Sony HDR-UX7 Camcorder Reviewby Michael PerlmanPublished on Oct 10, 2007 5:06 PM
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Ease of Use (7.5)
Sony camcorders have some the best automatic controls on the market. When the HDR-UX7 is placed in Easy mode, troubles drift away as the shooter is only required to press record, allowing the camcorder to do all the grunt work. In this state of autopilot, LCD buttons double in size and manual controls are prohibited. Many point-and-shooters will never see the light of day outside Easy mode—it’s just too comfortable and safe. In that respect, Sony has created a mega-marketing magnet for beginners. Even Grandma can operate a Sony. As long as the HDR-UX7 is not taken out of Easy mode, the average consumer will coast along.
The root of the HDR-UX7’s problems stem from three key factors—compression, media, and editing. The AVCHD format is still relatively new, so it has some kinks to work out. If you shoot in the highest quality (HD HQ+), a typical DVD disc will offer only about 14 to 16 minutes of recording time. That’s it. DVD discs in general are the worst form of media to work with because of their capacity and fragility, but the combination of AVCHD compression and DVD discs will not treat your wallet well. Be prepared to stock up on a significant amount of backup discs in order to record for even a couple of hours.
Then again, who wants to repeatedly swap discs while all the action is passing them by? Oh, and at the end of the day you’ll have to finalize each disc, which can take up to 10 minutes per disc. Mini DV tapes offer 60 minutes in SP mode and do not need to be formatted or finalized, and hard disk drive (HDD) camcorders reign supreme with their massive internal storage capacities. If you’re looking for the least amount of hassle, an AVCHD DVD camcorder is not the way to go.
Handling (6.5)
Before we delve into ergonomics, let’s take a gander at the HDR-UX7’s competition. The only other high definition DVD camcorders on the market are the preposterously bulky Panasonic HDC-DX1 and Canon HR10, which shows design and dimensions closer to the compact Canon DC50. On the other end of the spectrum, Hitachi has been formulating a Blu-ray monster within its laboratories. The DZ-BD7H flaunts some foreboding architecture and appears to be as much of a challenge to hold as the insane HDC-DX1. That leaves the HDR-UX7 comfortably in the sweet spot for handling. The HDR-UX7 is most closely related to the DCR-DVD508. The camcorders feel nearly identical in hand. Sony has seriously slimmed down the HDR-UX7 in comparison to its first generation predecessor, the HDR-UX1. Stacked next to each other, the HDR-UX7 is about 20 percent smaller than the HDR-UX1. The bottom line is that the HDR-UX7 is the best-handling HD DVD camcorder currently on the market.
Though the HDR-UX7 has shed some unwanted bulk, it’s still a large machine. When you slide your hand into the hand strap, you’ll find your fingers will rest comfortably atop the round DVD disc hatch. The thumb fits flush with the record start/stop button, the index finger aligns with the zoom toggle, the middle finger rests within a shallow valley, and the ring finger and pinky arc along the edge of the hatch. Due to the HDR-UX7’s size, Sony can afford to mount the built-in stereo microphone to the top, as the pinky has a slim chance of scraping over it and creating unwanted sound. As mentioned in the tour, we could have used a nicer hand strap—the HDR-UX1 and HDR-HC7 feature padded, breathable mesh panels sewn into the inside of their straps. Nevertheless, the HDR-UX7 feels balanced and welcomes a long day of shooting.
And now for a special surprise—Sony’s 3.5-inch LCD screen. We have finally seen the light! Well, it’s been awhile. The last time we had the pleasure of handling a 3.5-inch LCD screen was last year with Sony’s HDR-UX1 and DCR-SR1. If you’re going to utilize touch screen technology, you’d better equip your machine with a large enough monitor to accommodate the surface area of a typical adult fingertip. The HDR-UX7’s massive LCD screen is an example other manufacturers should follow.
Though we love the huge LCD screen, we should mention its on-screen buttons are still a royal pain to press. We sometimes had to push as many as eight times before the camcorder sprung into action. Frustration mounted in the testing room—we can only imagine what it’s like at your child’s ball game between the HDR-UX7’s exceedingly short recording times, finicky LCD buttons, and tortoise-speed disc hatch release mechanism. In addition, take into account the amount of smudging the screen will accumulate due to repeated handling. At the end of the day, power shooters should consider taking a 2.7-inch LCD screen with rear-mounted joystick (Panasonic and Canon) over Sony’s 3.5-inch consumer magnet.
Manual control adjustment on almost any Sony is no picnic. Panasonic and Canon utilize a one-handed camcorder operation setup with the implementation of rear-mounted joysticks. They’re quick, accurate, and will not leave the LCD screen smudged up like a Sony. JVC has its LCD-mounted joystick, which is the next best thing.
Luckily, Sony has a solution. The HDR-UX7 features a large, easily gripped Cam Control dial mounted to the front of the camcorder. The dial offers independent control over Focus, Exposure, AE Shift, and WB Shift. The HDR-UX1 touts a superior control—the Cam Control ring mounted along the end of the lens barrel—but the HDR-UX7’s dial is as good a substitute as we can hope for. This is the best handling device of any Sony camcorder this year. The HDR-SR7 and HDR-HC7 are both equipped with an even smaller, low-profile dial on the side. The large knob on the UX7 looks practically professional by comparison.
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The Control Dial on the HDR-UX7 (left) versus the much smaller dial on the HDR-HC7 (right) |
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Another highlight on the HDR-UX7 is its pivoting viewfinder, which flips upward approximately 40 degrees toward the shooter. The Panasonic HDC-DX1 features a viewfinder that simply telescopes out, while Canon does not appear to pour even an ounce of thought into alternative monitoring. Nearly all of Canon’s camcorders feature viewfinders devoid of a rubberized eyecup that do not extend or pivot. It’s nice to see a manufacturer reach out to the more advanced crowd of shooters who know the power of a viewfinder.
Menu (6.0)
The HDR-UX7 utilizes Sony’s most recent menu structure, which was initially debuted on the HDR-UX1 and HDR-SR1. We refer to it as the “Home menu” and it will, in fact, make you feel at home. Between the menu’s organized, tabbed structure and magical button selection sounds, the HDR-UX7 employs the ultimate consumer interface.
The Home Menu
In order to access the Home menu, which is Sony’s version of an Administrative menu, press the home button in the upper hand corner of the LCD screen. You can also press the round home button along the LCD panel. A tabbed menu appear, containing five main categories that consist of the following options:
| Home Menu | |
| Camera | Movie, Photo, Smooth Slow Record |
| View Images | Visual Index, Playlist |
| Others | Delete, Edit, Playlist Edit, Print, Computer, TV Connect Guide |
| Manage Disc/Memory | Finalize, Disc Select Guide, Format Disc, Format Memory Stick, Unfinalize, Disc Info |
| Settings | Movie Settings, Photo Settings, View Images Settings, Sound/Display Settings, Output Settings, Clock/Language, General Settings |
The HDR-UX7’s manual controls can be found within the Camera menu, located in the bottom right corner of the LCD screen. The Camera menu is comprised of 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 (Auto, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Candle, Sunrise and Sunset, Fireworks, Landscape, Portrait, Spotlight, Beach, Snow) |
| Camera 3 | White Balance (Auto, Outdoor, Indoor, One Push [Manual]), WB Shift, Color Slow Shutter, Super NightShot |
| Camera 4 | Fader, Digital Effect (Old Movie), Picture Effect (Sepia, Black and White, Pastel) |
| Camera 5 | Record Mode, Microphone Level |
The Camera Menu in action
The HDR-UX7 also features a mini Cam Control dial with its own submenu that activates when the center button of the dial is pressed for longer than two seconds. A small list of four manual controls appears in the bottom right corner: Focus, Exposure, AE Shift, and WB Shift. To scroll up, turn the dial to the left. To scroll down, turn the dial to the right. The center button selects a particular option.
The Dial menu below
Portability (5.0)
This is no little JVC Everio, people, but the HDR-UX7 is a vast improvement over the HDR-UX1 in terms of portability. The HDR-UX7 is approximately 20 percent smaller than the gargantuan HDR-UX1, measuring 72 x 87 x 145mm (2 7/8 x 3 1/2 x 5 5/8-inches) and tips scale at 690 grams (1 pound 8 ounces). Leave room in the camera bag for extra DVDs—you’ll need it. If you plan on shooting in the highest HD quality setting, one disc will last you a whole 15 minutes. That’s right, 15 minutes. You’ll want to invest in a backup battery for longer shoots, as well, though the HDR-UX7’s battery performance is admirable.
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The HDR-UX7's big 3.5-inch LCD |
... and pivoting viewfinder. |
LCD and Viewfinder (9.0)
The HDR-UX7 is equipped with a prodigious 3.5-inch LCD screen with a 211,200-pixel resolution. Despite the coveted increase in dimensions, the LCD screen shares the same resolution with its step-down sibling, the HDR-UX5. Therefore, the image is not as sharp as it could be if Sony had upped the resolution. The LCD screen flips out 90 degrees from the camcorder's body and rotates up to 270 degrees. The screen itself does an honorable job fighting off solarization at steep angles. A row of flat buttons are located along the bottom of the LCD panel, consisting of record start/stop, zoom out, zoom in, and home—though there is also a home button located in the upper left corner of the LCD screen. An oddly designed plastic tab secures the LCD screen in place. We imagine active users will eventually break this nubbin off by accident, which shouldn’t have any effect.
Another perk on the HDR-UX7 is its pivoting viewfinder, extending upward approximately 40 degrees. Though the viewfinder does not feature a rubberized eyecup or telescope out, we give props to Sony for actually doing something with the viewfinder, compared to most manufacturers—namely Canon. The dioptric adjuster is located along the bottom ridge of the eyecup.
Battery Life (12.1)
We tested the life of the HDR-UX7’s NP-FH70 rechargeable battery pack by placing the camcorder in Manual mode, flipping the LCD screen out, disabling SteadyShot, and recording continuously. When a disc reached its maximum capacity, the external power supply was connected and the battery was removed while the disc was reformatted.
The HDR-UX7 exhibited a battery life of 121 minutes and 19 seconds (2 hours, 1 minute, and 19 seconds), a performance that is remarkably close to the HDR-UX1’s 121 minute and 38 second performance. Both camcorders ship with different battery packs, yet churn out an almost identical battery life. The DCR-DVD508 only lasted 101 minutes and 31 seconds.
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