus (slender fingers are best however). Takes excellent photos for a camcorder and having the imagery recorded to HDD is excellent, so much better than using removable or optical media.
The only downsides I see are the lack of wind noise reduction and the overall size of the camera. Whilst it’s not a massive or ugly camera, it certainly is bigger and heavier than a lot of its competition, and can get tiresome holding it one handed for long periods of time.
Sony’s RRP for this camera is AU$2299, but can be bought online for under $2k including shipping. Whilst this is a lot more expensive than your bargain basement $400 DV-Cam the features and recording quality of the SR1 make it good value for money.
OzHardware Rating – 9/10
This product can be purchased one at www.techbuy.com.au
Direct Link: http://www.techbuy.com.au/p/67385/.asp
