Sony HDR-CX7 First Impressions Camcorder Review

by John Neely
Published on May 21, 2007 3:30 PM

Intro Performance
Format Tour
Auto / Manual Controls Still Features
Handling and Use Audio / Playback / Connectivity
Other Features
 Comparisons / Conclusion
Specs and Ratings  
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Other Features
Scene Selection Modes - Scene Selection Modes are essentially AE (Auto Exposure) presets that offer a shorthand method for optimizing the CX7 (Specs, Recent News, $1199)’s automatic controls for a variety of situations that challenge Easy or Auto mode. The Scene Selections include Beach, Candle, Fireworks, Landscape, Portrait, Sports Lesson, Spotlight, and Sunrise & Sunset.

Picture Effects - Picture Effects work like Photoshop filters and apply a specific look to your video footage. On the CX7, these include Monotone, Pastel, Sepia, and Old Movie

Fader Effects - The CX7 includes basic black and white fader effects.

Battery Info Display - Like most newer Sonys, the HDR-CX7 (Specs, Recent News, $1199) includes a detailed battery/recording time information display. To access this option, the camcorder must be in standby mode. Pressing and holding the Disp/Batt Info button in the LCD cavity brings up a screen showing remaining battery life and recording time.

Back Light Compensation - Back Light Compensation or BLC is accessed via a dedicated button in the LCD cavity. BLC automatically increases exposure to compensate for the type of backlighting encountered on a ski slope – or when shooting into the light (a practice that should be avoided).

Dual Record - Dual Record allows you to simultaneously capture 4.6 MP still photos to Memory Stick PRO Duo while actively recording in HD video mode.

x.v.Color Technology - x.v.Color is Sony’s version of the xvYCC color space, which expands by a factor of about 1.8x the number of colors recorded by the CX7.

Super NightShot Infrared System - Sony's NightShot infrared system utilizes an onboard infrared lamp to illuminate subjects in zero lux environments. It’s a nifty feature, but the resulting footage has the grainy, green tint seen in military surveillance clips.

Tele Macro Function - Tele Macro Mode automatically zooms the lens to full telephoto mode and is a shorthand route to throwing the background out of focus when recording nearby subjects.

Smooth Slow Record - Smooth Slow Record, like Night Shot, is a cool Sony-only feature that allow the CX7 to record slow-motion video in real time by increasing the frame rate from 60 to 240 fields per second. This option works only in 3-second bursts and result in 12 seconds of playback. The feature has to be activated from the menu, so it's no good for candid, spur of the moment shots like someone falling into a pool (a classic summer hilarity).

Super SteadyShot OIS - The Super SteadyShot OIS system is Sony’s optical image stabilization technology. OIS systems are superior to EIS (electronic image stabilization) systems because they reduce image shake without reducing video resolution – an unfortunate byproduct of EIS.





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