Sony HDR-HC9 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Feb 25, 2008 3:31 PM
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Audio (8.0)
Like nearly all consumer camcorders, the HDR-HC9’s audio recording options are not adequate for most power shooters. Therefore, a boom mic would be a wise investment, and the HDR-HC9 is equipped with a hot shoe and mic jack to make that happen. Unfortunately, Sony’s Active Interface Shoe (AIS) is only compatible with Sony products, but there are aftermarket adapters that allow for third-party mics to be attached.
The built-in microphone has manual level control, which allows you to accommodate for soft and loud sounds. The manual level control is found in Standard Settings and features a 32-notch bar that enables you to set the decibel level by pressing the + or – buttons. You can also keep the levels in auto, which adjust automatically.
The HDR-HC9 also includes a headphone jack, which will work great coupled with a nice boom mic.
Playback (5.5)
Playback on a tape camcorder is very straightforward. If you’ve owned a VCR, you know how this works: fast forward, rewind, etc. The big limitation of tape is that you can’t jump around from scene to scene like you can with DVD, HDD, and flash media. The VCR buttons appear on the LCD as touch-screen controls.
The playback controls as they appear onscreen
During playback, the zoom toggle can apply a digital zoom of up to 5x. But with the zoom toggle tied up serving this function, the volume control had to be buried in the menu. The HDR-C9 offers variables-speed playback, which can perform slow motion or go frame by frame.
Connectivity (11.0)
The HDR-HC9 is stocked with a well rounded arsenal of ports. Next to the microphone in front is a mic jack, housed by a thin plastic cover. On top is Sony’s proprietary Active Interface Shoe (AIS), which supports—you guessed it—Sony products. If you plan on using a third-party boom mic or video light, there are adapters on the market that enable compatibility.
On the left side of the HDR-HC9 is where most of the terminals hide. A rugged plastic door swings down beneath the LCD screen to reveal the LANC (tripod remote), iLink, component out, A/V-out, and headphone jacks. Organization here is superb, but cables might prove to be a hindrance when attempting to review footage on the LCD screen.
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LANC, Firewire, component-out, |
Microphone-in |
In back you’ll find the HDMI terminal and DC input covered by thick plastic shields. One thing Sony has excelled at with the HDR-HC9 is craftsmanship. While most camcorders, especially the Canon HV30, tend to skimp on port covers, Sony’s can take a beating.
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HDMI and DC power |
Hot accessory shoe |
USB and MemoryStick Duo card slot |
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