Sony HDR-HC7 Camcorder Review

Sony’s HDR-HC7 ($1399 MSRP) was to be one of the best, if not the best, consumer camcorders of 2007. It was certainly priced as such. But it didn't work out that way. First off, while the video quality in bright light was great, we have once again discovered a high-priced camcorder with seriously deficient low light performance (the last being Canon's HV10). There are other contenders out there for best consumer HD camcorder. Sony's top AVCHD camcorders, the HDR-UX7 and HDR-SR1, offer a better manual control interface.  By default, the HDR-HC7 is the logical choice of serious users who want to edit their video; but it’s handicapped by a manual control dial that’s inferior to the full-sized ring on the SR1, and even the bigger dial on the UX7. Why would Sony equip their top camcorder of the year with the worst multi-function controller in their line-up? Your guess is as good as ours, but our hope is that there’s a new suitor waiting in the wings, a camcorder that brings it all together. However, AVCHD is still not well-supported, while HDV is widely supported. Its a conundrum that consumers across the markets are trying to wrap their heads around. A lot of people are pinning their hopes on the Canon HV20 and JVC GZ-HD7. As for the Sony HDR-HC7... take a hard look before buying.

The Front (8.0)
The first thing you’ll notice about the front of the HC7 is the gargantuan, cannon-like lens barrel thrusting forward, intimidating other HDV camcorders in its price range. This thing is fierce. The Carl Zeiss 10x optical lens has a filter diameter of 37mm and is capable of the following focal lengths:

-5.4mm-54mm
-40mm-400mm in 16:9 video mode (35mm conversion)
-49mm-490mm in 4:3 video mode (35mm conversion)
-40mm-400mm in 16:9 still mode (35mm conversion)
-37mm-370mm in 4:3 still mode (memory)

An additional bonus to the souped-up lens is the automatic lens enclosure. When the camcorder is turned on, the internal lens cover automatically opens, and closes when the camcorder is switched off. This trumps a clanky, dangling lens cap, and rescues those who forget to flip a manual lens cover switch. However, the only potential downside to this design is what happens if it breaks? The internal lens cover, constructed of two thin plastic panels, is susceptible to handling-related damage. A brawny external lens cap would provide oodles of protection, and one should be optional on the HC7.

Hiding below the bulk of the lens is the built-in u-shaped stereo microphone. Right next to the microphone is a microphone jack, which is a blessing to those who require additional sound recording options. An external mic is useful for recording voice, background, and miscellaneous sounds for video projects. Depending on the mic, the quality will most likely be greater than the built in microphone.

Directly above the mic jack is the remote sensor panel with the record lamp embedded midway. To the left of the remote sensor is a flash for digital stills that pops out just before a picture is taken.

The front of he HC7 looks hot. It’s a sexy camcorder. The layout is user-friendly, and its convenience is heightened by the microphone jack.

The Right Side (6.5)
Welcome to Comfort Acres. Slipping your hand into the HC7 is an ergonomic dream. The right side of the body is angled forward to compliment the geometry of a typical hand. The hand strap is wide and consists of foam packed mesh, providing a breathable fabric for those hot days. The HC7 feels secure in the palm of your hand and all of the controls are right at your fingertips (and thumb). The HC7 sports a top-loading tape hatch, which is enables the camcorder to be kept on a tripod while changing a tape. This helps maintain continuity and saves time—two essential necessities of a time-constrained short film shoot.

On the left hand side, there is a vertical row of mode lights: tape, memory, play/edit, and battery charge. Beneath this strip is the flash button, which is actually difficult to access unless you have Stretch Armstrong fingers. The left hand is required to trigger the flash button because its location is too far for the thumb and fingers to reach. Since the primary focus of the HC7 is high quality HD video, it is unlikely that most users will lose sleep over the placement of the flash button.

The Back (9.0)
Here’s where Sony gives us a cavern to work with. We’re talking about the prodigious battery chamber that digs itself a good inch and a half deep into the body. The HC7 comes with a fairly large battery, but it doesn’t protrude from the back of the camcorder, thanks to the capacious battery chamber. To make life even easier, the HC7 has a stout, retractable viewfinder that extends an extra inch. The combination of a massive battery chamber and retractable viewfinder places the HC7 at the pinnacle of comfort and accessibility. When extended, the viewfinder’s dioptric adjuster is located on the right side of the eyepiece.

To the right of the viewfinder is the mode dial. This circular control juggles between tape, memory, and play/edit mode. It is easily accessible via the index finger, and the response time is lightning quick. Below the mode dial is the start/stop button, which rests directly below the thumb. To the left of the start/stop button are two panels, one for the HDMI output (the digital output for playback on an HD TV), and the DC terminal. Both panels look sleek and the HC7’s rectangular DC connection is more secure compared to standard round jacks. Sony poured a lot of thought into the design of the HC7 and shows.

The Left Side (7.0)
The HC7’s 2.7” wide LCD screen is not as large as Sony’s new HDR-UX7 DVD camcorder, or other models in the past. It would be nice to have a more ample LCD screen, but since the HC7 is such a compact camcorder, this is the largest LCD Sony could fit. While a majority of the HC7’s construction is rugged, the LCD screen does not contribute to its heftiness. The hinge is thin, flexible, and could easily hyper-extend or even snap off if not handled with care. A zoom toggle and start/stop button is located on the left side of the LCD panel for added convenience. The HC7 has an extensive panel of ports at the base of the camcorder below the LCD. The inconspicuous black panel flips open by a finger groove to reveal the LANC jack, i.Link terminal, component output, A/V output, and headphone jack.

Inside the HC7’s shallow LCD cavity, you’ll notice two round buttons toward the bottom: the display/battery info button and the Easy mode button, which condenses and simplifies the menus and doubles the font to a friendly size. Directly above these buttons is a slick USB port that is opened by a small sliding door. Although it looks like a 007 component, it is hard to open unless you have long fingernails. Next to the USB port is a slot for a Memory Pro Duo card. This is great is you prefer to be confined to a Sony-only world. Whereas most camcorders support SD, SDHC, and MMC cards, Sony boosts their revenue by creating and installing brand-specific components in their camcorders. This is a bit frustrating, seeing as how an 8GB SDHC card costs a cool $100 less than an 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo.

On the far left hand side, mounted on the lens barrel, there is a manual focus button accompanied by a cylindrical focus adjustment wheel. Although the HC7 does not have a focus ring, this is the next best thing. Having manual focus at your fingertips is a dream compared to wading though the murky depths of the intricate menu interface while trying to shoot. Our only complaint is that the focus wheel requires too much finagling in order to get a sharp image. This sacrifices time and quality, if a shot is zoomed in or repositioned. Below the manual focus adjustment is a NightShot switch for late night camp videos. Underneath the NightShot switch is the backlight button for shots with decreased exposure. Sony packs a punch here with a plethora of options offered on the HC7.

The Top (6.75)
The top of the HC7 encompasses an Active Interface Shoe located near the lens end. Any AIS accessory is only compatible with Sony camcorders, as Sony created AIS so no other brands would pollute their models. If you are a Sony fanatic, then this is great for you. If not, think of all the additional hot shoe accessories you’re potentially missing out on. On top of the tape hatch is the tape eject switch. Toward the back by the mode dial is the shiny photo button and horizontally sliding zoom toggle. Both of these controls lie directly beneath the index finger and the zoom toggle slides like butter. The HC7 is a top-notch camcorder in this regard.