Sony HDR-FX1 First Impression Camcorder Review by Robin Liss Published on Sep 13, 2004 12:00 PM
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Sony's HDR-FX1 is the first three-CCD HDV camcorder to hit the market and, to many, the first HDV camcorder to be taken seriously. The HDR-FX1 records video to standard MiniDV tapes at 1080 lines of resolution, 60 interlaced fields a second. With Sony's entry into the world of prosumer HD come high expectations, and this camera doesn't disappoint. The camcorder features three 1/3-inch CCDs at HD quality. The Sony HDR-FX1 has clearly been designed with the prosumer user in mind. Sony thankfully threw out the touch-screen and ignored still performance on this model and concentrated on video and low light quality as well as manual control. The HDR-FX1 delivers a level of manual control that we have never seen with Sony before, all in real buttons. I had an opportunity to work with the HDR-FX1 twice, both at a Sony press event in New York and at the International Broadcasters Convention in Amsterdam, and I was blown away. When you combine the HDR-FX1's outstanding quality video performance, low light performance, manual control and handling, it all makes one killer camcorder.

Video Performance
Without experimenting under a test environment, I can't come to any definitive conclusions about the video performance of the HDR-FX1. What I can say is that, under the controlled situations of Sony's event in New York and the International Broadcasters Convention in Amsterdam, the video it produced looked awesome. I haven't done a ton of work with HD, but I've seen my share of HD content and certainly quite a lot of SD content, and I can certainly say that the HDR-FX1 is a huge leap in video quality from other $3,000 camcorders on the market. HD allows you to see vivid details, and combined with the three CCDs of the HDR-FX1, I believe that we're going to see some pretty awesome video out of this camcorder. The video seemed to look better than what I've seen out of JVC's HD camcorders, but I didn't do a side by side test. Again, I can't say exactly how good the video quality is, or how it will compare to other camcorders, but I can say that I was incredibly impressed by what I saw.

The Front
The front of the HDV-FX1 is dominated by the camcorder’s F1.6/ f4.5mm-54mm Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens, with its 12x optical zoom. Unlike the lenses in the Canon XL series, this lens is not removable; the lens hood, however, is. There is also a switch on the lower right side of the lens that opens and closes two horizontally swinging shutters to cover the lens. The HDR-FX1’s built-in stereo microphone also faces the action, protruding outward just above the lens hood, similar to the mic on the Panasonic AG-DVX100.

The Right Side
The right side of the HDR-FX1 largely consists of the camcorder’s ports and handgrip. The handgrip is located about halfway down the right side of the camcorder. The camcorder is a bit front heavy, which puts a bit of a strain on the wrist; however, this is really a tripod or shoulder-mount camcorder. Unfortunately, the HDR-FX1’s shoulder mount is supposedly going to sell for a whopping $400.

Following down the right side from the handgrip, one encounters the camcorder’s mode switch between VCR, Camera, and Off. A record button rests in the center of this circular switch. Above the mode switch is a port cover, which conceals the HDR-FX1’s LANC jack and headphone jack. Further back on the camcorder is the FireWire port, which is uniquely located under a small hood that displays the type of data being transferred, either HDV or DV. Above the FireWire port is the battery release button.

To the right of the handgrip is a larger port cover that conceals the HDR-FX1’s S-Video port, component output, and Audio/Video in/output. Underneath this is another smaller, separate port cover revealing the Mic/Line port (plug-in-power). Moving towards the lens from these ports,you’ll see the right side of the focus ring.

The Left Side
The left side of the HDR-FX1 is the primary control center of the camcorder. In moving the LCD screen to the top of the handle, Sony has freed up a lot of space on the actual body of the camcorder. Starting from the front of the camcorder, one discovers two control rings on the lens barrel. The ring towards the front of the HDR-FX1 is used for manual focus, while the second ring can be used as a zoom ring. A switch located between the rings is used to jump between zoom controlled by the ring or by the lever, meaning the large zoom toggle located above the handgrip. There is also a zoom toggle on top of the handle.

From here, one reaches the main control panel on the HDR-FX1. Controls here include a ND (neutral density) filter switch that alternates between 1, 2, or off, as the camcorder includes two built-in neutral density filters. Focus options include auto, manual, and infinity, as well as a push auto button for focus on the fly. Next to the focus controls are three assignable buttons for customized setting transitions. Below the focal control is the white balance set button, allowing for easy adjustment while recording. Below this further white balance controls reside for setting A, B, or a preset white balance as well as gain setting for High, Medium, and Low. Next to the gain controls to the left is a small silver cylinder for iris adjustment. Above the above listed controls are less-commonly used buttons for Rec. Review, Back light, and Spot light. Following the curve of the top of the camcorder, buttons for programmable shot transitioning aid in oscillating between settings for two shots (A and B).

To the right of this massive control panel is the HDR-FX1’s tape mechanism, placed on the left side of the camcorder in the LCD’s usual spot. Below the mechanism is a row of controls that enable the user to manually adjust the iris, gain, shutter speed, or white balance, depending on which button is pressed. To the right of this row is a switch to lock settings in auto mode (auto lock), hold any adjustments (hold), and freely operate either manually or automatically (auto/man). Finally, immediately to the right of the tape mechanism are the HDR-FX1’s audio controls. They include an auto setting, a manual setting (both controlled by a switch located on the back of the camcorder under a port cover), and an audio level dial used in manual mode. Unfortunately, audio channels cannot be adjusted individually.

The Back
There are a few more controls on the back of the HDR-FX1. It seems that, in giving up the touch screen menu system, Sony has wasted no time in covering every inch of this camcorder with buttons and switches. On the back of the camcorder, they include a switch to control zebra patterning (zebra, off, peaking), picture profile, menu, and p-menu buttons, as well as a status check button and a navigation dial. The DC input power port is located on the back of the camcorder underneath a port cover. All of these buttons are located on the left side of the back; the right side of the back is almost completely consumed by the gaping battery slot of the HDR-FX1, enormously big to accommodate larger battery packs.

The Top
The top of the HDR-FX1 is largely consumed by the large handle that stretches the length of the camcorder, terminating in the built-in stereo microphone. Underneath the handle is the main zoom toggle, located just above the handgrip, with a button for expanded focus. Next to the zoom toggle are buttons for programmable shot transition buttons that switch between zoom and focal position at the push of a button. Directly behind the zoom toggle is the battery release button, next to which rises the camcorder’s handle. On the frontal side of the handle, the stereo microphone points towards the action, with a cold accessory shoe resting above it. Immediately behind the stereo microphone is the HDR-FX1’s uniquely placed LCD, which folds out to the left for easy viewing during shoulder mount shooting. In the place where the LCD folds from, there are buttons for playback as well as for controlling LCD backlight, brightness, and display. Behind the LCD screen is a secondary, smaller zoom toggle and a secondary record/start/stop button. At the far rear of the handle, the camcorder’s large viewfinder protrudes, with the ability to be angled approximately ninety degrees upwards.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control
There's nothing special about the automatic control on the HDR-FX1. The camcorder seemed to respond fine to changes in shot lighting. The one area of automatic control at which I did take a closer look was the auto focus, because focus is so important with HD. The HDR-FX1's auto focus seemed to perform quite well, making objects appear very sharp in the frame. There doesn't seem to be anything to worry about.

Overall Manual Control
The HDR-FX1 is truly an excellent camcorder when it comes to manual control. For those of us who feel that Sony has lost its way with touch-screens and the DCR-HC1000 (Review, Specs, $1199.89), the HDR-FX1 is a reminder of how good a product Sony can produce when they try. The manual control on the HDR-FX1 rivals that of all the high-end heavy-hitting camcorders, including the Canon XL1S/XL2, Panasonic's AG-DVX100, and the JVC JY-DV5000. The HDR-FX1's manual control is all located in well-placed buttons, which will make this a camcorder that serious shooters can work with. It's a camcorder that will allow you to get your shot, adjust the functions you need, and move on with speed and efficiency. Sony really got it right on this one. This is a no-BS manual control camcorder. If you want to adjust it, you can do it quickly, usually with a real button, without having to fiddle around with endless menus. You can put the camcorder in full manual mode using a button on the bottom right towards the back of the camcorder. You can also use this button to put the camcorder in full auto mode.

Zoom
The HDR-FX1 gives you not one, but three different ways of controlling its 12x optical zoom, and I'm truly impressed. The first method is the non-perpetual zoom ring at the front of the camcorder, on the lens barrel. The hard rubber ring has millimeter readings on it to tell you the actual zoom of the camcorder. Being "non-perpetual" means that the zoom ring has a physical start point for full wide and a physical stop point for full telephoto. The ring is not a true zoom ring, in that it doesn't physically turn the lens, but rather a small sensor, which turns a servo motor that turns the lens. Nevertheless, its non-perpetual nature makes it closer to a true zoom ring than any I've ever seen. The zoom is fantastic; it offers a very "natural" feel and the right amount of resistance. It certainly rivals the zoom ring on the manual XL2 lens.

Next to the zoom ring is a slider button that switches from the zoom ring to the zoom rockers. This is the only major downside to the zoom controls, and possibly the manual controls as a whole, that I could find on the HDR-FX1. The problem is that, when you adjust the zoom using the zoom rockers, it doesn't turn the zoom ring. This isn't a problem on camcorders with non-perpetual zoom rings because the distance that the actual ring has been turned doesn't matter. However, since the zoom ring of the HDR-FX1 is non-perpetual, if you adjust the zoom using the zoom rocker it will adjust the focal length of the lens, without adjusting the physical position of zoom ring, meaning whatever position the zoom ring was in before you adjusted it with the rocker is non-accurate. A professional camcorder would have added a motor to the zoom ring which physically turns the ring as you adjust the zoom with the rocker. Sony's solution is a switch which toggles between the zoom rocker and the zoom ring. Each one holds its own independent zoom. If you set the zoom with the ring, switch the zoom selector switch to rocker and then adjust it, then switch the switch back to ring, the camera will automatically adjust the zoom back to the zoom which you had set with ring. That is, you can't adjust the zoom with the rocker and then adjust it from the same zoom length with the ring; the camcorder has to put the zoom into the zoom position which it is set at on the non-perpetual zoom ring. This system basically makes you decide if you are going to use the zoom with the ring or with the rockers, preventing the shooter from using the two interchangeably.

I understand why Sony had to make such a complicated zoom process between the ring and the rocker. I really like the non-perpetual nature of the zoom ring, though to be honest I haven't decided if it's worth the added hassle with the rocker. It's going to take more practice with the HDR-FX1 to figure out how much of a hassle the zoom switch is. It may be that I prefer a perpetual zoom ring which can be used in conjunction with the rockers. I almost wish Sony could have a ring switch that can alternate between perpetual to non-perpetual, and allow you to use the zoom rockers with the perpetual option, though I don't think this would have been possible.

As with the DCR-VX2100 (Review, Specs, $1980), the HDR-FX1 gives you two zoom rockers. The first zoom controller is located on the right handle of the camcorder. It’s large and gives you a good amount of control and resistance. I was able to achieve and hold multiple zoom speeds with the zoom rocker. It's big enough that you can easily hit it and adjust it. The second zoom rocker is located on the handle that goes along the top of the HDR-FX1, right near the LCD and VCR buttons. The second rocker is good for creative shooting situations where you might be operating the camcorder while looking down upon it, or at foot level. This rocker has a slider button on the side of the top handle that allows you to set it to constant high speed, constant low speed, or have it operate in a variable speed. The speed control is nice, though the rocker itself is somewhat small and doesn't offer the same level of good control that the handle rocker gives you; however, the fact that it exists is good enough.

Focus
Sony gives you manual control of the HDR-FX1's focus using a ring located around the lens barrel. The hard rubber ring has ribs which allow it to be easily gripped. It has a good amount of resistance and allows you to adjust the camcorder's focus both quickly and minutely. The HDR-FX1 has a button on the right side that allows you to switch from auto to manual focus. The button also has a one-touch auto focus button for when you're in manual focus mode but want the camcorder's auto second opinion.

One of the things that an employee of another camcorder manufacturer told me to look for on the Sony HDR-FX1 was how they "solved" the difficulty of focusing in HD. With HD's higher level of detail, accurate focus is even more important. With standard definition video, you could have some error with slightly soft focuses, and it would not be apparent in the video. However, with the extra crisp resolution of HD, focuses have to be set much more accurately, as there is much less room for error. In the field, many professional videograpers carry black-and-white monitors with them to set their focuses when shooting in HD, because the resolution resolved by an LCD screen or viewfinder isn't sufficient to focus their camcorder accurately. Sony solves this with a two-tiered attack strategy. The first is that the LCD screen and the viewfinder have the highest resolution of any found on a consumer camcorder, at 250,000 pixels each. The second part of their strategy is something that has been employed by digital still cameras for years because of the same accurate focus demands of their high megapixel count pictures. The camera includes an expanded focus jump button located right near the zoom rocker. Pressing this button will magnify the video image on the screen by 4X. The magnification is not saved to tape or output through the camcorder's video outputs. It is only displayed on the LCD and the viewfinder. It allows you to "zoom in" on your image, accurately adjust your focus, and jump back out. Second to a super high resolution black-and-white viewfinder, it's the best way to solve the focus problem of HD.

Exposure (Aperture)
The HDR-FX1 gives you full manual control of aperture using a great metal dial in the front of the camcorder, located to the bottom right of the lens (looking at it from the front). The choice to go with a "real button" dial was great on Sony's behalf. The camcorder gives you F stop ratings on screen, and the dial gives a good amount of resistance so you can accurately adjust the exposure. The placement of the dial is great. You can toggle manual iris control on or off using the row of buttons in on the left side of the camcorder where the other manual control buttons are located. You can easily access the dial while also having quick access to the focus ring and the zoom ring. I wish Sony would include an iris dial like this on the DCR-VX2100, or every consumer camcorder for that matter!

Shutter Speed
Manual shutter speed on the HDR-FX1 is turned on or off using a dedicated button on the bottom of the left side of the camcorder, next to the other manual control buttons. When you put the camcorder in full manual shutter mode, you can increase or decrease the shutter speed using a fairly large jog dial located at the back of the camcorder. The camcorder displays the shutter speed on the screen and gives you a range from 1/30th to 1/10,000 in video mode. I really like that Sony is giving you real dial control for shutter speed instead of putting the control in a menu. It makes the manual shutter speed easy to access and control.

White Balance
The HDR-FX1 gives you full manual control of white balance using dedicated buttons on the left side of the camcorder. Like shutter speed and exposure, you can toggle the manual white balance control on or off. Towards the center of the camcorder is the white balance set button. Like other camcorders, depressing this button will set the white balance of the HDR-FX1. The camcorder also includes white balance presets which are accessible through buttons right below the white balance set option. Again, I have to give Sony a lot of credit for putting virtually all of this camcorder's manual control (certainly all of the important manual control) in real buttons.

Gain
Like shutter speed, gain control on the HDR-FX1 is turned on and off using a button on the bottom of the left side of the camcorder, and increased or decreased using the jog dial on the back of the HDR-FX1. The HDR-FX1 allows you to set the manual gain in intervals of 3 dB up to +18 dB. I do wish that they allowed more steps, like the Panasonic prosumer camcorders do. A really neat feature with the gain control are the three presets: low, medium and high. You can switch these manual gain presets on using a switch located on the left side of the camcorder. In the HDR-FX1's menu system, you can manually set the amount of gain of each of these settings. It's a great move that makes adjusting the manual gain quickly very easy. It's another way that Sony has done a great job of making the HDR-FX1 easy to use for the prosumer user who wants full manual control.

Still Performance
A somewhat surprising development is that the HDR-FX1 has no still capability. No memory stick, no still photo buttons. To me, it's a clear statement of Sony's seriousness surrounding this camcorder and clear understanding of what the prosumer market wants. Sony knows that the users who are interested in this camcorder don't care about taking stills with their camcorder. I don't look at the lack of still features on the HDR-FX1 as a bad thing; in fact, I think it's refreshing that Sony is willing to make such a strong statement about whom this camcorder is aimed at. Sony's saying to us, "this is a camcorder to shoot good video, and nothing else."

VCR Mode
The VCR controls on the HDR-FX1 are located under the LCD screen towards the front of the camcorder. You are given full real button VCR control over every feature that you should need to control. There isn't much to say about the VCR control, other than I really like that it's not in a touch-screen.

Low Light Performance
Since we weren't able to take the HDR-FX1 into our testing environment, we can't say a ton about the low light performance of the HDR-FX1. However, if we follow Sony's ratings, it should be very good. Sony has said that the minimum lux for the HDR-FX1 is 3. They've also said that the low-light performance of the HDR-FX1 falls between their DCR-VX1000 (with a minimum lux rating of 1) and their DCR-HC1000 (with a minimum lux rating of 5). If it does, that's great news. The DCR-VX2100 is the highest-rated camcorder on CamcorderInfo.com for low light performance, and the DCR-HC1000 is in the top five. If the HDR-FX1 performs at a minimum lux rating of 3, it will have awesome low light performance, which will make it an even more amazing camcorder.

LCD/ Viewfinder
The LCD screen on the HDR-FX1 is located in a place we've never seen an LCD on a camcorder before: towards the front of the camcorder on the top handle. The 3.5-inch LCD screen features 250,000 pixels and Sony's hybrid technology. It can swivel around for multiple viewing angles. With the limited amount of time I got to spend with the HDR-FX1, I didn't find any problems with the new LCD placement. It will certainly take some getting used to, but I don't think it will be a hassle at all. The viewfinder on the camcorder also features 250,000 pixels, and can extend out away from the body and move up and down. The viewfinder is quite sharp, though I do wish they had included a black-and-white viewfinder rather than a color viewfinder; it would make focusing for HD easier.

Audio
The HDR-FX1 includes manual audio control for its two channels. Audio level can be controlled either manually or automatically by toggling the switch on the right edge of the left side of the HDR-FX1. A clear panel folds down to reveal a dial, only functional in manual audio mode, that adjusts the audio level of both channels simultaneously. Unfortunately, the HDR-FX1 does not allow for independent adjustment of each audio channel. Another unfortunate characteristic of the HDR-FX1’s audio ability is the camcorder’s lack of XLR ports, a feature that the JVC GR-HD1 has. On the HDR-FX1, there is a plug-and-play external microphone input as well as a headphone jack for monitoring.

Handling
The HDR-FX1 handles in a similar way to Sony Professional's DSR-PD170 (Review, Specs, $2579), or their consumer line DCR-VX2100. There's no doubt that this is a large camcorder; it's not something you can tuck away in your purse, and the HDR-FX1 will unquestionably take two hands to hold. The important thing, however, is that since all the controls are well placed, you can hold the HDR-FX1 comfortably in your hands and still adjust critical and not-so-critical picture functions. The standard way of holding the HDR-FX1 is to place one hand in the handle grip and one on the lens. Shooting in this method gives you great control. You can hold the camcorder stable with your right hand while accessing focus, zoom, and iris very easily with your left. At the same time, you can move your left or right hand to the back and side of the camcorder to adjust key picture settings such as shutter speed, gain, and white balance. Sony makes the manual control even easier by creating preset buttons on which you can store your favorite settings. They've done a great job on the HDR-FX1 of making it easy to use for the user who wants to adjust their manual picture settings while recording and keeping their shots steady.

All this manual control makes the HDR-FX1 great for "run and gun" shooters who want a camcorder that is durable and accessible. This is something that Sony's PD170 and PD150 have so excelled at that they are practically a standard in newsrooms across the country. Although the HDR-FX1 is being produced by the consumer division, its body to me felt durable enough that this would be a great "working" videographer’s camcorder. That is, I think the HDR-FX1 is designed well enough (there aren't any glaring engineering flaws that I could find) and durable enough that it could be used in Iraq to shoot high-definition video compactly. (Neat factoid: almost all the TV networks used Sony's PD170's in Iraq because they were durable and cheap -- well, cheap when your typical camcorder costs more than a house.)

One of the accessories which Sony introduced with the HDR-FX1 is a shoulder brace. The brace attaches to the bottom of the camcorder and allows you to rest it against your shoulder or chest. It does not make it a shoulder mountable camcorder, but more like a shoulder "braceable," similar to the Canon XL1 and XL1S. The accessory is really nice, and makes shooting with the HDR-FX1 for long periods of time much more comfortable. However, it does carry a steep price tag of $400.

All around, the HDR-FX1 handled wonderfully. Sony did have very heavy batteries on the camcorder, and it still was a little front heavy, though I think that's to be expected because of all the high-quality lens glass required to produce a good looking HD image. I imagine that with a few accessories on the back, like a microphone receiver, some extra batteries, and maybe an XLR input converter, the camcorder would certainly balance out. I didn't think the weight balance issue was any worse than the weight balance on the DCR-VX2100, which is also a little front heavy. I was very comfortable with the HDR-FX1's handle, and its top grip with zoom control is very nice. I don't think the translocated LCD will cause any drastic changes to your shooting style. It's really a nice camcorder to operate, especially if you've had experience with Sony's other medium-size camcorders.

Ports
The HDR-FX1 has a fair amount of inputs and outputs. Above the handgrip are the LANC and headphone jacks, with the camcorder’s FireWire port behind the handgrip on the right side. Towards the front of the camcorder on the right side of the lens barrel is another panel of ports, including S-Video, component output, audio/video in/out, and mic/line (plug-in-power) ports. The unfortunate fact is that the HDR-FX1 lacks the XLR ports found on both JVC’s GR-HD1 and the Canon XL2. There is a DC input on the back of the camcorder.

Other Features
CineFrame24 and 30 Mode This is an attempt by Sony to cater to those independent filmmakers seeking the "film look" with a 24 frames-per-second progressive scan shooting mode. Although the HDR-FX1 does not have a true 24P or 30P filming mode, the CineFrame24 and Cineframe30 modes replicate many of the motion artifacts and the "look" of 24P and 30P, respectively. The CineFrame 24P mode on the HDR-FX1 is enhanced over the 24P effect mode that some users will remember from Sony's DCR-PC350 (Review, Specs, $899) because it does a 2:3:2:3 pull-down instead of a 2:3:3:2 pull down. When I tested the HDR-FX1's Cineframe24 mode, I did not see the same jerkyness that I found on the DCR-PC350. That is, although any 24P mode will have a certain jitter to it, the DCR-PC350 had an odd "beat" to its jitter that was unnatural. I wasn't able to identify any such "beat" on the HDR-FX1, and the footage looked noticeably better. I think that for the majority of users, the CineFrame24 mode will do a fine job of giving you that 24-frames progressive scan look, while still of course delivering HD resolution -- something the Panasonic AG-DVX100 and the Canon XL2 can't do!

Focus Enhancement Focus Enhancement, operated by a button near the handgrip zoom toggle, allows users to zoom in 4x on the LCD, while not affecting playback quality. This can give the user more flexibility in monitoring capture in allowing for detailed examination of depth of field and focal characteristics.

Optical Image Stabilization Always better than electronic image stabilization, optical image stabilization does not involve as many pixels on the CCD as the electronic method which frees them up for other, more important, things. The stabilization seemed to work fine, though it's tough to make any major improvements.

Programmable Profile The HDR-FX1 offers programmable program buttons that can set specific setting for a particular shot, and then, at the push of a button, the user can alternate between two particular shots. You can store zoom, focus, and every shot setting in the memory, and then switch between the two. I think this is a really neat feature. The HDR-FX1 allows you to adjust the transition speed so it's constant, slows down and then speeds up, or the opposite. It's also very good if you are shooting a project and want to remember the settings you used for one scene, as you can store it in the camera's memory.

Native 16:9 One of the nicest features on the HDR-FX1 is its native 16:9 CCDs, viewfinder, and LCD screen. Usually this feature is only available on more expensive camcorders, or approximated on cheap camcorders in digital affected "widescreen mode".

Shoulder Brace Optionally available is a specially designed shoulder mount/body brace, which adds ease to the self-supporting user. Unfortunately, these braces are very expensive; perhaps a drop in price is in the wind.

Custom Buttons Three custom buttons stand on the left control panel of the HDR-FX1. You can set a variety of functions to these buttons. Again, it's just another way that Sony was thinking about the prosumer market when they designed this camcorder.

Hue and Sharpness Control In addition to the great manual control that the HDR-FX1 gives you over the standard areas, it also gives manual control of camcorder hue and sharpness. Although most users won't use this, it's a great "add-on" feature.

CineGamma This is another feature that Sony is including to help you get that "film look." The CineGamma feature adjusts the gamma curve in which the camcorder shoots in order to give more of a film look. It's pretty neat, but it's certainly more on the "effects" side of things, and something I would recommend doing in post-production instead of in your camcorder.

Comparisons
JVC GR-HD1 / JY-HD10U In some ways I have to call the HDR-FX1 the "GR-HD1 killer." JVC should certainly receive a lot of credit for being the first to market with an HD camcorder, a year and a half before anyone else. The problem was that it was kind of like a prototype. The manual control was terrible, the body had a horrible plastic and cheap feel to it, and the minimum illumination was 35 lux. Sadly, I think that, in the camcorder histories, the GR-HD1 will be a footnote, marked as the camcorder that was "technically" the first consumer HD model. Sony's will be considered the real first, or at least the first one to actually sell. The GR-HD1 and the JY-HD10U offer 720 lines of resolution at 30 frames per second progressive scan, which is the other major HDV format. I don't think that the JVC models have much on the Sony, and I am comfortable saying that the Sony produces much better video and does much better in low light. The camcorder certainly handles and controls much better, and has a much more rugged body. Some independent filmmakers have been turned off by the HDR-FX1's lack of 24-frames progressive-scan recording, and have mistakenly thought that the JVC's model's progressive scan at 30 frames per second is better; that's false. Many film conversion houses have explicitly said that if you are choosing between 30 frames progressive (forget 24 frames progressive for a second) and 60 frames interlaced, you should go with the 60 frames interlaced because the 30P does not have enough data to go out to film. That is, if you want to shoot in HD and want the possibility of going out to film if your project makes the big time, shoot with the HDR-FX1, not the GR-HD1.

Canon XL2 Canon's XL2 costs about $1,500 more than Sony's HDR-FX1. In my experience, I think the market for the XL2 has been significantly narrowed with the introduction of the HDR-FX1. The XL2 certainly still has its benefits. It delivers true 24P recording and has interchangeable lenses, but that's all in standard definition. However, the Sony HDR-FX1 offers the same level of manual control, and likely better video and low light performance (though we can't know until we test it) because it's in HD. In my opinion, now more than ever, the market for the Canon XL2 is independent filmmakers. If you need interchangeable lenses and 24P, which, frankly, people other than indies don't, the XL2 is a great choice. However, if you want HD, or even the possibility of HD, and a more compact "run and gun" camcorder, the HDR-FX1 seems to be the natural choice. Of course, all this may vary after full tests of performance and shooting with both camcorders, but looking just at the features, I think we can see a clear division in the marketplace.

Panasonic AG-DVX100 This one's tough. Now that you can get quality HD for the same price as Panasonic's DVX100, I think this darling camcorder is going to have a tough time staying afloat. The choice is pretty simple: standard definition at 24 frames progressive, or high definition at 60 frames interlaced. I like 24P, but I think a lot of people buy into Panasonic's aggressive marketing campaign thinking they need 24P when they really don't. If you want your film to have that film look from a motion perspective (not from a depth of field, dynamic range, or color balance perspective) then 24P is good. However, you can now get that 24P motion effect with the HDR-FX1. Frankly, if I was the DP on a independent film being shot on video, I'd go with the HDR-FX1 over the XL2 and the DVX100. (I know I'm going to get about 10 negative comments at the bottom review for saying this.) My logic is that there are two benefits to shooting in 24P. First, you get that 24P "look" with regards to motion, and second, you can transfer your video to film quite easily. The first one is maybe practical for 99% of videographers, but let's be realistic, fewer than 1% of independent films are going to actually transferred to film. The other thing is that it's not impossible to transfer 60 frames interlaced to film. I would choose HD at 60i over SD at 24P because it's much more likely for your independent film to be shown over the airwaves in HD than it is going to be displayed by a projector in a film house. Even if you do go the film house route and spend the obscene amount of money that it takes to convert a video work into 16 mm or 35 mm film, there is very good deinterlacing software out there which can work with your 60i footage, and frankly, since it's HD, it's going to look much sharper on a big screen than SD footage would. If you go with the HDR-FX1, transfer to film might not be as easy as it would with a 24P XL2 or AG-DVX100l, but you can still get all the neat motion benefits of 24P using the CinemaFrame24 mode, and it's in HD!

Conclusion
Sony's HDR-FX1 is a great camcorder. Sony has done a wonderful job of giving great manual control, great handling, and what looks like outstanding video and low light performance. I'm really excited to start working in HD, with its great level of detail, and I think the HDR-FX1 might be that killer camcorder to deliver HD to the masses. Many have and will complain about its lack of 24P, but I think the addition of the quality Cineframe24 mode should satisfy the needs of most people who go for that film look. This camcorder was very well engineered, with great manual control placement. I really like the focus ring, zoom ring, and all the preset buttons. I can't wait to get my hands on an HDR-FX1 for full review, because it's going to be a great camcorder to play with.

With the HDR-FX1 we're going to be debuting a new version of the CamcorderInfo.com template, which will allow us to evaluate both HD and SD camcorders. There are also going to be other changes, and we'll be introducing new areas for features that many have requested. I'd like to invite everyone to please speak up now with any suggestions you have. I really want to encourage user input and feedback on this.