Sony Reviews

I WANTED TO HAVE IT ALL. A CAMCORDER THAT TOOK EXCELLENT VIDEO AND GOOD STILLS. THIS PRODUCT DISSAPOINTS IN THE LATTER. HOWEVER, MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT THE STILL PICTURE QUALITY THAT THIS CAMCORDER TAKES ARE ALREADY BETTER THAN ANY CAMCORDER OUT THERE. WHILE THIS MAY BE TRUE, I MUST WARN THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THINKING THAT THIS CAN REPLACE YOU 2 OR 3 MEGAPIXEL CAMCORDER....IT WONT.
THE STILL PICTURES, ALTHOUGH 3 MEGAPIXEL CAPACITY HAVE JUST WAY TO MUCH NOISE INTEREFERENCE (THATS MY BEST GUESS) FOR THE PICTURES TO BE SHARP. THE PICTURES COME OUT SOMEWHAT FUZZY RATHER THAN SMOOTH. WHEN VIEWED AT 2016 x 1512 YOU CAN CLEARLY NOTICE AN UNEVENESS IN THE COLORS. THE PICTURES ARE JUST PLAIN BELOW AVERAGE COMPARED TO WHAT YOU CAN GET FROM EVEN A 2 MEGAPIXEL CAMERA.
WITH THAT SAID, THE STRONG POINTS OF THIS CAMERA IS IN ITS VIDEO. THE VIDEO IS REALLY CLEAR AND SHARP. ALTHOUGH THIS IS MY FIRST CAMCORDER AND I DONT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO COMPARE TO, BUT I AM PRETTY SURE THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST VIDEO QUALITY CAMCORDERS OUT THERE.
HAVING BEEN LET DOWN BY THE POOR STILLS, BRINGS ME TO GRIPE ABOUT THIS CAMCORDER BEING SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN PREVIOUS SONY HANDYCAMS LIKE THE PC105 AND ALSO LARGER THAN SOME OF SONY'S NEWER MODELS. ALTHOUGH THESE SMALLER HANDYCAMS DONT HAVE 3 MEGA PIXELS LIKE THE PC330, BUT I HAVE COME TO THE CONCULSION THAT MAYBE 3 MEGAPIXELS AREN'T NECCESARY, WHAT THE POINT IF THE THE STILLS ARE GOING TO BE SUBPAR ANYWAYS. I PROBABLY WOULDVE HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO BUY THIS HIGHLY EXPENSIVE CAMCORDER, AND INSTEAD GONE WITH A CANON OPTURA 300, WHICH IS MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE, BUT WITH THE MONEY LEFT OVER, I COULD BUY ME A NICE 3 MEGAPIXEL CAMERA THAT TAKES DIGITAL PICTURES THE WAY THERE SUPPOSED TO LOOK.

A palm-sized camera that almost shoots as well as the low-end 3-CCD cameras, made by a reputable name (Sony), and a price under $1400? Yes, Sony has done it.

Exterior - With the vertical orientation of the body and the smaller thickness, this camera will fit well in your palm. The main controls are positioned comfortably where your fingers will most naturally fall. The design allows for basic operation without jostling the camera. As I primarily work in filming live band performances in local clubs, this unit allows me to shoot a high-quality product and not disturb those around me, as most are never aware that I am recording. The only drawback is that the infra-red controls are a switch on the case, as opposed to an internal menu. On more than one occasion I have accidentally turned on the night mode.

Lens - The lens is very sharp and distortion-free. Its size of 37mm is a standard size, and I have been able to purchase several lenses and filters without requiring any adapters or step-up/down rings.

Lighting - As per Sony's reputation for low-light shooting, this camera does not disappoint. Besides requiring only 7 lux for standard shooting, it offers a NightShot (infra red) and a Color Slow Shutter, which preserves bright colors in super-low lighting.

Auto-Features - The auto-exposure and auto-focus are very responsive, except in cases of two rapid changes in light, like a camera flash, for instance. This is where I find the only weakness in this unit. The manual focus ring, while great in concept, does not actually operate on a wide range, so it is only for fine tuning, not necessarily artistic alterations. However, the touch-panel screen does have a Spot-Focus feature, which when used correctly can simulate camera movement.

LCD Screen - The image produced on the LCD screen is quite sharp and a very accurate representation of what is being recorded. It also has a switch for the backlight to save battery power when it is not required while viewing the LCD undera a bright sun. A characteristic that sets this camera apart from most is that the LCD Screen is also a touch-panel for access to the options menus. At first I was hesiatant about this feature, but I have found it to be a favorite part of mine. In low lighting situations, I no longer have to remember where specific buttons are, as the menus are well-illuminated. The panel requires very little pressure, so I can operate it without shaking the camera. And, to top it off, it allows custom menus, so that I set up my most-used options on the first screen. Generally I can change the settings to what I want with only two quick taps on the screen.

Accessory Shoe - The Intelligent Accessory show can connect to and electronically control, and supply power to flashes and micrphones.

Power - The supplied battery will run for 2 to 2 1/2 hours at maximum consumption, the long life will generally provide 7-8 hours.

Progressive Recording - This feature is designed for those who wish to extract still images from video. It records at half the frame rate, but produces a clearer image, without the herring-bone effect of motion in the normal digital frames.

I have had this camera for four months now, and have found only a couple of minor imperfections which do not amount to much when compared to the rest of the DCR-PC330. I highly recommend this unit to anyone and everyone who can afford it. You will not be disappointed.

This was my first-ever camcorder purchase, so I wanted to make sure the camera was a solid performer.

The other two candidates were the Panasonic DV953 and the Sony TRV950.

To help me choose, I took a crash-course in MiniDV cams (by reading the reviews) and found that most of them kept harping on things that I didn't care about. Things like bottom-loading the tapes vs top-loading; Single CCD vs 3 CCD; the number of shutter speeds. Jeez, 99.9% of people aren't going to pass up a good camera because they need to remove it from the tripod to change a tape, but these folks make it sound like a show-stopper.

I bought the PC330 over the other two for simple reasons:

1) My wife wants very few buttons to have to worry abouy. With this camera, you point and shoot; most of the functions are hidden in the touch screen menus that you rarely have to use.

2) The stills are actually better than my 3.2 megapixel Fuji A303.

3) It felt comfortable to use - much smaller than the other two cameras.

I believe the cons to this camera that will affect most users are:

1) The akward placement of the still button. You really have to bend your index finger into a strange position to use it. The zoom control is placed as the natural landing spot for your index finger.

2) The microphone is located behind the hot-shoe. This is only a problem if you plug something into the shoe - the mic is essentially blocked from your subject.

3) The flash doesn't pop out far enough to clear most add-on lenses. If you attach a wide-angle or zoom lens, you will see a significant shadow of it in still pictures that use the flash. This is certainly not a critical flaw, but annoying.

4) This is probably only a problem for newbies to Sony camcorders, but the zoom control at your index finger is just about the same size as the mode/power switch at your thumb. I don't know how many times I've intended on zooming by moving my thumb -- which causes the camera to switch modes. I chalk this one up to user unfamiliarity; all of my friends with Sony's had the same problem at first.

I bought some nice accessories and found one very valuable. The HVL-IRH2 IR/Video light. This plugs into the hot shoe and provides a 3 Watt video light AND a great IR light for shooting in total darkness in a small all-in-one unit. It uses the battery power from the camera, which drains it FAST, but it also means it doesn't need its own heavy battery. We use this to record our kids sleeping; the IR produces no visible light in the room. Keep in mind, the video will look like a nighttime Baghdad bombing (green), but it's not very grainy at all.

the last camera i had was pretty bad compared to this. it was a very old 8mm and it only had a b/w view finder. i got this camera from a relative and i think its great. Pros: Color LCD, Color Viewfinder, incredibly small, battery life isnt too bad (about 2 hours using the NP-FS21 battery with the lcd on), nightvision Cons: a built in flash or light would be nice, more digital effects, a better zoom. Overall i think its a pretty good camera. Its perfect for an average camera and the size is great so u can take it anywhere.

I ordered this camera...I took it with me on my trip to Europe last summer and it was absolutely phenomenal. I filmed during the day and at night and all of my footage was great. I will say that i wished that I would have had another battery, but i managed to film each day (for 18 days) and it worked out well.

You can review your footage by touching the screen lightly, it has a remote control, editing accessories and it weighs approximately a pound~! I walked all over Italy and it was really convenient to carry with me everywhere.

I really think that this is a great camera and I highly recommend it if you're able to find it for a great price like i did.

This camcorder by Sony is awesome. The color and sharpness is unbelievable. This camcorder is very easy to get up and running. I highly recommend this product to amateurs as well as professionals. Recommendation: Strong Buy

My criteria for a camcorder included compact size & the highest Mega pixel CCD for digital picture clarity. I researched the dcr-pc120, dcr-pc101, canon optura 100 & 200mc. (I decided to stay away from the microMV camcorders namely because they only have 60min max recording tapes and i feel the miniDV's have a larger audience)

I chose the dcr-pc120bt sony because:
1. it had a built in quality intelligent flash (4 settings - forced, red eye reduction, off, auto)
2. Hologram AF Low Light Laser Assist function (this function is incredible, using a class 1 laser for focusing in low lighting)
3. 0 lux nightshot rating
4. Progressive shutter system
5. Sony's great features and the warranty/options Sony offers

I considered the following equal in my comparison:
1. the digital zoom is not much good after 120x, therefore canon's 200x didn't become a factor
2. both have carl zeiss lenses
3. size
4. canon's optical stabilization is basically equivalent to sony's digital stabilization.

cons on the dcr-pc120bt:
1. grip and functioning the controls are a bit ackward (it takes a few days to get used to)- the canons 200mc is much more comfortable.
2. bluetooth functions pushes up the price.

I have no regrets on buying this camcorder! It took 2 minutes to install the USB driver and my computer recognized the memory stick as a removable disk where I could download pictures. If you can afford it, purchase this high quality pc120bt camcorder.

During my research I shortlisted following camcorders: Sony dcr-pc120bt , dcr-pc101 and Canon Optura 100mc.
All three had very similiar features but
120 stood due to following reasons:
1) 1.5 Mpixel CCD + progressive shutter
2) Halogram LF-- this feature will give even a 3 M.pixel cam run for it's money
3) Mpeg movies capability i.e It records Mpeg format on tape/memory stick which you can email as it's many times smaller than video file.
4) Built in intelligent flash
5) I could buy it for less ...with 5 year warranty.
...

Cons:
1) Canon 100mc has Optical stabilizer
2) dcr-pc101 has touch screen LCD. ( Idon't know how much I will touch though!)
3) Zoom control is on odd place for my big hands!

Camera arrived last week and I compared to the videos of my previous recordings (JVC dv + panasonic DV -- borrowed from friends) and difference is as big as HDTV Vs Regullar and unbeliable Snapshots !

This camera has bluetooth which I will enjoy couple of years later when there are more bluetooth devices.

Anyway , I like it for that price.

I own one DCR-PC120BT since more than 9 months now. And last week I had the chance to test the new 330. Forget it! After several days of practicing with both cameras the DCR-PC120BT is the clear winner!

I recently decided to get this camera and sell off my TRV900 because I really found I needed something smaller to carry around. It was a tough choice, as the image quality and stills from the TRV900 were decidedly better. But I just couldn't pass up the size. This one is so small for the features you get. It has many, many well thought out features. For instance, it has a little swing-down handle to make filming easier (always an issue with these little digicams). You can hook the camera directly to your computer through USB, no need to get a card reader. Pop-up flash is nice for doing indoor shots. Easy to use menus. Fairly high resolution stills for a digital camcorder. I love the Sony batteries that tell you how much time you have left...same for the tapes and memory cards. Plenty of features that a camera at this level should have.

Now, for the negatives. No progressive scan. Let me say that again. NO PROGRESSIVE SCAN!! Heaven knows why Sony continues to leave this feature off. It was so noticeable between this camera and the TRV900 which does have progressive scan, when you capture stills off of video. The ones from this camera are nowhere near as good. Not even close. If the subject is moving at all (which is usually the whole point of trying to capture a still from video), without progressive scan it is just not as clear, sharp, colorful, etc. Why Sony does not put progressive scan on their cameras is beyond me. Most of the other gripes I have with this camera are fairly minimal. Some of the buttons are fairly hard to locate, the zoom is hard to use and rather touchy, the photo button is right next to it so I often hit the wrong one, etc. Fairly typical problems for a camera of this size. Were it not for progressive scan being missing though, this would definitely be a 5-star camcorder. Without it, sorry Sony. You blew it again.

If you are considering buying the Sony DC-PC110 Camcorder, you should ask yourself, "What am I looking for in a camcorder?". I spent a long time debating between buying this camera, the Sony PC9, and the Canon Elura 2 (all great camcorders). My final conclusion is that the PC110 is the best all around... but if you don't need to extras, you needn't spend all the extra money. The PC110 functions perfectly as a camcorder for movies AND as a quality digital camera, something that other camcorders can't boast. It also includes in-camera editing and special effects controls, image-stabilization (hands naturally shake, and this makes movies more smooth), night-shot (for recording in total darkness), and intuitive ergonomics (contrary to what other reviewers have said, the pinky doesn't belong on the controls, the index finger does...), and the camera is very easy to operate (once you get the hang of it). The 120X Zoom is very good (even at extreme closeness, the quality of the image does not suffer). Hooking it up to your computer for editing is easy (cables & free software are included).

As a digital camera, it's perfect. You can take pictures ("stills") while recording by pressing the "photo" button while in recording ("camera") mode, or you can take a series of pictures & delete the ones you don't want in digital memory ("memory") mode. You can play back your movies on your camorder (or hooked up to your TV) while in "VCR" mode. The camera charges quickly while off & plugged into an AC adapter, but the battery that it comes with only lasts around an hour, so you'd probably want to buy a bigger one for vacations.

The bottom line is, if you don't want to use your camera as an all-purpose two-in-one, you needn't spend the extra money (if you buy the camera as-is, you will need to buy an extra battery, a filter, a bag, digital tapes to record movies, and a 64MB memory stick for digital photos, which adds up to quite a lot of money). However, I recommend this camera as a long-term investment for all your camera needs... it is sturdy, takes quality movies, is easy to use, easily hooks up to PCs & Macs to edit (or to TVs to view), and doubles as a great digital camera. It also helps that it's very small and light (and looks very sleek...) If you don't want to use it as a digital camera, I'd recommend the Sony PC9 instead, which is basically the same as the PC110, but a bit smaller & takes lower quality digital pictures. Overall, I highly recommend the PC-110 -- it's the best personal camcorder on the market.

I've had since 2 years and it worked great under any situation and weather conditions.
It's a very solid product, with lots of great features. Very good image quality, both in video as in still modes.
Also used it for transfering my previous home videos to the PC for editing, using the camera as a 'gateway' with its analog-digital converter (firewall).
It's my first Sony Handycam (previously used JVC cams), but in my opinion there's no point of comparison. I think I'll be tied to Sony for a long while.
Very recommended product. If you can spend a little more, don't hesitate.

I replaced a 7 year old Canon HI8 camcorder with this one. I've had the 109 for a couple of months now and here are my comments.

GOOD:
Size: It is really small and compact. Well built and solid.
Motor noise: My camera has no motor noise. Absolutely none. I have seen some reviews that say their camera has motor noise. My suggestion is, if you get one that does, replace it. Perhaps you got an early one or a gray market?
Battery life: I get about 2 hours with the standard, tiny battery. Interestingly, the same reviewer that said he had motor noise claimed to get less than an hour with his battery. There must be something wrong with his camera.
Low light: Seems to be pretty good and better than competition.
Simplicity: It is very easy to use as a point and shoot. There are only a few buttons. The LCD screen doubles as a touch screen for the menu.
Docking station: Makes it convenient to plug-in to the computer because the docking station is always connected to the computer, and to a wall outlet for charging.

BAD:
Small LCD screen: I guess this is a tradeoff with the small camera size (but if you have seen Sony's new T1 still camera, they know how to put a large LCD on a small camera). Also, the LCD can wash-out in sunlight, like most other cameras.
Docking station: Although convenient, the only way to recharge the battery is to plug the camera into the docking station. This means, for trips, you have to take the camera, the cord, and the docking station with you. This is inconvenient and bulky. Sony could have easily made the cord plug into both the camera and the docking station for recharge, but Sony instead has elected to release an optional "compact" battery charger for around $70. Typical Sony. Similarly, the camera itself has analog video outputs. To get digital outputs, you have to go through the docking station.
Microphone: It is placed on top of the camera, so it does pick up some non-directional noise (from places other than directly in front of the camera). It seems to be somewhat directional though because it doesn't really pick up noise from the shooter.

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.

I bought this in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during a camera fair. I guess the most important thing to me was size, as I wanted to make sure the camera was with me as often as possible. Having a small camcorder REALLY increases its utilisation, as it's not much of a bother to bring it with you to most places. I felt it would have been a pity to spend all that cash on something and yet not fully utilise it. I have had it for 2 months and have since used up 6 miniDV tapes. It helps also that it is simple to use. Good for the point-and-shoot users as well as the slightly more technically inclined.

I've only really used the video function as I have a Canon Ixus400 which takes care of my still-shot needs. But the still pictures taken with the PC109 are not bad for those rushed moments. You can even snap a still pic while recording video, but only to 640x480.

Outside and in bright conditions, the picture quality is excellent. In dark situations, of course the image quality suffers. This is the case with any camcorder, and I feel the PC109 does better than other compact camcorders. I have purchased a light (HVL S3D) which helps a little. Also has some features like "twilight mode" and "backlight" for subjects lit from behind which also help.

The mic is placed on top of the camera. Not the ideal place, as it picks up noise not from the front of the camera. It sounds okay when played back on TV, but could be better. I will probably purchase a mic for the hotshoe.

The LCD Screen is ok for a camera this size. Very clear in most situations. Direct sunlight makes it a little harder to see, though.

This camera handles Analog input AND output as well as Digital Input AND Output. I have hooked it up to an older camcorder to convert to miniDV. I have hooked it up to TVs (A/V) and computers(iLink and USB). I've made VCDs with the supplied cables and software. I've recorded video from computer to tape. No problems.

Extra:
1) Touch Screen - Very stylish. Also lessens the clutter of buttons found on most cammcorders. You can also customise the menu with features you use most often. Some labels on the menu are not self evident though.

2) Hot-shoe - definitely welcome. For using a light, mic etc. Canon Elura models are otherwise comparable but lack a hot-shoe. This is why i bought the PC109.

3) No discernable motor noise.

4) Placement of buttons is quite logical. I have had no trouble pushing the wrong buttons. After some practice, very easy to operate.

5) Cradle - quite useful as you dont have to keep plugging cables into the camcorder itself. Just drop it into the cradle.

6) Battery life of included battery is okay. enough for a 60 minute tape and a bit more.

7) Super Steady Shot seems to do the job.

Could improve:
1) Doesnt have a focus ring. You have to use the touch Screen.

2) No built in light. The PC105 at least had a built in flash for still shots.

3) Mic Placement on top. Not the ideal location but practically all the vertical cameras do this. Most of my shooting is done at close quarters so not a big deal. I will eventually get a zoom mic though.

4) Tape door is on the bottom. A minor issue for me as i rarely have time to set it up on a tripod.

5) The Software provided is quite basic. And its weird that when i convert to VCD, it handles the data in 10 minute pieces.

The camera is not as good as specified. Still image quality is good when taken fron very short distance but not good for the outside natural scenes taken from far away. The video quality is not so good. In low light you can't get the real colour. Specially in night shot. During video recording its pick up nois from the outside, which is very bad when you play the video. I dont think the video image quality is better that the SONY Hi-8 camera (which has much less price and not Carl Zeiss lence.). The PIXELA software frovided with the camera is too bad. If you convert to MPEG-1 using USB cable vedio quality will be useless. I think they should mention in the manual about the quality of the video using USB cable and the provided software. If it is useless I cant understant why it is provided with the camera. The software is not also user friendly. There should be some sample video using that software, so the customers can understant bout the vedio quality before buying the camera. Most of the video options are not available in memorystick if somebody wants to record in memorystick as MPEG-1. Also the video size is very small.

After a long research of compact camcorders, I bought a PC105 last September to replace a bulkier Digital 8, also Sony, that in turn replaced a Sony Hi8, and I am quite happy with it. I got it for about $750 on IBuyDigital. The camera is really compact, though you need to get used to the PC format (vertical), as opposed to the TRV one. The image quality is superb, and with good illumination you get up to 500 lines horizontal resolution (I measured it, the D8 only went up to 380 and the Hi8 to 420). The image quality is much better than my old D8. The 1Mpix still images are reasonable but don't replace a dedicated still digicam, though for special cases when you need the 10x zoom, it is a good thing to have. The MPEG1 video clips that you can store on the Memory Stick look similar to what you get from video clips out of still digicams. I guess those are mostly gadgets, I mainly use it for DV video and I capture it to my PC for later transfer to DVD.

The zoom lever is not particularly easy to use, but once you get used to it is not that bad. The focus ring is easy to use, though the autofocus is so good that I hardly use the manual focus (as compared to my old Hi8). Also, the image stabilization is way superior to the old D8 one, and does not seem to introduce extra noise as was the typical case. This is especially important on a small and light weight camcorder since it is harder to keep it still than with a heavier one.

But, the main advantage of this camera, besides its compact size, is the hybrid LCD touchpanel. Forget about those bright days when you had to stick to the viewfinder because you could hardly see the LCD screen under the sunlight. With this one, you can see it perfectly, whether under the direct sun or on a dark place... You can even save some battery power by switching off the backlight when using it outdoors. The 2.5" is a bit small, but I don't believe you can put a bigger one without making the camcorder bigger too. The LCD is high resolution and looks very sharp. The color viewfinder is not tiltable and resolution is not as good as the LCD, but helps extending battery life, which BTW is accurately measured and displayed.

I would have placed at least a scroll/select wheel for the menu system, though the touch panel is really easy to use. But the scroll wheel is faster to use for selecting things on a typical Sony menu. However, the most used functions have direct access from the LCD touch panel buttons, and the spot focus and spot metering, where you select the area of interest by touching it on the LCD, is a cool addition that you don't have in many cameras.

Overall, I am happy with it, I can put it on the same bag together with my 5Mpix digicam and I just hope it works fine for many, many years.

Ignoring the fact that this is overkill, the DCRPC105's Video-in capabilities works very well and allows conversion of analog to digital video. You can connect an analog source via the included RCA connectors, which also support S-Video.

Transferring video to a computer is straightforward, but a FireWire cable is not supplied, only a USB cable for the USB streaming feature.

I recently purchased this camcorder after our school's arrived and I had a chance to give it a test-drive. I have big hands so I thought some of the buttons would be awkward... not so.

The film looks great, it is easy to use, the still images are of high quality (I put off getting a digital camera to buy this figuring I now have both). You can manually focus when you want to, the lens is of very high quality and there are wide angle and other lens available.

Remember to order a memory stick with some punch and mini-dv cassettes... I live in bush Alaska and it was hard to wait for cassettes and memory to arrive (the 8 memory stick is a joke... 15 pictures or about 30 sec of film).

The only problem I have had with this is sometimes the screen is hard to see in bright light... I'll see if this drives me crazy this summer.

I do not like the program that came with it, but i-movie and i-photo will work great so that is not a problem. It is good that you don't have to use the program that came with it since I had trouble with it. The tech. person from our school found it strangely configured and also opted not to use it.

I have used this camcorder intermittently for about 1 month. I am very pleased with it. It is small, but cannot fit in a pant's pocket comfortably (unless you are fond of elephantine, droopy pants), but certainly fits in a parka or other jacket pocket. The size is actually a reasonable compromise--any smaller and it would be difficult to operate, depending on your hand size. It would be helpful to go to a store and try the fit and ease of operation. There is a bit of a learning curve with the camera's operation, but it is rapidly mastered. The layout of the controls and the LCD menu are well-done. The latter minimizes the clutter of buttons. The quality in low-light, as has been pointed out, is variable, depending on what settings you use. Turning on lights certainly helps, as do the various options for low light. The quality is acceptable given those conditions, given the price of this camera and its size. If you want improved low-light performance, turn on lights or purchase a lamp for the shoe on the top. This is clearly not an issue for this product alone, but for other brands as well. I debated between this and the more expensive Optura 200MC. There seemed to be less complaints overall about this product., although the other one was certainly well-regarded. Overall, for the price and performance I am very happy with my purchase. This is an excellent value purchase for the average or somewhat picky user, who will delight in its portability and ease of use. Perfectionists will need to spend more money or get a bigger machine, but will nevertheless find something else to focus on...

You've come this far. You just need a little nudge. Buy it. I did all of the research, and am pretty picky. For this price, there is nothing better, or more fun.

the Camcorder Box and Spec says it is good for 1 MegaPixel photos. It is a lie. The image quality is like magnifying a 640 x 480 to 1 Megapixel. The result is coarse pixelation of the photo... I called the Sony customer support and they told me, "if it looks good on the view finder, then Sony's job is done." What [a lie]. Sony, wake up and don't tell lies!

The Sony digital camcorder records excellant video images and sound, but most TV set fail to reproduce the image quality and conventional VHS recorders lose the video quality when copying. The still image quality is poor compared to stand alone 1 mega pixel cameras and cannot be used at the same time you are video taping.

Works well with a iMac and iMovie for editing, could not see doing it any other way for less. Some Sony home PCs also allow for editing using the same firewire interface with the Sony camcorder.

Recommendation: If you want super high qulaity video images and want the small size get this camcorder...But don't get it because it has a still image capability, instead get a nice digital still camera for that function.

A side note: if you use a IR filter on this Sony and use the night shot mode you can view and record in infared. Cool for experimental video effects and can be done likewise with most digital cameras I am told.

I wanted to add information to complement some of the other reviews. I, like most of the other reviewers, am very impressed with the PC100. Before buying I did a lot of research and read reviews from many websites, including this one. Three issues have been mentioned that I have not found to be a problem.

1. Some people comment that the sound recorded by the built-in microphone picks up the hum from the camera motor. I agree that there is a loud hum coming from the camera when the camera is operating, and you can hear it if you play the tape back in the camera using the on board speaker. However, when I play my tapes back through a television, the sound is outstanding (and there is no hum).

2. The second reportedly unfortunate feature is the zoom control, which is supposedly placed awkwardly. Now, I don't have very large hands, so that may be a difference, but if you hold the camera as illustrated in the manual (i.e., like a water pistol), with your third, fourth and little finger curled around the camera's base, your index finger sits directly on the telephoto button. I have no trouble using it. If you try to jam all your fingers vertically up through the strap and hold it like a regularly sized camcorder, it won't work well at all.

3. People also complain about the size and placement of the buttons. The buttons seem fine to me. I don't have to do anything extraordinary to press them. I once hit the backlight button by mistake because of its position near the standby/record button. It made a gathering I was filming look as if God had just walked in, but an icon appeared immediately in the viewfinder informing me of what had happened. I quickly turned it off and contined filming. I have never made that mistake again, now that I know what to look out for.

I would recommend this camcorder without reservation.

I purchased this camcorder Oct. 1999. The picture quality is crystal clear in good lighting conditions, grainy in low light conditions. I also purchased a ... hardware/software package from Pinnacle Systems ... that allows me to edit video and audio captured on the camcorder on my PC. This is a very innexpensive way to produce high quality home movies. The best feature of the camcorder is its size-you take it everywhere.

You give up some features (o lux, infrared, memory stick) to gain the biggest benefit of all...ease of use. My biggest problem with picture/movie taking is how much of a pain it is to setup the shot and mess with the camera. With the PC1, you just whip it out of your pocket and shoot. The picture quality is actually very impressive (I'm not sure what the guy above is missing). In tandem with a Sony VAIO, the PC1 makes one heck of a home video studio.

I bought the PC1E in 2004 so it's not the newest, I have been looking for a camcorder to settle down with for a while now and have used Panasonics, Sharps and JVCs, I was put off Sony by the fact that you usually pay a premium price and I had no evidence that they were definitively better than the other brands. Obviously the size of the PC1 is noticeably small even by modern mini-DV standards it holds up well. It takes a little getting used to but unlike other upright cameras that I've used the natural holding position on the PC1 doesn't interfere with the microphone, a definite plus. Sound quality is good and the unit makes very little mech noise so you don't get that on playback. The Carl Zeiss lens is excellent as you'd expect, I particularly like the light adjustment which is very fast and very good, it means if you swing past a window whilst indoors it doesn't screw up your footage. All in all I'd recommend it as a great camera for the enthusiast, in terms of connectivity it links up to the Mac through iMovie with no trouble at all.

Pros: Incredible small size; can literally be carried in your pocket;

Cons: Video quality mediocre at best (740x320); transferring data files from IP7 to PC has been a nightmare. Literally 25-30 hours of work with varying degrees of usefull tech support (Sony drops the ball on this one) - Formats available are MPG1 and a form of MPG2 called TR - File must then be translated- this is explained in the following website http://134.102.55.200/haupt/SonyIP7_to_MPEG2-PS.htm

In summary, I would wait at least another year or two, when the kinks have been knocked out. This leaves to much to be desired.

You can't beat this camera for portability! I have owned this camera for almost a year now and have been pleased with its performance. I chose to buy this camera for its small size because I was going on a trip to Europe with my best friend. I kept this camera close at hand in my purse the whole time. It was great to be able to take out this camera and record at the drop of a hat!

I had traveled to Europe before with another friend and he took a normal sized camcorder. When I travel to Europe, I don't like to stick out as a tourist and I was constantly embarrassed when he would take out his regular camcorder and take video because it was so obvious that we were tourists.

With my Sony DCR-IP7BT on my most recent Europe trip, I was able to take tons of video without anyone noticing! When people did notice that I had a camera out, they thought it was only a still camera because it was so small.

I have used the video editing software with much success. :) Granted, it takes a while to edit your video, but it is so simple and there are so many effects you can add, I don't think the average person will be disappointed. I have edited our vacation video and really enjoyed being able to do the editing on my laptop computer and adding in the special effects.

I have really enjoyed owning this small camcorder. It was so useful and I will never again take a normal sized camcorder on vacation. I'm sure you could get better video and still picture resolution on another camera; but because this camera is so delightfully compact, I can't complain.

This camera is perfect for someone who is concered about size and portability. It is not cheap, but I have no regrets when I watch video of priceless memories from my trip to Europe.

All of the negative reviews are un-warranted. If you want to buy this unit, make sure you understand what it was designed for.

I saw a Sony Exec talking about it at a marketing show; she was discussing their ad strategy for it. The Exec stated that it was designed for a business traveller who wanted a TINY camcorder to take some "hobby" shots while on the road.

I bought this unit for a BUSINESS trip to Hong Kong. For this purpose this camera was PERFECT. It easily fits in your briefcase. Until you own this thing, you have no idea what a leap it is in terms of size. On my trip, I would routinely just stick it in my (bulging) pocket.

For this size comes a tradeoff. The camera opeates on MPEG2. The CCD has a lower than normal resolution. Both of these are okay; the larger problem is, at this size, you can get a lot of camera shake (even with the stabilzer feature). Overall, the picture quality is fine.

I would not own this as your only camcorder. I would not use this for any "movie making" or run of the mill home vidoes. I would however HIGHLY RECOMMEND it to anyone that wants to take videos on a business trip and not look like a tourist; or needs to grab some video to show their spouse who didn't get to go.