Sony Handycam DCR-HC85 Whats the Real Deal

Author's Rating:

Pros:  Decent Consumer level digital ,color,nightshooting

Cons: Exposure problems,only 10x zoom

The Bottom Line: 
I advise not getting this camera unless you get to try it out first, because of POSSIBLE exposure problems.

Author's Review
This is my third edit and I think I understand the discrepancy of views on this camera or I thought I did. After two weeks I am going to change my mind permanently and I don't like it. Its good in low light and bright sunlight, everything else has problems with exposure. Its hard to get good exposure on this model and not sure why.What this means is often the colors look washed out where at other times they look great. Others have mentioned this possible defect and I would definitely agree, be careful! Great focus wheel and and good digitals but bad exposure problems. At first I loved it cause it had a little more color then other digital cameras then realized that the exposure and white balance were off. I think its a model issue cause I had two of these, same problem. I guess this is why this model is often discounted.....because of exposure the indoor and night video was a bit better probably because exposure was turned up too much . When the exposure is working its great camcorder especially in bright light and zoomed to end of tele zoom. Digital still are adequate but has lots of noise. Videos are pretty sharp compared to all the camcorders I tried because of Zeiss lens. I would not recommend this camcorder after all is said and done unless you try it out first. Assuming everything is working good and evenly then yes definitely. The colors get lost way too often. Sony needs desperately to fix something here.