Sony DCR-PC1000 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.2 x 4.6 x 4.1 inches ; 14.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007M3PM6
• Item model number: DCRPC1000
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,317 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 22, 2005

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer

Sony is raising eyebrows with the introduction of six new Mini DV Handycam camcorder models. The 2005 line-up is big on performance and functionality, while still being easy to use, and a joy to behold.

For people who love to record and enjoy high-quality video, Sony loaded its new Mini DV camcorders with powerful features. One of the most exciting is the addition of the Handycam Station, a tabletop cradle that charges the camcorders and connects them conveniently to a TV or PC.

One of the models has a new imaging technology, while several of the camcorders feature improved optical zoom, along with wide LCD screens to address the growing demand for 16:9 video.

Sony has studied how people use their camcorders and have incorporated this understanding into a comprehensive line of Mini DV models with the aim of making a camcorder as important an accessory as a cellular phone.

The Sony DRC-PC1000 with Handycam docking station

Highlighting the line, the DCR-PC1000 model is Sony's first consumer camcorder to feature 3-chip CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor technology with an enhanced imaging processor. CMOS sensors deliver wide dynamic range for outstanding picture quality with better lighting details on video and still images. They also require less power, providing more efficient operation.

A true enthusiast's camcorder, the DCR-PC1000 model is loaded with upgraded features for making movie masterpieces. Its cinematic mode lends a 24 frame, film-like effect to recordings while the new imaging technology adds clarity and detail. The model also has a 2.7 inch wide hybrid SwivelScreen touch panel LCD screen, which lets you switch between 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios and comes with a Handycam Station for quick, easy connection to a TV or PC.

Product Description

With high performance video recording and a fresh new body design, the DCR-PC1000 MiniDV Handycam camcorder takes form and function to a new level. The CMOS imaging sensor provide superior detail and clarity in both video and still image recording. The 2.7 Megapixel digital still memory mode captures high-resolution still images perfect for prints. The SteadyShot picture stabilization system provide smooth video recording for the best possible picture.The DCR-PC1000 camcorder's sleek and compact body comes fully-loaded with features to help you manage your video recording. The 2.7" Hybrid LCD display provides high-resolution images for excellent viewing clarity. An assignable manual dial is built into the lens of the camera, so you can easily customize the focus and the exposure of the camcorder. The Cinematic mode creates a 24 frame film-like effect to your recordings.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I'm Loving It., June 14, 2005

By	Gary Thom (NYC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've had this camcorder about a month, I got it as a gift for my 40th, I chose it.

Pros: Under good lighting it produces wonderful video, great sound. I love the menu system (though the LCD needs constant cleaning). The weight is just right, not too heavy for long use, not so light that it feels unstable.

Cons: Not great under low light conditions such as dimmed room lights; the picture goes grainy and red. I also noticed a bit of wind noise from the internal mic. Short battery life. I had problems with the drivers for the USB under windows XP, never bother to fix this as I bought a firewire card.

All things considered, I'm very happy with the camcorder.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top of the line Digital Camcorder, October 7, 2005

By	Edward E. Erny "Carlisle Honey" (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Everything I wanted in a small light camcorder. The automatic stabilizer feature is great. All features and functions work as advertized. Options like wide and tele lenses work great. It is handy to have an extra battery. Definitely worth the price. Still photo capability is very good. There is a low res still capability in the video mode as well. Throw away the 16 MB flash supplied and buy a 1 GB flash for stills. Still mode also does AVI!

The software supplied is dissapointing in that it is not intutive. It is a bit clumsy to do simple things like download the video to a PC file for editing.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great little camera!, June 4, 2006

By	T. Gnade (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This camera achieves its goal as a sleek, simple dual function (still/movie) camera with moderate access to advanced functions. It is easy to use, small and lightweight, and has a very high coolness quotient. It has an interesting form factor, which I haven't found difficult to use, although the zoom toggle is sometimes difficult to reach because it's placed too high when you're holding the camera low in front of your body. The video is sharp and clear, and the audio is surprisingly good considering the built-in mic is placed on the top of the camera body. I do wish it had even the smallest of lights to assist with low-light conditions, because the video quality can be average in dim light. I think Sony should either have put a standard accessory shoe on the camera, or they should offer more options in terms of accessories, which are limited to a couple of mics and a light/flash or two. For example, a combination video light/flash and quality stereo or surround mic would be fantastic. Also, there is no external microphone input or headphone monitor jack, both of which should be standard on a camera in this price range. The battery life is limited. At full charge it reads 80 minutes. There is a larger battery available, but even that wont hold up to sustained use of zoom and flash. I suspect Sony chose an enclosed battery compartment to keep the camera sleek, but they should get working on a more potent option.

One of the best features of this camera is that it works quite well as a still camera! I use it interchangeably with my dedicated still for anything that will print 4x6 or smaller. Camcorders are typically regarded as glorified cell phones in terms of their still functionality, but this one breaks the mold. While it's not able to capture the same level of detail and color balance, it IS good enough for small prints and my wife's scrapbooking projects.

As for the computer interface, it's very good over USB, and I'm sure over firewire as well. Connecting the camera couldn't be simpler. It auto-detects the usb connect mode, and is easy to switch from DV capture to DV pass-through or memory stick acces. It can even stream video over USB, though I doubt I'll ever use a $1000 webcam. As slick as the hardware is, Sony's software has a long way to go before it is mature. The video capture utility could be great, but they need a usability designer to sort the thing out. For example, it stops every so often at a non-configurable and arbitrary "time limit", making it impossible to simply punch "capture" and walk away from the camera, returning to a single, complete AVI file. I tried some freeware, but it choked on the audio, so I now use Windows Movie Maker. It's a simple solution that can both capture and edit, and it's the software Sony should have produced. They could improve upon it by enabling the ability to install video codecs other than WMA, like DIVX or XVID, or even just plain old MPEG1/2! But it works great for raw AVI capture and edits. I'll use some other tools to convert the video and burn the DVDs.

My overall review of this camera remains 5 stars becuase of:
1) size
2) usability (others have complained, I find it quite good)
3) versatility (camcorder, camera, camcorder - not too bad!)
4) extremely good video quality (in bright light)
5) cool factor

BUT, Sony needs to put out a more powerful battery option, and expand on the shoe accessories. Plus, they need to improve the software profoundly on the next go-around, and they need to add a damn headphone and external mic jack to this thing. Finally, it WOULD be nice to have a more versatile set of manual controls and a simpler mechanical interface to access them (ie a nice control ring), and it would be nice to add a firewire/usb port on the camera to enable direct DV streaming to an external hard disk.

Sweet camera overall, with a few acceptable quibbles...