Sony DCRPC109 Compact MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder
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Manufacturer: Sony
Price at amazon.com: Too Low To DisplayUsually ships in 24 hours
Used & new from $842.72
List price $999.99
- Sleek, compact MiniDV camcorder and digital still camera with 1-megapixel CCD
- 10x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 120x) with Super SteadyShot image stabilizer
- 2.5-inch rotating LCD and color viewfinder
- Low-light recording settings, Memory Stick Duo slot, Handycam Station, and intelligent accessory shoe
- NP-FF51 InfoLithium Rechargeable Battery
Product Description:
Sony's compact DCR-PC109 Handycam Camcorder offers a 1.0 Megapixel CCD Imager, 2.5-inch Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss optics and USB Streaming. Producing excellent still image quality and superb digital video that help you shoot, play and share your precious memories. In addition, stay connected to your computer and AC Power with the Handycam Station. 1.0 Megapixel (Gross) Advanced HAD CCD Imager - 1/5-inch Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD with 690K (effective) pixels provides excellent detail and clarity, with exceptional video performance (up to 520 lines of horizontal resolution). Realize great looking digital still images utilizing 1000K (effective) pixels. The Megapixel technology enhances your digital videos and digital still photography performance. MiniDV Recording - Offers up to 520 lines of horizontal resolution, 3X color bandwidth (vs. VHS) and significantly higher S/N ratio, to provide stunning video performance. 10X Optical/120X Digital Zoom - The optical zoom helps to bring the action up close from far away. In addition, the digital zoom interpolation means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zooms. Handycam Station - Placing the DCR-PC109 on the supplied Handycam Station provides a quick and easy connection between the camcorder and a TV/VCR for easy viewing, or a USB or i.LINK supported computer for video and still image editing
Average Customer Rating:
Comment: Sony quality, but still room for improvement. Rating:
I just got this camcorder, and played with it about an hour, so it might be a bit premature for a detailed review. Yet, my first impression was "wow". It is slick, compact and good-looking.
That was until I inserted the tape. Someone said there is no motor noise. Not ture. This is really major drawback especially for me since one of the major reason I bought this was to replace my aged Samsung SD60, which had an excessive background noise. I compared these two side-by-side, and noise level is about the same to my surprise. I recorded video, and yes, there is white noise (from the motor) in the background when played back on my TV. This explains why the built-in microphone on Sony is located on top of the camcorder.
Still, this is an awesome camcorder. I do like the touch screen LCD, which will be taking some time to get used to, and mostly the compactness and slickness of it.
Things can add up to put this camcorder in good use. I already spent more than a few hundred bucks on accessaries; Polarized filter lense, portible tripod, extra battery (NP-FF71), matching carrying bag. And considering to buy the microphone to reduce the amount of the noise from the motor being recorded.
Lastly, the battery (NP-FF51) seems to drain quite fast. I would not last an hour in typical use. An extra battery seems to be a must.
Comment: Very Happy 1st Time buyer Rating:
I have been researching camcorders for the past six weeks since my son was born. I wanted something that was small, took high quality video, was "connectable" to my PC and would not be outdated 20 minutes after I bought it. While I have only had it for about a week now, I am very pleased. I'll try to convey a few of my thoughts:
Firstly, I am not affiliated with Sony in any way. After looking across the spectrum of cameras, I ultimately narrowed my search to a comparison of a number of canon and sony models -my digital camera (elph 400) is Canon so I had thought to keep everything in the same family. That said, I scoured the web for reviews, spoke to friends and ultimately went into my local store for the touch test. I searched CNET and Amazon (as well as about another half dozen other core sites) for updated reviews every day or so, however, there don't appear to be many. Ultimately, I just went for the PC109.
It was one of the the smallest devices I found that use MiniDV tapes. While it did take a little bit of time to adjust to the vertical orientation of the camcorder, it very quickly became quite natural to hold. I have used the "easy" setting quite a bit, which is akin to opening up the box and recording without diving into the manual first. The quality of the pictures have been everything that I was looking for - I have watched them on the device/TV, downloaded them to my computer with the provided software and even burned them (alas only to vcd as I am in prcoess of buying a DVD burner). The transfers have been easy and the resulting product has been great. I am just beginning to play around with the manual settings as well, but so far so good.
The camera also has a duo memory stick slot to take stills as well. They are fine - not great, but fine. If you are looking for a dual device, then this is perhaps not the right one. If you are looking for video with the possibility to snap 1 megapixel e-mailable photos as well, then this is your device.
So, the bottom line is that I recommend the camera to anyone who is on the fence. Don't know if the above is helpful, but hopefully it gives one more validation point to anyone looking for a good device.
Comment: Nice little camera Rating:
I've had this camera for a several weeks so far, and so far, so good.
The good:
It seems to do everything well, including low light video. Moreover, if it is so dark that Night Shot is required, Sony seems to have improved it -- colors are pretty realistic (no longer overly green).
The camera is very small and compact. Sony's marketing pictures don't do it justice -- it is smaller than it looks. I have found this to be the best feature of the camera because we never hesitate to take the camera along, which has resulted in many more shots.
The camera body itself is very clean and uncluttered. It contains only a few buttons -- on/off, zoom, snap-shot picture, lens cover, and special effects. Everything else is accessed through an intuitive menu system displayed on the touch-screen LCD panel. Also, even though the zoom and snap-shot buttons are in close proximity on the camera, I have never confused them (due partially to the fact that the zoom is a lever switch and the snap-shot is a button.)
No motor noise.
The LCD screen is bright and can be back-lit. I have no problem seeing the screen in sunlight.
The camera offers true widescreen mode (16x9).
The docking station is nice, conventient and easy to use -- dock the camera and it charges and is connected to the computer at the same time.
The standard battery is good for about two hours of shooting and the battery retains its charge in the camera (you never have to take the battery out of the camera).
Turning to the bad:
The LCD screen is on the small size. This is made worse in 16x9 mode because the display is letterboxed.
Although the camera itself can be charged without the docking station, and the camera itself has analog video outputs (it lacks a digital output). The docking station is required for a digital output. So, if you are travelling and want a digital output, you'll have to lug the docking station around (this isn't so bad because the docking station is pretty compact).
The lens cap is not electric or automatic. We occasionally forget to shut it.
Posted at November 11, 2003 07:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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