Sony DCR-HC38 Camcorder Reviewby Michael PerlmanPublished on Jun 25, 2007 8:11 AM 
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Comparison
Sony DCR-HC36 (Review, Specs, $309)
The most definitive divergence between last year’s DCR-HC36 ($399 MSRP) and this year’s DCR-HC38 (Specs, $279) whittles down to style—gallons upon gallons of style. The DCR-HC36 is a stunted little troll of a camcorder when pinned against the DCR-HC38’s luscious, silver metallic body. What does that mean? More sales for Sony. In this market, a hot looking camcorder is a priority for many consumers. If it looks cool and high-tech, then it must operate at the pinnacle of ultimate video performance, right? We’re sorry to tell you that the DCR-HC38 merely received a facelift—expect the same image quality as last year, with the same 1/6” 680K imager. The only thing last year’s DCR-HC36 has over the DCR-HC38 is a MemoryStick DUO Pro slot. But with a max still size of 640 x 480, it’s more or less a useless feature. Save $70 and go for the new DCR-HC38—you’ll turn more heads.
Canon ZR850 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $265)
The Canon ZR850 ($329 MSRP) packs a punch that cannot be dodged by the DCR-HC38. Both camcorders have the same 1/6” size imagers, but the ZR850 manages to cram in a larger count, resulting in a walloping 1,070,000 pixels over the DCR-HC38’s 680,000. The ZR850 performed well in bright light image and sufficiently in low light. You don’t just get a better image with the ZR850—you get the ability to take stills up to 1152 x 864, along with a non-proprietary SD card slot, and a video light. Now here’s where the ZR850 really uppercuts the DCR-HC38 to the mat for a swift K-O: the thing’s a buck cheaper (MSRP)! Take that noble dollar and buy yourself some cheap thrills at the local five and dime in celebration of a bang-up deal.
Panasonic PV-GS85
Panasonic is renowned for equipping its consumer camcorders with high-grade components and manual controls, and their second in command PV-GS85 ($349.95 MSRP) is no exception. For just $20 more than the DCR-HC38 you get a built-in stereo zoom microphone, OIS, 640 x 480 stills, an SD/SDHC card slot, and a manual focus ring—yes, a MANUAL FOCUS RING ON A CHEAP MINIDV CAMCORDER! So what if the PV-GS85 only has a 32x optical zoom compared to the DCR-HC38’s massive 40x optical beast zoom. Two Hamiltons will provide you with an array of advanced features and a better manual control suite, based on Panasonic history. As far as video quality, don’t expect a monumental difference between both camcorders’ 1/6” 680K pixel imagers. Twenty smackers, people. Cough it up.
JVC GR-D796
JVC’s GR-D796 shows some potential. With a 2.7” widescreen LCD equipped with a menu joystick, the GR-D796 holds an edge over the DCR-HC38 in terms of handling. The GR-D796 also has a video light, takes stills, and has an SD/MMC card slot. Both camcorders have the same size 680K gross pixel count imagers, so expect similar video quality. Previous entry-level JVCs proved to give good performance for the money, but could not match Sony for automatic exposure and white balance adjustments, which are key features for any point-and-shooter. This is a tough contest. You’d better try them both out in the store to figure out if an extra $20 is worth it.
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters
Point-and-shooters gather ‘round, this MiniDV’s for you! The DCR-HC38 will be a hit at Bar Mitzvahs and Sunday mass thanks to its long battery life and easy as pie MiniDV format—just toss a new tape in the hatch in time to catch Grandpa Weinstein do the electric slide.
Budget Consumers
At $330, you get MiniDV goodness at its most basic level. You can’t take pictures, the menu is ghastly, and there’s no flash or video light. Check out the Canon ZR850.
Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid
The DCR-HC38 is insecure because it doesn’t have a still feature function and all the other MiniDV camcorders within its price range do. Single tear.
Gadget Freaks
Gadget freaks will like the DCR-HC38’s…hmm. No, gadget freaks will not like the DCR-HC38 at all.
Pros / Serious Hobbyists
Pros—just don’t go there.
Conclusion
The Sony DCR-HC38 ($330 MSRP) will satisfy the entry-level user. It feels good in the hand, looks cooler than the competition, and offers solid automatic controls. The 40x optical zoom is undoubtedly alluring, but remember that holding a steady shot past 10x is nearly impossible, even with the image stabilization. Voyeurs and bird-watchers alike will want to invest in a tripod.
On the downside, the abysmal menu design drags down the whole “ease of use” appeal that is Sony’s stock in trade. If you’re the sort of user who has little intention of going beyond the start and stop button, a bad menu isn’t going to rain too hard on your parade. However, most people like to get involved on some level with their production, and the interface is going to be an obstacle.
For those interested in a little more hands-on control, the HC38 is the last place you should look. Sony offers virtually no manual control and awkward access to the controls they did include. Panasonic is your best bet, particularly the PV-GS85. Canon strikes the middle ground with their ZR series, which offer ease of use and better manual controls.