Sony HDR-XR520V Handycam First Impressions Camcorder Reviewby Jeremy StamasPublished on Jan 11, 2009 1:20 PM
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Ease of UseSony's standard Easy button, with its familiar blue dot, is featured on the HDR-XR520V inside the LCD cavity. Sony didn't mess with success so they kept the Easy button features the same—it locks you out of menus, makes icons and information bigger on the screen, and puts the camcorder into an entirely auto mode. There are a bit more buttons inside the LCD cavity this year—mainly the GPS and Low Light switches—but they are labeled clearly and it is probably better that the buttons are here rather than embedded in the camcorder's menu. We didn't like how Sony's auto slow shutter often kicked in unexpectedly on last year's camcorders and the feature was difficult to find and turn off amongst the sea of menu options. Now, with the Low Light switch right on the side of the camcorder, important features are easier to find and are grouped together better (NightShot is also on this switch).
The assignable dial is a wonderful option for consumers who want an easy way to adjust manual controls. The dial is smooth, well-placed, and precise—just like on the HDR-SR12. It a not so surprising move, Canon has adopted a similar dial on its new HF-S series of camcorders. Comparing the two dials (Sony's and Canon's) is difficult, as they are both well designed and very similar. Sony's dial has a bit more room so you can make adjustments using two fingers if you want to, while Canon's is meant to be controlled using your thumb only.
By the looks of it, the GPS feature isn't the easiest system to use and will likely confuse beginners. The automatic location finder doesn't always work and using the touchscreen to manually select your position is an annoying process. We expect most unexperienced users will ignore the GPS option outright, which brings us to wonder if Sony will release the same camcorder only without the built-in GPS feature.
Handling
Our first impression of the HDR-XR520V is that it is a better handler than the HDR-SR12. It has a slightly smaller frame that offers a better grip and a more comfortable feel. The camcorder is big enough to wrap your hands around, but small enough to still be quite portable. It is amazing Sony was able to squeeze a huge 240GB hard drive into such a compact design.
No changes were made to Sony's touchscreen system, which will always be annoying to users who don't like touchscreens. The presence of the assignable dial makes using the touchscreen more bearable (mainly because you don't have to use it as often) and important adjustment features, like focus and exposure, can be made smoothly and accurately by simply rotating the dial.
The body of the Sony HDR-XR520V feels a bit stronger and more durable than comparable models from Canon. The HDR-XR520V doesn't have the heartiest design on the market (it only weighs 590g), but for a compact camcorder it does quite well.
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| The HDR-XR520V is comfortable to hold. |
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| The HDR-XR520V in use |
Portability
Sony pulled off a lovely design feat with the HDR-XR520V. The camcorder has a 240GB hard drive, which is 2x the capacity of last year's HDR-SR12, yet the XR520V is actually smaller than its predecessor. This is good design work by Sony and with the 240GB of storage space, you'll never have to think about buying a tape or memory card again.
The camcorder's dimensions are approximately 71 x 75 x 137mm (2 7/8 x 3 x 5 1/2 inches) and it weighs 590g with the battery. In comparison the Sony HDR-SR12 weighs 650g and has dimensions of 83 x 76 x 138mm. The Canon HF S10
Battery
The HDR-XR520V features a rechargeable NP-FH60 battery. The battery compartment on the camcorder is open, which means you can easily upgrade to a larger, longer-lasting battery pack if you want to. Sony didn't release any battery life information for the camcorder, but we'll run our own battery test once the product enters our laboratory.
The battery compartment on the HDR-XR520V and the supplied battery.
LCD & Viewfinder
Sony didn't bother to make any changes to the 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen for the HDR-XR520V—it has the same size and 921,000-pixel resolution as the LCD on the HDR-SR12.
The color viewfinder didn't undergo any size or resolution changes either—it is still 0.27-inches in size with a 123,000-pixel resolution. The viewfinder does have a slightly different shape on the HDR-XR520V as it is more curved along the bottom and has tighter-angled sides than last year's models. This reshaping of the viewfinder didn't make it more comfortable to use, although it pivots better than the EVF on the HDR-SR12.
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| The viewfinder can extend and pivot, but it isn't very comfortable to use. |
The LCD screen is 3.2-inches wide |
Menus
If you're familiar with Sony, you should immediately recognize the menu system used on the HDR-XR520V—it is nearly identical to previous models. Some of the options have changed, but the navigation system (a touchscreen) and overall structure has remained the same. Given the large 3.2-inch screen on the XR520V, we found the menus a bit easier to use and go through than on some of Sony's other models.
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| Camera Settings | GPS system |
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| Movie Settings 1 | Movie Settings 2 |
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