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.

Update: The Panasonic HDC-TM300 was ultimately selected as our 2009 Camcorder of the Year. To see why we selected it and read about our other awards, check out the 2009 CamcorderInfo.com Select Awards.
    (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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