Customer Reviews

Sony DCRHC30 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I am really pleased with this camcorder. It is my second miniDV camcorder, my first one was a Panasonic PV-DV910. I got the Panasonic years ago when digital camcorders first came out, and it was no good in low light. So, my main criteria in looking for a new one was...

1. Ability to shoot in low light
2. Zoom comparable to Panasonic (18x-320x)
3. Smaller size
4. Ability to download to PC
5. Ability to take still pics

I got the sony the day of my birthday with full intention of returning it if it didn't suit ALL of my needs. A group of friends rented a limo for the night, so I planned to run the sony through a series of Low-Light and Zoom tests. Here are my results:

1. LOW-Light-(5 Stars) I was able to get some great shots in the limo!!! With the panasonic I would have had to use my Light which would have been very distracting to the situation and ate up most of my battery before we even made it to the destination.
With the Sony, I was able to get great natural shots, because with the infrared light, it wasn't so obvious that i was filming.

2. Zoom- (5 Stars) At fist glance the zoom really isn't that great compared to what I have. This was the biggest question in my mind... would I miss what I currently had. We went to a bar after dinner and I was able to zoom in an acceptable distance to the band. I really didn't miss my old zoom at all. But the thing that really made me accept the low-zoom was the fact you can BUY A BETTER ZOOM!!! The lens has the capability to expand!

3. Smaller Size- (5 stars) Wouldn't want it any smaller. Love the touch menu and menus are intuitive and easy to use.

4. Ability To Download To PC- (5 Stars) Everyone is right about the software, it isn't the greatest but I have other software that I use to capture video to pc.

5. Still Pics- (5 Stars) I have a digital camera to take the quality photos but this camcorder takes pretty good quality pics. Not having to carry both camcorder and camera is nice.

To make a long story longer.... I love this camcorder!!! Obviously, I didn't return it. I hope this helps.

After doing much research on the 'net and visiting every electronics store on the island, I decided on the HC30 and I am not disappointed. I've never owned a camcorder before, so I was worried that I'd have trouble using one, but Sony has taken away any hassle with its "Easy" mode, which uses automatic settings--great for point-and-shoot novice (read: wannabe) videographers like myself.

Pros: Size (this camera is tiny compared to other camcorders in this price range), Memory Stick MPEG movie + still image recording (perfect for e-mails + websites, but not for prints), bright 2.5" touchscreen LCD, good automatic settings, excellent picture quality, Super NightShot (a MUST for single CCD cameras used in low-light settings), analog-to-digital pass-through (for recording from a VCR onto your PC using firewire), Carl Zeiss lens (hence the excellent picture quality.

Cons: Menu navigation and getting to manual controls is not intuitive and can be problematic while shooting. The optical zoom is small compared to other cameras in this class (10x vs. 20x).

It's low-light performance is mediocre, but compared to other camera's I've researched and tested, the HC30 outperforms them all with its Super NightShot.

And for anyone complaining about the poor still image quality, I will say that this camcorder, and its stills were not meant for prints, but for e-mails or the 'net. It's a given that if you want good photo quality, buy a regular digital camera--even the most ambitious of camcorders usually only come with a one megapixel sensor, which is not nearly enough for crisp photos. Don't worry, this camcorder is small enough that you can still carry around your digital camera and not be weighted down.

I'm new to the world of digital video, but I'm an avid digital photographer and I've got to say that with its feature set and ease of use, I can readily recommend this camera to people who want no-hassles with good quality. Given it's pros (good auto settings) and cons (buried manual controls) it's obvious that this is meant for consumers and not prosumers, but with its excellent image quality and decent low-light performance, I think that even prosumers should think of picking this up as a good backup camera.

Don't buy a camcorder for the computer software. Do yourself a favor, get a Mac if you want to do any serious movie editing. iMovie (free with every Mac) is mission-critical for any home movie editor or aspiring Scorcese.

That aside, let me tell you what is right about this smartly-priced beauty. It's tiny. It has long battery life. It has a terrific, touch-sensitive display. It works great across light levels, and even has a special low-light feature that may make you look a little like a zombie, but it's terrific if you want to film those aliens stealing your trash.

The picture quality is terrific (as one might expect from Sony), the form, fit and function are first-rate, it has all the standard features you expect (including a mic-out and "hot shoe"). I can't really see spending more.

While I haven't used a camcorder since my parents' Sharp swivel screen died about 10 years ago, I can say with confidence that this is a marvelous little camcorder.

The LCD screen is very impressive. No smudges, somehow. The touch screen menu system works flawlessly, even though the "buttons" are a little small for someone with large fingers. The clarity is excellent, even in full daylight.

The menu system is pretty easy to use. It's a little confusing at first, until you realize that each mode (the mode for filming with cassette tapes, the mode for filming with memory sticks, and the edit/view mode) has it's own menu set, with similar but different menu items. Not a big deal; just takes a little time in front of the thing.

This camera is SMALL. I have to say that I didn't think that would be too big of a deal for me, but it really is nice. Now, when I see someone "lugging" a larger camcorder around (even though they're all teeny compared to the monsters from back in the 80s and 90s), I can't help but feel bad for them. This thing truly would fit in your jacket pocket.

Along those lines, there is one problem with the size. It was apparently made for people with little hands. I wear size XL gloves. The hand strap doesn't open far enough for me to get my hand into it. It's difficult for me to use the strap and still be able to reach the buttons. If it were capable of adjusting out another two inches, it would be just right.

I ordered mine with an extra battery (just a stock battery, not the 70 or 90) and a quick charger with a 12V car charger - even though the car adapter got thrown away with the Christmas wrapping paper :o(. I would definitely recommend getting the second battery and quick charger.

We also ordered the 4-year Mack warranty. It cost $80, but it might be worth it.

I knew the zoom was only 10X when I bought it, but it still would have been nice to get a 20X optical zoom.

The built-in lense cover is great. My in-laws have a different Sony model sporting a tethered lense cover. What a nuisance compared to this.

The still picture function is pretty cool. You can take stills to the memory stick while recording video to the tape. Pretty neat feature. They're obviously low quality, but it's fun for quick emails. Don't plan on using them for anything else.

The nightshot plus/super nightshot plus (with the infrared light) are absolutely incredible. If there's some slowdown in nighshot, just turn on the infrared light. Really cool to play with. I've only used it to record my little boy sleeping, but I could invision using it while camping, and maybe a couple of other applications as well.

Shooting in a dim room will give you dim results. I don't know what some people expect, honestly. Same thing goes with still photography (digital or film): if there isn't enough light, you'll get a bunch of black. I think this camcorder performs well enough in this regard. The inclusion of spot metering really helps out, too. Just aim at a darker area (shadows, etc.), and touch the screen there. Voila, the camera has adjusted the exposure for the darker areas. Pretty simple.

I can't believe the add-on flash costs $150. That's absurd. It would be nice for stills, though. I doubt you'd want to use it for video, as it draws juice from the battery (maybe if you had a bigger battery).

I read a review someplace about several types of camcorders recording the mechanical noises from the inner works of the cameras. That isn't a problem here. The recorded sound seems to be pretty good to me (without the extra microphone).

I don't have any older media to update to digital, so I can't speak to its capabilities there. However, my main gripe about this camera has to do with transfering images.

I learned too late that the "Burn to DVD" function will only work with the Firewire cable (not included, and extra $50 from Sony) and a SONY COMPUTER! The other option is to go out and buy 3rd party software. We bought a new computer when we got the camcorder, and I made sure it could be upgraded to house an IEEE 1394 (Firewire) port (not a big deal, it's just a PCI card - most computers should have an extra PCI slot in them). It'll cost another $60-80 for the hardware, plus another $80 for the software (I'm looking at Roxio Media Creator 7), plus the $50 for the firewire cable from Sony. After dropping $1200 on the camcorder and computer, I would have appreciated a little more from Sony in the way of full disclosure. Don't get me wrong: it's there, just in fine print.

Anyhow, to make a long story short, the included USB 2.0 cable really does nothing useful. If you want to spend $400 on a camcorder (not including excessories and warranties) that will allow you to transfer grainy images (think $50 webcam quality) to your hard drive with Windows XP (the included software from Picture Package SUCKS), then you'll be all set right out of the box.

If, on the other hand, you were expecting to get high quality images on your computer and eventually onto a DVD, be prepared to cough up a little extra moolah. Pretty frustrating, to say the least.

Oh, and for those of you paying attention, I tried to use the video CD (VCD) function through the USB. Unfortunately, my new eMachines computer (built by Gateway) has a cd/DVD write drive that is not on the list of drives supported by Picture Package's software. After 20 minutes on hold, I learned from PP that I'm basically screwed. He told me to use Windows Moviemaker. What a joke.

Sony really should have included a way to get the video to your PC in reasonably high quality with the USB 2.0, either that or include the firewire instead. After all, one of the reasons I went with the Sony over the Canon was the inclusion of "everything you need right out of the box." Not exactly true.

Now that I'm done with that rant, though, I'll summarize by saying this: Once I finally get the necessary equipment to make a DVD directly from the camcorder, I will be very happy with this camcorder (assuming it works). It seems like a solid, well thought out, well built device. The feature set really is impressive for the money. I would recommend it, assuming you haven't been turned off by the above comments.

A BEST-KEPT MINIDV SECRET: the video "pass-through" feature on the HC30 lets you connect a VCR or camcorder and digitize the signal for editing. You think it can't make a difference? Think again!

I have several DVDs created with one of those USB all-in-one devices, from tapes made on my old analog camcorder. Using the USB, video quality was ok but with some artifacts and pixilazation. I then tried running the analog camcorder signal through the HC30 using the "pass through" feature. What I got were zero lost frames, zero pixalization, and full screen video with no artifacts (!)

So it appears that using USB 2.0 to sample analog video is not the way to go. As a result I've been spending evenings re-editing all my old analog camcorder tapes "through" my HC30.

- So don't use the supplied USB cable! Go buy a i.link/Firewire card and cable.I'm not sure why Sony even bothered to include a USB cable and cause everyone grief.

- Instead of griping about the software Sony bundled, spend an extra buck and go buy the "Pinnacle Studio" or download the trial of Sony Vegas. Why buy a quality MiniDV camera and struggle editing your family movies with freeware?

HOWEVER: One downside to the HC30 is that mechanical noise from the camera is slightly picked up by the built-in microphone. Adding a high-quality mike like the Sony ECMS930C picks up the sound even more. This is a problem Sony needs to fix to make this camera's sound as good as it's picture...which is excellent.

I bought this camera about 1 week ago. I had read in a review that the zoom was difficult to operate--that it only had 2 speeds: fast and slow. I found, however, that with very little practice I was able to use a medium speed on the zoom. I haven't had the opportunity yet to move any recordings to a VHS or DVD, but played back once on a TV and the picture was excellent. Didn't notice any motor noise in the tape itself, but perhaps it's too soon to tell. Night shot was a delightful surprise (I could see better through the camera than I could with my own eyes). Love the camera's size, and will use it much more because of that. Too early to give an evaluation on the battery that came with the camera. It's one of those Infolithium batteries, but the reading keeps changing on the camera, so I'm never too sure how much time I actually have left. I'll probably buy a 4-hour battery for trips.

This camcorder does an excellent job in normal lighting conditions considering the aperature is about 1/3 as large as my old Sony TRV57. For those people who are complaining about the performance in low-light conditions: What do you expect? It's a "mini" camcorder. The lens is very small so you sacrifice significant light-gathering capability for a nice, small camera. Sony addresses this problem by allowing you to adjust the shutter speed via different recording "modes". So far, I've found the results in low-light acceptable.

I also purchased the DCRHC65 thinking the larger 1/5" CCD would improve the performance in low-light, but it really wasn't noticeable, so I returned it. The overall design of this camera is far superior to the HC65. All input/output cable ports are in easily accessible locations. The built-in lens cover is nice. Longer batter life by virtue of it's smaller power requirements. Nice and compact.

Best feature, IMHO is the analog to digital pass-through, which is really why I decided on this camera. We have dozens of Hi8 analog tape that I ultimately want available on DVDs. I connected my old TRV57 into this camera, connected this camera to my Mac via firewire and iMovie began capturing the digitized analog footage. I just finished creating my first DVD from one of our old Hi8 tapes.

Incidentally, I do not recommend trying to use a PC to capture and edit movies. If you're going to drop some $$$ for a digital camcorder, do yourself a big favour and buy a Mac. The latest operating system for Mac (OS X) is wonderful and comes stock with iMovie and iDVD so you don't have to fight with the lousy video editing software that is included with this camera. You might consider buying some video editing software for your PC instead. Don't. You'll be just wasting your time and money. I've used PCs for 15 years and I'm just amazed at how incredibly inept they are at doing most things related to multimedia. Take my advice and buy a Mac for your video editing. You won't be disappointed.

I'm a software developer of 15+ years, build my own computers, and am a fairly serious amateur photographer, and I CANNOT figure out the Picture Package software that comes with the camera for transferring the video to my computer, a CD, or a DVD. I've spent probably 5-6 hours over 2 days. The Picture Package Auto Video program, which seems to be the only way to capture the video on your computer with Sony's software is using 99% of my 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 cpu when I click on anything in the screen. There is NO online support except a telephone number provided (not even an 800 number) for Pixela User Support.

All the reviews said the picture quality was amazing, and I find the camera itself reasonable to use. I love its size, and find the touch screen easy to use after looking up a couple key items. But if I can not transfer the video to the computer with the software and equipment Sony provides, something is VERY wrong.

I am well aware I can use other capture software, but as a big Sony fan, I am very disappointed.

In short, this is a medium quality camcorder. The picture quality is not great, the recorder is picking up the motor noise and still images are completely useless.

The AUTO mode takes the picture or video very dark. You need to adjust the exposure for better picture or video.

You cannot do anything about the recorded motor noise. it is always there

You cannot print the still images taken with this camcorder (even in 4x6). So if you buy this for the still image,dont wasteyour money and choose with better or theonew/o still pictures.

The features are very limited per the canon zseriesof camcorders. Optical zoom is 10x, which is very limited in compare to 20x (Canon)

The software works but the VCD creation is very slow with the provided SW.

So in short, this camcorder does not deserve what is costs.

First, I advise potential buyers to keep in mind the category of this device - simple, for quick home videos. And it is just perfect for that.
Tests done
1. Picture is definitely better than the best Hi8 and the sound is very good (use 16 bit option always). Does not work perfectly at low light, but that is not expected.
2. Handling - excellent, touch screen is the real saver, easy to use and handy.
3. Efects - there are too many. Those I tried are perfect.
4. Analog-to-digital pas through - it does not get any better than this! The best way to convert your analogue tapes to DVD. You can also make direct DVD recording from any possible source (TV, Hi8, VCR ...)
Note: I use Intervideo DVD Creator Platinum 2 with XP home. Did not test the Sony software, did not use USB, only fire wire.
5. Images - perfect for e-mails, naturally not good for regular photos.

New model 32 has better optical zoom, but the catch is it is extremely difficult to adjust it using the small lever on the camcorder. Model 30 had optical zoom 10x and that is just perfect.
Highly, highly recommended (if you can still find it somewhere).