Sony DCR-HC26 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom

by Sony

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000E0K7EK
• Item model number: DCR-HC26
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,811 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 21, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The DCR-HC26 from Sony gives you a full-featured, compact MiniDV camcorder at an affordable price. Highlights include the Advanced HAD CCD imager, which captures stunning detail and clarity, and 20x optical zoom with Super SteadyShot picture stabilization, which focuses on distant subjects, providing clear close-up images with less distortion. The Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens offers less glare and increased contrast for vivid, more life-like color and tones.

Make your personal videos complete with additional customization features such as Picture and Fader effects for creative and professional looking enhancements. Picture Package software helps you easily organize and edit still images and video.

1/6-Inch Advanced HAD CCD Imager, 680K Pixels Gross
1/6-inch Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD with 340K (effective) pixels provides stunning detail and clarity with exceptional video (up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution) and still image performance.

MiniDV Recording
Offers up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution, 3x the color bandwidth and a significantly higher signal/noise ratio, to provide spectacular video performance.

20x Optical/800x Digital Zoom
The optical zoom helps to bring the action close up from far away. In addition the digital zoom i nterpolation means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zooms.

Professional Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens
Carl Zeiss lenses have an advanced optical multi-layer coating that offers less glare and flare with increased contrast. This results in vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation, and perfect renditions of subtle tones.

Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System
Picture stabilization system that uses motion sensors to detect and compensate for camera "shake" without compromising picture quality like some other digital stabilization systems.

2.5-Inch Touch Panel SwivelScreen LCD Display (123K Pixels)
Provides excellent viewing clarity with improved resolution. The high resolution 123K pixel LCD screen rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles providing sharp, detailed images for monitoring or playback.

USB Streaming
Stay connected to family and friends by broadcasting live video with audio over the internet using the USB interface. You can even playback your favorite recorded scene on the camcorder's tape. It's like having your own video conferencing system.

i.LINK DV Interface
A digital high-speed bi-directional interface which provides audio-video communication between two compatible devices. This connection allows for pure digital transfer between devices equipped with an IEEE1394 interface, such as camcorders, digital VTRs, capture cards, and PCs.

InfoLithium Battery with AccuPower Meter System
Charge the battery at anytime because unlike NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) batteries, Sony's rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries are not subject to a life shortening "memory effect." Sony's exclusive AccuPower meter displays the battery time remaining in minutes, in either the viewfinder or on the LCD screen.

NightShot Plus Infrared System
With Sony's NightShot Infrared System you can capture natural looking video, even when shooting in low light. Record subjects up to 10 feet away using the built-in infrared system, but without the overall monochrome color common with earlier low-light recording systems.

On Screen Zoom and Record Controls
For additional control of the camcorder, the DCR-HC26 features Zoom and Record buttons on the frame of the LCD screen. This allows the user more flexibility when holding the camcorder, especially in overhead or low angle shots.

Stamina Battery Power Management System
Using the optional NP-FP90 InfoLithium Battery, the DCR-HC26 can continuously record for up to 9 hours (viewfinder) or up to 8 hours (LCD) on a single full charge, providing extra long battery life.

Program AE (Autoexposure) Modes
Program AE modes make recording easy even when filming in challenging situations. Choose from Beach and Ski, Landscape, Portrait, Sports Lesson, Spotlight, or Sunset and Moon modes.

Picture Effects
Get creative when recording or playing back your videos with Sony's Picture Effect Modes. Effects available in Camera mode: Mosaic and Pastel. Effects available in Playback mode: Monotone, Negative Art, Sepia, and Solarize.

Fader Effects
Enhance your personal videos by adding professional looking fader effects. Choose from Black, Mosaic, Monotone, and White.

Battery Information
At the touch of a button, battery information is displayed on the LCD screen when charging and when the camcorder is turned off. The display will show how much the battery is charged, in 10% increments and the recordable time left when using the LCD screen or in the viewfinder.

Photo Mode
Using Sony's Adaptive Frame Interpolation for better image quality, you can store hundreds of individual still images with seven seconds of audio on the videotape (depends upon the amount of video recorded on the tape).

Additional Features

• Manual focus
• Easy Handycam button
• Picture Package software

What's in the Box
Sony DCR-HC26 MiniDV Digital Handycam camcorder, power adapter/in-camera charger (ACL25), InfoLithium rechargeable battery (NPFP30), stereo AV cable, CD-ROM with USB driver (Picture Package software version 1.5 for Sony), lens cap

Product Description

Making high-quality home videos has never been easier with the compact and stylish DCR-HC26 MiniDV Handycam® camcorder. An expansive 2.5" SwivelScreenâre far away from the action. Compact, stylish design with brilliant video&sound Move in close with 20x Optical&800x Digital Zoom Shoot like a pro w/ a Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® Lens Clarity&control w/2.5" SwivelScreen® Plus INFRARED System - low-light shooting Additional LCD Screen Controls - Zoom&record Color Viewfinder for clear, colorful view of subjects 1/6" Advanced HAD® Vario-Tessar® Lens: An advanced optical multi-layer coating that offers less glare and flare with increased Contrast, resulting in vivid image brilliance. 2.5" Touch Panel SwivelScreen® Plus INFRARED System: Capture natural video when shooting in low light. Record subjects up to 20 feet away without the overall monochrome color

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

131 of 132 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bang For Your Buck!, June 14, 2006

By 

Jeep Girl - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony DCR-HC26 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

This is a fantastic camcorder, I've had it for 6 months and have played with it a ton. We bought this camera as a replacement for our 8 year old Samsung Hi-8 camera. The first thing that astonished me was the size difference between the two cameras! The Sony HC26 was 1/4 the size when compared to the outdated (but well performing) dinosaur Samsung. We paid more 8 years ago for the Samsung Hi-8 than we paid for this outperforming, master of technology, the Sony HC26! I was so impressed by the level of improvements in technology and the space and compactness, I instantly was very happy with this camcorder. I was hesitant about the touch screen controls, but have now fallen in love with that feature. It has enough features for the average user, it's a great camera for home use. If you're not "averagely technological" to master the programmed settings, an "easy button" located on the inside controls when you open your viewing screen, makes a pro out of ANY new camera operator. My seven year old is able to operate the camera, and do quite a good job at it, so if that's not user friendly, I don't know what is! We compared it to the Panasonic, JVC, and Canon, but knowing that we had no need for the still camera, this was the best choice for us. It's perfectly hand sized, buttons are easily reached to the "blind eye," the zoom is awesome at 20 optical zoom and placed right under your right index finger, other models have the button placed awkwardly. Despite other reviewer comments, I detect no "noise" from the zoom even after reviewing the footage in playback. The best-selling feature on this camera is the impressive nightshot when compared to similar cameras under $500. It films in real time with a black and white image and really captures your subject clearly and brightly. No other camera came close to the image quality with the nightshot feature, most were too dark to distinguish your subject. The nightshot really only works up to about 5 feet away even though they claim up to 10 feet. The Carl Zeiss Lens captures vivid colors and crisp images and the sound quality is very good. If your wanting quality picture and sound, definately go with this mini DV tape Sony Handycam 26 camcorder! Just a note, the technology isn't quite "there" yet for the disc recorders, you compromise on sound and picture quality by using the disc camcorders. This is a superior camcorder for the price! The fire-wire doesn't come with the camcorder package, but is needed to download video.

UPDATED NOTE: 2006 CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING QUIDE gives the Sony DCR HandyCam high marks as follows: picture quality-very good, ease of use-good, image stabilizer-excellent, audio quality-good, battery life-80 minutes. I thought it was interesting that they rated the JVC GR-DF450, the Canon Elura 85, and the Panasonic GS250 with FAIR audio quality, and all of these cameras are considerably more expensive but most competive with the Handycam. Of all the digital camcorders reviewed, the Sony Handycam outperformed and was the most affordable too!

HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

121 of 122 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice unit. Great for putting video to PC., March 17, 2006

By 

Mike "Mike" (Towson, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony DCR-HC26 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

Great product! Very good image stabilization, even when I zoom in close. I especially like the location of the zoom in/out button and the LCD touch screen is easy to use. The LCD is clear, buttons and menus are easy to understand, and the unit's overall weight is light and comfortable to hold. Top loading tapes make switching tapes easy, especially when mounted on a tripod. The Easy mode makes usage a snap. Battery life is good, but I will buy the heavy duty 2400 mAh battery soon. I wanted to use this camcorder to download and edit movies on my laptop. The iLink (aka 1394 firewire) port on the camcorder is the 4 pin type. I bought a 4 pin to 6 pin firewire cable and a firewire PCMCIA card to interface with my Dell laptop (not included with camcorder, obviously). I plugged in the camcorder and had video downloading into Microsoft Windows Movie Maker in a matter of minutes. I haven't tried the software that came with it because I like Movie Maker. Video quality was acceptable at night with low indoor lighting and without the night mode even turned on. Outdoor video during the day is bright and clear. This is not a $15,000 professional camera, but if your intent is to take some great video to show your friends or keep a collection of memories and not spend a ton, this little guy is great! I did a lot of research on this before I bought it and I'm very happy.

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Works well with Macs. Image quality OK for price., June 7, 2006

By 

Brent Thompson (New London, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sony DCR-HC26 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

This is a bare bones camcorder in that it comes with little more than a battery, a charging cord, a lens cap, and a video/audio cable to hook the camera to a TV. You will need a 4-pin to 6-pin Firewire cable (not included) to import to a computer.

I found using the touch screen to be easy and pretty intuitive. There are not a lot of extra features, but I found on previous cameras that I do not need special effects functions. It's small size and low weight make it great for travel.

Picture quality is not great due to the small sensor. I have been using the 16:9 feature to record anamorphic DVD using iDVD '06. Long distance shots are very soft on a large screen 16:9 TV. Close ups look good. Audio quality is OK if you are not in the wind.

There are cheaper camcorders of equal recording quality. I went with Sony due to its lower rate of repair needs.

Making DVDs is very easy with a Mac and iLife '06. You do not need the Sony software. Just plug in the camera and iMovie recognizes and even operates playback of the camera.

In summary, this is an entry level camera at a low price for Sony. Highly demanding videographers will not be satisfied but the budget-minded traveler will find this good buy.