Sony HDR-HC1 HDV 1080i Handycam Camcorder

At first glance, Sony's HDR-HC1 HDV 1080i Handycam Camcorder looks like a regular mild-mannered digital camcorder. Don't be fooled by the disguise; the HDR-HC1 is the first consumer high-definition (HD) camcorder, and this is a watershed moment in home video. Sony still has some kinks to work out, but the video quality is absolutely breathtaking and dramatically better than any other consumer camcorder we've seen.

At $1,999.99 (direct), the HDR-HC1 costs at least twice as much as most other consumer camcorders, though the details are fairly standard—10x optical zoom with a manual zoom ring, video recording to miniDV tape, and digital still-image capabilities. But even at such a high price, this camcorder breaks new ground. Previous HD camcorders, such as Sony's FX-1, were aimed at prosumers and priced accordingly (around $3,500). We're giving our Editors' Choice award to the HDR-HC1 for being first with HD at this price point; however, we are certain other manufacturers will have similar offerings in 2006.

Although this camcorder is our Editors' Choice, it has a few flaws. For starters, the touch screen worked well, but as with most Sony cameras and camcorders, the menus could have been better organized. Also, the tiny manual is inadequate. We would have liked to have seen a section in the manual describing how consumers can get the most out of their new HD camcorder. For example, Sony could have briefly mapped out exactly just what high-definition video is, how the format differs from other formats, and so on.

Next, there was no software included for editing your video clips. To transfer your video from the camcorder to the computer and have it remain in HD, you'll need to purchase a pro-level video editing suite such as Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5.1 ($699 direct) or Sony's Vegas+DVD Production Suite ($475 street). Sony should make that clearer or include software in the package with detailed instructions (along with a quick start-up guide) on how to use it. When we talked to Sony about this issue, representatives said that while they don't include Sony-branded software with the camcorder, consumers will be able to find HD software and that such software is becoming more readily available. Sony (as well as any other manufacturer that wants to compete in this space) should also be clear about letting consumers know that editing HD-quality video will seriously tax your computer system. If you're marketing a product to pros, then you can expect that they'll read white papers and do research on what the requirements are for working with HD content. For consumers, though, Sony should at the very least point them in the right direction to find such information.

Last, Sony should clearly indicate that you'll need to wait a bit if you plan on storing your HD footage on an optical disc. Your high-def video footage will be converted to standard definition (SD) when you burn it to DVD. When high-capacity HD-DVD and Blu-ray discs are available, only part of the problem will be solved. You will still have to buy a new drive in order to burn such a disc and a new player to play it in.

Unbelievable Video Quality

In testing the camcorder, we connected it directly to an HDTV and a computer LCD monitor that could display the video footage in 1080i. In both our talking-head clip and in our action clip, we found superb dynamic range, realistic color, and very few artifacts or aberrations. We found some noise in low-light situations, but given that the camera is a one-chip (CMOS) camcorder, we expected this. In filming our EIA chart, the camera captured 750 lines of resolution, clearly surpassing the 300-to-400 range of other camcorders.

We simply loved the way the camera captured crisp details and textures. For example, we shot some real-world footage of a swimming pool that captured the rippling water and colored bathing suits with exquisite detail and fidelity. The camera had no problem switching quickly from bright exteriors to dimly lit interiors, filming both with equal clarity, color saturation, and accuracy. And in the labs, we could clearly make out the subtlest textures and patterns in various tests, from the fine lines and even the lint on our model's shirt to the delicate surfaces in various still-life objects we filmed. The quality of the recorded audio was also excellent.

One conspicuous problem we found was that the SteadyShot image-stabilization feature did not work as well as we felt it should. Image stabilization is especially important when filming HD video because of the detail and quality of the footage. Sony should definitely increase SteadyShot's power, unless they don't mind that some viewers will start to feel nauseous when viewing handheld street scenes.

In addition to testing the HD quality of the video, we also captured the video in standard definition (SD) using a popular video editor (Pinnacle Studio 9.4 software). To do so, we also needed to make sure that the camera's "down convert" function was turned on, otherwise the software would have failed to recognize and capture the footage. When we captured the footage, burned a DVD, and played it on a computer as well as in a DVD player, the results were excellent, even though the footage was standard definition. Because the raw video was first captured in HD, the excellent quality allowed us to create a spectacular SD DVD.

The HDR-HC1's digital-still capabilities were mediocre at best. Colors were good, but objects were not sharp, and there was quite a bit of noise throughout the image. But the camcorder scored well on our resolution tests for a 2.8-megapixel device: It captured 1,125 lines, which is more in the 4MP range. We were unable to test its boot-up time, but we found that the camcorder had a slow 5.2-second recycle time between flash shots. We also found significant shutter lag.

The HDR-HC1 is certainly geared toward early adopters, but we believe those folks who do pony up for this camcorder will be very pleased with the results. Stay tuned, though, because we expect the infant field of high-def consumer camcorders to fill up quickly.

More digital video camcorder reviews:
Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc.
All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.