Sony HDR-HC9 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Feb 25, 2008 3:31 PM 
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Ease of Use (7.5)
Nothing says easy like Sony’s Easy mode. Easy mode covers a lot of ground for Sony, allowing inexperienced shooters to behold the power of HDV, yet on a simplified scale. The HDR-HC9 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $0.00)’s menus are intimidating and scroll on for what seems like eons. However, one press of the Easy button sends you to Basic Town. The menu shrinks down to just four buttons—Record Format, Beep, Clock Set, and Display Guide—and all manual controls are disabled. The Guide is also available, which is really a set of quick tutorials that expound on subjects like how to add an effect and how to connect your camcorder to an external monitor. Anyone who has never touched a camcorder before will be an expert in Easy mode.
If Easy mode is just not fun anymore and you want to throw some spice into your cinematography, you will be greeted with an extensive menu system that is miles away from the organizational bliss of Sony’s popular “Home” menu. The HDR-HC9’s menu just rambles on and on. There are too many options in the Camera Settings tab, and SteadyShot control is buried at the bottom of the list. Audio levels are also hiding out in the Standard Settings tab. Fortunately, the HDR-HC9 includes a sub menu, called the P-Menu. The P-Menu is three pages long and composed of the most popular menu selections, such as Focus, Exposure, and White Balance—basically all your manual controls. You can also customize the P-Menu to include all of your favorites, which will save you lots of time.
We all know that HDD and flash camcorders are the easiest to shoot with and import. They can also store hours of footage and are highly durable. Tape-based camcorders are not so easy to deal with because they function just like a mini VCR. You have to rewind and fast forward. If you want to import your footage into your favorite NLE, capturing is real-time, which means you have to wait for the entire portion of footage to play at regular speed while the program interprets the data. DVD camcorders are the worst choices for editing because they hold the least amount of footage, are susceptible to scratches, and require abnormal amounts of time to Finalize. At least you get a solid hour out of a tape. Just be prepared for those long capture times.
Handling (6.0)
Handling the HDR-HC9 has not changed at all since last year’s HCD-HC7. The camcorder feels very well made, there’s no doubt about that. It feels great in the hand, and the build quality feels much more solid than the Canon HV20 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $903) or HV30 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $0.00). The mode dial and zoom toggle are well placed. The HC9 has the one of the most comfortable hand straps we’ve seen, a soft pad with breathable mesh, and it’s fully adjustable for the smallest to the largest hands. The port covers are all sturdy.
So that’s the good news. The bad news is that the methods for making manual adjustments could have been improved since last year, but Sony chose not to invest in HDV (no surprises). The touch-screen LCD, which is the primary interface device, will always have its fans and its detractors. On the whole, touch screens seem to be good for point-and-shooters and those who only need to make occasional adjustments. Frequent use leads to greasy fingerprints, which can be problematic, especially when manually focusing. And because all menu items need to be large enough to touch, the menu is very large and lengthy.
The Cam Control dial on the left side of the camcorder is a good idea, but poorly executed. There are several problems with this, any of which could have been avoided by retaining the full lens ring from the first generation Sony HDV camcorder, the HDC-HC1. But this small dial is what we have to work with here. One issue is that each side of the dial is buffered by two hard, plastic humps that make it difficult to maneuver. Second, the dial has no resistance when you turn it, making it difficult to make fine adjustments (especially focus) without overshooting your target. We love the fact that it can be used to adjust so many picture elements – focus, exposure, shutter speed, AE Shift, and WB Shift – but the lackluster feel of the dial definitely costs the camcorder some points.
Cam Control dial menu in action
Menu (6.0)
The menu interface on the HDR-HC9 is mediocre. First off, you’ve got a touch screen, which accumulates smudges and clouds the screen, making it particularly difficult to focus accurately. In addition, the HDR-HC9 is the only high-end Sony not to employ the user-friendly “Home menu” style (seen on the HDR-UX7 (Review, Specs, $0.00) (Review, Specs, $0.00) and others). The Home menu organizationally excels by using a tabbed menu structure, which reduces long, scrolling lists. The HDR-HC9’s menu, on the other hand, is chock full of long, scrolling lists. The Cam Control dial and P-Menu reduce cut a few corners, but the Camera Set menu still contains 25 items. You can fix this problem by customizing the P-Menu. We recommend doing this right out of the box.
In order to access the P-Menu, press the P-Menu button located in the bottom right corner of the LCD screen. The P-Menu contains the following default options:
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Video P-Menu |
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| Page 1 | Menu, Display Guide, Scene Select, Smooth Slow Record, Tele Macro, Fader |
| Page 2 | Focus, Exposure, Shutter Speed, AE Shift, WB Shift, White Balance |
| Page 3 | Spot Meter + Focus, Dial Set, Beep, Clock Set, Language, P-Menu Setup |
The P-Menu
Press the menu button to cue the Main menu. Here, you’ll find the master reel of options:
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Video Menu |
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| Camera Set | Scene Select, Spot Meter + Focus, Spot Meter, Exposure, White Balance, Sharpness, Shutter Speed, Auto Slow Shutter, AE Shift, Camera Color, WB Shift, Spot Focus, Focus, Tele Macro, Peaking, Flash Set, Super NightShot, NS Light, Color Slow Shutter, Zebra, Histogram, Self-Timer, Digital Zoom, SteadyShot, Conv. Lens, Dial Set, x.v. Color |
| Picture Applications | Fader, D. Effect, Pict. Effect, Smooth Slow Record, Demo Mode |
| Edit/Play | End Search |
| Standard Set | Record Format, DV Set, Volume, Mic Level, LCD/VF Set, Component, i.LINK Conv., TV Type, Display Guide, Status Check, Guideframe, Center Marker, Color Bar, Remaining Tape, Remote Control, Rec Lamp, Beep, Display Output, Menu Rotate, Auto Shutoff, Quick Record |
| Time/Language | Clock Set, World Time, Language |
The main menu
Portability (5.5)
The HDR-HC9 is not the most compact camcorder on the block, but it won’t make you feel like a pack mule. With measurements of 3 1/4 x 3 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches (82 x 82 x 138mm) and a weight of 1 pound, 6 ounces (650 grams), you’ll need a medium-sized camcorder bag with plenty of zip pouches told hold MiniDV tapes, backup batteries, and necessary cables. The good news is that the HDR-HC9 is a golden handler—this camcorder feels great and will not strain you during a long day of shooting. The Canon HV30, on the other hand, will dig into your hand and require breaks. Also, the HV30’s construction does not match the rugged architecture of the HDR-HC9, so expect this camcorder to last.
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LCD and Viewfinder (7.5)
The HDR-HC9 is equipped with a 2.7-inch LCD screen with a 211,200 pixel count. Sony has increased the pixel count from the HDR-HC7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $0.00) (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1128.56) and branded the new display as a Photo LCD Plus screen. The new LCD screen flips out 90 degrees from the body of the camcorder, and rotates up to 270 degrees. The picture is crisp and resists solarization at steep angles. A vertical strip of controls align the left side of the LCD panel—Zoom In, Zoom Out, and Record Start/Stop. This aids two-handed shooting and makes life easier for LCD lovers.
The HDR-HC9 is also equipped with a wide, rubberized viewfinder that extends a full inch from the back of the camcorder. Sony has completely trumped the HV30 here by implementing a quality alternative monitor on its top-end HDV. The HV30’s viewfinder is not rubberized, does not extend, and is too small and buried into the back of the camcorder to use with comfort. In an age where viewfinders are diminishing, it’s nice to see a camcorder with a quality eye piece. The dioptric adjuster is located on the right side of the viewfinder’s shaft.
Battery Life (10.6)
The Sony HDR-HC9 ships with the NP-FH60 battery pack. The battery tucks nicely into the body, yet the camcorder allows for extended life batteries, if desired. We tested the battery for longevity by recording continuously. The LCD was open, and no manual controls were engaged. The battery held out for quite awhile before finally kicking the bucket at 106 minutes and 2 seconds (1 hour, 46 minutes, and 2 seconds).