Sony HDR-SR12 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Mar 31, 2008 2:25 PM
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Ease of Use (7.5)
One factor that contributes to Sony’s massive popularity with the masses is the little blue button on its camcorders labeled “Easy.” Easy mode transports the shooter into a control-free autopilot mode. When Easy mode is engaged, the Camera menu is not even available and options within the Home menu are whittled down considerably. Easy mode relies solely on the camcorder’s auto capabilities, and the HDR-SR12 is no slouch in the Automatic Controls department, though the autofocus could have been faster. The LCD screen text and buttons also double in size and are easier to press. One thing to be aware of when shooting in Easy mode is that Auto Slow Shutter is enabled. If you shoot in low light environments, the lower shutter speed will drop down to 1/30, giving your video a choppier look than the standard 1/60. In most cases, though, Easy mode is the life raft for consumers who have never picked up a camcorder.
Outside Easy mode is the real world of Manual Controls and additional options. Sony’s clean and organized Home menu keeps everything intact, though you’ll want to budget some time to familiarize yourself with the layout before a big shoot. All Manual Controls are laid out in the Functions menu, in addition to Digital and Picture Effects. The HDR-SR12 has a nifty Cam Control dial that allows for instant Focus, Exposure, AE Shift, and White Balance Shift control. The dial is far superior to the HDR-HC7 and HDR-HC9’s minute and finicky Cam Control wheel. It’s also more comfortable than the Canon HV20 and HV30’s dial, but the overall handling on the Canons are arguably better than the Sony SR12 because it uses a joystick as the primary interface device rather than a touch screen. The HDR-SR12’s trusty Home menu system is intuitive and easy to use. Buttons are a snap to press with the extra real estate offered by the 3.2-inch wide LCD design. Overall, this design should stand as an example to other manufacturers.
Now let’s talk media. The HDR-SR12 records to a gargantuan 120GB HDD, which offers nearly 10 hours of recording capacity at the highest quality setting. Forget about tapes and DVDs—just point, shoot, and record. The only issue with such a gigantic storage solution is that video clips have a tendency to get swallowed up among hundreds of other clips. Fortunately, you can browse clips by date. You can also segment large clips into different time intervals to reach a particular portion of the clip. And when it works, you can sort by a facial recognition system, also. To top it all off, the HDR-SR12 has a Memory Stick PRO Duo slot for additional space. This way, all digital stills can be captured to Memory Stick while video can be recorded to the HDD. Ample storage is great, but you’ll need power—lots of it within a span of 10 hours. You’ll want to add a couple NP-FH70 battery packs to the HDR-SR12’s camera bag.
Handling (7.0)
What words are left after you’ve taken a countryside tour in a Rolls Royce? The HDR-SR12 is the current Rolls Royce of the camcorder world. Its ergonomics are wicked, its appearance is devilish, and its architecture is sultry. The HDR-SR12 has set a new standard in terms of design, grip, and feel. The JVC GZ-HD6 is not built like this. The Canon HF10 is not built like this. Good luck finding a warrior that handles as fierce as the HDR-SR12. Keep in mind this is not a pint-sized camcorder. The HDR-SR12 is a hulking beast with a whopping 120GB HDD stuffed in its rotund chassis. While portability takes a blow, handling revels in the full-bodied frothiness of the HDR-SR12’s gladiatorial dimensions.
Not only does the HDR-SR12 slay most other camcorders on the runway, but it feels great in the hand. When you slide your hand into the HDR-SR12, your fingers instantly gravitate toward the steep HDD enclosure, which prevents your fingers from overshooting the microphone and hot shoe on top. The index finger falls directly atop the Zoom toggle while the thumb aligns with the Record Start/Stop button like a lunar eclipse. Despite the HDR-SR12’s weight, you can’t feel it as much because this is a balanced camcorder. The hand strap lacks the padded, breathable mesh liner popularized by models like the HDR-HC7, but it is anchored to the body of the camcorder at just the right points. Because of this, the HDR-SR12 will not flop to the side, but will remain ratcheted to the hand.
The HDR-SR12 is one of the few camcorders to utilize a pivoting viewfinder. The benefit of a viewfinder encompasses salvaging battery power and blocking intimidating rays from the sun. Sony keeps this “old-school” alternative monitor alive, and we give Sony a shout out for that. Your other monitor is a 3.2-inch wide touch-screen LCD—finally! So many Sony camcorder reviews could be summarized as “2.7-inch wide touch-screen LCDs + the average finger = infinite frustration.” With this larger screen size, the buttons are big and responsive enough to get the job done—we can now fly though the HDR-SR12’s Home menu with ease.
Another perk is the HDR-SR12’s Cam Control dial, borrowed from the HDR-UX7. This knurled metal knob controls Focus, Exposure, Aperture Priority, and White Balance Priority, all in a press and a turn. The Cam Control dial is smooth like a good dark lager. We’d like to see a lens ring, but the HDR-SR12 wears the pants as far as Manual Control devices. The GZ-HD6, Canon HF10, and Panasonic HDC-HS9 cannot contend with this level of adjustment.
In terms of design, Sony took a trip to the 007 laboratories and spent a week with Q. The port covers are exceedingly cunning, disappearing into the HDR-SR12’s body. There are no flimsy rubberized, tethered enclosures—just covert doors, shields, and panels that not only function beautifully, but look darn sexy. Cheers, Sony—the HDR-SR12 is a glorious camcorder to behold.
Menu (6.0)
Following in the legacy of the Sony HDR-SR1, HDR UX7, and HDR-CX7, the HDR-SR12 employs the same Home menu structure. Sony’s Home menu system is relatively simple. All Manual controls are located in the Camera menu while the administrative tasks can be tackled in the Home menu. The touch screen interface is a bit of a love-or-hate phenomenon. The good news is that options can be selected rapidly and there is no need for a Joystick or d-pad. The bad news is that the LCD screen tends to display smudges from fingerprints, which could alter your perception of the image and make it difficult to adjust Focus. As long as you wipe the LCD screen down religiously, you should be fine.
The Movie Settings section of the Home menu
The Camera menu can be accessed by pressing the Function menu button located in the bottom right corner of the LCD screen. The Camera menu contains the following options:
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Camera Menu |
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| Camera 1 | Focus, Spot Focus, Tele Macro |
| Camera 2 | Exposure, Spot Meter, AE Shift, Scene Selection |
| Camera 3 | White Balance, WB Shift, Color Slow Shutter, Super NightShot |
| Camera 4 | Fader, Digital Effect, Picture Effect |
| Camera 5 | Record Mode, Built-In Zoom Mic, Micref Level, Flash Mode |
The Camera menu
The HDR-SR12’s Home menu is accessed by pressing the Home button, located in the top left corner of the LCD screen. The Home menu consists of the following items:
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Home Menu |
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| Camera | Movie, Photo, Smooth Slow Record |
| View Images | Visual Index, Movie Index, Photo Index, Playlist |
| Others | Delete, Photo Capture, Movie Dub, Photo Copy, Edit, Playlist Edit, Print, USB Connect, TV Connect Guide |
| Manage Media | Movie Media Set, Photo Media Set, Media Info, Media Format, Repair Image Database File |
| Settings | Movie Settings, Photo Settings, View Images Set, Sound/Display Set, Output Settings, Clock/Language, General Set |
The Home menu
The HDR-SR12’s Cam Control dial is accessed by pressing the center button. A sub menu appears containing options for Focus, Exposure, Aperture Priority, and White Balance Priority. To scroll though the sub menu, turn the dial to the left or right. The center button selects a particular option.
The Cam Control dial menu
Portability (6.25)
Toting around a brick with a 120GB HDD does not sound like an enjoyable experience, but the HDR-SR12 is compact enough to fit in a small or medium-sized camera bag. You definitely cannot pocket the HDR-SR12 like you can the Panasonic HDC-SD9. Fortunately, Sony kept the HDR-SR12’s dimensions to 83 x 76 x 138mm (3 3/8 x 3 x 5 1/2 in.) and the weight down to 650 grams (1 pound, 4 ounces). The tradeoff here is handling. If you want compact, go for the Canon HF10 or Panasonic HDC-SD9. If you want a camcorder that is built like a tank and can take a minor beating on the road, then the HDR-SR12 is your steed. The rivaling JVC-GZ-HD6 does not feature a construction that is as sleek and durable as the HDR-SR12’s. The only issue with large capacity HDDs is that you will need enough power to support the extended recording times. We recommend stocking up on a couple NP-FH70 battery packs before you hit the road.
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The 3.2-inch, 921,600-pixel LCD |
The electronic color viewfinder |
LCD and Viewfinder (10.2)
The HDR-SR12 is equipped with one of the finest monitors available in the camcorder world—a 3.2-inch wide LCD screen. The screen flips out 90 degrees from the body of the camcorder and rotates up to 270 degrees. The HDR-SR12’s LCD screen has a 921,600-pixel display and resists solarizing at steep angles. Since Sony’s touch-screen system demands full usage of the LCD screen during most administrative tasks, it helps to have bigger buttons to press and more surface area to play with. Embedded within the LCD panel are buttons for Home, Zoom Out, Zoom In, and Record Start/Stop.
The HDR-SR12 also has a viewfinder, a feature that resides in the “Where Are They Now?” files. Many manufacturers are casting the viewfinder aside to appease the smallness factor, but Sony comes correct with the HDR-SR12’s 123,000-pixel pivoting viewfinder. That massive 3.2-inch LCD screen is not so easy on battery juice—a viewfinder will save your behind for a couple additional minutes when you see the blinking red battery icon of death. The dioptric adjuster is located underneath the viewfinder’s shaft.
Battery Life (9.2)
We tested the life of the HDR-SR12’s NP-FH60 rechargeable battery pack by shooting continuously in Manual mode with the LCD open and OIS disabled until the battery ran out of juice. Since the HDR-SR12 records to a massive 120GB HDD, there is plenty of space to store a single clip. The HDR-SR12 lasted 91 minutes and 58 seconds (1 hour, 31 minutes, and 58 seconds). The HDR-UX7’s NP-FH70 battery pack lasted 121 minutes and 19 seconds (2 hours, 1 minute, and 38 seconds). It would be wise to upgrade to a couple NP-FH70s for the road.
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