Sony DCR-SR300 First Impressions Review

The Sony DCR-SR300 is the top hard disk drive (HDD) standard definition camcorder from Sony this year and close kin to its step-down sibling, the DCR-SR200.  These camcorders replace one of our favorites from 2006, the DCR-SR100. The SR300 is equipped with the new 1/2.9" ClearVID CMOS sensor, boasting 3200K gross pixels as well as a 10x optical zoom and optical image stabilization (OIS). It shares these attractive specs with some of Sony’s new high definition camcorders such as the HDR-HC7 and HDR-UX7. Past ClearVID CMOS sensors have performed well in our tests, and it is a technology that has shown steady improvement since it first appeared in Sony's PC1000 that was released two years ago. With the OIS (returning to Sony consumer camcorders after a long hiatus), this could prove to be a very attractive HDD camcorder.