Sony HDR-SR1 Camcorder Reviewby John NeelyPublished on Oct 25, 2006 12:00 PM
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Widescreen/16:9 Mode (9.0)
The HDR-SR1 captures video natively in widescreen 16:9, but in SD mode, 4:3 is also available. In SD mode, the 4:3 option can be selected in the camcorder’s Home Menu under the Movie Settings tab. The camcorder achieves 4:3 by pillarboxing, or discarding excess information from the sides of the image. Pillarboxing is analogous to letterboxing, where information from the top and bottom of a 4:3 image is discarded to achieve a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Scan Rates/24p (0.0)
The Sony HDR-SR1 records standard 60i video, and does not offer alternate scan rates such as 24p.
Other Features (6.0)
Multifunction Ring - The multifunction ring is one feature that sets this camcorder apart from the vast majority of consumer models, and the only other 2006 consumer camcorders to feature a focus ring are its sibling HDR-UX1 and the Panasonic PV-GS500. Ring controls are both efficient and easy to use, and we’ve watched with dismay as they seem to be included on fewer and fewer camcorders as the years pass, so we’re glad Sony included a ring on the SR1. The ring encircles the lens, has a textured surface, and is nearly as wide as an index finger. The ring shines as a manual focus control, and it is sensitive and responsive. Used with the Expanded Focus feature, it is the best manual focus control on a consumer camcorder this year.
Multifunction Ring - The multifunction ring is one feature that sets this camcorder apart from the vast majority of consumer models, and the only other 2006 consumer camcorders to feature a focus ring are its sibling HDR-UX1 and the Panasonic PV-GS500. Ring controls are both efficient and easy to use, and we’ve watched with dismay as they seem to be included on fewer and fewer camcorders as the years pass, so we’re glad Sony included a ring on the SR1. The ring encircles the lens, has a textured surface, and is nearly as wide as an index finger. The ring shines as a manual focus control, and it is sensitive and responsive. Used with the Expanded Focus feature, it is the best manual focus control on a consumer camcorder this year.
The ring can also be assigned to control Exposure, AE Shift and WB (White Balance) Shift via either the manual Camera Menu, or by pressing and holding the Cam Control button near the ring. This button is a terrific feature because it allows a user to toggle from one ring setting to another without having to enter the menu. After holding the Cam Control button in for a few seconds, a ring control sub-menu appears. Rotating the ring cycles through the ring assignment options, and pressing the Cam Control button again engages each option. The drawback to this arrangement is that it takes several seconds to engage each control – an additional one-touch button would speed up the process – but its still a fast means of making multiple manual adjustments. Given that controls are adjusted by a ring, it equals or surpasses Panasonic’s joystick interface for manual control adjustment. Nicely done, Sony.
Smooth Slow Record - Smooth Slow Record is one of the cooler features included on consumer camcorders this year. It’s a Sony technology made possible by the data transfer rate of CMOS sensors, and records footage in slow-motion that can be viewed nearly instantaneously – after 12 seconds of processing time – in the case of the HDR-SR1. This feat is accomplished by increasing the rate at which fields are recorded from 60fps to 240fps in three-second bursts, and then recording those frames at normal speed. Video shot in Smooth Slow Record mode is dark, because the amount of light recorded is reduced. Smooth Slow Record is a neat party trick, and perhaps even a useful tool for “analyzing golf swings,” as Sony advertises.
Super NightShot Infrared System - Like many of Sony’s consumer camcorders, the HDR-SR1 includes the Super NightShot Infrared System for low or no-light recording. The proprietary system employs an infrared lamp on the front of the camcorder body to illuminate nearby subjects. Video shot in NS mode has a grainy greenish monochrome appearance reminiscent of military night vision footage.
SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System - Super SteadyShot is a Sony-branded EIS (electronic image stabilization) system that Sony calls an “advanced” version of the SteadyShot found on lower-priced consumer camcorders. According to Sony, the HDR-SR1’s EIS is superior to previous SteadyShot iterations, and does not degrade the quality of the video image. EIS systems generally do reduce recorded video resolution, because they use part of the video frame as an electronic buffer, while OIS systems (optical image stabilization) systems retain full picture resolution.
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