Sony HDR-UX7 Camcorder Review

The complaints right now center on the fact that the codec is not living up to its potential. AVCHD specifications claim it can record up to 24 Mbps. To date, no camcorder has come close to this speed. The HDR-UX7 is among the slowest, because current technology prohibits DVD write speeds from surpassing 12 Mbps. This is the camcorder’s highest quality setting, labeled HD HQ+. Other quality settings include HD HQ (9 Mbps), HD SP (7 Mbps), and HD LP (5 Mbps). We always recommend shooting in the highest quality.

The camcorder also records in standard definition MPEG-2. However, you can’t mix and match standard definition and high definition on the same disc. The camcorder formats the disc in either one or the other. Standard definition quality settings include HQ (9 Mbps), SP (6 Mbps), and LP (3 Mbps).

Media (4.5)
The Sony HDR-UX7 records video to 8 centimeter DVDs, sometimes called miniDVDs. The camcorder accepts the -R/-RW/+RW and +R DL (Dual Layer) formats – a nice wide selection so that whatever store you stop into will probably have a disc you can use.

Single layer discs can hold approximately 15 minutes of video in HD HQ+, 20 minutes in HD HQ, 25 minutes in HD SP, and 32 minutes in HD LP. Dual layer discs can hold a little less than twice those capacities.

Editing (4.0)
The AVCHD format has been around for a little more than a year now, and editing the footage has gotten only slightly easier. Since January 2007, several pieces of editing software have been updated for compatibility with AVCHD footage. Actually working the footage remains an incredibly frustrating process, however. Importing 15 minutes of video transfers at almost realtime speeds – this seems to defeat the purpose of moving away from tape media.

The Sony HDR-UX7 ships with Picture Motion Browser V.2.0.04. This allows for very basic importing, clip editing, and exporting. There are also some rather lame themes to choose from that automate text and transitions. The most powerful editing software right now for the AVCHD format is probably Sony Vegas 8.0. Vegas is compatible only with Sony-brand AVCHD camcorders – Panasonic and Canon owners will need to look elsewhere.