Sony HDR-CX500V

Manual Focus (6.50)

Miscellaneous Controls (5.50)

x.v. Color

Lets the camcorder shoot in the xvYCC expanded color gamut. You’ll only notice a difference if the footage is viewed on a xvYCC compatible television.

Guideframe

Splits the screen into nine equal sectors to assist with framing. The lines don’t end up on your recorded video.

Tele Macro

Allows you to focus clearly on close-up subjects when using a full optical zoom. The camcorder automatically sets the zoom to tele when Tele Macro is engaged and changing the zoom will turn off the Tele macro setting.

Conversion Lens

To be used when attaching a wide angle or tele conversion lens to the HDR-CX500V. This setting optimizes the auto focus and image stabilization system to work correctly with these conversion lenses.

Audio Controls (3.00)

Most strikingly, the Sony HDR-CX500V does not have an external microphone input or a headphone jack. These ports are usually commonplace on high-end camcorders, but with the trend of camcorders going more compact some manufacturers have decided to cut things like audio ports in order to save space. Still, we are disappointed to see the HDR-CX500V does not contain an external mic input or headphone jack. The larger Sony HDR-XR520V and XR500V do contain these ports, as do the high-end models from Canon and Panasonic (as well as the JVC GZ-HM400).

As for the audio features that are included on the HDR-CX500V, the camcorder contains a built-in Dolby Digital microphone. The mic can be set to record 5.1 or 2 channels of audio, and the microphone level can be switched between normal or low. You can also use a zoom mic option on the HDR-CX500V, which allows the built-in mic to focus the audio recording on the subject that is currently being zoomed into. Additionally, the CX500V can work with any Sony-proprietary accessory that fits into the camcorder’s accessory shoe.

The table below lists the HDR-CX500V’s audio features as well as those found on its comparison models. Notice how the three comparison models each include external microphone inputs, headphone jacks, and manual audio level controls—three things not included on the Sony HDR-CX500V.

Editing (7.00)

The HDR-CX500V comes with the same software as previous Sony models, but the program has been slightly updated. According to Sony’s website, however there is no functional difference between Picture Motion Browser (PMB) version 4.2.14 (what the CX500V comes with) and version 4.2.00 (what the HDR-TG5V and HDR-XR520V come with). So, for all intents and purposes, the PMB software on the CX500V is the same as what’s on the XR520V, except for a few compatibility updates. The software is not compatible with Macs, but it will work on Windows XP or Windows Vista.

We like Sony’s PMB software for its versatility, but it isn’t the easiest program to use—particularly when dealing with its more advanced features. The good thing is, PMB works rather seamlessly for copying footage from your camcorder to a computer, which is the most important component of any provided software. There are also some simple DVD creation options that are fairly easy to use, and the clip organization and YouTube upload options work well. Venturing beyond these tasks, however, the PMB software can get quite challenging.

Each time you start a new task with the PMB software, a new window opens up. This can make the program seem more complicated than it really is because you have multiple windows open at once. What we found most difficult was doing any kind of editing with the software. The layout didn’t feel natural and it was difficult to understand. If you plan on doing lots of editing, we recommend using an editing program you already feel comfortable with or purchasing something more advanced than PMB. For an overview of the software that ships with this and other camcorders, see our article: Video Editing Software For Your Camcorder.