Sony HDR-SR1 Camcorder Reviewby John NeelyPublished on Oct 25, 2006 12:00 PM 
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Ease of Use (7.0)
Sony’s consumer camcorder line is known for their ease of use. In auto mode, this camcorder makes fast and generally accurate adjustments to exposure, focus, white balance and other image attributes. For those plan to use this camcorder manual control features, the new menu structure offers improvements over previous Sonys in terms of how quickly controls can be accessed. In that sense, this camcorder does indeed make manual controls easier to use.
Unfortunately the new streamlined menu comes at a cost. We find that some of the options users are most likely to use during a shoot are found in both the Home Menu and Camera Menu, while a few are only in the Home Menu. In addition, the tabs at the bottom of both menus are neither labeled, nor designated by icons that provide a clue to their contents. The lack of signposting in this camcorder’s menus makes it difficult for someone new to the menu to locate options. While we would rather have a menu that allows fast access to options, the HDR-SR1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99) has lost the text-driven simplicity of Sony’s other consumer camcorders.
One other factor contributes to making this perhaps the most user-friendly HD camcorder to date. Recording video with this HDD camcorder requires no external media, so unlike MiniDV or DVD camcorders, there’s never a tape or disc to lose.
Handling (7.5)
By consumer camcorder standards, the Sony HDR-SR1 is a behemoth – a good 1/3 larger than their new DCR-SR80 (Review, Specs, $699.99) HDD standard definition model. This means the SR1 has a different feel than the more compact camcorders that users have become accustomed to in recent years. Essentially it’s a considerably scaled-up version of the new SR80, and even makes the un-svelte SR100 (Review, Specs, $999) look small, but some will find the added size refreshing. It feels like a solid device in your hand, and the added weight makes holding a steady shot a bit easier than with a feather-weight camcorder. The multifunction ring may be our favorite element of the HDR-SR1. Holding in the cam control button, on the left side of the lens barrel, toggles through ring options for focus, exposure, AE shift, and WB shift. The lack of a ring zoom option is a shame, but the zoom lever works well enough.
The new menu is certainly an improvement over the one used in every other Sony camcorder this year (except for the HDR-SR1). In essence, they’ve managed to increase the width and decrease the depth, which saves precious time scrolling through a miles-long menu. It’s not a perfect system, and has some confusing redundancies, but overall, it improves handling a great deal.
The HDR-SR1 doesn’t handle like a professional camcorder, but it’s among the best of the consumer camcorders we’ve seen lately.
Portability (6.5)
The Sony HDR-SR1 measures 78mm x 84mm x 165mm (3.1” x 3.3” x 6.5”) and weighs 720g (1 lb. 9 oz.) with the included NP-FM50 battery pack attached. As noted, this camcorder is larger than most consumer camcorders, so it's certainly not as portable as many on the market. Yet this is a high definition unit with a huge LCD screen and a multifunction ring, and the only HD camcorder that’s appreciably smaller in the Canon HV 10. The SR1 is also marginally smaller than the UX1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $729.95), and requires no media other than its onboard HDD. Pound for pound, that makes the HDR-SR1 one of the strongest camcorders on the market – even if you can’t slip it into your pocket.
LCD/Viewfinder (10.0)
On the plus side, touch screens make for fast menu operation. While they may be great for menu navigation, touch screens are poor interfaces for manual image control. Constantly touching surface of the screen leaves fingerprints and smears that impair your ability to assess the picture accurately, not to mention being unsightly. For manual image control, we prefer joysticks, and best of all, joysticks that allow for one-handed operation. The size of this screen does make operating controls and tapping buttons more pleasant than a cramped 2.7-inch screen with tiny buttons, and the new menu structure adds to the efficiency. Thankfully, the HDR-SR1 also includes the excellent multifunction ring, so you won’t need to use the screen for the most common image control adjustments.
The Sony HDR-SR1 is equipped with the 3.5-inch touch screen we’re becoming accustomed to seeing on Sony’s high-end consumer camcorders. In a world where 2.7-inch screens seemed generously sized only yesterday, Sony’s 3.5-inch LCDs with resolutions of 211,200 pixels impress. In addition to leading the industry in screen dimensions, Sony’s LCDs can be viewed at extreme angles that make most screens solarize into illegibility. In short, this screen is huge, and produces a sharp and beautiful image.
Of course, the screen on the SR1 is also the camcorder’s primary control and menu interface, and long time readers know that we have mixed feelings about touch screens. Many users love touch screens, and the popularity of Sony camcorders seems to bear this out. Users who put a premium on efficient and accurate image control hate them, which is why no manufacturer, including Sony, uses touch screens on pro camcorders.
Of course, the screen on the SR1 is also the camcorder’s primary control and menu interface, and long time readers know that we have mixed feelings about touch screens. Many users love touch screens, and the popularity of Sony camcorders seems to bear this out. Users who put a premium on efficient and accurate image control hate them, which is why no manufacturer, including Sony, uses touch screens on pro camcorders.
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The EVF tilts up to about 40 degree. |
The color EVF (electronic viewfinder) tilts up to about a 40 degree angle, from the camcorder body to allow for more comfortable viewing, but it cannot be extended. For a consumer camcorder, it’s large and quite comfortable, with an eyepiece that can be placed flush against your face. The LCD and viewfinder cannot be operated at the same time, and the EVF provides only a modest battery life boost over the LCD.
Battery Life (10.1)
The HDR-SR1 includes an NP-FM50 battery pack, which can be upgraded to longer life batteries available from Sony. We tested the included battery for continuous shooting duration. Without engaging manual controls or menu options, we found the battery to last 101 minutes and 17 seconds (1 hours 21 minute, 17 seconds). This counts as average battery life, and clocks in at about 20 minutes shy of the HDR-UX1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $729.95)’s shooting duration with the same battery pack.
