Sony HDR-HC3 Camcorder Reviewby Robin Liss and David KenderPublished on Apr 17, 2006 8:00 AM 
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The Front (7.5)
The HC3 (Review, Specs, $969.99) is a very compact, yet solidly built camcorder. Compared to Canon's S1, which has a similar boxy, compact design, the HC3 feels much better built and much more stable. Throughout the HD3's design, Sony used high-quality plastics and added additional support elements which make the camcorder feel very solid.
On the front of the HC3, the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 10x optical zoom lens extends slightly out from the frame and features a focal length of 5.1 mm to 51 mm when converted into a 35 mm still camera format. This lens also has a filter diameter of 30 mm and is capable of both wide angle and telephoto lens conversion. A unique conversion lens setting within the HDR-HC3's menu allows users to choose between wide and telephoto conversion, then tailors the image stabilizer to compensate for either conversion lens, providing better image quality than usual.
A small sliver above the center of the lens is the in-camcorder flash, no longer a pop-up as it was on the HC1 (Specs, $2295). It's positioned slightly too close to the camcorder lens: an on-camera lens, such as a wide-angle converter, will cover the flash and render it useless. However, the flash's central position provides a more even distribution of light when it's used.
With today's ever-shrinking camcorders, it's tough to find a good place for a microphone. The HD3's is smartly positioned beneath the lens, which extends outward while the microphone scoops underneath it. In handling the camcorder, we found that this combination kept our hands away from the microphone, thus significantly improving audio perfomance.
To the left of the lens are the camera recording lamp and remote sensor, with a small Sony logo directly below the IR sensor. The user holds the camcorder by a strap attached to a plastic tab, which extends outward from the camera body.
The Right Side (9.0)
The adjustable Velcro hand strap horizontally spans the lower section of the camcorder, angling downward slightly as it moves from back to front. On the edge between the right and front of the camcorder is a port cover that can be opened by pulling a tab on its back edge, revealing a LANC jack with the HDV/DV (i.Link) interface directly beneath. The new HDMI Out port is located nearest to the hand-strap and the base of the camcorder, a location which will inevitably hamper accessibility. Furthermore, the port cover is easily blocked by the strap, and the two thin rubber hinges that connect the cover to the camcorder body seem sure to break with minimal strain.
Near the center of the right side is a tiny inset button that will reset the camcorder, which is protected from accidental deployment by its size and inset state. The primary feature on the right side of the HDR-HC3 is the tape compartment, which is top loading and easily opened via the lever on top of the camcorder body, a happy change from the recent trend towards bottom-loading tape mechanisms. Vertically positioned along the back edge of the right side are three LEDs and the flash button for the camcorder. The LED lights indicate whether the camcorder is set to camera-tape, camera-memory, or play/edit modes.
The right side is made of a plastic which, although smooth, has a very "tough" and solid feel to it. It seems to be the same plastic used on higher-end Sony camcorders, such as the FX1. This gives the camcorder an incredibly durable feel and prevents the plastic creaking sounds that occur with poorly-built camcorders.
The HC1 had the NightShot button on the right side, but it has now been moved to the left. The flash button has moved from the front of the right side to the back, and the mode dial from the middle of the rear-right to the back.
The Back (5.0)
A rectangular non-extending electronic color viewfinder is inset into a hard plastic half-circle eye-piece positioned in the upper-left half of the HC's back face. The recessed viewfinder, however, is the HC3’s biggest design layout flaw. While the battery below is recessed so that you don’t bump your nose too much, the lack of extending ability makes it difficult to shoot at anything other than eye level. Extending, rotating viewfinders make shooting much more comfortable and allow the user to have an extended battery. The HC3's lack of these features makes shooting with the viewfinder uncomfortable at best and useless at worst; the one positive aspect is that users can dismantle and clean the viewfinder.
Running alongside the right edge of the battery housing is a vertical port cover that opens, via a tab located along its top edge, to reveal ports for component out, AV out, and DC in. This placement isn’t great when shooting handheld, though it should be fine if engaging in video playback or tripod shooting. The hinges which connect the bottom edge of the cover to the camcorder body have the same fragile material and construction as those on the right-side port cover.
To the right of the viewfinder, on the external body of the tape compartment, is a power switch that can be rotated to turn the camera on or off as well as set the camcorder mode to camera-still, camera-tape, and playback/edit. To avoid accidental powering on/off or alternating mode settings, a small green button, which must be pressed when adjusting settings, is placed on the top edge of this switch. The recorder start/stop button is located beneath the power switch and can be'./km,hbcomfortably reached with the thumb of the right hand.
The back of the HC1 had a more protruding battery pack. The viewfinder was also much better, with a natural upward angle and greater extendability.
The Left Side (8.0)
The 2.7 inch, 211,200 pixel LCD screen is placed on the left side of the camcorder body, and can be opened by pulling on either the bottom or back edge of the frame. The LCD is close to the back edge of the camcorder, but a plastic lip runs along its right side and bottom to provide increased support. The LCD screen is a touch-screen interface, which can be navigated through the fingers of the left hand, and is connected to the camcorder body via a sturdy hinge and can rotate 270 degrees.
Once open, the LCD screen has 3 controls on its outer edge, which allow users to engage wide angle and telephoto zoom adjustment and to stop or start recording when unable to comfortably reach the top or back controls.
The playback speaker is located in the LCD cavity. Behind the centrally positioned speaker are both the Memory Stick Duo slot and the USB port. Between these two ports is the Access Lamp feature, which indicates whether the Memory Stick can be removed or whether the camcorder is currently reading or writing data to memory. Improper ejection can cause irreparable damage to this memory card.
Above the LCD, on the external transition from the top to left side, are 3 small silver controls. The frontmost will engage and disengage the Backlight feature, which brightens the LCD screen when shooting in poor lighting. Behind the Backlight button are the Disp/Battery button and the Easy button, the latter can be distinguished by a small blue paint chip.
Towards the front of the LCD, on the side of the lens barrel, are 4 other controls: a round control dial, an engagement/disengagement button, and a night shot toggle.The placement of these buttons was a major mistake, as the open LCD screen easily blocks them when tilted more than 45 degrees counterclockwise. Had the controls been half an inch higher, this would not have been a problem. While we appreciate the attempt to provide real button manual control, and while the buttons are well sized and labeled, they require constant setting adjustment to use, which the positioning makes unfeasible.
The HC1 had most of its port running along the bottom of the left side; this has been moved to the front and back of the HC3. The HC1's Tele Macro button has also been relocated to the menu, while the Extended Zoom has been dropped entirely.
The Top (6.0)
The top of the HC3 is composed of a distinct brushed metal that contrasts with the black plastics used on the rest of the camcorder. On top of the lens barrel, near the front of the camcorder, is a cover for the “intelligent” and proprietary accessory shoe. This is a clear attempt to make customers buy Sony accessories: the shoe is smaller than on every other digiital imaging device, restricting users' ability to buy third-party accessories.
The top face of the camcorder most dramatically displays the cleaving between the left and right side of the HC3 body. The left side is composed of a brushed silver metallic surface, which stands in direct contrast to the matte black finish of the “durable” plastic that forms the protruding right side and tape compartment. Along the right edge of the top face, near the front of the camcorder, is the open/eject button which can be activated to change tapes. This camcorder has a top-loading tape compartment, which will allow access to this feature whether the user is shooting handheld or using a tripod. Towards the back of the camcorder, on the right side, are 2 final controls: a zoom toggle that stands out slightly from the surface of the camcorder and a photo shot button for capturing still images to memory card. The curved structure and solid plastic of this area provide a solid grip and make it easier to use these controls.