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  • Performance

  • Format

  • Tour

  • Auto / Manual Controls

  • Still Features

  • Handling and Use

  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity

  • Other Features

  • Comparisons / Conclusion

  • Performance
  • Format
  • Tour
  • Auto / Manual Controls
  • Still Features
  • Handling and Use
  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity
  • Other Features
  • Comparisons / Conclusion

Performance

**Low Light Performance
**We can only speculate on low light performance, but the larger imager on the HDR-HC7 should mean good things for the camcorder’s low light performance. Previous iterations of the ClearVID CMOS performed well when used with certain formats for video compression. Faster data rates boosted performance.  It will be interesting to see how this camcorder compares to the HDR-UX7, which combines the same imager with AVCDV encoding. As seen with the HDR-UX1, AVCHD shows more noise because of artifacting and did not help low light performance.

Format

**Compression
**Consumers interested in high definition video will find themseves faced with two format choices from Sony this year, HDV and AVCHD. HDV camcorders compress data using a MPEG-2 variant, in contrast to the newer AVCHD standard, that employs MPEG-4/H.264. Video is recorded in 1080i, and like DV encoding, HDV shares a fixed data rate of 25Mbps, at a 5:1 compression.  In our tests, AVCHD video shared the exceptional resolution of HDV video but suffered from noise to a much greater degree.  This contrast is analogous to the performance difference seen in standard definition DVD camcorders as compared to their MiniDV counterparts.  In both cases, the non-tape format relies on more aggressive compression, trading off the increased noise and artifacts for smaller file sizes that fit onto DVDs and HDDs.  Given this, we expect the HDR-HC7 to be Sony’s top-performing consumer HD camcorder of the year. HDV is a higher quality compression with several years of third-party support.

Media

The HDR-HC7 records to standard MiniDV tapes, along with premium grade tapes marketed specifically for HDV recording. Tapes are cheaper than DVD discs, widely available, and familiar to most consumer camcorder users.

**Editing
**Editing HDR-HC7 footage will involve a typical HDV workflow. In recent years,  nearly all major NLE applications have integrated support for HDV video. Using the i.LINK (IEEE 1394) terminal, footage can be transferred in real time to a PC for editing. If editing is not a major concern, you might want to think about DVD or HDD-based AVCHD camcorders, because they are designed with an emphasis on convenience. While several companies have been licensed to create AVCHD-compatible software, a widely available NLE has yet to materialize.

Tour

**The Front
**The front of the Sony HDR-HC7 is exactly the same as the HDR-HC5. Compared to last year’s HDR-HC3, it looks more handsome. The camcorder’s huge lens barrel dominates its front side and looms over the camcorder’s built-in microphone. The microphone placement is better than some of this year's Sony DVD camcorders that feature microphones on top of the camcorder. To the left of the lens barrel is a pop-up flash, placed longitudinally. The flash pops up if the camcorder’s photo button is slightly depressed or if you use the flash button on the back of the machine. The HDR-HC5 does not feature a flash.

The Right Side

The right of the HDR-HC7 is where the rubber meets the road…or in this case, where your palm meets the camcorder. It is ergonomically designed for a comfortable grip and should accommodate large hands. The right side also houses the top-loading tape mechanism, good news for those who’ve been vexed by tape compartments that demand removing the camcorder from a tripod for making tape changes. The right side looks good, but it is less curvy than last year’s HDR-HC3.

**

The Back**

The back of the HDR-HC7 really shines. It features an extremely deep battery slot. This is an addition that distinguishes the HC7 from the HDR-HC5. It means that when you insert this camcorder’s humungous battery that boasts better recording time, the camcorder’s back-end accommodates it without a bulge. It's often the case that an extended life battery will extend beyond a camcorder’s viewfinder, resulting in an awkward indentation in your cheek during viewfinder use. The HDR-HD7 solves this problem perfectly by enveloping the whole battery, in a way that is both usable and cosmetically pleasing.

To the right of the camcorder’s battery pack are a pair of panels, revealing the camcorder’s HDMI-out port, the digital output of HDV footage for display on an HD television, and the DC input. The placement of these ports is good since they are only utilized when you’re not handling the camcorder.

**The Left Side
**The left side of the HDR-HC7 features the camcorder’s 2.7-inch LCD screen. Unfortunately, the LCD is not as large as LCDs past nor as large as Sony’s new DVD camcorder the HDR-UX7. It is comparable, though, with the HDR-HC5. Another feature the HDR-HC5 shares with the HDR-HC7 is a lengthy port cover extending alone the bottom of the camcorder’s LCD screen. This cover can be lifted with an agile fingernail. Once lifted, various ports are visible such as the camcorder’s LANC jack, iLink port, component output, A/V output, and headphone jack.

The HDR-HC5 is nearly identical, but it lacks a headphone jack. Under the camcorder’s LCD screen are a couple of buttons for toggling the display/battery info and the camcorder’s Easy mode. Above these controls is a nifty new USB port cover that slides up to reveal the port. To the right of the USB port is the camcorder’s Memory Stick Pro DUO slot. Towards the front of the camcorder, located on its cylindrical lens barrel are some of the most important and least important controls. Firstly, the camcorder features a dial control similar to the one found on last year’s HDR-HC3. The dial control hat made its first appearance on the DCR-PC1000. Below this dial is the camcorder’s NightShot switch, and BLC (back light compensation) button. This is an easy-to-find-in-the-dark location, and users would have benefited if Sony had thought to put a more commonly used control here. 

**The Top
**The highest point on the HDR-HC7’s crest is the camcorder’s Advanced Interface Shoe. The AIS is a proprietary hot accessory shoe that is only operable with Sony products. That’s cool, as long as you’re content living within the walled garden that is Sony. On the top of the camcorder’s tape mechanism is the tape ejection switch, zoom toggle, and photo button. Sony’s mode switch occupies the top, left hand corner of the camcorder.

Auto / Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control

Automatic Control

The HDR-HC7 offers automatic controls over all of its manual controls. Sony’s automatic controls are some of the best in the industry for fast and relatively accurate adjustments. Of course, you will have problems even with stellar automatic adjustments in situations that are less than normal. For example, auto focus will have problems focusing on extremely close objects or switching quickly between extreme foreground focus and background focus. Likewise, auto exposure will have a tough time in high contrast situations. In addition, all automatic controls lack accuracy and speed in low light situations. Of course, we didn’t have enough time to fully test and assess the subtleties of the HDR-HC7’s automatic controls on the convention floor but stay tuned for our full review.

Sony’s standard Easy mode is available on the HDR-HC7, as well as standard Program AE options, now called "scene select" options. Scene select now includes two new options: Candle and Fireworks.

*

Overall Manual Control*

The manual control suite on the HDR-HC7 is better than many consumer-end Sonys of the past and is similar to those offered on the burgeoning HD line. It includes manual shutter speed adjustment, an option not normally included on Sony consumer camcorders. Also, focal lengths and shutter speed rates are numerically given, which is a rarity with Sony. Aperture is still lacking, as it has for years in their consumer line.

This camcorder does include the same assignable dial control available on last year’s HDR-HC3 which is preferably to the touch screen adjustment. A number of controls can be assigned to this dial: focus, exposure, shutter speed, AE shift, and WB shift.

Zoom

The HDR-HC7 ships with a 10x optical zoom as does the HDR-HC5. However, the HDR-HC7 only includes 20x digital zoom, while the HDR-HC5 goes up to 80x. Despite the extra digital zoom of the HDR-HC5, the larger imager of the HDR-HC7 trumps the 80x digital for me. The zoom toggle on both the HDR-HC7 and HDR-HC5 is a good one and is raised just enough to allow easy manipulation. This is the main zoom control, and while there are secondary zoom controls built into the LCD margin, this control offers smooth and efficient variable zoom speeds. It is a better zoom toggle than those found on Sony’s new DVD AVCHD camcorders, in which the toggles are too low to be effective. The only drawback to the HDR-HC7’s zoom toggle is that it lines up with user’s middle finger instead of his or her index finger.

Focus

Manual focus on the HDR-HC7 is the same as on last year’s HDR-HC3, and it is controlled by the same dial as on that camcorder. If set correctly, you can adjust focus using the dial feature without having to open the LCD screen. Alternately, you can adjust focus via the camcorder’s LCD screen menu system, tapping your way from 0.8 to infinity. This is cumbersome option, and unfortunately, adjustment using the dial control is not much better. While you don’t have to open the camcorder’s LCD screen, precise adjustment for focus is hard to achieve manually. The cylindrical nub found on the HDR-UX7 offers a much better and easier to use option. Sony also included a Spot Focus option that allows users to touch specific places on the touch screen menu in order to adjust focus on particular objects within the viewing frame. This option is cumbersome to get to, and I wouldn’t recommend relying on it.

Exposure & Aperture

Manual exposure, like focus, on the HDR-HC7 is adjusted either by assigning adjustment to the dial control or by entering the camcorder’s touch screen menu system. Manual exposure has historically been weak on Sony camcorders since the precise F-Stop measurements are not given. In fact, F-stops aren’t necessarily what you’re adjusting when you manually adjust exposure with the HC7. Typically, users can move through fifteen EV steps, each step representing a combination of shutter speed and iris settings. However, with the HDR-HC7, users tap or roll their way across a unit-less meter that gauges exposure.

The camcorder does include an AE shift option that can be assigned to the control dial. This control subtly shifts your exposure (+4/-4). These eight steps are incremental, though relatively subtle, and users can use this offset shift to approximate exposure settings in between the manual steps mentioned above.  Spot Metering is also included on this camcorder. It allows the user to touch specific places on the touch screen menu and easily pinpoint exposure adjustment. This option is not new, but it remains a feature of limited use.

Shutter Speed

The inclusion of shutter speed controls on this camcorder is a completely welcome improvement, and one we’ve been asking for. Shutter speed is adjusted, like focus and exposure, using the dial control. Shutter adjustments are available from 1/4 to 1/10000, and from 1/4 to 1/500 in still camera mode. 

White Balance

Manual white balance is available on the HDR-HC7 in the following options: Manual, Auto, Indoor, and Outdoor. The camcorder also includes a much-welcomed option for WB Shift, that allows for subtler adjustments to color.

Gain

There is no manual gain on the HDR-HC7. You’ll have to buy a three-chip Sony like the HDR-FX7 for such an option.

Other Manual Controls

The HDR-HC7 allows for manual adjustment of audio levels via the touch screen menu. This is a handy option, but basically, this option is only good for drastically decreasing volume if you’re recording a loud concert or something similar. For more control, a plug-in mic is neccessary. However, for recording on the fly, this option is certainly useable and essential for capturing extreme aural environments.

Still Features

Still Features                    

One of the biggest selling points on the HDR-HC7 is its ability to shoot 6.1 MP stills, thanks to its large CMOS sensor. The user will find options for still capture in the camcorder’s touch screen menu, when in still capture mode. These options do not list dimensions, but the sizes available are 6.1 MP, 3.1 MP, 4.6 MP, and 0.3 MP. The 4.6 MP size is a widescreen still while the others are standard sizes. In the testing room, we’ll be able to see how good these stills are, especially the 6.1 MP since it exceeds the native resolution of the pixel count in the CMOS. We can say with reasonable assurance that if the ClearVID CMOS continues to process color in the same way as its 1/3' counterpart; color performance should be quite pleasing.  

In still mode, shutter speed manual adjustments are limited to 1/4-1/500, but most of the other manual controls from video mode are available here. Stills are captured to Memory Stick Pro DUO.

Handling and Use

** of Use**

This camcorder is relatively easy to use, as most Sonys are. While the touch screen menu system can a dream come true for some, it can be cumbersome and infuriating for others. One of the benefits of a touch screen menu is that it spells everything out for you. Sony also includes buttons on the LCD frame for secondary zoom and record function. The control dial carryover from the HDR-HC3 definitely makes the touch screen menu easier to deal with, because there’s a way around it. However, it doesn’t help that much. It would have been better to move the backlight button under the LCD screen and to include a focus ring. I know, I'm asking for too much.

Handling

The handling of the Sony HDR-HC7 is decent. The camcorder is decently weighted and will fit snuggly into your palm. The strap is bit small for bigger hands, but it will do. My main handling complaints are the zoom toggle and the control dial. Zoom toggle placement has always been high on my list of things to critique in the past, and it’s true here as well. I want to be able, comfortably, to adjust the primary zoom toggle which is easier with an index finger instead of a middle finger.  Unfortunately, in the case of the HDR-HC7,  the photo button lines up with my index finger while the zoom lines up with my middle finger. 

On the bright side, the handling of the zoom toggle is a good one and makes handling a bit better. As far as the multifunction control dial goes, this control is OK in the grand scheme of camcorder controls. It  makes handling the navigation and accessing the camcorder’s touch screen menu system easier. Its assignability to focus, exposure, AE Shift, or white balance also adds a note of customization to a camcorder that otherwise corrals its user.

Menu

The touch screen menu system of the HDR-HC7 may seem Byzantine to some, but it's the space on this camcorder where many things are located. External buttons are kept to a miniumum, but the HC7 is not as minimalistic as the HC5. The HDR-HC7 offers additional external places on the camcorder to outsource some of the controls. As far as touch screen menus go, Sony seems to have that market locked down.  In fact, Sony’s new HD DVD camcorders this year, feature a new, overhauled touch screen menu that is than the old one which is found on the HDR-HC7. It has better colors, but more importantly, there is more space to press buttons and a generally better organization of material. .

**

LCD and Viewfinder**

The HDR-HC7 includes a 16:9 LCD screen with a 2.7 inch diagonal and a 16:9 aspect viewfinder. The sides of the LCD screen and viewfinder are black-barred in standard aspect capture settings. This is a nice viewfinder, unfortunately, it only extends directly backwards instead of bending upwards. Sony’s new DVD camcorders this year feature upward-bending viewfinders which are better for different, more difficult angles.

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

Audio

One of the main upgrades from the HDR-HC5 to the HDR-HC7 is the inclusion of a microphone input and headphone jack on the HDR-HC7. Having these options adds versatility to recording strange environments and helps justify the purchase of such a pricey camcorder. Additionally, manual control of audio levels is available in the camcorder’s touch screen menu system, so you can dampen or augment sound accordingly. The addition of a microphone input on the HDR-HC7 really makes this camcorder a viable option for indie filmmakers, or a second camcorder for those who own pro units. With the ability to customize audio, the HDR-HC7 enters a new league of camcorders.

Playback

Not much has changed since last year as far as playback goes. On the HDR-HC7, the mode dial is used to select the Play/Edit mode. Then, the touch screen menu displays a horizontal row of buttons on the bottom of the screen corresponding to standard playback buttons. You can plug the camcorder into the television using either the camcorders A/V output port or its MDMI port on the back of the camcorder.

Connectivity

The HDR-HC7 features more ports than any other comparable Sony camcorder this year. It includes a HDMI port on its back, as well as an A/V output, an i.LINK port, and a component output port. These can be used to hook your camcorder up to a HD television and playback your footage as it was meant to be seen. Additionally, the camcorder features a headphone port for monitoring your audio and that is a main upgrade from the HDR-HC5.

Other Features

Other Features
**The Sony HDR-HC7 includes some gimmicky features that may help keep your attention when fiddling around with the touch screen menu.
  **Along with AE shift and WB shift, the HDR-HC7 also features Sony’s hallmark Spot Metering and Spot Focus options. Aside from these, mentioned earlier, also included are:

Zebra Strips -  Available at intensity levels of 70 and 100 and accessible using the touch screen menu system, this feature puts zebra (black and white) strips on areas that are overexposed and offer an onscreen aide for judging proper exposure.  

*Telemacro - *This option engages the full length of the camcorders optical zoom for capturing close-up objects.

Histogram - This feature provides a running histogram located at a corner in the screen during shooting.

Guideframes - Selecting this option puts guideframes which is basically a tic-tac-toe board of white lines on the screen to aid composition.

X.V. Color Sony is featuring this technology on four of their new HD camcorders this year. It stands for extended YCC Colorimetry and is a new color space standard that supposedly includes more color variations on account of the HD video. Unfortunately, the only way to view this properly is through a Sony special HD television.**No other manufacturer is currently using X.V. Color

Comparisons / Conclusion

Conclusion

This camcorder may be able to distinguish itself with its video and low light performance because of its upgraded imager. If the HDR-HC7 produces better video than the HDR-HC1, HDR-HC3, and HDR-HC5 (which is possible), it could be the best HD camcorder Sony has to offer in a modest price-range. This is certainly a possibility since AVCHD camcorders lack viable editing capabilities to make them competitive with the HDR-HC7. This camcorder doesn’t really offer anything in the areas of manual control which can lead the less expensive HDR-HC1 to overshadow it. However, with the inclusion of the microphone port, Sony is definitely pushing this camcorder into the realm of the prosumer. Overall, the HDR-HC7 could be the best consumer HDV Sony camcorder of the year.

Meet the tester

Matt Culler

Matt Culler

Editor

Matt Culler is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

See all of Matt Culler's reviews

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