Sony DCR-HC90 First Impressions Camcorder Review

by Matt Culler
Published on Mar 21, 2005 12:00 PM



The highest camcorder on Sony’s HC series’ list this year, the DCR-HC90 sports a some nice new cosmetic and hardware improvements to last year’s most comparable camcorder, the DCR-HC85. Although, we can compare these two camcorders based on specifications and features offered, I prefer to think of the DCR-HC90 as an addition to the HC line rather than a replacement. The DCR-HC90 features an image unlike any we’ve seen in the series so far, Sony’s new widescreen LCD, and the ability to record surround sound (with an optional mic). Furthermore, the DCR-HC90 looks nothing like the DCR-HC85 making comparisons hard to justify. But we’ll see.

Video Performance
The DCR-HC90 features a 1/3” CCD with 3.3 MP (2.05MP for video, and 3.05 for stills). This significantly better than the DCR-HC85’s, which was a 1/3.6” sensor with 2.1 MP (1.08 for video, 1.92 for stills). While we haven’t had chance to completely evaluate the performance of the DCR-HC90 as proper testing has yet to happen on the camcorder, we can expect good things based on these imager specifications. My prediction is that the DCR-HC90 will fill in a slot between the DCR-HC85 and DCR-HC1000, offering the user a very sleek and ultimately more compact design with equal if not better video to that of the DCR-HC85, and a price more affordable than that of the DCR-HC1000. We’ll see. Stay tuned for the full review of this camcorder.

The Front
The front of the DCR-HC90 contains the camcorder’s lens, followed immediately below by the camcorder’s stereo microphone. Below this is a small port cover revealing the camcorder’s Firewire and USB ports. To the left of this is the front edge of a port cover located on the right side of the camcorder featuring the camcorder’s A/V input/output, LANC jack, and DC input.

The Top
The top of the DCR-HC90 doesn’t contain much of anything. There is a unique accessory shoe which is not only slimmer than traditional accessory shoes. This is consistent with Sony’s new camcorder design which makes shoes smaller and only functional with Sony products. Luckily here, the shoe is compatible with Sony’s ECM-HQP1 microphone, which makes surround sound recording possible. This is the same microphone used on some of Sony’s new DVD camcorders. Also on the top of this camcorder is its zoom toggle and photo button located toward the back in reach of the user’s index and middle fingers. Further toward the front of the camcorder is the Night Shot switch, which accesses the camcorder’s night mode.

The Left
The left side of the DCR-HC90 features its widescreen LCD screen as well as some of the few external buttons which exist on this camcorder. As it is a touch screen camcorder, the DCR-HC90 features no buttons located directly under the LCD screen. Rather it includes three buttons that run along the top of the screen’s cavity. They include backlight, display/battery mode, and easy mode. There are also secondary zoom and record controls on the margin of the LCD’s screen.

The Right
The right side of the DCR-HC90 is the side upon which the user grips the camcorder. It is ergonomically curved unlike any other HC I’ve seen before, with a crescent-shaped design springing from the strap which runs along the bottom edge. From the top edge of the right side, the camcorder’s tape mechanism swings open to allow for tape changes. This is an improvement on last year’s DCR-HC85 which is a bottom loading device. To the right of all this is a port cover revealing the camcorder’s LANC jack, DC input, and A/V input/output.

The Back
The back of the DCR-HC90 is the main control center for the camcorder besides the touch screen menu system. It features buttons to access the camcorder’s widescreen options, the camcorder’s primary record button, a button to toggle through the camcorder’s flash options, a mode selector to switch between camcorder, digital camera, and playback modes. The camcorder’s battery and still media (Memory Stick Duo Pro) device slots are also located on the back, and unfortunately, Sony has a cut a few corners in order to make the DCR-HC90 as compact as possible. Only smaller batteries can be used on the DCR-HC90. Above these slots in the camcorder’s viewfinder, and its has been wrapped in some curiously clear plastic the likes of which I haven’t seen before on any Sonys. This plastic also makes up the battery and still media slot.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control
We’re expecting automatic controls on the DCR-HC90 to be superior in accord with other automatic offerings from Sony over the years. Automatic control is available to govern the camcorder’s focus, shutter speed, aperture adjustment, and white balance. The camcorder’s easy mode locks all of these controls in auto, and there are a group of Program AE presets for specific environments of recording.

Overall Manual Control
The manual control on the DCR-HC90 suffers from some downgrades from the DCR-HC85 but also gains some nice features as well. The main thing users will notice is that there is no focus ring on the camcorder, unlike on the DCR-HC85. This is big disappointment, but perhaps a necessary one considering the camcorder’s compact size. There are some additional perks which makes the DCR-HC90 stand out like the AE shift feature, Spot Metering and Spot Focusing, zebra stripping, manual focus with numerical values, and a few other still image options.

Zoom
A 10x optical zoom is available on the DCR-HC90, with an option for 120x digital zoom. While this isn’t too impressive a zoom, the DCR-HC85 featured the same last year. The zoom toggle on the camcorder seems to be a good; we’ve been raised to expect good zoom toggles from Sony.

Focus
A big disappointment from last year’s DCR-HC85, the DCR-HC90 lacks a manual focus ring. This forces the user to rely on the camcorder’s touch screen menu to adjust focus making focal adjustment hard to access and slow to use. It also requires the user to tap the LCD screen repeatedly. A nice addition on the DCR-HC90 is the addition of actual numerical values for focal length displayed on the LCD during adjustment. We haven’t seen such values on Sony’s in the past, and while their inclusion on the DCR-HC90 doesn’t necessarily make up for its lack of a focus ring, it is a welcome change.

Exposure (Aperture)
Exposure on the DCR-HC90 in controlled from the touch screen menu system, similar to most other Sonys with the same menu system. Unfortunately, within this option there is no way to independently adjust either the F-stop or the shutter speed rate. Rather “exposure” as a blanket value is adjusted along a +/- meter with no values or indicators of any kind to guide the user.

Shutter Speed
There is no manual shutter speed on the DCR-HC92, only auto exposure presets for particular environments, such as Sports, Sunset/Moon, etc.

White Balance
Standard white balance options, including outdoor, indoor, one push (manual), and auto are available within the touch screen menu system of the DCR-HC90. These options are consistent with those on last year’s models. It would be easier to access these options with an external button of some sort, as touch screen menu systems, and indeed, menu systems in general are tedious to use, but we’ve come to expect such a setup from nearly every manufacturer except Panasonic.

Gain
There are no manual gain options on the Sony DCR-HC90.

Still Performance
The DCR-HC90 has a decent amount of still options for a Sony. It records stills on Memory Stick Duo Pro at 2016 x 1134. If the user is in 16:9 mode, stills are recorded at 2016 x 1512. MPEGs can be recorded at resolutions of 160 x 112 and 320 x 240. There are options for continuous shooting. Normal and high speed modes are available for this, as well as an exposure bracketing mode, which takes three stills, at slightly varying exposures, for every push of the photo button.

VCR Mode
In playback mode, the DCR-HC90’s LCD screen displays a number of small touch screen buttons for playback options. These options are available in 16:9 and 4:3 modes. The camcorder’s A/V input and output port AND Firewire ports allow the user to connect to either TV or computer for playback and capture.

Low Light Performance
While we cannot really speak of the low light performance of DCR-HC90 as we haven’t had the camcorder in our testing tent to fully evaluate. Based on the camcorder’s imager specs, we do have high hopes for the camcorder. Stay tuned for the full review.

LCD/Viewfinder
The DCR-HC90 features Sony’s new 2.7” Widescreen LCD screen. This feature is key in the redesign of most of Sony’s camcorders this year. The camcorder’s viewfinder is still of a 4:3 ratio. Both LCD and viewfinder have approximately 123K pixels. The LCD situation on the DCR-HC90 is really a trade-off. With the DCR-HC90 you’re sacrificing the 3.5” LCD found on the DCR-HC85 for the 2.7” widescreen LCD of the DCR-HC90.

Audio
The DCR-HC90 is compatible with the ECM-HQP1 microphone which makes surround sound recording possible on the camcorder. This is a nice add on. Also, 12 bit and 16 bit audio is available to capture. The camcorder’s hot accessory shoe is located on the top of the camcorder under a unique ovular port cover. The shoe itself is smaller and slimmer than previous industry shoes. It only works with Sony products.

Handling
The DCR-HC90 has a unique design, and it certainly is a unique design for Sony, but one in line with the overhaul that almost all of this year’s Sony camcorders received this year. While I haven’t had adequate time to fully evaluate the DCR-HC90 as far as handheld ability, I can say that users can expect a compact camcorder out of the DCR-HC90 and all that comes with it. Sonys are notorious for offering good zoom toggles, and the DCR-HC90 will most likely include one. One glaring downside to the handling of the DCR-HC90, aside from its lack of a focus ring, is the fact that the camcorder only takes small compact batteries, similar in style to those that power JVC’s Everio series. I’m not sure about the battery life of these things, but I can’t imagine it being higher than the batteries found on lower end Sonys. Specifically, the included battery is the Sony NP-FA50 A-Series Lithium Ion Battery.

Ports
The front of DCR-HC90 features a port cover with the camcorder’s Firewire and USB ports, while a port cover on the right side of the camcorder contains the camcorder’s A/V input/output and DC input, and LANC ports. The DCR-HC90 has no docking station.

Other Features

Secondary buttons There are secondary record and zoom buttons located on the LCD margin.

Microphone compatibility The DCR-HC90 is compatible with Sony’s ECM-HQP1 microphone, enabling it to record surround sound.

Zebra patterning Zebra pattern is method to visualize the over exposed areas of an image. In the camcorder’s LCD screen, areas that are over-exposed will show zebra stripes. Levels of intensity of 70 and 100 are available.

Sharpness Control Within the camcorder’s touch screen menu system, sharpness can be adjusted.

Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization Included is Sony’s electronic image stabilization.

Enhanced 16:9 Widescreen mode A non-letterboxed widescreen mode is available and can be viewed on the camcorder’s 16:9/widescreen LCD screen.

Analog to Digital Pass-Through Analog to Digital Pass-Through is available as there are analog inputs on the DCR-HC42.

Conclusion
The DCR-HC90 is a weird little camcorder. It has the best imaging specs offered by Sony this year, save for the three CCD camcorders, but is also marred by some drastic downgrades from last year’s DCR-HC85. For instance, the DCR-HC90 losses the DCR-HC85’s focus ring and normal battery size. On the upside, however, the DCR-HC90 is much more compact than last year’s camcorder, and may fill a neat little gap in the market of those looking for compact camcorders with good video and low light quality. Until we accurately assess the camcorder’s low light abilities though, it will be hard to tell. Stay tuned.