Sony Handycam DCR-PC9 Mini DV Camcorder
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- Recording System: NTSC
- Camcorder Type: Digital
- Recording Media: Mini DV
- Optical Zoom: 10x
- Weight: 1.06 lb.
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Sony DCR-PC9: Filming Excellence
Pros
Very light and small camera, widescreen mode, two sound modes
Cons
Fairly short battery life, zoom not very impressive for the price
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
For only $800, this is about as good as it gets.
I have always been a fan of Sony products, so I was not concerned when I chose the Sony DCR-PC9 as my next digital camcorder. My main reason for buying this camcorder was its low weight and small size. After using it for a couple of months now, I am thrilled beyond words.
Things I liked
First of all, I was immediately drawn to this camera because of its size and weight. I took this camera with me to the zoo the other day and it was not a burden to carry and use. Often I will leave my camcorder at home because I don't want to deal with having to drag it around with me. This camera fit nicely into one of my backpack pockets and I found myself using the camera a lot during the course of the day.
The touchscreen menu is also a nice touch that makes using the camera much easier. I can remember fiddling with all sorts of buttons with my previous cameras and ending up frustrated. With the touchscreen you can access all of the cameras features in the same location. Once you get familiar with the touchscreen you will be operating the camera like a pro.
Although other reviewers have touched upon the fact that this camera has two sound modes, I do not think they did it proper justice. There is a lower quality setting (12 bit) and a higher quality setting (16 bit). Both settings allow you to record music or voices over the recorded movie. Although the higher quality sound setting takes up more memory, it is markedly superior to the lower sound setting. Sometimes with the lower setting, words from far off would be hard to make out. Once I used the higher setting, the sounds from far away become much easier to distinguish and understand. If you end up buying this camera, I encourage you to test out both setting to see for yourself.
This camera also comes equipped with a Carl Zeiss lens which means the picture quality is top notch. I've had other camcorders that came with cheaper lenses and I can definitely tell the difference. The CCD is 680k pixel resolution which is more than adequate considering the price of the camera.
Finally, I was impressed with the Super Nightshot feature. One night I tested the camera by taking it with my family on a night walk. The picture was remarkably vivid and clear up to 10 or 15 feet away. Beyond that distance the image began to get fuzzy and lose resolution. Considering it was pitch dark, I could not have been more satisfied with this result.
What I Didn't Like
The battery life of the camera is not quite what I expected. Although I know that using the 2.5 inch LCD will drain the battery quickly, I was surprised that it only lasted for about an hour. For most casual filming this is more than adequate, but since I like to film a lot I decided to buy a couple small batteries as backups.
I was also disappointed with the 10x optical zoom. My friend told me that since the camera is so small, you kind of give up having a higher optical zoom so I guess this is a small tradeoff.
All in All A Great Camera
When all is said and done, this camera is much more that I could possibly expect in a digital camcorder. As a bonus, the firewire technology makes transferring files to your computer a breeze.
I could've spent hundreds of dollars more for a camera with the exact same features so I am pleased with my purchase.
Things I liked
First of all, I was immediately drawn to this camera because of its size and weight. I took this camera with me to the zoo the other day and it was not a burden to carry and use. Often I will leave my camcorder at home because I don't want to deal with having to drag it around with me. This camera fit nicely into one of my backpack pockets and I found myself using the camera a lot during the course of the day.
The touchscreen menu is also a nice touch that makes using the camera much easier. I can remember fiddling with all sorts of buttons with my previous cameras and ending up frustrated. With the touchscreen you can access all of the cameras features in the same location. Once you get familiar with the touchscreen you will be operating the camera like a pro.
Although other reviewers have touched upon the fact that this camera has two sound modes, I do not think they did it proper justice. There is a lower quality setting (12 bit) and a higher quality setting (16 bit). Both settings allow you to record music or voices over the recorded movie. Although the higher quality sound setting takes up more memory, it is markedly superior to the lower sound setting. Sometimes with the lower setting, words from far off would be hard to make out. Once I used the higher setting, the sounds from far away become much easier to distinguish and understand. If you end up buying this camera, I encourage you to test out both setting to see for yourself.
This camera also comes equipped with a Carl Zeiss lens which means the picture quality is top notch. I've had other camcorders that came with cheaper lenses and I can definitely tell the difference. The CCD is 680k pixel resolution which is more than adequate considering the price of the camera.
Finally, I was impressed with the Super Nightshot feature. One night I tested the camera by taking it with my family on a night walk. The picture was remarkably vivid and clear up to 10 or 15 feet away. Beyond that distance the image began to get fuzzy and lose resolution. Considering it was pitch dark, I could not have been more satisfied with this result.
What I Didn't Like
The battery life of the camera is not quite what I expected. Although I know that using the 2.5 inch LCD will drain the battery quickly, I was surprised that it only lasted for about an hour. For most casual filming this is more than adequate, but since I like to film a lot I decided to buy a couple small batteries as backups.
I was also disappointed with the 10x optical zoom. My friend told me that since the camera is so small, you kind of give up having a higher optical zoom so I guess this is a small tradeoff.
All in All A Great Camera
When all is said and done, this camera is much more that I could possibly expect in a digital camcorder. As a bonus, the firewire technology makes transferring files to your computer a breeze.
I could've spent hundreds of dollars more for a camera with the exact same features so I am pleased with my purchase.
