Sony HDR-SR1 First Impressions Camcorder Review

Automatic Control
The HDR-SR1 features Sony’s ubiquitous Easy Handycam Mode, which we expect to offer the company’s excellent automatic control performance. In addition to this mode which places the camcorder in full-auto, the HDR-SR1 also has automatic controls for Spot Focus and Spot Metering. These features provide users with the ability to fine-tune the camcorder’s automatic controls by selecting small parts of the screen for calibrating focus and exposure. The HDR-SR1 should be exceptionally as easy to operate in Easy Handycam mode as its standard definition Sony predecessors, with the addition of its high definition video capability.

Overall Manual Control
The HDR-SR1 includes manual controls found on some of Sony’s top camcorders, and improves upon them with its multifunction manual control ring.  This ring is similar to the one we lauded in our reviews of the HDR-HC1, and is also found on the new HDR-UX1 AVCHD DVD camcorder. The multi-function ring is a pleasure to use with a smooth feel and a studded surface that provides lots of purchase.  The ring also benefits from the lens barrel's diameter, much larger than on the DCR-DVD505, giving the ring the kind of natural feel that comes with larger camcorders.  
 
The works for focus and exposure adjustments, as well as AE-Shift and WB Shift, based on which manual control mode is selected.  This camcorder also has a zebra pattern option that can be set at 70 or 100, a feature seldom seen on a camcorder at this price point.  Manual controls are not Sony’s traditional strength in the consumer camcorder market, but the HDR-SR1 boasts a relatively strong feature set.  While not quite comparable to the range of manual controls offered on Panasonic camcorders, the multifunction ring is the best we’ve seen on a Sony consumer camcorder since the HDR-HC1. It really brings this camcorder to a different level.
 
The HDR-SR1 camcorder retains Sony’s touch screen interface for manual controls not adjustable via the ring, and our usual criticisms of this control apply. Touch screen LCD’s get dirty – there’s no escaping finger grease, and this can impair a user’s ability to assess an image.  Though we must say that the 3.5 in. size of this LCD screen makes it less of a pain then their typicall 2.7 in. screens. Although touch screens are an efficient and user-friendly means of menu navigation, they are less than ideal for making manual control adjustments. We prefer manual controls to be governed by external controls, like the multifunction ring on this camcorder, or the joysticks found on Panasonics. External manual controls don’t clutter the display, or require you to touch touch the screen while shooting. The camcorder does allow manual control over focus and aperture via the touch screen, this would be preferable when the ring is out of reach, such as during overhead shooting.

Overall, we're thrillled to see shades of the Sony we knew from long ago, the Sony that wasn't afraid to load a consumer camcorder up with features rather than the undeviating protection of its pro line. Really the only weaknesses on manual control are the lack of Shutter Speed and gain control.

Zoom
The HDR-SR1 offers 10x optical zoom and 80x digital zoom. Like most Sony camcorders, it provides you with two sets of zoom controls. The primary device is the zoom toggle located on top. It’s always a pleasure to see a good zoom toggle. Chances are this is the manual control that gets the most use over a camcorder’s lifetime, so you’d better like it before you buy it. We do; the zoom toggle is raised above the body of the camcorder, and pivots back and forth with a decent amount of tension. You can get about three distinct zoom speeds, depending on how hard you press.

The second zoom controls are located on the LCD panel just below the screen – two little buttons (W and T) that are not pressure sensitive and move the zoom at a fixed, medium speed. While convenient for left hand zoom operation, they offer far less control. We really love it when camcorders include two zoom controls.

Focus
Focus is perhaps the most crucial manual control for high definition, even more so than standard definition. When you have a picture with four times the resolution of standard definition, your audience is that much more likely to wince at an out of focus image. Even slight focus problems come to the forefront. There are two ways to deal with this issue. The first is to let the camcorder take control of the focus on its own. Sonys have great automatic control, so you usually don’t have to sweat it.

The second option is manual adjustment. Manual control freaks will likely leap for joy when the see the multi-function ring, which can adjust focus. Wide enough to provide a comfortable grip, the ring is also textured with a rough feel, so even a sweaty-palmed student filmmaker will be able to operate it effectively. Don’t like the adjustments you’re making? You can revert to automatic control by pushing the Manual Control button on the left side of the lens barrel. This is an excellent feature, and one of the strong points of the HDR-SR1.

One helpful feature missing from the HDR-SR1 is an extended focus. Called Expanded Focus on the HDR-HC1, this feature performed a quick, 4x digital zoom to help with manual focusing, then jumped back to your original framing automatically.

Exposure (Aperture)
Exposure can be adjusted on the HDR-SR1, via the touch screen menu or the multi-function ring, in EV steps of 23 increments (plus or minus 11). There is no direct aperture control in F-stops, however. The multi-function ring also gives you the option for AE shift. The ring is a great time-saver here, particularly for those who find Sony's touch screen menus a bit cumbersome to wade through.

Shutter Speed
The camcorder does not offer manual shutter speed control. While Sony’s HDR-HC1 included this feature, it was dropped by the time the HDR-HC3 was released. Full manual shutter speed would, of course, nicely round out the manual control suite, but I guess we can’t get everything.

White Balance
The white balance on the HDR-SR1 can be adjusted in three ways. First, there are the pre-sets that come standard on most Sony camcorders. They include automatic, outdoor, and indoor settings. Pre-set white balances are rarely the best option for shooting, as they merely approximate what your shooting environment actually calls for. The automatic white balance on Sonys is generally very good but manual control is always best. Preliminary testing showed that the HDR-SR1 performs just as well.

The second method is performing a manual white balance. This is a simple manual adjustment that many novices do not feel comfortable making. But a good white balance can make a huge difference in image quality. Sony calls their method “One push,” and it’s as simple as it sounds.

The third method is to use the white balance shift, offered through the multi-function ring. When activated, it allows you to adjust the red and blue channels to adjust for more subtle changes (i.e., shooting outdoors on a partly cloudy day). This is a very handy feature indeed, and allows you to side-step the more ham-handed approach of pre-sets when you can't perform a manual white balance.

Gain
There is no manual gain on the Sony HDR-SR1. Despite all the improvements from Sony with this new product line, Panasonic is still the only camcorder that provides manual gain on their consumer camcorders. That Sony continues to abstain from such a desireable and convenient feature is a more than a tad frustrating. It's a $1500 camcorder. The buyer deserves it.