Sony miniDV camcorder - HC40

Author's Rating:

Pros: Crisp video, great sound, nice options for upgrading

Cons: The still digital photos are just OK, Sony refuses universalism

The Bottom Line: 
Before you invest in a Sony product, you should read this review to make sure it would be the right product for you.

Author's Review
My Sony Handycam DCR-HC40 is an upgrade for my family from a JVC SVHS video camera. My JVC was OK while it lasted, but it needed to be repaired more than once, and when my warranty expired and the same problem arose and it was to cost over $150 to fix it, I decided it would be better to just go ahead and purchase a new one. I was casing the DVD cameras, but I only heard bad things about them at the time. So I decided to go with a digital video camera. I picked this Sony model after liking what I saw at the store and the add-on possibilities for the camera as well.


Out Of the Box

The items included in the box were as follows:
1. One camera, of course
2. One Memory Stick Duo 8MB – (a memory card is need to store your digital photos)
3. One Memory Stick Duo Adapter – (If your computer is not a Sony brand, then most likely your computer will not have a slot for Sony’s memory card, so here is the adapter so it will fit your computer)
4. One Power Cord
5. One Wireless Remote Control, (this is very small and is powered by one of those small circle button-like lithium batteries, battery is included)
6. One Audio/Video connecting cable, (you can plug this into your TV or receiver or if you have a capture card on your computer with these inputs, this is also an option for those ready to make DVDs of your home movies)
7. One rechargeable battery pack
8. CD-ROM of the Sony software ‘SPVD-012’ (this will allow you to capture via USB. If your computer is not the Sony brand, then you will not be able to capture via USB at the maximum resolution.)
9. One cleaning cloth
10. One shoe cover – attached to the camcorder
11. One Manual that helps you through most of the device’s operations
12. One computer applications guide


Getting Started

After you charge your camcorder for the appropriate amount of time, you can see a nifty and helpful read out on your battery life. It displays a colored charge level, and what the approximate recording time you have left. It actually gives you two different times, one if you are using the LCD screen door, or if you are going to be looking through the viewfinder.
Turning the device on and off is pretty easy. Step one would be to turn the dial, this kind is sort of standard and some version of this should be found on most camcorders. This round dial, well not really a dial since you can only make it move one way, and it doesn’t go all the way around. Right above this dial or switch, you will find three lights that when you press down on this switch that will illuminate one at a time. There are the options:
• Tape – which means in this mode, you will record onto your mini DV cassette
• Memory – which is the still camera that is integrated
• Play/Edit – which in this mode, you can do what this mode promises

I remember when I was so excited to start using this, and it was time that I inserted a DV cassette, and I had so much trouble looking for the button that opens up this recorder. It is very frustrating when you do not peruse the instruction manual. Anyway, these getting started tips are the basics. Just about anybody can figure out easily how to basically utilize this to capture memories, although I must admit it took me a few tires to burn the mechanics of the dial. The harder stuff is later when you wish to convert this media to DVD or edit your home movies with your computer software.


Performance

First off, the feel is very comfortable. The camera is extremely light, and the LCD screen is big enough for your comfortable directing. With some getting used to the camera becomes pretty easy to navigate through with the type of media you need to capture.

The performance is what sold me with this Sony model. The video captured is quite crisp, and I was especially taken with the capturing of the colors. The colors were not 100% true to life, but the colors are vibrant enough for me to be happy. I remember when I was in Walt Disney World for the Halloween party there that they have at night. I was quite taken with the colors to my naked eye, but the color viewfinder did not represent what my eyes had seen. In the viewfinder, the colors were not as vibrant as real life. Luckily, the viewfinder lied, and the colors were nowhere near as drab as it represented.
Actually, when I hooked the camera up to my computer and the TV, the colors looked quite vibrant. Still not what the naked eye is able to take in, but the difference is not so noticeable.
When you are filming outside, the color comes out great. Indoors, I would suggest turning on an overhead light that produces enough light where the details can be easily filmed, or purchase the lamp attachment that fits easily on top of the camera.

Speaking of attachments and accessories, I did buy one. I purchased the ECM-COP1 microphone that attaches in the same spot as the lamp would. This camera already records great sound (12/16 - bit stereo PCM), but with this microphone, the sound recorded is much more detailed and it enhances the sound by recording it in wide stereo. The mic is a double headed microphone, and now you have the film in widescreen and sound that will fill your surround speakers as well. This camera is ready for entertaining the family with a nice home theater set up. They will be impressed, I know I am. The microphone used to go for around $200, but I just picked one up for half that at an online store.

Another feature that I love is that the video camera captures video is pretty low lighting. I will again refer to my time in Disney World. The Halloween party was at night, and in most areas, there were mostly shadows against shadows. The camera easily retained detail and color in these low lighting settings.

The camera also features Nightshot Plus. Most cameras feature something similar to a nightshot, where you can flick the switch and record in ultra low light or no light. The Sony Nightshot Plus Infrared system allows users to record natural color images in low-light conditions, but without the usual blurring common with other lowlight recording systems.

Also, the Carl Zeiss lens is a great feature. I'm guessing that this is part of the result of my magnificent picture that I record. It enhances the contrast and minimizes glare that can result with both day and night filming. The literature claims that this lens is also responsible for the vivid true to life color.

The camera captures video up to 520 lines of resolution, which is more than DVD which displays an image of 480 horizontal lines of resolution.

When taking snapshots with your camera, the results look like a still image from a video. The image is not bad at all with its 1.0 Megapixel capabilities. The color seems a tad bit off, but it's not horrible. When I went to Disney World, and I didn't feel like taking this camcorder and my bulky digital camera, the pictures that we took were good enough. The still camera captures at 1152 x 864 dpi, most home ink jet pictures will print at 720 x 720 dpi, or when you go a little higher in price, you can get a possible 4800 x 1200 dpi print out. So when you look at it in these terms, the pictures are good enough. You just need an incredibly steady hand, because the camera is delicate when snapping photos.

The Cons

With Sony merchandise there are always the same cons involved, and that is Sony's desire for exclusivity. If you buy a Sony product, especially like this one, you need to buy the more expensive memory cards. Sony opts for the Memory Stick Duo Memory card. Not only is this card more expensive than the others available, but in most cases the card will not fit into your computer without an adapter. Thankfully, the Sony adapter usually comes with the product you buy.

Also, a really big problem I have with this camera is the software. Unless you have a Sony computer you are working with, the software is useless is my opinion. I was able to download and install it from the disc, but without a Sony computer, there are actually limitations. Without a Sony Computer, you cannot capture at a full 720 X 480 (standard CRT) resolution, no you can only capture at a mere 360 X 240. How dare they instill such a huge limitation? In my opinion, this is a sneaky feature that they have included.

So now you cannot use the Sony software if you want to optimize the performance of this camera. Now, you may run into software conflicts if you are not careful. Luckily my Roxio, Ulead and Hauppauge software are very compatible. I know a little something about computers so I knew that it was probably possible to go around this handicap, but what about the people who wouldn't know? The end result is that Sony is spookily sneaky.

When taking your snapshots, you cannot just press a different button while filming at the same time, and I suppose that makes sense since you can use the memory stick duo to hold your pictures. So, when you wish to take your pictures, you have to stop filming, use the option dial until you get to the menu that reads Camera - Memory. Now you can take your still pictures, to resume filming you have to change the mode again until get to the Camera - Tape menu. In my opinion, it's a bit much.


Technical Junk

Inputs: FireWire, A/V, S-Video, Microphone
Outputs: FireWire, USB, A/V, S-Video, LANC
Memory Card: Memory Stick Duo (8MB card included)
Viewfinder: Color
LCD: Color / 2.5"
Battery Used: NP-FP50
The battery lasts me about an hour, if I know that I will be shooting a lot, I will charge two batteries, and I should be good for the duration.


Decide

I am happy with this camera because it has what I need. I needed a camera that takes crisp and clear video with nice vibrant color. There are limitations to the camera, such as the Sony handicaps that won't allow universalism, and the constant changing of modes when you wish to do utilize the other options.
With the camera's capture capabilities, and the accessory microphone that I picked up, for me this is a great camera, and will last years in my house. I have compared this camera's video to that of DVD cameras, and I like the video capture picture of mine a lot better.
I will most likely upgrade when the video will be able to be captured on a memory stick or something of the like, and the video and audio are compatible to this camera.