Sony Handycam HDR-XR520VE (240 GB) Flash Media, Hard Drive, AVC Camcorder
- Recording System: NTSC
- HDD Size: 240 GB
- Recording Media: Flash Media Hard Drive AVC
- Optical Zoom: 12x
- Weight: 1 lb.
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An ideal camcorder for everyday family use
Pros
Excellent build, amazing quality footage and more than enough recording time.
Cons
Battery Life. Not an ideal film hobbyist camcorder (no 24p or 30p).
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Highly recommended for the family.
First for my background, I am an amateur photographer and enjoy doing portraits, landscape and occasionally macro photography. I have a good eye for color and enjoy the art profusely.
My daughter is now 15 months and is on the cusp of taking her first steps. As such I required a camcorder that would satisfy many points before being worthy for consideration.
In order of importance I required a Camcorder that is:
*An excellent performer in low light situations which is where camcorders in the past have had many problems and this is critical as this is usually the environment where it would mostly be used, that is indoors!
*Has an optical stabilizer that really works and is not a gimmick.
*Has true 1080p capability (since I happen to own a 1080P plasma TV)
*Is very easy to use (for the wife so she is not afraid to use it at any time which is pretty much the polar opposite of my SLR).
*It must be equipped with a HDD or Mini-SD for storing the recording media. I have so many Mini-DV tapes from the past it is not funny anymore. I would also require a monster amount of recording time as we quite frequently go for month long vacations overseas once a year.
*Is rugged enough to take an accidental small drop.
So with all these points highlighted I did my research and was set on either getting a Panasonic HD300, Canon HSFS10 or this Sony.
I figured the Panasonic was going to be a sure hit but the minute my wife tried using it, I could already see a big problem. She had a lot of trouble figuring out all the dials, switches and buttons and the salesman was being machine gunned with queries non-stop. Not a good sign.
The Canon looked great but the 32 gigs it came equipped with would be used in no time during our extended vacations. I could add an extra 32 gig SD memory card (About 100$ a card) but even with 64 gigs I would only get about 6 hours recording time. So with the cost of SDHC cards it can quickly ramp up the price at an astonishing rate. My other solution would be to not buy any cards and use the onboard memory forcing me to bring my laptop or an external drive. Neither of which I find very practical as it adds extra weight to the already stellar amount needed for a baby. Not only this but this solution also gives the added stress of worrying if your laptop will be still in your Hotel room when you get back from your tours.
So in conclusion, the Sony became the pick of the bunch.
First I must mention that there are currently two models in Sony's lineup that match in terms of features tit for tat except for hard drive size. A camcorder with a 120 gig hard drive (HDR-XR500V) and another with a 240 gig model (HDR-XR520V). So for the budget people out there, maybe the XR-500V is more to your liking. There is a price difference of Cdn$200 between the two.
In terms of footage at the highest possible quality (which quite frankly should be the only quality you use due to the fact these camcorders come equipped with monster sized space) the recording time will either be 30 hours for the XR520V or 15 hours for the XR500V model.
Below are listed some of the more interesting and useful technical details this camcorder has to offer:
The camcorders come with a 12x optical zoom G-lens barrel. This lens series is the same as Sony uses for their pro-line of camcorders. Under the lens to the right there is a solid metal ridged manual control dial (very useful) which can function to adjust manual focus, exposure, AE shift (more on this later) and WB shift. Besides the standard record and snapshot (for pictures) button this unit really feels naked compared to it's other camcorder brethren in terms of buttons, switches and dials. I must add it seems almost simplistic in nature.
You can power up the camcorder by simply opening the 3.2 inch LCD or pulling the viewfinder out and 2 seconds later you are ready to record. This is a key feature in my view as the fleeting moments you happen to observe are too easily missed by fumbling about with your device of choice. If only my SLR would do the same...
Most of the features on the camcorder are accessed by using the LCD view screen as a touch screen and the others are through the Spartan layout of buttons and switch revealed once that same LCD is opened for viewing.
The camcorder has an exposure control switch. This adjusts the frame-rate of your recording from standard mode (will not drop beneath 1/60) to Low Lux mode which will allow it to drop to 1/30 to allow for a brighter image (not good for sports events or when there is a lot of fast movement). The third option is night shot mode which utilizes the infra red sensor mounted on the front of the camcorder.
This camcorder also comes with face detection and smile shutter technology (which can be found in most of their consumer cameras). This is especially useful when your camcorder records in high def, as focus is even more imperative than ever. The face detection feature will allow the camcorder to focus on up to eight subjects at once and makes sure that every face is in focus while recording. The smile detection feature is only for the photo taking portion of the Camcorder. This feature forces the camcorder to only take the snapshot once the subject smiles. It is not always accurate as it took pictures while typically joyful little Giselle was crying (smile).
The CMOS sensor is remarkable and adjusts the optical fine tuning (Exposure, Frame rate, White Balance and Aperture settings) to make the scene you are recording look at it's very best. There are presets but they should be only used on very specific demanding conditions. 95% of the time no matter the situation, the automatic mode the camcorder is set to by default does a wonderful job. Whether you are under fluorescent or incandescent lighting, the camcorder adjusts the white balance perfectly. This is one very weak point found on many cameras by comparison. Moving outdoors the CMOS adjusts the exposure quickly and usually without issue. The only point I found problems with was under intense bright sunlight (noon hour). The AE shift control is a key point to combat this weakness and it is what I use my manual control dial for by default.
The OIS (optical image stabilization) is nothing less than incredible. This is the one area that has been severely lacking for a long time in my view. My other camcorder had a digital stabilization feature which in practical usage was useless. Footage came out with a whole lot of shake unless I mounted it on a tripod. By comparison this camcorder manages to make it look like you have it mounted on a trolley. Do not get me wrong, it will not get rid of excessive shake from your recording but for the vast majority of times, when you pan left, right or vertically it comes out looking very smooth on playback.
This camcorder also comes equipped with a GPS device. Not only does the GPS find your location and display it on a map at the touch of a button but it also takes into account the time differences and will change the onboard clock automatically when you arrive in a new area. Although this is a feature which is useful to only a niche section of consumers (frequent traveler), this is the only camcorder that sports that functionality for the moment.
The one glaring feature missing from this camcorder is the capability to record in 24p or 30p mode, features that were specifically made for the movie hobbyists out there. In a nutshell these modes were especially advantageous when shooting in low light conditions. With that said, this camcorder is head and shoulders above all of the competitors specifically in low light performance. You be the judge.
Video is recorded in AVCHD format. The maximum video resolution is 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD, although all the lower settings use 1,440 x 1,080. Since the XR520 records standard 1080i AVCHD, editing footage will pose no problems at all. For watching your footage on a TV, Sony has integrated a mini HDMI port (but with no adapter), and there's a proprietary port for hooking up component and composite analogue video connections. S-video is also supported by this port, although the required cable is an optional extra.
My practical assessment follows:
I have used it for a couple of weeks already. I was blown away with how well it fared. The picture quality is stunning to say the least and very crisp and lifelike. Much better than what I have ever expected from a consumer grade camcorder.
The ease of use was bang on...you open the screen and press the record button. The wife was elated and now uses it all the time.
It is fully compatible with my existing Apple hardware and specifically with the Ilife 09 suite and has no issues with it. I would suggest you do not even bother with the supplied software unless you are on a PC and do not have any alternative software.
The stabilizer is nothing less than phenomenal and works great even from a moving car. Something I also thought would never be able to be seen in a consumer unit. Everything is as smooth as silk with horizontal and vertical pans and it absorbs camera shake like nothing I have ever seen without the use of a tripod.
On the negative, you will need to use the AE shift when you are in bright sunny daylight as the default settings seem to be more geared towards low light situations. Not a big problem in my view.
The only caveat I have is battery life especially considering the fact that you have a camcorder that is capable of recording up to 30 hours worth of footage. Sony provides you with 90 minutes of battery life out of the box which to me seems lackluster at best. I would seriously recommend you get a second extended life battery along with a wall mount charger so that you may easily switch from one battery to the next during extended events. This is especially useful if you use the LCD screen instead of the viewfinder.
My daughter is now 15 months and is on the cusp of taking her first steps. As such I required a camcorder that would satisfy many points before being worthy for consideration.
In order of importance I required a Camcorder that is:
*An excellent performer in low light situations which is where camcorders in the past have had many problems and this is critical as this is usually the environment where it would mostly be used, that is indoors!
*Has an optical stabilizer that really works and is not a gimmick.
*Has true 1080p capability (since I happen to own a 1080P plasma TV)
*Is very easy to use (for the wife so she is not afraid to use it at any time which is pretty much the polar opposite of my SLR).
*It must be equipped with a HDD or Mini-SD for storing the recording media. I have so many Mini-DV tapes from the past it is not funny anymore. I would also require a monster amount of recording time as we quite frequently go for month long vacations overseas once a year.
*Is rugged enough to take an accidental small drop.
So with all these points highlighted I did my research and was set on either getting a Panasonic HD300, Canon HSFS10 or this Sony.
I figured the Panasonic was going to be a sure hit but the minute my wife tried using it, I could already see a big problem. She had a lot of trouble figuring out all the dials, switches and buttons and the salesman was being machine gunned with queries non-stop. Not a good sign.
The Canon looked great but the 32 gigs it came equipped with would be used in no time during our extended vacations. I could add an extra 32 gig SD memory card (About 100$ a card) but even with 64 gigs I would only get about 6 hours recording time. So with the cost of SDHC cards it can quickly ramp up the price at an astonishing rate. My other solution would be to not buy any cards and use the onboard memory forcing me to bring my laptop or an external drive. Neither of which I find very practical as it adds extra weight to the already stellar amount needed for a baby. Not only this but this solution also gives the added stress of worrying if your laptop will be still in your Hotel room when you get back from your tours.
So in conclusion, the Sony became the pick of the bunch.
First I must mention that there are currently two models in Sony's lineup that match in terms of features tit for tat except for hard drive size. A camcorder with a 120 gig hard drive (HDR-XR500V) and another with a 240 gig model (HDR-XR520V). So for the budget people out there, maybe the XR-500V is more to your liking. There is a price difference of Cdn$200 between the two.
In terms of footage at the highest possible quality (which quite frankly should be the only quality you use due to the fact these camcorders come equipped with monster sized space) the recording time will either be 30 hours for the XR520V or 15 hours for the XR500V model.
Below are listed some of the more interesting and useful technical details this camcorder has to offer:
The camcorders come with a 12x optical zoom G-lens barrel. This lens series is the same as Sony uses for their pro-line of camcorders. Under the lens to the right there is a solid metal ridged manual control dial (very useful) which can function to adjust manual focus, exposure, AE shift (more on this later) and WB shift. Besides the standard record and snapshot (for pictures) button this unit really feels naked compared to it's other camcorder brethren in terms of buttons, switches and dials. I must add it seems almost simplistic in nature.
You can power up the camcorder by simply opening the 3.2 inch LCD or pulling the viewfinder out and 2 seconds later you are ready to record. This is a key feature in my view as the fleeting moments you happen to observe are too easily missed by fumbling about with your device of choice. If only my SLR would do the same...
Most of the features on the camcorder are accessed by using the LCD view screen as a touch screen and the others are through the Spartan layout of buttons and switch revealed once that same LCD is opened for viewing.
The camcorder has an exposure control switch. This adjusts the frame-rate of your recording from standard mode (will not drop beneath 1/60) to Low Lux mode which will allow it to drop to 1/30 to allow for a brighter image (not good for sports events or when there is a lot of fast movement). The third option is night shot mode which utilizes the infra red sensor mounted on the front of the camcorder.
This camcorder also comes with face detection and smile shutter technology (which can be found in most of their consumer cameras). This is especially useful when your camcorder records in high def, as focus is even more imperative than ever. The face detection feature will allow the camcorder to focus on up to eight subjects at once and makes sure that every face is in focus while recording. The smile detection feature is only for the photo taking portion of the Camcorder. This feature forces the camcorder to only take the snapshot once the subject smiles. It is not always accurate as it took pictures while typically joyful little Giselle was crying (smile).
The CMOS sensor is remarkable and adjusts the optical fine tuning (Exposure, Frame rate, White Balance and Aperture settings) to make the scene you are recording look at it's very best. There are presets but they should be only used on very specific demanding conditions. 95% of the time no matter the situation, the automatic mode the camcorder is set to by default does a wonderful job. Whether you are under fluorescent or incandescent lighting, the camcorder adjusts the white balance perfectly. This is one very weak point found on many cameras by comparison. Moving outdoors the CMOS adjusts the exposure quickly and usually without issue. The only point I found problems with was under intense bright sunlight (noon hour). The AE shift control is a key point to combat this weakness and it is what I use my manual control dial for by default.
The OIS (optical image stabilization) is nothing less than incredible. This is the one area that has been severely lacking for a long time in my view. My other camcorder had a digital stabilization feature which in practical usage was useless. Footage came out with a whole lot of shake unless I mounted it on a tripod. By comparison this camcorder manages to make it look like you have it mounted on a trolley. Do not get me wrong, it will not get rid of excessive shake from your recording but for the vast majority of times, when you pan left, right or vertically it comes out looking very smooth on playback.
This camcorder also comes equipped with a GPS device. Not only does the GPS find your location and display it on a map at the touch of a button but it also takes into account the time differences and will change the onboard clock automatically when you arrive in a new area. Although this is a feature which is useful to only a niche section of consumers (frequent traveler), this is the only camcorder that sports that functionality for the moment.
The one glaring feature missing from this camcorder is the capability to record in 24p or 30p mode, features that were specifically made for the movie hobbyists out there. In a nutshell these modes were especially advantageous when shooting in low light conditions. With that said, this camcorder is head and shoulders above all of the competitors specifically in low light performance. You be the judge.
Video is recorded in AVCHD format. The maximum video resolution is 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD, although all the lower settings use 1,440 x 1,080. Since the XR520 records standard 1080i AVCHD, editing footage will pose no problems at all. For watching your footage on a TV, Sony has integrated a mini HDMI port (but with no adapter), and there's a proprietary port for hooking up component and composite analogue video connections. S-video is also supported by this port, although the required cable is an optional extra.
My practical assessment follows:
I have used it for a couple of weeks already. I was blown away with how well it fared. The picture quality is stunning to say the least and very crisp and lifelike. Much better than what I have ever expected from a consumer grade camcorder.
The ease of use was bang on...you open the screen and press the record button. The wife was elated and now uses it all the time.
It is fully compatible with my existing Apple hardware and specifically with the Ilife 09 suite and has no issues with it. I would suggest you do not even bother with the supplied software unless you are on a PC and do not have any alternative software.
The stabilizer is nothing less than phenomenal and works great even from a moving car. Something I also thought would never be able to be seen in a consumer unit. Everything is as smooth as silk with horizontal and vertical pans and it absorbs camera shake like nothing I have ever seen without the use of a tripod.
On the negative, you will need to use the AE shift when you are in bright sunny daylight as the default settings seem to be more geared towards low light situations. Not a big problem in my view.
The only caveat I have is battery life especially considering the fact that you have a camcorder that is capable of recording up to 30 hours worth of footage. Sony provides you with 90 minutes of battery life out of the box which to me seems lackluster at best. I would seriously recommend you get a second extended life battery along with a wall mount charger so that you may easily switch from one battery to the next during extended events. This is especially useful if you use the LCD screen instead of the viewfinder.
