Sony HDR-SR12 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Mar 31, 2008 2:25 PM
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Compression (7.25)
The Sony HDR-SR12 compresses video in the AVCHD format. This is Sony’s third generation for this type of format, as it is for Canon and Panasonic, and AVCHD appears to finally be maturing into the format it was promised to be. First-generation AVCHD performance from Sony disappointed us with heavy artifacting. Though the first HDD model, the HDR-SR1, had a maximum bitrate of 15 Mbps that was fast for its time, it failed to measure up to HDV.
The new HDR-SR12 only increases that bitrate slightly to 16 Mbps, but there have been other improvements. The outputted resolution has increased from 1440 x 1080 to 1920 x 1080. The sensor and processor have been overhauled, making for huge improvement in noise reduction. Side-by-side, there is a world of improvement between the first and third generation.
That said, Sony is behind the curve compared to Canon and Panasonic, both of which released AVCHD camcorders capable of 17 Mbps. The results do not appear to make a huge difference in video quality, though Canon showed the least “trailing” in moving objects, as well as the sharpest image overall.
The Sony HDR-SR12 offers four quality settings, located in the fifth tab of the Camera menu. Settings include: HD FH (16 Mbps), HD HQ (9 Mbps), HD SP (7 Mbps), and HD LP (5 Mbps).
Media (8.25)
Sony released two nearly identical high-end hard disk drive (HDD) camcorders that differ only in capacity. The HDR-SR11 offers a 60 GB HDD, and the HDR-SR12 doubles that to 120 GB. According to the SonyStyle website, the capacities should allow for approximately these record times:
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Quality
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HDR-SR11
(60GB) |
HDR-SR12 |
| HD FH |
430 min.
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890 min.
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| HD HQ |
880 min.
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1780 min.
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| HD SP |
1070 min.
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2160 min.
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| HD LP |
1370 min.
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2880 min
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The HDD media obviously has capacity on its side. No tape, DVD, or memory card can touch 60 GB, let alone 120 GB. However, HDD has its own dangers. An over-reliance on the vast recording time may dissuade people from making regular back-ups. Though the camcorder does its best to protect the HDD, one bad spill could ruin all your memories.
Editing (4.0)
Editing AVCHD footage has gotten much easier since its inception as more software manufacturers hop on the AVCHD train, but you’ll still need a powerful computer to work with these dense files. Even middle-of-the-road computers purchased within the last couple of years create a maddeningly slow workflow.
The HDR-SR12 ships with Picture Motion Browser Ver.3.0.00, software that allows you to import clips, piece together simple movies, and export them to the media of your choice for sharing. For very basic home use, this will suffice. More experienced or ambitious editors will want to invest in better software. Sony would no doubt recommend Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition. Other options include Pinnacle Studio 11 and Ulead Video Studio 11.
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