Sony HDR-SR7 First Impressions Reviewby Michael PerlmanPublished on May 23, 2007 1:55 PM
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Compression
Like the Sony HDR-SR5 and MemoryStick-based CX7, the HDR-SR7 uses AVCHD compression, originally developed by Sony and Panasonic. The first glimpse of AVCHD was introduced on the Sony HDR-SR1 and HDR-UX1, and the format has exploded on the scene ever since. The reason is that AVCHD allows for HD video encoding that is 50% more efficient than MPEG-2 HDV compression. This is not to say AVCHD yields the best picture—currently, the highest bitrate available is 15Mbps, but the format is capable of reaching 24Mbps.
AVCHD is compatible with DVD, flash, and HDD camcorders, which could be a definitive selling point compared to HDV’s tape media. Consumers are drifting toward ease of use more gradually as time goes on, and a camcorder that allows you to hookup, drag and drop, and export on the fly is more alluring than manually capturing HDV footage that creates mega files sizes. The problem with AVCHD is that it’s still only recognized by a few NLEs: Sony Vegas 7.0e, Ulead Video Studio 11, and Pinnacle Studio 11. Though this is a nice foray into the land of AVCHD compatibility, we are still waiting on Adobe Premiere, Apple Final Cut, and Avid to get their acts together. In addition, editing with AVCHD will cause a strain on most computers due to its increased compression and decompression of the new codec. If you’re looking for optimal video performance and editing options, HDV would be the best bet while waiting for AVCHD’s storm cloud of trial and error to blow over.
The SR7 supports 4 different bitrates when shooting AVCHD: 15Mbps in XP, 9Mbps in HQ, 7Mbps in SP, and 5Mbps in LP. The camcorder can also shoot in standard definition MPEG-2 in three quality settings: HQ - 9Mbps, SP - 6Mbps, and LP - 3Mbps.
Media
What’s easier than a hard drive-based camcorder? At the moment, nothing. You record your footage, hook it up to a computer, drag and drop your MPEG-2 files, and do a dance. The SR7 is equipped with a massive 60GB HDD—that’s up to 8 hours of recording time in the highest quality (XP), 14 hours in HQ, 17 hours in SP, and 22 hours in LP. In standard definition, the SR7 can record 14 hours of footage in HQ, 21 hours in SP, and 41 hours in LP. Thanks to the HDD’s silent design, you won’t get the whirring and buzzing emitted by a tape or spinning DVD. In addition, the SR7 has a drop detection system that automatically shuts the camcorder off mid-fall or whenever it experiences a drastic gravity shift. A MemoryStick PRO Duo slot is located in the LCD cavity for recording stills. On any Sony camcorder, you’ll notice that all accessories will not be universal—they are proprietary, and it'll be Sony or nothing. No SD card like you’d find on a Panasonic or Canon. Just MemoryStick action.
Editing
We have good news for those who almost clicked finalize on their AVCHD camcorder eBay listing—AVCHD editing is here! Sony Vegas 7.0e, Ulead Video Studio 11, and Pinnacle Studio 11 all support the new compression. The downside is that you’re going to need a lightning fast computer in order to handle the heavy compression/decompression. The SR7 ships with Picture Motion Browser 2.0, an exceedingly basic video editing program crafted for Sony’s HDD camcorders. Don’t expect fireworks here—Picture Motion Browser 2.0 is merely for those looking to piece together clips and export without flashy transitions and effects.
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