Sony HDR-FX7

Sony has categorized the HDR-FX7 as a consumer camcorder, despite the very un-consumer MSRP of $3500 and a very prosumer design and manual control suite. Ah, were it only so that people shopped by imposed categories. Instead, of course, they shop by price, and Canon’s XH A1 makes a very persuasive contender at a mere $500 more. How can Sony compete? The FX7’s ClearVID CMOS sensors make a great impression in bright light, but under low light conditions the performance falls to pieces. The FX7 has a pleasing, portable feel and solid image controls, but the XH A1 offers a great deal more control and makes it more accessible. The XH A1 has a ton of great audio features and the Sony FX7… doesn’t, omitting XLR inputs and external audio level controls. We like the HDR-FX7 in itself. It comes from a good family, improving in some points over the HDR-FX1, and harkening back to the DCR-DVX2100 and even XV1000. But in a comparative, competitive market, it simply can’t hold a candle to its mainchallenger.