Sony HDR-UX1 First Impressions Camcorder Review

by John Neely
Published on Jul 26, 2006 4:30 PM

Intro Performance
Format Tour
Auto / Manual Controls Still Features
Handling and Use
Audio / Playback / Connectivity
Other Features Comparisons / Conclusion
   



Audio
Thanks to the addition of external microphone and headphone jacks, the HDR-UX1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $729.95) has the capability to record professional quality audio with third-party microphones. The mic jack is mounted on the right side of the camcorder’s lens barrel, just behind the multifunction ring. This is a convenient placement that does not interfere with handling or manual adjustments made using the ring. The headphone jack is also located on the camcorder’s right side but at the opposite end of the body, which is a similarly appropriate jack location. By giving the HDR-UX1 a capacity for professional sound acquisition, Sony has created a much more desirable device and, perhaps, opened up a market for professional production using DVD media. We could not be more pleased with Sony for listening to market demands (and perhaps, our own small pleas) for these jacks. Thank you.


The HDR-UX1's headphone jack (left) and mic input (right)

The HDRUX1 sports an onboard microphone that supports Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound – a feature that may appeal to the high-end home theatre owners as opposed to pros. The camcorder also has a top-mounted accessory shoe that is proprietary, supporting only Sony brand accessories, and includes some microphones. If the HDR-UX1 was only equipped with the above audio capabilities, it would be relegated to a place at the top end of the consumer camcorder market like the DCR-DVD505 (Review, Specs, $664).



The disc mechanism met some resistance with the hand strap, as seen above.

VCR Mode
In terms of functionality, playback on the HDR-UX1 is virtually the same as on the DCR-DVD505. When the Playback tab is selected in the menu, options for Visual Index, thumbnails, and Playlist appear on screen. Visual Index mode displays single frames from each clip; users can play clips back by simply touching a selection. The DCR-DVD505 includes the option to play each thumbnail of each clip, another likely carryover on the HDR-UX1. Unfortunately, we did not have a chance to play with finished clips, as the camcorder did not have its final firmware installed. We are curious to see whether the AVCHD format allows the camcorder to access files faster than MPEG-2 files. Very often, DVD camcorders lag as they draw the thumbnails and create file lists.

Ports
The HDR-UX1 is well-endowed with ports. The AV-out, component video-out, and HDMI ports are all located on the left side under the LCD cavity, which has a neat little hard-plastic port cover that tucks into the body when opened. The USB 2.0 jack is just above that, in the LCD cavity, along with a MemoryStick Duo slot. The headphone jack is located on the rear right side, and the headphone jack on the front right side (actually the right side of the lens barrel). There is also a Sony Advanced Accessory Shoe on top, and a LANC remote jack, rounding out the truly impressive set of ports.







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