Sony DCR-HC48 First Impressions Reviewby John NeelyPublished on Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM
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Ease of Use
Placing the Sony DCR-HC48 in Easy mode limits you to control over zoom and a handful of setup options including (menu) Beep On/Off, Clock Set, and Display Guide, which is a sort of “show info” function for items in the touch screen menu. The Disp/Batt Info button also continues to work in Easy mode. It toggles through display options while recording and shows information about battery life in standby. Thus, easy mode leaves you with little to worry about other than framing shots, making it practically idiot-proof.
The touch screen also keeps navigating the text-based menu a simple endeavor. As long as you can read and have a basic understanding of video nomenclature, you’ll have no trouble tapping your way through the scrolling list of options. It is also “easy” to use the manual adjustments via the touch screen interface – but it’s very difficult to use them efficiently or accurately. For making fine image adjustments, the touch screen leaves much to be desired.
For its target point-and-shoot market, this Sony is a very good fit. Anyone who’s shot with a camcorder before should have little difficulty locating the well-labeled external controls like the zoom rocker, record start/stop button, and power/mode switch. The zoom rocker especially is a fine control, and though we’re always assessing zoom controllers from other companies, Sony camcorders consistently top the list for their sensitivity and ergonomic feel.
Handling
The HC48 is a shade larger than last year’s HC46 (Review, Specs, $419.99), measuring 63 x 85 x 115mm (2 1/2" x 3 3/8" x 4 5/8") and tipping the scales at 465g (1.0 lb.) fully loaded with tape and battery. The external measurements of the HC38 (Specs, $279) are identical, but it is a touch lighter at 450g (15 oz.). These dimensions make the HC48 a mid-sized consumer camcorder that won’t weigh down your backpack but also won’t fit into a pants pocket.
In your hand, the DCR-HC48 feels good, with great balance and a down-sloping and well-padded strap. The tape compartment doubles as the grip area, and it is shaped to fit very comfortably in your palm. Sony’s DVD camcorders, like the DCR-DVD308, have a taller body that will fit most hands more awkwardly, causing the camcorder to tilt slightly away from the palm.
The included Sony DRCA-C155 Handycam Station adds to the camcorder’s ease of use by allowing you to keep the station connected to a PC via an i.LINK (IEEE 1394) cable. Instead of connecting and reconnecting wires from the HC48 when you need to transfer footage, you just drop it into the dock. The drawback to an accessory like this is its impact on portability. The Handycam Station is another item you’ll need to pack. Overall, however, the DCR-HC48 handles very well, easier to use and more ergonomically friendly than the point-end-shoot competition. If you are looking for decent manual controls, however, the usability of the HC48 will offer little consolation to its huge shortcomings in that area.
Menu
The Sony DCR-HC48 has Sony’s standard menu. It is accessed by the “P” button on the touch screen, and when this button is pressed, an interface that looks something like a Rolodex or scroll occupies most of the screen. Up and down arrows at the top and bottom of the screen are pressed to cycle through text options, which appear in categories that are separated by a horizontal divider. As you scroll through the options for a given category, a corresponding icon to the left of the scroll is displayed. For example, a camcorder icon appears as you scroll through image control options such as Focus, Tele Macro, and Digital Zoom. Scrolling beyond the end of the camcorder section brings up a new icon on the left (a pencil and filmstrip), and a new set of options and so on.
As you scroll through the menu, pressing the label for a menu selection brings up the sub-menu or onscreen interface for that selection. Generally, the first screen you see when an option is selected
LCD and Viewfinder
The LCD screen on the Sony DCR-HC48 measures 2.7" and has a resolution of 123K pixels and a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio which is unchanged from the HC46. The 16:9 display is an upgrade over the HC38 and HC28 that both have 4:3-native screens. The display doubles as the camcorder’s menu and image control interface, using Sony’s Touch Panel Hybrid technology. Like other Sony screens, this one retains image clarity when it’s viewed from an angle, whereas screens from other manufacturers quickly solarized when they are not viewed straight-on. This characteristic of Sony’s screens certainly deserved plaudits – but the company’s decision to rely on a touch screen interface does not.
Yes, the touch screen is very easy to use and makes navigating the menu a cinch for anyone who has used a touch screen kiosk or ATM, but for making image control adjustments, a joystick interface would be better. The screen will pick up fingerprints, no matter how clean your hands are, and adjusting focus or exposure accurately when icons are cluttering your view is at best annoying and at worst, impossible. Furthermore, the fact that the buttons on the screen kick in only when finger pressure reaches a certain point makes precise adjustments more difficult than with a physical button or joystick. That said, Sony camcorders are made for point-and-shooters who are most interested in ease of use. For these consumers, the touch screen is an efficient and very friendly interface. For manual control junkies, they are a less than desirable “feature” of the HC48 and Sony’s entire Handycam line.
In addition to the 2.7” LCD, the HC48 also includes a 123K pixels EVF (electronic color viewfinder) mounted at the camcorder’s rear. The EVF is functional but not comfortable and will do in a pinch when you are trying to conserve battery power or in an environment that’s too bright for the LCD.
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