Sony DCR-SR100 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on May 3, 2006 12:00 PM
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Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (9.5)
As with most Sonys, the SR100 is an exceedingly easy camcorder to operate, with great manual controls. To make things simple, Sony camcorders have a plainly marked Easy button, here located in the LCD cavity. Pushing this button puts the camcorder in full auto mode – auto exposure, auto white balance, auto shutter speed, etc; When in auto mode, the menu options are severely limited, which functions as a “child proofing” or “idiot proofing,” depending on your needs. Only language controls, menu beeps, clock set, and HDD format are available. This last option seems a dangerous inclusion on an “idiot proof” mode. Formatting the HDD erases all information. Don’t press it unless you’ve backed up the data to an external hard drive.
The auto controls work well (no surprise for a Sony). The exposure controls are accurate. Focal adjustments are very good when the zoom is at 0x to about 1x, on subjects of any distance, even those touching the lens. However, zooming can really throw the focus, and in that case, you might want to try the manual focus control. The weakest auto control is probably white balance. The SR100 performed fine in simple, one-source lighting. In mixed lighting, though, a manual white balance was necessary.
The DCR-SR100's LCD cavity houses, among other things, the Eay button.
There are a number of controls that we classify as “automatic controls.” The Program AE modes are preset exposure settings tailored for certain shooting environments. The names indicate when you might use them: Spotlight, Portrait, Sports, Beach & Ski, Sunset & Moon, and Landscape.
Spot Meter is another exposure setting. When activated, a frame appears around the touch screen LCD. You simply point to the subject which you would like properly metered. It’s not a fine control, but it might prove useful if you have 2-3 areas of greatly differing lighting. Spot Focus works the same way, but with focus. Auto shutter, which can be turned on and off, automatically increases the shutter speed when recording in bright light.
These auto controls are better than the JVC GZ-MG70, but the white balance is problematic in both. Also, the auto mode can be difficult to locate on the JVC, as you have to hold down a poorly labeled button for 3-5 seconds to switch from manual to auto.
Overall Manual Control (3.0)
The DCR-SR100 offers a limited number of manual controls, nothing new for a Sony camcorder. The company chooses to make its mark in ease of use and automatic controls. As it is, manual control enthusiasts will have to suffice with manual focus, exposure (in EV steps), and white balance. There is no manual shutter speed and no exposure control in f-stops.
All manual controls are found in the menu, which is navigated with the touch screen LCD. Entering the menu is done by pressing the P-Menu button in the bottom right corner of the screen. This brings you to the front page, a series of decently sized buttons, six per screen, that give you the most frequent options. All the other controls are buried deeper in the menu. The front page is programmable, though, so if you think that different controls should be more accessible, you can drag them to the front page.
We’re not crazy about touch screens. You can read more about it in the Handling section below, but on the whole, we believe that joysticks (now found on Panasonics, some Canons, and some JVCs) are much better. The JVC GZ-MG70 uses a four-way touchpad control for navigation, which is not much better than the touch screen. The new MG77 has replaced the touchpad with a joystick on the outer edge of the LCD panel, definitely a better control than the touchscreen.
Zoom (7.75)
The 10x optical zoom has two controllers with the primary controller positioned on the top of the camcorder body in a location that is comfortably accessed by the index finger of the right hand. The zoom toggle on the top of the camcorder provided smooth controlled results as well as being able to shoot at a number of zoom speeds with a bit of nuanced control on the part of the user.
The zoom toggle performs far better than the slider type found on Panasonic camcorders which tend leap visibly in speed when minor adjustments are made. In addition to the zoom control on the top of the camcorder, a secondary control for zoom can be found on the outer edge of the LCD frame when the screen is open. This zoom transitions at a fixed and slow rate and while not applicable to all situations, it is certainly helpful when awkwardly positioned or when shooting in front of the camcorder.
Zoom Power/Ratio (10.0)
The Sony DCR-SR100 comes with a 10x optical zoom lens and has optional digital zoom ranges of 20x and 120x. Unlike camcorders with smaller 1/6th inch chips which are capable of heightened zoom levels, this camcorder’s larger sensor size limits the optical zoom to the 10x rating that may, at first glance, be odd when compared to cheaper one-chips with ultra zoom capabilities. While a lower zoom could be a detriment to some users the heightened image quality with a larger sensor should be enough to quash most complaints of low zoom levels. When shooting with the digital zoom turned on, the user will note that higher digital zoom levels will result in an increase in image degradation that will make footage nearly intolerable in quick order.
Focus (4.0)
Focus can be manually controlled by the user of the Sony DCR-SR100 although this process is accomplished through the digital touch-screen interface and not an external focal ring. The manual focus can be accessed by entering the P-menu structure and selecting the focus sub-menu option listed on the second page. The focus sub-menu display will provide users with the option to select between auto and manual focus. If manual focus is selected the portrait bust and landscape mountain icon located directly above the manual/auto buttons will be highlighted. Once this is accomplished the user can press either direction to adjust focal levels. When altering focal depths, a corresponding depth is numerically displayed in the center of the LCD.
This control while plagued with the same touch-screen problems will certainly be friendly for the beginning user who wants to begin manipulating focus manually. It isn’t going to give the range of options or smooth transitions found with an external ring, however it will be simple to engage once opened. The focus, like all manual controls, cannot be engaged when viewing footage through the viewfinder due to its reliance on the touch-screen interface of the LCD screen.
Exposure (Aperture) (4.0)
Exposure can be manually adjusted when shooting with the Sony DCR-SR100 and access to this manual control is accomplished by pressing the P-menu button when the camera is not in Easy mode. Once the P-menu is opened the user will find the exposure sub-menu option listed on the first page of the menu list. The exposure sub-menu displays two semi-transparent button overlays for switching between auto and manual modes in addition to a horizontal bar with + / - icons for making adjustments to exposure levels. This control is simple to use and with a live view provided users should find that engaging this feature is a simple operation. The only major complaint for this manual control is that there are no numerical displays provided for exposure levels and users will need to make adjustments visually when shooting.
Shutter Speed (0.0)
The Sony DCR-SR100 comes with no manual control over shutter speed, which isn’t surprising for those familiar with Sony consumer camcorders. Geared more towards the Easy mode crowd looking for ease-of-use and shooting in full auto this camcorder relieves beginners stress by keeping this basic. The DCR-SR100 does come with an automatic shutter speed range of 1/4 of a second to 1/1400 of a second and varies depending on exposure mode.
White Balance (7.5)
White balance is initially positioned within the overarching menu structure and can only be accessed by pressing the P-menu followed by the Setup Menu option on the first page. After that, the user will need to spend some time familiarizing themselves with the exhaustively overwhelming administrative menu structure. The user will find that the white balance settings are located within the Camera Set sub-menu once the full Camera Set sub-menu is opened and scanned. When scanning the Setup Menu via the shortcuts on the left side of the screen, the white balance submenu will not be visible which greatly increases confusion for consumers regardless of their skill level.
Once the white balance sub-menu is opened, another window appears that displays five options in the same visual structure that is found with the P-Menu design. The white balance options appear as single rectangular buttons that are semi-transparent overlays on a live view screen. In addition to these five large buttons, the user will find a frame which states the white balance mode and the current highlight state, as well as a return option. With this much clutter on the surface of the LCD screen, the user will find that making appropriate white balance settings is further confounding. The white balance options for this camcorder will allow for full auto, indoor, outdoor, and “One Push” i.e. manual. While these settings are performed with accuracy, a simpler interface and greater immediacy would make this essential manual control something that even novice users could engage. It is possible to move the white balance setting to the main P-Menu structure and this was done as soon as testing for the camcorder began. While being able to restructure menus is helpful for more advanced users the likelihood that a beginning user is going to be able to execute this process is unlikely.
Gain (0.0)
There is no manual gain control with this camcorder. If looking for manual gain control on a consumer camcorder, a model by Panasonic will provide an extensive gain control range with numerous settings for customization.
Other Manual Control (0.0)
There are no other manual controls available when shooting with the Sony DCR-SR100 which is expected when considering the heavy emphasis on automatic controls.
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