Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V Camcorder Review

by Kaitlyn Chantry
Published on Apr 25, 2009 8:20 AM

 
Intro
 Product Tour
Color & Noise Performance Motion & Sharpness Performance
Low Light Performance Compression & Media
Manual Controls Still Features
Handling & Use Playback & Connectivity
Audio & Other Features Canon HF S100 Comparison
Panasonic HDC-TM300 Comparison Sanyo VPC-HD2000 Comparison
Conclusion Photo Gallery
Specs and Ratings


Introduction
The Sony HDR-XR520V (MSRP $1499.99) packs a lot of punch—and a lot of hard drive capacity—into a relatively small consumer camcorder. The retractable viewfinder and the return of last year's excellent manual control dial are just a couple of the features that will intrigue proficient camcorder users. Also intriguing? The incredibly low noise levels, clear and smooth motion, built-in GPS, and 240GB internal hard drive.

There are some downsides that consumers of every ilk will have to weigh for themselves: no manual aperture/shutter control, mediocre low light performance, the lack of 24p or 30p frame rates, and an intimidating array of buttons, switches, and layered menus. It's not the ideal camcorder for a first-time user, nor does it offer every bell and whistle that the experienced videographer could want. It does have some intuitive features and excellent video performance: a combination that might be just what some consumers are looking for.
    (Page 1 of 17) Product Tour

 

Section The Good The Bad
Product Tour New 1/2.88-inch Exmor-R sensor is promising on paper Bulky and a bit inelegant in appearance
Color & Noise Performance Excellent noise performance surpasses Canon and Panasonic Less accurate and vibrant colors than the competition
Motion & Sharpness Performance Smooth, crisp motion and excellent sharpness No 30p or 24p frame rates; motion is slightly inferior to the top Canon
Low Light Performance Very little noise, decent color accuracy Mediocre sensitivity and no alternate frame rates to brighten up the image
Compression & Media Ability to record HD and SD video at multiple bitrates; huge 240GB hard drive Maximum bitrate is 16Mbps; editing software is unimpressive
Manual Controls Dial is excellent for focus adjustment; touch screen spot metering and focus works well No direct control of aperture, shutter speed, or gain 
Still Features 12M interpolated stills, simultaneous still/video capture No real bells and whistles (i.e. burst mode, ISO)
Handling & Use Retractable viewfinder; Easy mode is truly easy Multiple, layered menus and a jumble of buttons in the LCD cavity are not very user-friendly; lackluster battery life
Playback & Connectivity Headphone and mic jacks; all ports are well-positioned Playback interface is convoluted; several ports only work with Sony cables and accessories
Audio & Other Features Can record either 5.1-channel or 2-channel sound; drop detection protects hard drive in the case of sudden falls Only rudimentary audio controls; built-in mic is easily scuffed by stray fingers



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