Sony DCR-SR100 Handycam
The Sony DCR-SR100 Handycam has 30GB hard disk drive storage and built-in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Supports an optional Bluetooth microphone for enhanced center channel sound. Three-megapixel Advanced HAD CCD, three-megapixel, digital still capture in 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios, built-in flash, Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, 2.7-inch wide (16:9) touch panel SwivelScreen LCD, and supplied DVD burning software.
Sony DCR-SR100 features include:
* 3.3 Megapixel (Gross) Advanced HADâ„¢ CCD Imager
* 10X Optical/120X Digital Zoom
* Professional Quality Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T* Lens
* Super SteadyShot® Picture Stabilization System
* 2.7″ Wide Touch Panel SwivelScreenâ„¢ LCD Display2 (123K Pixels)
* Dolby Digital 5.1ch Recording
* On Screen Zoom and Record Buttons
* USB 2.0 Interface
* One Touch Wide Angle Shooting
* Active Interface Shoe
* Super NightShot® Infrared System
* Program AE (Auto Exposure) Modes
* Picture Effects: Monotone, Mosaic, Pastel, and Sepia.
* Fader Effects: Black, Overlap, White and Wipe.
* InfoLithium® Battery with AccuPower™ Meter System6
* Digital Still Memory Mode
* Battery Information
* Easy Handycam Button
* Manual Focus
* Progressive Shutter System
Sony DCR-SR100 Reviews
PCMag reviews the Sony DCR-SR100 and writes, “In the action clip, the DCR-SR100 did a much better job than the GZ-MG77U did in quickly locking into autofocus. There was a bit of artifacting, especially on the signs we use in our tests. On the EIA resolution chart, the DCR-SR100 scored a decent 425 average lines of resolution, although miniDV camcorders have scored better. When set to its highest-quality mode, the DCR-SR100 can shoot 440 minutes of video. I found it quite easy to import the .MPG files into the Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 program for editing. … The DCR-SR100’s daylight image had little noise, but the flash test shot displayed more colored noise. Both test shots had decent colors that were fairly accurate and vibrant. I saw very little fringing, but both shots were soft throughout the image. Overall, the exposure of both the flash and the daylight images was decent. I found the flash coverage to be quite good.”
LaptopMag has a review up of the Sony DCR-SR100 and writes, “Performance is initially promising but ultimately inconsistent. When the camera and subjects were relatively static, our footage looked exceptionally crisp with excellent color fidelity. Low-light performance was also admirable, with noise and grain not significantly marring the image until light levels dipped below 20 Lux. … As camera movement was introduced, however, limitations of the DCR-SR100’s MPEG-2 encoding became apparent. Artifacts appeared on contrast lines and at the edges of moving objects. When camera movement was combined with overly detailed frames or complex textures, the artifacts were severe enough to be distracting.”
DigitalTrends has a review up of the Sony DCR-SR100 and writes, “Video results in Easy were good—not great—although much better than the Everio MG505. Granted there were some jagged edges on straight lines but for the most part the video looked good on my Toshiba HDTV. … t’s pretty simple—if you want to take the HDD camcorder plunge this is the one to buy—even though were problems with color accuracy. Sony is the dominant player in the camcorder world for a reason—it knows how to build high-quality, easy-to-use home video makers. And this is all the vast majority of buyers want. There’s no question dealing with all the material on a hard drive is a challenge but Sony makes it simple to handle with the one-touch DVD Burn.”
