The Sony HDR-HC1 is a groundbreaking camcorder that brings the ability to record high definition video down to the level of consumers, albeit high end ones at current prices. It's not perfect, especially with the additional outlay this requires for Sony's omissions in battery life and editing, but it's one of those rare gadgets that actually lives up to the hype. Given the breakthrough it represents it deserves 5 stars.Size and features are the first thing you notice. At 1.5 lbs (closer to 2 with the larger battery), this rests comfortably in my hand with only the lens portion sticking out beyond it. Even if it's substantially longer than miniDV models, I've actually stuffed this in a large Bermuda shorts pocket and it and a belly pack seem perfect for each other for hand free carrying. Kudos to Sony for recognizing that all the technology in the world doesn't help if your toy is sitting at home and you're not. This is also well designed for ease of use. The basic controls (record, shoot still, zoom/widen, and power/function) are all accessible using your thumb and index finger, and the touchscreen LCD lets you select any of the plethora of menu controls. As far as filming, point and click works perfectly fine, and the steady cam feature noticably helps up to about 4-6x zoom (go past that and you'll need a tripod as the camera is so small even slight twitches will ruin your shot.)
Most importantly, picture quality is quite good. It's not IMAX-quality, but even on my brutally demanding Sharp LC-45GX6U recordings from the HDR-HC1 are equivalent to much HD content currently available think of it roughly like an HD show segment shot out in the field someplace rather than with fixed million dollar cameras. With 1 rather than 3 CCDs like the FX1, there had been some worry about performance at lower light levels, but it's actually not that bad. The only thing I've noticed is a slight lack of color gradiation; I recently filmed a magnificent red sunrise and while the HDR-HC1 got the main reds in marvelous detail, it did miss some of the subtle differences in the reds that were turning to pink. Unless you're an aspiring filmmaker, not a big deal. (If you want to film at no light levels, turn on the infrared nightshot mode it's like using nightvision goggles, along with the drawbacks that a light source overwhelms the shot and you're limited to a smaller area in which you can film.) Sound quality is surprisingly good for a couple of small embedded mics. The 2.8 MB still camera is good enough to leave your Cybershot at home unless you're a dedicated photographer and 10x optical zoom from it beats most everything on the market, although it does lack some of the features of the camcorder like digital zoom.
Where I'd take a star off if this weren't such a technological breakthrough is that by omitting some necessary items Sony seems intent on you spending several hundred dollars more on accessories to get full functionality from this. To start, you'll need a second and preferably third generation Memory Stick Duo Pro (the second generation sticks out from the side, the first doesn't work) to use still camera features as it includes only a paltry 16MB card good for all of about 11 pictures in 1920x1440 mode.
More serious are issues with battery life and editing. You'll need at least the medium and preferably the large optional batteries (the expensive Sony OEM versions, since aftermarket ones don't fit) as despite its touting of CMOS this chews them up. (The only good news is the heavier battery provides better balance to the front-heavy aspect of this.) Second, editing HD video streams on your PC is painful as most video editing programs on the PC don't coexist well with HDV's native mT2 streams. Windows Media Encoder crashes when I've tried to directly edit them despite my use of a three month old dual-processor monster for this. (Mac users as usual seem to be reporting a bit less of a problem).
Why is editing on a PC such a big deal? Well, despite another review claiming otherwise (along with gratuitous HD bashing they got a number of features wrong) HD video shot on this isn't stuck on the DV tapes forever. The inclusion of a Firewire output here means you can output HD video easily. (Although as pointed out elsewhere, yet another 'optional accessory' is the required 4 pin to 4 pin Firewire cable see my reviews to find a good one for cheap.) The problem is that while you can store HD video from this easily and forever on a D-VHS recorder (see my reviews again if you're not familiar with the technology), you can't transfer it directly to there for some highly technical reasons (too high transmission rate from the camera versus what the recorder will take, apparently). So then, the 80% of people who aren't using a Mac but who are using this for HD recording have no choice but to turn to using a PC-based editor as you HAVE to put this on a PC before archiving it to D-VHS. That becomes an issue as you'll have a. find an editor that accepts mT2 (potentially a several hundred dollar outlay since the demo versions are usually crippleware), b. convert the stream to something more editing friendly (time and processor consuming), and c. then finally archive it to D-VHS or a 10 GB file (that you can split across DVDs in HD format) This is why the lack of a good editor isn't nitpicking but vastly reduces functionality here, as without one you're basically stuck displaying raw HD video stuck on DV tape. So, yes, the lack of included PC editing capability here is a big drawback on several levels.
Despite the fact you'll likely have to drop another few hundred dollars getting this up to where it's fully functional, don't get me wrong. This is one of the best gadgets I've bought in a long time. I'm sure in a decade we'll be laughing at how complicated and funky this was compared to something that could record on 2nd generation Blu-ray and edit on the fly, but despite these limitations this is a truly groundbreaking camcorder. I view the progression here as almost akin to moving from Super 8 to VHS for the consumer, which brought the modern age of camcorders to be. Despite the two minor omissions, highly recommended, especially for preserving images of older loved ones for the next 50 years in a format your unborn grandkids will not view as antique. One final note: dealer cost on this is rumoredly $1500-1600, so be very careful about those offering to sell you one or two for half that price!
PROS:
1. Small. I would very happy with the size when I opened the box as I was worried that a HDV camera and quality lens would make for a large camera. No, it's no a tiny camera, but comparable to most mid-priced bodies in the market. But unlike the mid-market cameras, the HC1 is a HDV power house.
2. Image quality is breath taking. If you are a new parent or just want your images to stand the test of time, this is a great camera to invest in now since the future is HD
3. Feels great in your hand. Solid build and feel.
CONS:
1. Camera is slightly front-heavy. This is not a big deal since you will need a bigger batter which balances the weight perfectly (see next comment.)
2. Standard battery is simply not acceptable. Gets about 40 minutes of recording time, if you are lucky. Get the xxx71 Sony battery at a minimum or the xxx91 for extended recording (although this batter is very long and heavy. I went with the 71 and am pleased with it.)
3. Memory stick. When is Sony going to understand this is terrible for customers and they should simply use standard memory not this proprietary crap?
4. Only 'OK' in low light situations. Not bad, mind you, and better than 95% of the cameras on the market which all struggle with this, but for a 2K camera, I was hoping for a little better. But again, the low light is acceptable.
5. No firewire cable. This is a must for putting movies on your computer, and the fact that you have to spend another 40 bucks for it after dropping 2 grand on the camcorder is simply insulting. Sony, needs to get its act together and not cheat its prosumer customers.
On balance, I think this is a great camcorder and a great investment in capturing your memories in the format of the future.
Finally, as another poster mentioned, working in HD (and video in general) is definitely easier on a Mac.
My wife who hates technology loves doing video and pictures on her Mac, and easily shares them on her .Mac account. If you are consider this camcorder--or any other for that matter--definitely consider investing in a Mac too. It makes the post production a ton of fun and a highly creative process vs. "trying to figure basic things out for hours on end like her PC experience."
Buy Sony HDR-HC1 2.8MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Now
I have had mine for over three weeks now and am very impressed. The simple ability to capture true 1080i video is amazing. I finally have home video I can play on my HDTV and not cringe at the poor resolution.The 3MP camera is also quite good. It doesn't replace a normal digital camera, but I found the shots to be decent. The nice thing is being able to shoot pictures in widescreen mode and play them back on your HDTV. It is the best way to view photos that I have seen.
There are some minor downsides. The bottom loading tape is a pain for tripod filming. The viewfinder is too short when using a large battery. The focusing system is a bit challenging as it can take a while to lock. It also takes a while to figure out the stability settings so your video does not look choppy.
I recommend a great user site at sonyhdvinfodotcom. The user forums are invaluable for understanding the nuances of the camera.
Overall, a tremendous camera for a very good price.
Read Best Reviews of Sony HDR-HC1 2.8MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Here
I shoot those little movies that help me to focus the ideas and settings of my books (available on Amazon). I also produce marketing and training videos for my software business. For that I switched to HD a year ago and bought that Sony HDR-FX1, which is an excellent camera. HD format is always 16x9 and uses higher resolutions up to 1920 pixels. There are many formats and 24, 25 and 30 frames per second in interlaced and progressive recording. Be aware of that.I just bought a HC1 and here are my impressions. In my opinion (and on comparison tests) the HD video quality of the HC1 is identical to even the professional cameras mentioned below. But that obviously has to be understood as an electronics feature and not in terms of lenses or usability for movie production. The HC1 just produces more video noise in low-light conditions.
Why did I buy the HC1:
1) size: people behave unnatural in front of a large camera
2) second camera angle is ideal in some scenes
3) portability: pro quality in any location
4) picture quality for later editing
HD prosumer camcorders:
JVC JY-HD10U $2800, larger,
Sony HDR-FX1 3-CCD $3000+, larger, better lenses,
Sony HDR-HC3 not yet out $1000+ smaller, less features
HD pro camcorders:
SONY HVR-Z1U 3 CCD, $4500, smallest pro cam
JVC GY-HD100U 3 CCD, $5000+, interchangable lenses
Canon XL-H1 3 CCD, $9000+, interchangable lenses
What does HD mean to you:
Mostly higher cost and more issues if you want to edit on a PC. I had to spend $3000 for Adobe Premiere Pro 2 and a dual-dore processor with 2GB of RAM to make it work. Get Cineform's Aspect-HD for good editing performance. The best consumer HD-capture is done by the Sony DVGATE software. Sony Vegas is a good editing program too. Most HD-video formats can not be played on a normal PC unless you downgrade it to 720x480. Getting HD format onto a DVD is a similar complex path.
Conclusion:
HD quality is pricey and if you don't enjoy solving problems then PC editing is not for you. Should you buy the HC1? YES! Why? The quality of the original tape is always the most important. You can record in HDV and watch it on your HDTV. You can downgrade it to DV for PC editing or for DVD and convert it to HD-DVD later, once the equivalent harddisk recorders get to the market a year from now.
A last tip: The future is harddisk recorders. I already use a CitiDISK HDV to record without tape. In one year most high-end camcorder models will have harddisk recorders rather than tape. And HD will be the norm and not the exception. But there will always something new and life just goes on ...
ENJOY AND RECORD IT NOW!
Want Sony HDR-HC1 2.8MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Discount?
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.....
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