Sony Handycam HDR-CX760 Camcorder Review
$1,499.00
- Sections:
- Handling & Portability
- Battery Life
- Stabilization
Handling & Portability
If you've already read our Sony PJ710V review, then most of our opinions on how well the HDR-CX760V handles will be old news. The two camcorders are extraordinarily similar in terms of weight, size, grip, and design. But the CX760V actually has a slight advantage due to the absence of a built-in projector. The projector-less CX760V comes in with a slightly different weight than the PJ710V, which makes for a better grip, and the CX760V has an electronic viewfinder (something absent on the PJ710V).
The presence of a viewfinder is really the CX760V's big addition, and it's something old-school videographers should appreciate. The viewfinder isn't that comfortable, but it does extend and pivot, making it somewhat adjustable for your recording preferences. The main thing making it uncomfortable is the viewfinder's lack of a good eye-cup, and we wish Sony would simply provide a better one as an option for the camcorder.
Battery Life
The CX760V lasted for 130 straight minutes of recording video in our battery life test, a result that puts it among the best high-end camcorders we've reviewed this year. Usually, mid-range models have the best battery life, so the CX760V's performance of over two hours is very impressive for a high-end model. If your battery does die, the CX760V's DC-input allows you to run the camcorder off of wall power. More on how we test battery life.
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Stabilization
Sony, like many manufacturers, updated the optical image stabilization system on its high-end Handycams this year—and the results were seriously impressive. In our testing, the CX760V managed to reduce the shake by an average of 90% with its image stabilization (called optical SteadyShot) engaged. These results were even better than what we measured, albeit slightly, on the HDR-PJ710V from Sony. This tiny improvement probably has to do with the CX760V's slightly lighter frame than its cousin-cam with its built-in projector. More on how we test stabilization.
