Sony Handycam HDR-FX1000 Camcorder Review

The Sony HDR-FX1000 ($3199 MSRP) is marketed as a Handycam through Sony's consumer line of products, but its feature set and price tag clearly aim it at the so-called prosumer and budget pro market. Similar in construction to the pricier HVR-Z5U, the FX1000 is a fixed lens HDV camcorder that records to tape. The compact body, solid manual control set, and excellent performance make it a great value in its class.

First off, the FX100 is a handheld design, not a shoulder-mount. This may be enough to dissuade some users from the outset, especially pros who need the stability and comfort of a larger body. Even for those shooters, the FX1000 could prove valuable as a B-camera or for getting unique angles that shoulder-mounts can't (the excellent 3.2-inch, 921,000-pixel LCD works well for that very purpose). For those stepping up to professional-grade equipment for the first time, be prepared for the significant weight of the FX1000 (4 pounds, 9 ounces).

The overall layout of the HDR-FX1000 leaves something to be desired. Many of the buttons are small and hard to access without positioning your fingers in just the right way. This puts you at a clear disadvantage when you need to make a no-look adjustment in the middle of a shot. Our recent review of the Canon XL H1A made apparent the sheer value of a larger body, namely more surface area for external controls. The rings around the lens of the Sony FX1000 are, fortunately, more than adequate for adjusting zoom, focus, and aperture. Each has a distinct width and feel, so your fingers will learn to differentiate quickly.

Deeper into the menu, you'll find a decent set of controls over color, contrast, knee, gamma, sharpness, and more. It certainly doesn't have the depth of control that the Canon XL or XH series offers, which drills down to such fine levels of control that some could argue overkill on Canon's part. The FX1000 is a huge step up from consumer camcorders in this regard, but pales in comparison even to the Sony HVR-Z5U (in fact, fine control over elements like gamma is one of the chief differences between the two Sonys).

The Sony HDR-FX1000 is equipped with several amenities for the active videographer. In addition to the LCD, there's a 0.45-inch electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 1,227,000 pixels. The audio features are by no means extensive. There's a built-in stereo mic, a single 1/8th-inch stereo input, a cold accessory shoe, and some external audio controls. Notably, there is no XLR audio input.

Performance (read in-depth lab performance at CamcorderInfo.com)
The Sony HDR-FX1000 has a non-removable 72mm lens, with a aperture range of f/1.6 - f/3.4 and a focal range of 4.1 - 82mm. Our testing showed a 70-degree wide angle. Video is recorded in the HDV format with options for 1080/60i, 30P, and 24P frame rates.

In bright light, the color accuracy scores were decent, but not outstanding. We noticed a certain oversaturation in the greens and the reds and magentas. The noise levels were also fine, though there was some disappointment in the fact that the FX1000 offers no manual noise reduction controls in order to stave it off. The video resolution in bright light, however, was quite impressive, and outperformed the Canon XL H1A. In low light, the color and noise performances were best. The sensitivity (the amount of light required for a bright image) was not as good.
 
Comparisons (read in-depth comparisons at CamcorderInfo.com)
If you're researching the Sony HDR-FX1000, you've probably also considered the step-up Sony HVR-Z5U. With a nearly identical construction, the Z5U has more professionally-oriented audio options and fine tuning in the manual controls. One notable upgrade is that the sensors, while measuring the same 1/3-inch, are native progressive CMOS chips on the Z5U. Other comparison camcorders include the Canon XL H1A and XH H1A, shoulder-mount and handheld HDV camcorders from Canon, respectively. Our testing of the XL H1A showed better performance in most areas, with the FX1000 taking the lead in resolution.

Overall, the Sony HDR-FX1000 is a good camcorder for student filmmakers, serious hobbyists, or pros in need of a serious budget cam. For what it lacks in audio options, it makes up for with a solid array of manual controls and a relatively compact size.

For a more in-depth review, visit the Sony HDR-FX1000 Review at our partner CamcorderInfo.com