#HRD HC3 MANUAL#
#HRD HC3 SOFTWARE#

When I first purchased the Sony Handycam HDR-HC3 I could notДЇind a Sony Mini-DV tape on sale because the supply chain was dry!Д®veryone was buying HD cameras and the HDV tapes were being being sold Never before has it been so easy for вЂњregular consumersвЂќ like us toД¬reate, edit, publish and watch pro-quality HD video in the HDV 1080i Their 52-inch HD televisions and the Sony Handycam HDR-HC3 is the right Of course that in itself isn't a great problem as standard Mini DV tapes are inexpensive.As viewing inspires creation, the HD television craze has pressedД¬onsumers into wanting to create HD-quality home videos to watch on

#HRD HC3 SOFTWARE#

Unless you own or buy the appropriate software and a FireWire cable, videos will be stuck on the Mini DV tapes. It's also slightly irksome to find Sony has not included basic software to edit or transfer HD video from the camera.

Firewire has to be used for video, and for this the cable is not included. A USB slot allows for the transfer of still images to a computer. In addition to these connections, standard definition is catered for with S-Video and composite cables.ДЄ Memory Stick Duo slot provides the storage for still images with Mini DV the choice for video content. The HC3 is a High Definition camcorder so the inclusion of component, HD DV and HDMI connections come as no surprise. The inclusion of a similar effect for underexposed areas that are too dark would also have been useful, but this is a nice idea nonetheless. These show up on-screen with a stripy effect.

One useful extra is 'zebra' mode, which highlights areas of the picture that appear too bright under the current settings and may be overexposed.

#HRD HC3 MANUAL#

Manual focus, white balance and exposure can be accessed using a scroll wheel at the front of the camera which is more convenient than digging through menus, though less convenient than a focus ring. The camera does not include 'prosumer' functions such as shutter speed and aperture control, though Sony's automatic settings do the job well enough. This is great for the most part, but with some advanced controls buried several levels deep in the menu, it can prove frustrating. Though the camera is fairly weighty, it's comfortable to hold with easy access to the primary controls.ДЄs with all of Sony's latest camcorders, the primary navigational control is the touch screen LCD. Virtually all camcorders allow the user to extend the viewfinder out or up for easier picture taking, but not so here. One slightly odd design choice is the lack of a moveable viewfinder. A 960 x 220 pixel high resolution 2.7 inch widescreen LCD sits neatly on the side and the battery rests inside the camera rather than jutting out like on many models. The HC3 immediately stands out from Sony's latest crop of cameras with its attractive gloss black finish and gunmetal silver lens barrel. Battery life is reasonable, and we managed to get about an hour and a half out of the camera. The HC3 can also take images while recording video, though only at 2.3 megapixels, and only three can be taken during a single recording session. Basic manual controls and a flash are a good inclusion.

The 4 megapixel still photos were impressive. Progressive scan would also be a good addition. The 10x optical zoom is good, but we would like even greater zoom. Although the auto focus is quick and sharp, we found it would sometimes get stuck in a position where it was completely out of focus, resulting in the need to zoom in and out to correct the problem.

Standard definition pictures are also good, though you'd be foolish to buy the camera purely for this purpose. Sony's standard night vision mode using infrared LEDs also makes a welcome return. These artefacts vanish when activating the low light colour mode, but the frame rate drops considerably. One area of slight disappointment is recording in low light levels, where traces of colour stepping and a murky haze detract from the otherwise excellent picture. Video is also smooth with well balanced colours under both natural and artificial lighting conditions. No standard definition DV camcorder can get anywhere near the HC3 in terms of video quality. The native 1080i images are crisp and sharp with fantastic levels of detail. Unsurprisingly, the video quality from the HC3 blows away the competition. The HC3 is the most compact HD consumer-focused model yet, and the first one to be offered at a truly affordable level. At a price comparable to similar high-end Mini DV camcorders - and with quality that puts many of them to shame - the HC3 makes a great choice for anyone who wants to enter the world of High Definition video. The Sony HDR-HC3 is an excellent entry to the HD video camera market.

Hrd hc3