Good all arounder but poor construction and bad reliability
Written: Mar 23 '07
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Pros: Good all around performance and features for the average user
Cons: Weak construction and poor reliability
The Bottom Line: With hard disk and solid state cameras now going mainstream, this model can only be a viable pick at very attractive prices, especially considering the questionable reliability.
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| ze_shark's Full Review: Sony Handycam DCR-HC20 Mini DV Digital Camcorder |
I bought the DCR-HC20 for a very specific use: record in-board car videos on race tracks. This was my first DVC and I was attracted by a comprehensive feature set including:
- firewire interface for easy transfers to a personal computer
- rotating LCD screen
- compact remote control
At time of purchase, the camera also offered an attractive size, now outperformed by hard disk cameras.
The DCR-HC20 performed to my expectations except that the tripod mounting screw hole at the bottom displayed very early on signs of weakness: a crack appeared in the surrounding plastic, showing that the metal insert would not stand anything but very moderate pull forces.
I also got occasional white balance issues where, inexplicably, the automating adjustment went completely off limits, leading to highly overexposed recordings.
Battery life and image quality largely met my expectations. Though spare batteries are a must, a battery generally exceeds a tape's capacity. I regret however that the battery cannot be charged while the camera is being operated, for instance to rewind a tape: the charging stops when the camera is turned on.
Images looked sharp on a TV and the resolution exceeded by far the needs for online posting of videos.
The microphone proved barely adequate, with limited sensitivity unless the sound source is very closed. I used an external microphone at times, but with limited success in terms of sound capture.
After a couple of years of rather moderate and careful usage (I probably accrued a couple dozen hours of footage total), the camera sensor suddently ceased functioning without any early signs of problems. The camera still turns on but the cover lens detection mechanism and the image sensor does not acquire an image anymore. The LCD and the viewfinder remain desperately black, so do the recordings. The car was never dropped or subjected to any kind of abuse so, needless to say, I am disappointed in the reliability of this Sony product. The device is long out of warranty and there is no hope of an affordable repair, making this a write-off.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 650
Recommended for: Budget Buyers - Best Values to Fit the Budget
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Epinions.com ID:
ze_shark
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Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 0 members
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