Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)After laboriously searching for several weeks, I chose this camera over all other models. As this is a complex unit, there are many long reviews here, and being succinct is very difficult. I will skip most features listed, and try to concentrate on the advantages (many), and shortcomings (few) of this camera compared to others:
The picture quality is superb. It's like watching a television. Just one look and you'll be immediately impressed. The only way to get a higher quality picture is to go to a 3CCD camera (more $, and bigger). The only other 1 CCD camera whose picture is as good, is the Canon Elura (because of it's RGB filter), but the Elura doesn't do half what the PC100 does, and it is a lower res camera. The megapixel photo/stills are excellent. Especially when taken at the highest resolution (for simple web photos, several lower res sizes are available). Yes, a 4mb memory stick is not enough. Expect to spend the $125 or so for the 64mb stick.
I do not feel the low lux of 7 is not as much of a limitation as some others. ALL camcorders have problems in very low light, be it 7 lux, or 3 lux.
The size to features ratio is amazing. The camera fits pretty well in a jacket pocket. You can do more with this little camera than so many other cameras of larger sizes. It will do all most anyone will want. The size also fits well in your hands. The zoom feature is too sensitive, and it would be nice if there were a way to lock it into slow/med/fast settings. I occasionally find myself bumping the back lit button, and sometimes hitting the still/photo button, but otherwise all the controls are easy to reach and get used to.
If you buy an extra battery, do not buy the NPFM90. Buy either two 50's, or a 70. The 90 is simply too big. The 70 is pushing the size limit. The good news is that the batteries seem to have a lot of stamina, even with the 50. The Sony batteries seem to last longer in this unit than the old PC1 or PC10 or PC3. And in general more than the Canon or JVC batteries. Something to consider if you are travelling a lot (how I use the camera) I should also note that I have taken this camera mountaineering (in pretty bad weather) and rock and ice climbing. While I did not expose it to the elements for very long, it has proven to be very tough.
Do not complete any order, or leave any store, before also purchasing a UV filter to cover the lens, a wide-angle lens attachment, and case for the camera. The wide-angle is very reasonably priced (less than $100) and you'll use it a lot. If you use the wide-angle attachment, take off the UV filter first, or it will vignette while taking stills in bright light.
The biggest negative I have about the camera is the sound quality. Sony put the microphone right on top of the unit, instead of in front of it. This creates two problems. First, if someone in front of the camera is talking, and there is any ambient noise, their voice is weak. Second, and most annoying about any aspect of the entire unit, is that in some situations the camera picks up an extremely annoying oscillating sound from the camera's motor. How audible is it? Barely, but just enough to drive you mad. Sony does make a few microphone attachments that fit on the hot shoe (great idea here, as flashes and other toys can use the shoe as well) that eliminate this. The best microphone however, is a large shotgun mike that makes the camera a little hard to handle, pick up and put away, or fit in the case (or pocket) with the mike attached. But there are a few other mikes that will at least improve the sound quality. What I have found is that if I am taping someone talking, I make sure I use an attachment mike. If we are out and about, I keep the camera in my pocket and just shoot, worrying about the sound later (during editing it mostly gets wiped, voiced over, or scored over with music and subtle sound effects).
As soon as you buy this unit, if you don't already have a computer that can edit your video, you will want one. There is a world of difference between having good video footage clunked together on a VCR tape, and slickly edited footage on a computer then put to tape.
I gave this camera only 4 stars out of 5 because of the sound quality, and other minor shortcomings listed. It should however be noted that I am quite strict in this grading, thinking in terms of the entire star scale, while many reviewers use only stars 3-5 to rate things, with anything good being a 5. Most other cameras I looked at would probably rate in the 3 star range. Very few cameras rate 5 stars, and if Sony made a better microphone (or supplied one for recording voice) this camera would probably rate 5 stars with me.
All in all, this is a pretty amazing little gizmo. A great unit for the size to features to quality ratio.
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The Sony DCR-PC100 functions as both a high-quality digital camcorderand a 1-megapixel digital still camera. As a camcorder, picture quality isexcellent--the MiniDV format provides three times as much color depth and lowernoise than virtually any analog format, plus 520 lines of resolution forcrystal-clear video. The Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 10x optical/120x digital zoomlens helps bring the action close up from far away, and the digital zoomfeatures improved interpolation technology for cleaner and clearer extreme zoomsthan those on earlier models, with less blocking and distortion than most othertypes of digital zoom.
Many digital camcorders now come with a "digital stillcamera" mode. However, most camcorders' resolution in this mode is usually only640 x 480 pixels. The DCR-PC100 captures three times as much information in itsstills, taking high-quality 1-megapixel 1,152 x 864 images for photo-qualityprints at sizes up to 5 by 7 inches. A 4 MB Memory Stick card is included forrecording stills. A serial-port Memory Stick reader is also provided for easytransfer of images to your computer.
The DCR-PC100 runs on an InfoLithiumbattery with Accupower meter system. Optional higher-capacity batteries canincrease recording times up to 6.5 hours. To get rid of shakiness, the cameraincludes "super steady shot" digital picture stabilization. The "NightShot"zero-lux system lets you capture video even when shooting in total darkness,thanks to a built-in infrared beam that illuminates objects up to 10 feet away.The camera also incorporates a LaserLink transmitter, which lets you beam yourmovies to any LaserLink-equipped TV for wireless playback.
Sony's i.LINK DVinterface allows high-speed bidirectional digital communication between any twodevices equipped with an IEEE 1394 (also known as FireWire) interface, includingcamcorders, digital VTRs, capture cards, and PCs.
For transferring old analogimages to the digital format, the camera includes analog inputs and features aprogressive shutter system--a mechanical shutter that provides progressive scanperformance while utilizing an interlace scanning system.
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