Sony DCR-SX44 Flash memory Handycam Camcorder (Red)

This camcorder does everything it should. For a palm-sized camera, 60x optical zoom is impressive. It comes with four GB of internal memory, and it takes Memory Sticks and SD Cards up to 32 GB. This makes its memory sources much more versatile than any other palm-sized cam that I’ve witnessed.

This year’s model, the DCR-SX44, comes with an LED Light on the front of the camera for added lighting in low-light scenarios. 1 of the biggest complains about last year’s model, the DCR-SX40, was that it had practically nothing to assist with low lighting. Clearly, Sony addressed the customers’ issues, and I like that.

Other great features: a switch-on lens cover (button on the side), zoom-in microphone (audio zooms with video), and good color selection (red, blue, and silver).

It comes with anything you require in the box: battery, energy cable, A/V cable, USB cable, and some optional computer software (which I have not touched).

Uploading videos online straight off the camera is easy. If you want to edit with Windows Film Maker, you will will need to convert video files from MPG format to WMV format. Easy remedy: download WinFF file converter for totally free, and it converts film files in a matter of seconds. Then you’re good to go.

To those who criticized the video quality: Don’t purchase a common definition palm-sized camera and expect high definition video. If you did that, then it is your very own fault that you are disappointed. For a SD camera, the picture top quality is FINE.

Our 1995 Sony camcorder lastly bit the dust so it was time for a new 1. We only use the camcorder for private use so we had been seeking for another basic, easy-to-use camcorder in the 0 range. Right after spending some time researching camcorders the Sony DCR-SX44 camcorder seemed like a perfect fit.

PROS:
Ease of use
Extremely lightweight and modest
Internal memory with optional memory slot
60x optical zoom
Constructed in lens cover

The menu and controls are quite intuitive so you will be shooting video in no time. This unit is so modest that it’s virtually too modest for huge hands to comfortably operate. Luckily the somewhat small grip is offset by the light weight, which makes extended filming much less shaky and fatigue totally free. I like the onboard memory as nicely as the option to use SD/SDHC cards. The zoom was really nicely carried out, it’s amazing how close you can get. I enjoy the variable zoom that makes it simple to control whether you zoom slow or quickly. The one particular knock on the zoom is that you will require a tripod if you expect to zoom in alot, there is no way a living breathing human can hold this nevertheless when zoomed all the way. That’s much more a compliment to the 60x than lack of stabilization although. When not zoomed in the stabilization is fine, not great but adequate sufficient for a budget camcorder.

CONS:
Video top quality
Light for low light conditions looks cool but is generally useless

The first factor I did was set the camera to auto and place it on the highest video top quality. Soon after recording a video indoors I played it back on the Television. Not good. Extremely grainy, out of focus, and dark. I knew low light indoors video would be a issue, so I went outside in complete sunlight and played around. Back to the Tv and again, not very good. All the pictures in the video were soft with no sharp lines and appeared to be slightly out of focus. At this point I knew I had to be doing some thing wrong so I started more than.

I recorded a multi-predicament video (like complete sunlight, shade, indoors lit, and indoors low light circumstances) employing each and every and each and every camcorder setting obtainable. I then played these directly to the Tv, burned them to a DVD, and downloaded them directly to my computer to view. All versions had been soft and fuzzy. I then compared the video high quality to DVD’s I burned from videos produced by our 15 year old Sony tape camcorder. The Sony DCR-SX44 overall video good quality (indoor and outdoor) was no greater (and sometimes worse) than our old middle of the road camcorder.

(Please note, I have an HD capable Tv but do not have HD service, so I do not watch, am not spoiled by, and am not expecting HD good quality video)

CONCLUSION:
I wanted to like this camcorder as the brand, style, alternatives, price, and ease of use matched everything I was hunting for. Nevertheless a camcorder with poor video good quality is fatally flawed in my book. It is achievable I got a defective unit, but reading other reviews it appears I’m not the only a single. I returned this camcorder and got my income back. Soon after performing some much more analysis it appears that for yet another -0 or so I can make the monumental jump to HD and skip the dying technological innovation that is standard definition.

I have owned this camera for but a handful of days, certainly haven’t become familiar with Every single function. I still personal a Sony DCR-TRV840 (a digital 8mm tape based camera) and this DCR-SX44 will sooner or later replace the TRV840.

As a technical consumer, I always review any default settings for devices I obtain I instantly set the recording mode to highest quality.

Pros: Small size (barely larger than 2 of the old TRV840s 8MM tapes in their storage cases), touch screen menuing technique (minimal buttons on the camera), 60x zoom is optical (a lot more zoom is obtainable if digital zoom is enabled – at the expense of image resolution), a number of optional battery capacities, a lot of characteristics to suit novice videographers (spot metering choices, face detection, slow shutter for low light recording, white balance, telephoto or Macro modes, guideframes (1/3rd rules), ‘Zoom microphone’ enable, 16:9 or four:three recording mode, self timer, media format, view/delete/defend pictures, far more). 1 added function: a Reset button, in case you go too far utilizing those menus!

Cons: Cannot take a snapshot Even though recording (my old TRV840 could do that), tiny nonetheless photo size (640×480, = VGA, VGA sized digital pictures had been a breakthrough back in the late 1990s), any USB connection requires LCD display to be opened (can not use USB with the LCD closed), user selection buttons are flush with surface of the situation and are impossible to figure out by really feel (for turning on the recording light, playback, backlight, disc burn), little size camcorder forces a modest sized LCD display, cannot add a carrying strap – no loops for straps, support for cards larger than 32 GB is not guaranteed (32 GB SDHC support is guaranteed (I’m quoting the manual – the Sony user manual uses the term GB, not GiB)), unusual connector on the camera for A/V outputs (drop the supplied A/V cable and you require to speak to Sony for replacement – try carrying out that in 5 years), pricey batteries if going for bigger capacity than stock battery.

All in all, for below 0, this is a great family members camera, providing space for experimentation, with direct to flash recording capability.