Sony DCR-SR42 Camcorder Reviewby Michael PerlmanPublished on Nov 15, 2007 10:13 AM
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Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (7.0)
The automatic controls on the Sony DCR-SR42 (Review, Specs, $486.23) are great, as is expected from a Sony camcorder. In fact, the automatic responses are one of the best reasons to buy it, particularly the auto exposure. Major transitions from light to dark are smooth. They go faster than a pro camcorder might, but this will please most consumers. The more impressive performance happens with subtle exposure shifts. The metering method appears to be center-weighted, with an appreciation of the overall frame. When panning across complicated shots with lots of hot spots and shadows, the camcorder always seemed to maintain a healthy balance. Exposure shifts during these shots were almost imperceptibly smooth.
The other key auto controls: white balance, shutter speed, and focus, were all good, as well. Mixed lighting proved to be problematic, as it does with most camcorders. When the light is uniform, particularly outdoors, it handles well enough. The focus remains faithful down to moderately low light.
There are few “manual controls” in the traditional sense, but there are several assisted controls the user can employ; think of them as manual controls with training wheels. Two of Sony’s most popular are Spot Focus and Spot Meter. When activated, each creates a frame around the image on the LCD. Simply touch the area of the screen that you want in focus or properly exposed. The controls don’t work well with small objects, but if the area is at least as wide as your finger, you might find them very helpful.
The Scene mode menu
There are also a large number of Scene modes: Auto, Twilight, Candle, Sunrise & Sunset, Fireworks, Landscape, Portrait, Spotlight, Sports, Beach, and Snow. This is one of the largest ranges of options of any manufacturer.
The DCR-SR42's mode dial
Overall Manual Control (3.0)
Sony is not known for its generosity with manual controls, and the DCR-SR42 will do little to change that reputation. Sony makes its mark with ease of use and automatic controls. They also include assisted manual controls (listed above) that allow the user to feel engaged in the shooting process without having to understand the principles of photography.
The SR42 includes a mediocre manual focus, exposure compensation, and white balance. There is no aperture, shutter control, or gain control.
Zoom (5.0)
The DCR-SR42 has a small zoom toggle located on the top toward the rear. We would have preferred it to sit a little farther back, as the middle finger tends to fall on it, rather than the index finger. With its massive 40x optical zoom, good control is important. While the toggle could have been better placed, the action on the zoom is very good. Depending on finger pressure, we were able to get three to four zoom speeds. Best of all was the crawl, which was very slow and steady across the entire zoom range. Many camcorders will only give you a slow crawl for a portion of the range, then incrementally speed up.
When zooming, a small scale appears in the upper left corner. It gives you an approximate sense of where in the zoom range you are, but an actual numerical value would have been more useful.
Zoom Power Ratio (40.0)
The Sony DCR-SR42 features an incredible 40x zoom, which is certainly one of its strongest selling points. Just to get a sense of what 40x actually accomplishes, we set up a little test in the office. Ultimately, we were able to read text in a 12-point font from 34 feet away. Granted, a solid tripod was absolutely necessary, because the resolution on this camcorder is bad, as is the stabilization system. Even great camcorders have noticeable shake after 5x or 6x. A handheld 40x shot would be useless.
Focus (3.0)
The manual focus control, as expected from a low-end Sony, is poor. The touch screen interface is simply the worst method to adjust focus, and the tiny, 2.5-inch LCD on the SR42 only adds frustration. When activated from within the Camera menu, the screen becomes cluttered with icons and graphics, seven in total, completely blocking the subject of your shot. It’s as if Sony is actively trying to prevent you from making a manual adjustment. Also, the more touching you do, the more grease accumulates on the screen, making focus completely impossible. Clearly, Sony wants you to use the automatic focus. If you’re expecting control, look toward any other manufacturer.
The focus controls in action
Exposure & Aperture (5.5)
The DCR-SR42 has a simple exposure control to brighten and darken the image. It’s perfect for beginners, but advanced users will be disappointed with the lack of aperture control. To activate, go to the Exposure feature in the Camera menu. Like with manual focus, Sony insists on junking up the screen with a lot of graphics, although it’s less detrimental here. A large scale appears in the middle of the screen with plus and minus buttons on either side. Push the plus button to make it darker, and the minus button to make it lighter – that simple! There are no numerical values given. The scale has a total of 28 increments.
Shutter Speed (0.0)
There is no shutter speed control on the DCR-SR42. Precious few consumer camcorders from Sony offer shutter, though nearly every JVC, Canon, and Panasonic does.
White Balance (5.5)
The white balance options are also listed in the Camera menu. They include Auto, Outdoor, Indoor, and One Push (Manual). The choice of presets is less impressive than most Canons and JVCs, but Panasonic is similarly weak.
Making a manual adjustment is fast and simple. Select the One Push option, aim at your white or grayscale target, then push the white balance icon button.
The white balance options in action
Gain (0.0)
There is no gain control on the Sony DCR-SR42. Only Panasonic offers this option in the consumer range.
Other Manual Controls (1.0)
Color Slow Shutter - The Color Slow Shutter is much more drastic than the Auto Slow Shutter. With this option, you’re giving the OK for the camcorder to drop down to incredibly slow speeds. The manual does not specify, but it appears to be as slow as a half-second.
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The card slot is in the LCD cavity. |
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