Sony HDR-UX7 First Impressions Camcorder Reviewby Matt CullerPublished on Jan 10, 2007 3:00 PM
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Ease of Use
The new menu system and large 3.5” LCD screen on the Sony HDR-UX7 really makes it easy to use - especially in comparison to Sony’s with smaller screens which includes all new Sony HDV consumer camcorders and the HDR-UX5. In comparison, the HDR-UX7 shines out. We’ve trashed the touch screen menu in the past, but frankly, an LCD screen this big coupled with an overhauled touch screen system makes it more usable. Additionally, Sony offers an Easy mode, that locks everything in auto and provides a simplified menu interface.
Handling
The HDR-UX7 was great to handle. Sure, it’s big, but it grips like a dream. It’s great not having to worry about accessing anything on the left side of the camcorder while it’s being hand-held. The zoom toggle is good, but I do wish that it was located under my index finger instead of my middle finger (again, this is an issue that will affect users with large hands more so than others).
Handling the manual control interface on the HDR-UX7 is not bad – and that’s saying something on a Sony. It utilizes a fine dial control and is probably the best of such dial controls seen on this year’s Sony crop. Still, many will consider this control mechanism a downgrade from the multifunction ring of the HDR-UX1. Also, while the new menu system has its problems, I still enjoy using it over the systems on Sony’s HDV camcorders this year.
Menu
The HDR-UX7’s new menu system isn’t really that new; it’s featured on the HDR-UX1 and the HDR-SR1. We’ve given this menu a mixed review in the past. It is broken into two separate menus, Home and Camera, located at the upper left corner and lower right corner respectively. The Home menu includes a variety of “movie” settings including recording quality settings and assignable dial settings, while the Camera menu includes most of the manual controls.
What I like about this touch screen is that the buttons are more reasonably spaced and are organized on individual screens. I also like the thematic divisions of the button groupings. In the Camera menu, or manual control menu (located in the bottom right-hand corner), buttons are grouped thematically. Buttons pertaining to focus, exposure, and white balance are grouped together in three tabs labeled with Camera icons. There is an additional toolbox menu in both video and photo modes that leads to shortcuts in switching image sizes, recording modes, and microphone levels (not manual, just low and high). In video capture mode, another tab is available that leads to picture and digital effect options. This kind of organization is handy, but it may take a minute to get used to.
One thing about this new menu system is particularly infuriating. Once options are changed in the Camera menu you are exited from the system and must re-enter in order to make more changes. As previous reviews have mentioned, this problem negates any speed that the new menu system adds to your handling.
LCD and Viewfinder
One of the biggest upgrades on the HDR-UX7 is the camcorder’s 3.5” LCD screen. With a resolution of 211K, this monitor is nice and big, taking up the entire side of the camcorder, and is certainly an upgrade worth paying for. The camcorder also ships with a 0.27” widescreen viewfinder (123K resolution). As much as I like the bigness of this camcorder’s LCD screen, I also appreciate the fact that you can angle the viewfinder upwards towards your eye.
