Sony DCR-HC48 First Impressions Review

by John Neely
Published on Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM

Intro Performance
Format
Tour
Auto / Manual Controls Still Features
Handling and Use Audio / Playback / Connectivity
Other Features Comparisons / Conclusion
Specs/Ratings  
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The Front
The Sony DCR-SR48 has undergone some slight design modifications which give the camcorder a boxier look.  From the front, this year’s model has a notable bulge on the left where the grip area assumes a more rounded appearance.  At the front end of the grip is a new mechanical lens cover open/close switch.  The addition of an integrated lens cover is an upgrade over last year’s separate cover and is a nice convenience feature usually reserved for more expensive camcorders.



At the top of the front end is the 30mm filter diameter f/1.8 - 3.2 Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with a focal distance: 2.5 - 62.5mm, and 390mm in telemacro. The 35mm equivalent focal distance is 41 - 1189mm in 16:9 mode and 43 - 1075mm in 4:3 mode. In 16:9 still memory mode the 35mm equivalent is 39 - 975mm ,and in 4:3 it's 36 - 900mm.  Below the lens is a black plastic cover housing the Super NightShot Plus Infrared Sensor.  At the base of the body is the onboard stereo microphone.

The Right Side
The right side of the HC48 looks much like the HC46 (Review, Specs, $419.99), but it has also seen some slight improvements.  The main feature of this side is the hand strap, which now slants steeply from the back of the camcorder to the front.  The increased downward slant makes it easier to hold the camcorder with a straight wrist and results in a more natural alignment for most hand-held shooting.  Last year’s strap, and those on most consumer camcorders, requires the user to tilt the camcorder backwards to keep the lens axis parallel to the ground. 



The other change is the rounded contour of the grip area thatallows the HC48 to sit very comfortably in your palm.  A ridge that runs horizontally from front to back, above the hand strap, seems designed to hold your fingers out slightly from the body, though we initially found this addition to be a bit of a mystery.  At the top rear corner of the right side is an upward bulge where the zoom rocker, photo button, and power/mode dial are attached.  The open switch for the tape compartment is on top of the right side’s front, where the body curves around to meet the lens barrel.  All in all, Sony has made the 2007 version of this camcorder even more comfortable to grip than its predecessor, indicating that the company is still working to make improvements to a DV line that may not live for many more years as non-tape formats come to the fore.

The Back
The back of the DCR-HC48 has undergone some minor changes from the DCR-HC46 (Review, Specs, $419.99), with the migration of the AV-out terminal to the lower right corner of the battery slot where the DC-in port used to be and the DC-in port to the lower edge of the body, underneath the battery.  Both ports are protected by plastic covers that are easily opened but may be susceptible to breaking off if they happen to catch on something when open.  The battery release switch has also moved from directly above the battery slot to the top left corner beneath the viewfinder.  The battery now sits squarely in the center of the back, whereas in the HC46, it met the bottom edge of the camcorder.  The other major features of the back end are essentially unchanged, with the extendible EVF (electronic color viewfinder) sitting at the top left, the Power/Mode dial at the top right corner, and the Rec/Start/Stop button at center right.  



The Left Side
The left side of the HC48 has also seen some changes, most notably in the shift of the Back Light, Disp/Batt Info, and Easy buttons from the body above the LCD screen to the LCD cavity.  This change is one that we’re not excited about since it means these buttons cannot be reached when the LCD screen is closed, though that will only annoy the few users who habitually shoot with the EVF.  The MemoryStick slot remains where it was last year, in the LCD cavity near the back edge of the body, and the playback speaker and resent button retain their placements near the front edge of the LCD cavity. 

The 16:9 widescreen 2.7” LCD screen with a 123K pixel resolution is virtually unchanged.  The screen opens on a sturdy hinge to 90 degrees from the body, rotates through 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles and can be folded into the LCD cavity facing out.  As in the 2006 model, there are four buttons on the LCD frame below the screen, which are from left to right:  Rec/Start/Stop, W(ide) and (T)ight zoom, and Wide Select (for toggling between 16:9 and 4:3 recording modes.  The buttons, other than Wide Select, offer alternatives to the main controls and are useful for shooting from unusual angles where the primary controls are difficult to reach, such as when the camcorder is held high overhead.

The Top
The features located on top of the Sony DCR-HC48 have not changed despite the boxier shape of the body versus the HC46. The tape compartment release latch is still located behind and to the rear of the lens, and the NightShot Plus switch remains on the center left side of the lens barrel.  As in last year’s model, the Power/Mode Dial protrudes from the back right-edge of the body, with the Photo button just ahead, and the zoom rocker following.  All of these controls are well-positioned, and most shooters will find them easy to reach when gripping the camcorder with the right hand.  The placement of these key controls and their operation is an area in which Sony has long excelled, and the HC48 keeps the faith.











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