Extremely intuitive, touch-screen display and fun to use makes this MiniDV camcorder the perfect choice for the casual user!
Just to clarify, I am in no way a videographer or photographer in any way. I consider myself very educated in other forms of technology (PCs, Internet, PDAs), but the only video recording I may have ever done in my life is recording a science presentation in the 6th grade. Now, with that aside, I needed a camcorder for this site to capture video of some of the photo shoots, which can be found on YouTube here, but really had no idea what kind of video camera to get. To make matters worse, I had no idea what the difference between MiniDV and MiniDVD was! So, basing my purchase solely off the fact that Sony has brand recognition and reliability that has resonated through the technology sector
for years, I decided to go with the Sony Handycam. I was a little reluctant to plunk down $250 for a camcorder, but time definitely was not on my side and obviously decided to purchase it. I will be honest with you, with a little common sense, this camcorder will take you about 15 minutes to fluently understand and apply it, that is it! I have not even uncovered 50% of the camcorder's capabilities and this thing has already blown me away! Here's why:
Ease of Use - Definitely one of the strongest facets of the product. It honestly took me around 10-15 minutes to apply the essential recording features to my photo shoot. The touch-screen display is also very intuitive and just plain cool! Want to see what you just recorded? Flip to playback mode, press the rewind button on the touch display and you are good to go! The touch-screen is also very responsive and calibrated correctly to discern which button you are intending to press.
Price - Since this is not a professional model camera, and definitely not low-quality, I can justify paying $250 for this product. I will be using it multiple times a month and will definitely realize this camcorder paying for itself within the next few months.
Quality - Excellent. Really nothing to say here besides the fact that the movies are crystal clear and cannot complain about anything.
Battery Life - I really do not know the average battery life for the average camcorder, but for my Handycam, it is around 100 min. Unless you are recording the Tour de France, this is enough battery to record just about anything. Even better is that the battery easily replaceable if you do in fact need more recording time and the camcorder recharges extremely quick on top of that!
Durability - I do not know the exact durability of this camcorder, but let us be honest, this thing is not going to be knocked around in your car or pocket. I take care of my equipment and if you do too, you will not have anything to worry about!
Cons - I can really only think of one minor flaw that I have encountered so far with this camera, and that is importing your movies directly to your computer via USB. While that would be ideal, there is a very easy alternative. To import your movies to your computer with the HC52, you will need to have a fire wire port, fire wire cable, connect, and capture your video while playing it on Windows Media Player. Everything else is impeccable!
With many strengths, they completely nullify the single minor flaw in the Sony Handycam HC52. I have only owned this product for about a week and could not be happier with it! If you are looking for a quality camcorder that is easy to use, look no further and pick up the Sony Handycam DCR-HC52 today!
