Sony DCR-HC26 Camcorder Review

by James Murray
Published on Feb 9, 2006 9:00 AM

 
Intro Performance
Format
 Tour
Auto/Manual Controls Still Features
Handling and Use Audio/Playback/Connectivity
Other Features Comparisons/Conclusion
Specs/Ratings


Compression (8.0)
The user of the Sony DCR-HC26 will find that their 6.35mm MiniDV tape is subjected to the industry standard compression rate of 25 Mbps. This rate is still able to produce image quality that outdoes DVD footage. However, as time continues to provide technological innovations, MiniDV’s superiority may wane.

Media (8.0)
The Sony DCR-HC26 does not come with included media, but the 6.35mm MiniDV tapes the camcorder uses may easily be found either on or off-line for far cheaper than DVDs. DVD camcorders shooting in high quality settings can only record a maximum of 20 minutes of footage per disc, making the MiniDV format a more logical option for extended period shoots. Stills are also recorded to the MiniDV tape.

Editing (8.0)
The HC26 ships with Picture Package 1.5.1 on CD-ROM, a dual-platform bare-bones editing software. This programs allows you to capture video, create slideshows of stills, and create Video CDs. The program will not get you very close to the Oscars. For that, we recommend a more advanced editing program like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, or Avid. On these programs, you will find that MiniDV footage is the easiest to import and edit, and shows its distinct advantage over DVD.

Those who own Sony VAIO computers can take advantage of a Click to DVD function, described in the Other Features section below.







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