Sony HDR-HC7 First Impressions Review

by Matt Culler
Published on Jan 8, 2007 11:00 PM

Intro Performance
Format Tour
Auto / Manual Controls Still Features
Handling and Use Audio / Playback / Connectivity
Other Features
 Comparisons / Conclusion
   


Other Features
The Sony HDR-HC7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1128.56) includes some gimmicky features that may help keep your attention when fiddling around with the touch screen menu.  Along with AE shift and WB shift, the HDR-HC7 also features Sony’s hallmark Spot Metering and Spot Focus options. Aside from these, mentioned earlier, also included are:

Zebra Strips -  Available at intensity levels of 70 and 100 and accessible using the touch screen menu system, this feature puts zebra (black and white) strips on areas that are overexposed and offer an onscreen aide for judging proper exposure.  

Telemacro - This option engages the full length of the camcorders optical zoom for capturing close-up objects.

Histogram - This feature provides a running histogram located at a corner in the screen during shooting.

Guideframes - Selecting this option puts guideframes which is basically a tic-tac-toe board of white lines on the screen to aid composition.

X.V. Color Sony is featuring this technology on four of their new HD camcorders this year. It stands for extended YCC Colorimetry and is a new color space standard that supposedly includes more color variations on account of the HD video. Unfortunately, the only way to view this properly is through a Sony special HD television. No other manufacturer is currently using X.V. Color




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