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
   


Video Performance
The Sony HDR-UX1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $729.95) ships with a 2100K (1434K effective in 16:9) 1/3-inch ClearVID CMOS sensor. ClearVID is a technology that Sony claims produces a wider dynamic range and faster processing speed than the conventional CCDs. ClearVID also angles pixels at 45 degrees and boosts the number of green pixels as a means of improving picture quality. The DCR-DVD505 (Review, Specs, $664) does have a higher pixel count overall than the HDR-UX1 (3,310K gross), but we anticipate a significant jump in actual video quality, and believe the camcorder will boast specs closer to the Sony's HDV camcorders, the HDR-HC1 (Specs, $2295) and HDR-HC3 (Review, Specs, $969.99).  To put this prediction in context, the HDR-UX1's max bit rate is 12 Mbps using AVCHD encoding while MPEG-2 DVD camcorders have a max bit rate of around 8.5 Mbps and HDV camcorders have a max bit rate of 25 Mbps.  However, H.264 encoding is very efficient and expert opinion is strongly in its favor, so we expect the camcorder's video performance to be much closer to HDV.

Low Light Performance
We expect the HDR-UX1 to turn in excellent low light performance, given its combination of a large 1/3” imager and high definition sharpness. We’re eager to compare the HDR-UX1’s low light performance to that of the DCR-DVD505 as well as the HDR-HC3, which both scored well and retained more color information in low light than most camcorders on the market. It is also as yet unclear what effect the camcorder’s AVCHD video encoding will have on images recorded in low light. Low light images are noisier than images shot in more optimal conditions, and compression turns this noise into unflattering artefacts. Every compression method and imaging system handles low light differently. Some create big chunky pixel blocks, while others pepper a low light image with fine-grained noise. We look forward to having a close look at how AVCHD handles more difficult images, and expect it to handle low light differently than past compression methods.






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