Sony HDR-FX7 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Dec 27, 2006 7:00 AM 
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Comparison
Sony HVR-V1U
The Sony HVR-V1U is the “professional” version of the “consumer” HDR-FX7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $2599). In essence, this means that these camcorders share their core imaging specs and are built around the same compact chassis. Both camcorders feature three ¼” ClearVID CMOS sensors and a 20x Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T*, F1.6 – 2.8, 62mm filter diameter lens. At first glance, the camcorders seem similar. However, the V1U adds XLR terminals and a black exterior that makes the medium grey color of the FX7 appear less “serious.” Yet to fully grasp the myriad upgrades that differentiate the $4800 V1U from the $3600 FX7, you’ve got to lift up the hood. The enhancements that will get potential buyers of the V1U in the door are probably the progressive scan (24p and 30p) and XLR terminals – features which are must-haves for many DPs and producers. Yet for the connoisseur, the V1U’s menu presents a host of delicacies that you won’t find on the FX7’s shorter “pub” menu. Many options are expanded in the V1U: white balance gains additional presets; Cinematone Gamma adds another option; Smooth Slow Record gains 3 and 12 second options – and the list goes on. More significantly, the V1U gains some desirable features that are not offered at all on the FX7. Camera profiles can be shared via MemoryStick and emailed to distant colleagues; multiple framing guides and view options are offered (4:3, 13:9, 14:9, and 16:9, 80% and 90% safety zones, and All Scan Mode). Along with two XLR terminals, the V1U adds independent level control over each channel, noise reduction, trim, and wind cut, while numerous Time Code settings allow both syncing with other V1Us (via i.Link) and various preset, user bit, and format options. We like the HDR-FX7, but the HDR-V1U is a much more capable camcorder. Various microprocessor-based options available on the V1U are not available on the FX7 and in all likelihood, enabling them wouldn’t have cost Sony a penny. In other words, short of the addition of XLR inputs and onboard audio mixing, the truncated option list on the FX7 seems implemented to widen the chasm separating these camcorders and justify their price points. We’d rather shoot with the $4800 HDR-V1U, based primarily on its expanded audio options and progressive scan abilities, but neither camcorder is a match for the sub-$4000 Canon XH A1 (Specs, Recent News, $3279.99).
Sony HDR-FX1
The Sony HDR-FX1 was released first, and it still tops Sony’s consumer line of camcorders in terms of price with an MSRP of $3699 versus the $3499 MSRP of the HDR-FX7. If you’re looking at these two camcorders, deciding which one is right for you will come down to examining the core strengths of each – and there are some fundamental differences between them beginning with sensor type. While the FX7 is equipped with three 1/4” ClearVID CMOS sensors, the FX1 brings three 1/3” Advanced HAD CCDs to the table. The gross and effective pixel counts are nearly identical, but CCDs perform better in low light. With disappointing low light performance, the HDR-FX7 1/4” CMOS sensors are no match for the larger 1/3” CCDs on the FX1.
Another key difference is the optical zoom power of the HDR-FX1, which comes in at a considerably weaker 12x than the impressive 20x zoom on the HDR-FX7. With the 1.5x Digital Extender – a surprisingly good digital zoom option – the FX7’s zoom power reaches as high as 30x making it the go-to option for DPs who need to get up close and personal with their subjects. The FX1 also adds a 30F Cineframe Recording option not found on the FX7 and a handle-mounted LCD that offers a viewing angle that many shooters will prefer.
The FX7 adds some features not found on the FX1, including three more Assign buttons on the camcorder’s exterior, MemoryStick Duo Pro compatibility, and Smooth Slow Record – a feature, along with Digital Extender, made possible by CMOS technology. The FX7 is also the smaller and more portable of the pair, with a smaller profile and about a half kg (1 lb.) less heft. The HDR-FX7 offers a live-view or iris, gain, and shutter value, even when in Auto mode. Both camcorders are strong performers, and the FX1 gets the edge in low light while the FX7’s additional features and Assign buttons make it the more programmable model. On balance, it’s a draw between these two low-end prosumer cams, and your choice should be based on how much importance you place on low light performance versus programmability.
Sony HVR-A1U
The Sony HVR-A1U offers one of the more interesting comparisons to the HDR-FX7 and speaks to the diversity of HDV camcorders in Sony’s consumer and professional lines. The A1U is essentially the professional incarnation of the short-lived HDR-HC1 (Specs, $2295) Handycam camcorder. While the HC1 was replaced months after its debut with the “dumbed down” HC3 (Review, Specs, $969.99), the A1U survives at the low end of Sony’s professional HVR line of HDV camcorders, with a MSRP of $3100, which is $400 less than the FX7. The differences between these models can be summed up like this: The HDR-FX7 is superior in terms of raw video performance but short on some key professional features; the HVR-V1U is strong in terms of professional features, and considerably more portable – but falls a bit short of the V1U in terms of imaging. The performance gap stems from the fact that the A1U has a single 1/3” 2.97MP CMOS sensor. Despite its overall size advantage, the single sensor can’t compete with the three 1/4” ClearVID CMOS sensors on the FX7 that provide each color with its own dedicated imager.
The video performance edge goes to the FX7, but when it comes to recording audio, the HVR-A1U qualifies as a true professional cam with dual XLR inputs, independent right and left channel level control, phantom power, attenuation, and padding options. In addition to balanced inputs, the A1U supports unbalanced external mics. In the audio realm, the FX7 can’t compete. It’s got an onboard stereo microphone and a single mini jack. The only audio control option available is linked level control in manual monitoring mode.
A final major difference between these camcorders is size. The A1U is perhaps the smallest truly professional camcorder, weighing in at a scant 0.74kg (1 lb. 10 oz.) or slightly less than half that of the HDR-FX7. Without the detachable audio adaptor unit, the A1U looks very much like its HC1 sibling, and it looks like the kind of camcorder a Hawaiian shirt-clad tourist might carry at Disney World. The potential benefits of high-performance in such a small package makes the A1U a uniquely inconspicuous professional cam. There are many shooters who are willing to trade balanced audio for the ease of use and performance of the FX7, but for professionals who need to deliver sound quality that matches their picture, the HVR-A1U comes out ahead.
Canon XH A1
If the Sony HDR-FX7 personifies prosumer HDV, with its slim, unimposing profile and crowd-pleasing color rendition, the Canon XH A1 demands to be taken seriously. For $500 more than the FX7, it is a camcorder with a professional feature set so robust as to place it in another league. With two progressive modes, 24F and 30F, XLR inputs as well as unbalanced mic compatibility, many more external manual controls, and a staggering set of fine picture controls, the XH A1 is tough to beat. Fundamentally, the two camcorders share a three-sensor imager arrangement, but they take very different routes to image production. Instead of three CMOS sensors, the Canon uses the same 3 x 1/3” CCD imaging system as its $10,000 sibling, XL H1 (Specs, Recent News, $7947.89) to produce 1560K effective pixels versus 1037K for the FX7.
In bright light, the XH A1 and HDR-FX7 were fairly comparable in auto mode, with the Sony producing a more saturated image with greater apparent sharpness. In low light, the Canon proved to be a light gathering powerhouse putting the underperforming FX7 to shame. More importantly, the FX7 does not offer nearly the level of image control available on the XH A1, with relatively limited options for color, contrast, and gamma tweaks.
The A1 ups the ante in just about every common control, including zebras (70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 IRE versus 70 and 100 on the FX7), Color Bars (SMPTE or ARIB plus adjustable 1 kHz tone, absent on the FX7), a sprawling Custom Function Menu that far outpaces Picture Profile, exportable camera profiles (trapped onboard the FX7), a nine-point Color Preset Menu, a wider range of control over sharpness, and a myriad of controls that aren’t offered at all on the FX7. A partial list of these features includes Sky Detail, Clear Scan, Gamma Curve, Knee Point Adjustment, Black Stretch/Press, Master Pedestal, Setup Level, and 2-Channel Matrices. As you might imagine, this comparison is already a rout, so I’ll mention some areas in which the FX7 comes out ahead.
The 3.5” LCD on the Sony bests the 2.8” LCD screen on the Canon, and it’s lighter on its feet – much easier to hold by the main grip for prolonged periods. The Canon’s manual focus ring is good, but it is overly sensitive making the Sony an easier camcorder to focus manually out of the box. Another issue with the Canon is its enclosed battery compartment. Swapping out a battery on the A1 requires you to open the hatch, and then slide the new battery in like a sled along a horizontal track. The enclosed design is aesthetically pleasing, but it is not as efficient as the tried and true open slot on the FX7.
Despite these minor criticisms, the Canon XH A1 is a more powerful, more sophisticated tool than the FX7 – and it’s priced very, very competitively. Canon’s HDV entry offers much more bang for the buck than nearly any camcorder we’ve tested. Unless you are a dyed-in-the-wool Sony devotee, do yourself a favor, shell out the extra $500, and step way up to the XH A1.
Panasonic AG-DVX100B
The Panasonic AG-DVX100B is the only DV-only camcorder included for comparison with the HDR-FX7, but it is close to the FX7 in price with a MSRP of just under $4000. The features that set these camcorders apart other than video performance is the list of the professional options absent on the FX7: XLR terminals, independent audio channel controls, 24p and 30p progressive video recording, and camera syncing for multi-camera broadcast production. The DVX100B zoom is mechanically driven, a rare feature for a camcorder with a non-interchangeable lens, and the image control interface makes use of more external hard switches than highly menu-based FX7.
Both camcorders feature programmable buttons – three on the DVX100B and six on the FX7, but the Panasonic’s can be set with a level of precision more akin to the HVR-V1U or Canon XH A1 than the FX7. The two camcorders are close in terms of weight and size; both feel well balanced during hand-held shooting, and both are capable of capturing broadcast-quality video. These camcorders also play to their strengths.
The HDR-FX7 excels in ease of use, with accessible core manual image controls (zoom, gain, shutter speed, etc.) that can be efficiently operated with the jog dial with more advanced controls being menu-based, and more limited in their range of adjustability. The AG-DVX100B also keeps core controls quickly accessible, but it offers an expanded range of menu-based adjustments as well as XLR inputs, multicamera syncing, advanced timecode settings, and progressive video. Calling the winner in this head-to-head is difficult, but with the Canon XH A1 retailing for the same price as the DVX100B and only $500 more than the FX7, it’s difficult to deem either camcorder the best value in today’s prosumer market.
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (6.0) If you are a point-and-shooter with a $3500 budget (if there are any of you out there, let us know…) this may be the camcorder for you. Automatic controls are very good, especially when presets like Cinematone, and auto-control tweaks like AGC limiting enter the equation. But the HDR-FX7 offers much more than mere point-and-shoot performance with six Assign buttons and easy to use manual controls, making a cheaper camcorder like the sub-$1000 Sony HDR-HC3 (Review, Specs, $969.99) a more appropriate match.
Budget Consumers (4.0) If you’re on a tight budget, this is definitely not the camcorder for you. In terms of value, both the Canon XH A1 and Sony HVR-A1U offer more camcorder for your dollar in the world of “budget prosumer camcorders.” True budget buyers who want an HDV camcorder that offers the performance and features to pull off a professional shoot may want to consider picking up a used Sony HDR-HC1. It has a mic jack, ring controls, and the same imager as the A1U. In addition, mint-condition units can be found for well under $1000 used. Still
Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (2.0) There are many consumer camcorders selling for a fraction of the cost of the HDR-FX7 on the market that combine HD video with still resolutions much higher than the 1.2MP max of the FX7. These hybrid dynamos include Sony’s HDR-HC3, Canon’s HV10 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $814), and Panasonic’s new HDC-SD1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99) and DX1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99). The FX7 is a prosumer camcorder, and if you’re a serious videographer, hybrid performance is most likely not your foremost purchase consideration.
Gadget Freaks (5.0) The HDR-FX7 has some very cool features, including Smooth Slow Record, Digital Extender, and 6 Assign buttons that may appeal to video geeks who like to get under the hood and tinker. There are definitely cooler camcorders out there in the prosumer realm including the HVR-V1U and XH A1 that add a staggering array of advanced control options. And let’s face it – those camcorders, with their black exteriors clad in dozens of buttons and switches look way more hip than the understated grey body of the FX7.
Manual Control Freaks (7.0) This camcorder serves up a requisite platter of manual controls, but again, the V1U and XH A1 offer more. If you are content to stick with the basics of zoom, focus, gain, iris, shutter speed, and white balance, the FX7 will satisfy. If you simply must have complete control over gamma curves and black stretch and would feel naked without an iris ring control, the FX7 will leave you wishing you’d spent a few hundred dollars for a camcorder with a more robust feature set.
Pros/ Serious Hobbyists (7.0) The HDR-FX7 is capable of capturing stunning images with a minimum of hassle, and there are many professionals and serious hobbyists who will find this appealing. Wedding and event videographers, industrial shooters, and pros who don’t need to shoot progressive video or use balanced audio inputs may find the FX7 fits the bill. For these applications, it’s a user-friendly option that costs a bit less than the competition, and it just feels good to grip. DPs and producers who want more control, demand balanced audio inputs, and broadcast-oriented features like syncing and profile sharing should step up to the Sony HVR line, Canon’s XH A1, Panasonic’s AG-HVX200, or JVC’s GY-HD110U.
Conclusion
It’s hard not to like Sony’s HDR-FX7, and only a few years ago we would have loved it. This is a camcorder that combines a solid suite of desirable features, accessible and well-tuned controls, and terrific bright-light video performance. The FX7’s distant ancestor, the DCR-VX1000 was popular in its heyday for the same reasons – and it had little in the way of real competition. The VX2000 and VX2100 (Review, Specs, $1980) managed to hold their own against upstarts like Canon’s GL and XL camcorders, and Panasonic’s AG-DVX100, despite the fact that they offered professional features like XLR terminals lacking on the Sonys. Sony’s VX camcorders remained popular because they cost slightly less, but still offered great video performance and key manual controls. Beachtek helped their cause by providing an economical way to add balanced audio making the VX cams credible professional tools.
Unfortunately for the FX7, the high-end “consumer” camcorder niche seems a threatened species. Based on price alone, Canon’s XH A1 and HDR-FX7 are competing for the same customer base – and the Canon matches or surpasses the Sony in nearly every category except weight. At $3999 (MSRP), the Canon XH A1 adds XLR terminals, better advanced color controls, an iris ring, longer battery life, sharable profiles, superior still performance, progressive recording modes, and an optional upgrade to PAL compatibility. The FX7’s professional version, the HVR-V1U stacks up more favorably to the Canon, but at $800 higher ($4800 MSRP). With the Canon XH A1 on the market, the HDR-FX7 just doesn’t seem a good buy. Categorizing this as a consumer camcorder strikes us as a strategy of getting off the hook for not including some professional-level features. The classifications may make sense in the boardroom with all of Sony’s numerous camcorders lined up end-to-end, but the market is the ultimate arbiter, and the market says that at over $3000, we expect more.
Yet the presence of another more capable camcorder priced only a few hundred dollars higher does not mean the FX7 is doomed. The FX7 is a likeable camcorder. Its images appear sharper and more colorful thanmost prosumer cams, including the XH A1. Its programmability also makes it a good option for low-budget studio shoots where camera syncing is not required. The FX7 is a good camcorder for applications like wedding and event videography, corporate production settings, and low-budget films where interlaced video is acceptable and strong low light performance is not required. For ENG and documentary field production, camcorders with better audio features, low light performance, and external manual controls like the Canon XH A1/G1 or Sony HVR-V1U are sounder choices. Those camcorders also offer more for high-end studio work, where multicamera syncing and advanced options are needed.
Until Sony lowers the price of the HDR-FX7, we can’t give it a strong endorsement. The availability of the XH A1 makes the FX7’s $3500 MSRP seem a hefty price to pay for a “consumer” camcorder. Our advice is to hold off on buying an FX7 until Sony drops its price considerably – or to give the XH A1 some serious consideration.