Sony Handycam DCR-SR85 Camcorder Reviewby Jeremy StamasPublished on Nov 12, 2008 4:30 PM
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Ease of Use (7.25)Sony provides its customary Easy button on the DCR-SR85 in an attempt to keep things simple for beginners. The Easy button, which is found on nearly every consumer camcorder made by Sony, puts the camcorder into a uncomplicated auto mode. The Camera menu vanishes and the Home menu dwindles to only a few settings to make things less confusing. Icons and information on the LCD screen grow a bit larger so they're easier to see as well. Basically, after pushing the Easy button, the DCR-SR85 becomes a point, shoot, and zoom device. As with all Sonys, the Easy button does make things simple, but most users will probably want to play around with a few of the features the camcorder has to offer.
The DCR-SR85 isn't too difficult to use in "normal" modes and the menu options aren't too complicated. Sony provides an excellent information box at the bottom of the LCD screen that gives a short summary about each selected setting. The menus are a bit unorganized (settings are spread out in a variety of places), but if you're used to Sony products you'll quickly learn your way around. Our only major gripe is with the touchscreen interface, which creates a number of annoyances. The screen isn't good for using manual controls and it's often too cluttered with information and fingerprints to be capable of making accurate, fine-tuned adjustments.
Handling (6.50)
The Sony DCR-SR85 is a compact device, but it tends to be a bit larger than most of the competition. It's wider than the ultra-slim Canon FS11 and FS100, bulkier than the JVC GZ-MG330 and MG360, and nearly the exact same size as the Panasonic SDR-H60. Despite the extra size of the Sony SR85, it handles extremely well overall—in fact, it's added girth actually makes the camcorder easier to grip and wield. The SR85 also has the benefit of a well-padded, adjustable hand strap for added support.
The Sony DCR-SR85 has a solid grip
The black, hard-plastic encasement for the 60GB hard drive on the camcorder's right side is ergonomically shaped to fit snugly into a welcoming palm. A portion of the black plastic also extends above the top of the lens barrel—providing an excellent resting spot for the tips of your fingers when you grip the camcorder. It is this design that sets the SR85 apart from the rest—the Canon FS11 and FS100 don't have good spots to put your fingers and the JVC GZ-MG330 and MG360 don't fit very well to the curve of a palm.
All the controls on the back of the DCR-SR85 line up well with your thumb and index finger. No straining motions are required to reach for hidden switches and there isn't an overload of knobs or buttons you can accidentally bump. This is a big problem with the Panasonic SDR-H60, which has six buttons, one joystick, and a mode dial all located on the back of the camcorder.
The large internal hard drive gives you something to wrap your hands around.
Sony added extra zoom, record, and Home menu buttons to the side of the LCD door, which is good for users who want to use two hands while recording (or who don't like the feel of the normal zoom toggle). The only buttons that are a bit difficult to access are the few buttons located inside the LCD cavity, and the two buttons just below them, near the base of the camcorder. Most of these buttons are rarely used, and it's a good thing some of them are out of the way. However, it would have been nice for Sony to place the Easy button, which is essential for beginners, in a more obvious location.
Of course, Sony does have the problematic touchscreen interface for accessing menus and adjusting manual controls. It can be a difficult system to use and Sony will never produce an ultimate handling device until this feature is improved (although Sony came close with the excellent Cam Control dial on select HD models).
Menu (6.50)
On all its camcorders, Sony uses a LCD touchscreen interface for accessing menus. The menu systems are similar on most Sonys, so if you've used another model before you should already know your way around the basics. The touchscreen can be annoying to deal with because the screen is small (2.7 inches) and the buttons don't have the best sensitivity.
Sony's menu structure isn't the easiest in the world, but it's not too bad. Settings are spread out in two menus: the Camera menu and the Home menu. The Camera menu is where you'll find most of your manual controls (focus, exposure, white balance, etc.) and effects (fader, picture effects, etc.). The Home menu houses more administrative settings (like media management, display settings, and connection options). For some reason, Sony also puts a Movie Settings and Photo settings tab inside the Home Menu. Both of these tabs contain options that directly affect the recorded image (like SteadyShot, slow shutter, and image size). It would make more sense if these settings tabs were located in the Camera menu.
The "help" feature is useful for beginners
To make things easier for beginners, a short description of each selected setting appears at the bottom of the LCD screen. Along with this, Sony adds a help feature in the Home menu, which is activated by pressing the question mark in the upper right corner of the menu screen. With help activated, whenever an option is selected, a dialog box appears explaining what the current selection will do. This is a wonderful inclusion by Sony and it should help beginners figure out the workings of the DCR-SR85 without having to consult the instruction manual (Sony includes these information assistants on most of its camcorders).
The Home menu contains the following options:
| Home Menu |
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| Camera | Movie, Photo |
| View Images | Visual Index, Film Roll Index, Face Index, Playlist |
| Others | Delete, Photo Capture, Movie Dub, Photo Copy, Edit, Playlist Edit, Print, USB Connect |
| Manage Media | Movie Media Set, Photo Media Set, Media Info, Media Format, Repair Img. DB F. |
| Settings | Movie Settings, Photo Settings, View Images Set, Sound/Disp Set, Output Settings, Clock/Lang, General Set |
The camcorder's Home menu
The Camera menu contains the following options:
| Camera Menu |
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| Camera 1 | Focus, Spot Focus, Tele Macro |
| Camera 2 | Exposure, Spot Meter, Scene selection |
| Camera 3 | White Balance, Color Slow Shutter |
| Effects | Fader, Digital Effect, Picture Effect |
| Settings | Record Mode, Built-in Zoom Mic, Microphone Level |
The Camera menu holds most of the manual controls.
Portability (7.00)
Even though the Sony DCR-SR85 is a light, compact camcorder, it's actually significantly bulkier and heavier than some of the direct competition from other manufacturers. The SR85 weighs approximately 400g (14 oz.) with its battery pack installed, and its dimensions are 76.3 x 76.6 x 112.8mm (3 x 3 1/8 x 4 1/2 inches). The JVC GZ-MG360, which claims to be the world's smallest and lightest hard disk camcorder (and also contains a 60GB internal hard drive), is 40g lighter and approximately 33% smaller than the SR85. The Canon FS11, which has 16GB of internal solid state memory, has a size very similar to the JVC and weighs only 310g. Both the Canon and JVC are capable of traveling in a loose pocket, while the DCR-SR85 will likely be limited to riding in a purse, small pack, or camera bag. The Panasonic SDR-H60, another camcorder with a 60GB internal hard drive, is very similar in size and weight to the Sony DCR-SR85.
Despite the smaller competition from Canon and JVC, the DCR-SR85 still fairs well in the portability category. It has a 60GB internal hard drive, which is good for capturing over 14 hours of footage at highest quality, and it can also record to MemoryStick memory cards if you need some extra space. All the important connectivity ports are located right on the camcorder, which means you won't have to pack the extra bulk of a docking station when you travel (this is a problem with some of Sony's HD camcorders). Also, the wide design of the DCR-SR85 provides an excellent grip and sturdy handling.
Interestingly, the Sony DCR-SR65 (40GB internal hard drive) and SR45 (30GB internal drive) both have the same dimensions and weights as the Sony DCR-SR85, according to Sony's website. So, if you're looking for a smaller option from Sony, you're not going to find it—unless you upgrade to the ultra-compact, HD video HDR-TG1.
LCD and Viewfinder (7.00)
Like many camcorders being manufactured these days, the DCR-SR85 doesn't have a viewfinder. This means all your capturing must be done wit the 2.7-inch LCD screen. The LCD provides a good image, offering a 211,000-pixel resolution display and a 270 degree rotation. To the left of the screen are also extra record, zoom, and Home menu buttons for easy access when holding the camcorder in non-traditional ways.
The only problem with Sony's LCD display is the touchscreen interface that is used to change settings and adjust manual controls. As with all Sonys, this interface can be cumbersome and annoying—it mucks up the screen with fingerprints, icons and hands get in the way when you're trying to set manual focus or exposure, and buttons can be difficult to press. On some HD models (like the HDR-CX12 and SR11/SR12), Sony offers a "Cam Control" dial that significantly improves the manual control interface. But, alas, the touchscreen is the only option on the DCR-SR85 (as well as SR65 and SR45).
Interestingly, the camcorder doesn't automatically shut off when the LCD panel is closed, which can actually be a very beneficial feature. This makes for sneaky use of the DCR-SR85, as most subjects will have no idea you are filming them—although you'll have to record somewhat blindly as there is no live view of what the camera is capturing. It can also save battery life if you're filming a long, still shot (i.e. the camcorder is on a tripod). Of course, this feature could also be disadvantageous for users accustomed to camcorders automatically turning off when the LCD closes.
Battery Life (10.30)
We tested the battery life on the Sony DCR-SR85 by continuously recording video with the camcorder in auto mode. With no controls or features engaged for the duration of the test, the battery lasted for 102 minutes and thirty seconds.
This is a decent battery performance, but it is well below the performance put up by the Canon FS11, which lasted for 192 minutes and 53 seconds in our testing (roughly an hour and a half longer than the DCR-SR85).
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