Sony DCR-HC40 Camcorder Review

by Mark Bassett
Published on Apr 9, 2004 12:00 AM



Among the slew of new camcorders released by Sony at the 2004 Consumer Electronics Show, was the top of the HC-line, the DCR-HC40. 2004 was the year of reductions in camcorders. A reduction in overall body size, the DCR-HC40 has cut its girth by 25 percent, and reduced its CCD size, now a mere 1/5 of an inch. We were generally disappointed with the DCR-HC40, and its mild upgrades from the less expensive DCR-HC30 and DCR-HC20 make it a hard camcorder to recommend.

Video Performance (6.5)
The DCR-HC40 has 1/5 inch Advanced HAD™ (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD with 690K effective pixels, an unimpressive 10x optical zoom, and a focal length of 3.2 - 32mm. The HAD™ CCD has been designed to reduce video signal noise, which means that the consumer gets better image quality with less fuzz. Considering the minimization of the CCD, this plays an important role in the representation of color in a variety of lighting and contrast conditions.

In a controlled environment of 3000 lux, which could be compared to outdoors, colors are realistic and full. Of course, Sony camcorders seem to favor blues, and the DCR-HC40 is no different. The spectrum of greens and magentas lean toward the blue end, meaning that the overall image is on the cool side. This might impact skin tones in certain lighting situations. The video performance on the DCR-HC40 is marginally better than the DCR-HC30, but it is barely noticeable and not worth a higher score. However, the DCR-HC40 does not compare under normal light to the 3 CCD Panasonic PV-GS120 (Review, Specs, $479).

The Front (8.5)
The DCR-HC40 has the same Carl Zeiss 10x optical zoom as the previous year's TRVs and Canon's new ZR90 (Review, Specs, $229) has a 22x optical zoom lens, although the Canon does not have the innovative automated lens cover. A flip of a switch on the Sony DCR-HC40 and two tiny plastic panels slide in or out of place, depending if you're ready to shoot a scene or store the DCR-HC40. This is great little gadget, personally; a dangling lens cover is an annoyance. Next to the lever is the Sony Memory card slot, which is rated up to 512megs: that's over 1000 stills and over an hour of 320 x 240 MPEG video. Of course, Sony doesn't include a 512 MB card as part of the shelf package; the camcorder only includes an 8 MB Memory Stick. Below the Sony logo is the stereo microphone and the infrared sensor (do you think Peter Guber used the internal microphone on any of his movies - I doubt it). Thankfully there's an accessory port with a microphone input.

The Right Side (7.0)
The right side is home to the DCR-HC40's ports, the mode dial, and the Night Shot Plus, which eliminates the green and goes for actual color representation in 0 lux. The mode dial has a corresponding bulb to let you know what mode you're in when using the Super NightShot Plus. There's a tiny speaker and a fairly decent strap with a metal hinge that increases the ease of adjustments and ads to the durability.

The Back (7.0)
The back of the DCR-HC40 is a pretty standard affair. You've got your battery, which is stated to have 6 hours of continuous shoot time with the viewfinder. Too bad the viewfinder doesn't have any rotational abilities. It extends, but doesn't rotate; the Canon ZRs rotate 80 degrees, as does the Panasonic PV-GS120. Below the battery and the battery ejector switch (it's always worth it to buy an extra battery) is the record button. Under the battery is the DC, which is well placed, and out of the way of any shooting conflicts.

The Left Side (6.0)
The DCR-HC40's left side is surprisingly sparse, and surprisingly metallic, thanks to the stainless steel glossy exterior. Other than the LCD there are only three buttons: back light, DSPL/BATT Info, and the new newbie default-easy, which remits all settings to automatic. So did Sony stash a slew of controls under the LCD for uneasy use? The answer is no! Only two buttons, which are actually on the LCD and are pretty cool; the HCs have record and backlight buttons on the perimeter of the LCD screen.

The Top (7.0)
The highlight of the top of the DCR-HC40 is the intelligent accessory shoe, which thankfully allows for an external microphone - this is another accessory worth springing for. If you're counting, so far the shopping list is a 512 card, an extra battery, and the microphone accessory. You may as well throw in a spot light also, despite the Super NightShot Plus. Also stationed on top of the cam is the electronic shutter for stills. The still resolution of the DCR-HC40 is 1,152 x 864 at maximum resolution.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (9.5)
Sony's DCR-HC40 is an automatic camcorder; there are manual controls, but this camcorder is targeted toward the entry level user or someone who wants to simply point and shoot. By in large, it does this job well, however, even a point-and-shoot user is going to want a great picture and the ability to get the shot in a dimly lit room. Although, Sony has made one step toward bringing the newbie into the folds of full video creation, with the help of their inbox software package. Users with PC power, or if you happen to use a Mac, can edit what they shoot, and sync it to music. No, it's not Avid or even Screenblast, but it is a way to get the videos off of the shelf and onto the television set, preferably a VEGA.

The DCR-HC40 gets such a high automatic control score because of its Spot Metering and Spot Focus features. Spot Metering allows you to use the LCD screen to touch an area of the screen, and the camcorder will automatically adjust the camcorder's exposure to that area. Spot Focus allows you to do the same thing. It's a great feature for people who don't quite understand manual control but know that their automatic control isn't good enough.

Overall Manual Control (3.0)
Sony has taken the touch screen menu to a new level, but ease of navigation is still slightly out of reach, and likely why the Easy button is on the exterior of the DCR-HC40. All important manual adjustments from spot focus to white balance to shutter speed are hidden away in submenus that I had trouble finding. Well, actually I didn't because I already knew where they were, but if I'd just bought the DCR-HC40 and was trying to figure out the menus, the task would be a little intimidating. Maybe sacrificing the shiny stainless steel exterior is a small price to pay for ease of adjustment. Low points for all the HCs because of this hampering navigation system.

Zoom (6.5)
The DCR-HC40 has a disappointing 10x optical zoom. While every other manufacturer seems to be boosting the optical zoom, Sony has decided to maintain a less than adequate optical zoom. Of course Sony's zoom control is one of the most accurate on the market; theDCR-HC40 is true to form. Too bad the macro and telephoto aren't that far apart.

Focus (4.0)
With the LCD menu focus system on the DCR-HC40, any true manual focus will be out of reach during shoots because of the touch screen LCD. However, one saving grace for the manual focus is the semi-manual spot focus. The spot focus lets you point to an area of the touch screen and the processor will designate that spot as the primary subject and focus the DCR-HC40 accordingly. Believe it or not, the feature works fairly well. Unfortunately, this user will always be complaining because there's no focus ring. Although with the new automated lens cover, a focus ring might be difficult; is Sony trying to adapt me to its design innovations while taking away my preferences?

Exposure (Aperture) (4.5)
While the DCR-HC40 has 24 steps of manual exposure, I couldn't figure out which step I was on because it's gauged by the same sliding bar as in previous models. This is another semi-automatic Sony incarnation designed for a point and shooter. Like the focus on the DCR-HC40, the exposure is controlled throughout the touch screen LCD which makes it incredibly difficult to control.

Shutter Speed (0.0)
The DCR-HC40 does not have manual shutter speed control.

White Balance (7.0)
The DCR-HC40 has three white balance settings of outdoor and indoor, and manual. This is really all you need. Manufacturers who include fluorescent and beach and ski and other presets are adding unnecessary gloss. Manual white balance is the easiest manual setting for a user to learn and the most accurate and simplest way to get true color representation in a variety of lighting situations.

Gain (0.0)
There are no gain controls on the DCR-HC40.

Still Performance (6.5)
Last year we would have positively rated a $700 one-megapixel still camcorder, but Sony has lagged in this price category, and other camcorders are beating it. The DCR-HC40 records stills to Memory Stick Duos.The camcorder includes an 8 MB Memory Stick Duo card. Stills can be transfered from the DCR-HC40 to a computer using the included USB jack. The stills are decent quality but not good enough for making prints.

VCR Mode (6.0)
The VCR mode on the DCR-HC40 has a slew of cool functions that I've not seen previously, including: variable speed play back, record control, data code, and Burn DVD. These certainly compliment the standard stop, play, rewind and fast forward and are a testament to Sony's effort to get those MiniDV tapes off of the shelf and onto watchable media, into a watchable form.

Low Light Performance (4.5)
We have retested Sony's DCR-HC40 since this review was originally penned. Our new test results show that at 3000 lux, the DCR-HC40 performs almost identically to the DCR-HC65 (Review, Specs, $569), making reasonable sense, as these two machines have similar imagers. During our low light testing, the new DCR-HC40 performed a bit better than the old DCR-HC40 with substantially less of the nasty blue noise we found during initial testing. There is some nasty, funky blue noise-just take a look at the pink/purple tile-but it is minimal. The DCR-HC40 is generally not as strong on the reds as the DCR-HC65; however, these two camcorders perform very similarly.

While both the DCR-HC40 and DCR-HC65 show great crisp colors under 3000 lux light levels, noise increases on both camcorders under 60 lux along with some of that nasty blue noise mentioned in the above paragraph. At 15 lux, the unfortunate grayish noise has increased further, impairing color crispness significantly. Another thing to remember when looking at these low light images is that unlike still photography noise, digital video noise is constantly moving, obstructing the image. These CCDs aren't exactly gigantic, so some grain is expected. And we were, across the board, happier with these new DCR-HC40 images. The bum model strikes again. Alas.

LCD/ Viewfinder (9.0)
There is plenty of room on the DCR-HC40 for a massive LCD, but the 2.5 inch 123K LCD works nicely. Of course, this is the main control panel for all of the DCR-HC40's functionality, so bigger might be better (unless you've got small hands). However, the fact that Sony has managed to design a touch screen that stands the test of time of pounding oily fingers and produces a crisp clean image, is without question applaudable. The viewfinder is a let down, especially with the opportunity to shoot for hours upon hours without the LCD. The eyecup isn't that comfortable without glasses; with glasses it's troubling. The lack of vertical rotation is an anathema, why this was excluded from this year's design is beyond me. Canon has an 80 degree rotation, Sharp with its split body design has a 240 degree rotation ability, Panasonic has rotation; only JVC joins Sony in static viewfinders.

Audio (7.0)
The DCR-HC40's internal microphone can record at 16-Bit and 12-Bit audio. However, the microphone is small and will not capture accurate audio at any distance. The intelligent accessory shoe allows for an external microphone, and that should be a mandatory purchase.

Handling (7.0)
The 25 percent size reduction does translate to a nicer feel in the hand. The strap is a little on the thin side for my taste, and the composition of different materials give the strap an industrial look, which stands out in contrast to the sleek stainless steel exterior. The DCR-HC40 is really well balanced, even with the LCD open, which is very important considering that will likely be the main source for framing shots, and is the only way to control any manual features. The menu is a little tough to navigate, but as a point and shooter the DCR-HC40 handles just fine. Port placement is well conceived, as is the new internal lens cap, which eliminates nuisance causing dangling plastic discs (aka lens caps). New playback options, like burn DVD, and the on LCD record button are neat, but not incredibly useful.

Ports (9.5)
Neatly stored behind a gray plastic cover on the right side of the DCR-HC40 are the USB, Firewire, Mini A/V in/out, and LANC. The Sony DCR-HC40 also includes a microphone in jack and an S-Video jack through the U connector.

Other Features (6.0)
PicturePerfect Software This is a basic editing suite that strives for simplicity over functionality, just like the DCR-HC40, and will hopefully motivate buyers to assemble the footage into watchable sequences. This is important for two reasons: It will add to the enjoyment of the end user, and motivate them to use the camcorder more. The more a user shoots and edits, the better they get (hopefully). That leads directly to the second reason, eventually an educated consumer base will demand for more sophistication on the part of the manufacturers, and we could see some great camcorders in a few years.

16:9 widescreen mode TheDCR-HC40 has a digitally enhanced 16:9 mode.

MPEG If you spring for the 512mb card you can shoot over an hour of slightly larger than postage stamp MPEGS, which is pretty cool.

Analog to Digital Pass Through The DCR-HC40 can convert analog video to digital, and transfer it to a PC or burn it to a DVD.

Super NightShot Plus The Super NightShot Plus function adds some color information to the previously green Sony night shot feature. Although it is an improvement, I wouldn't recommend using the video you shoot with Super NightShot plus.

Battery Information Not a feautre that I would recommend as being very important, the battery information button allows you to learn the remaining battery time of the DCR-HC40 with the touch of one button.

One Touch DVD Recording When hooked up to a Sony VAIO PC, the one-touch DVD recording button allows you to easily convert your video into a DVD with the touch of one button.

Easy Handycam The Easy Handycam function is a good addition to the DCR-HC40. Pressing the Easy Hanycam button throws the DCR-HC40 into full auto mode, makes the icons on the screen bigger and makes the camcorder generally easier to operate. It's a good upgrade for those who just want a simple, point and shoot camcorder.

Who it's For
Point and Shooters (8.5) The DCR-HC40 is directed at the point and shoot market segment with a few extra dollars to spend.

Budget Consumers (3.0) Sony quality costs money. The DCR-HC20 might be a better option for the fiscally conscious consumer.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid(3.0) The DCR-HC40 is somewhere in the middle of the hybrid spectrum, although 512mb compatibility is great.

Gadget Freaks (6.0) The DCR-HC40 is gadget intensive, in fact you almost expect the Sony robot Curio to be carrying one around at electronics tradeshows worldwide.

Manual Control Freaks (4.5) No, not at all. This is an automatic camcorder and the touch screen manual functions are no substitute for true manual manipulation of images.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists (4.0) Well, I don't think this camcorder can come close to broadcast quality, whatever that is exactly. The DCR-HC40 could be a back-up deck, or a holiday camcorder that a filthy rich pro might not miss if dropped.

Comparisons
The GR-D93 (Review, Specs, $479) is JVC's top of the line compact series camcorder, and is 20 percent smaller than last year's Compact Series. The GR-D93 also has a measly 10x optical zoom with a 1.33 Megapixel ¼ inch CCD. The GR-D93 has a built-in LED, and a 2.5-inch LCD. Pending full review, the new JVC GR line's preliminary light tests conducted at camcorderinfo.com's facilities may prove the JVC a real winner this year. With a price that compares to the DCR-HC40 ($700), the GR-D93 is a big competitor. The GR-D93 is most likely going to be a much better buy than the DCR-HC40, offering better low light performance and more features, with its only weakness being ease of use.

The Panasonic PV-GS120 at $700 is a very strong competitor to the DCR-HC40. The PV-GS120's three CCDs easily beat the DCR-HC40 in normal light, and suprisingly they also beat the DCR-HC40 in low light. The PV-GS120 offers 1.2 Megapixel stills instead of the 1 Megapixel stills on the HC40, plus it offers way better manual control. The PV-GS120 clearly beats the DCR-HC40 hands down.

Conclusion
Sony's DCR-HC40 is a good point and shoot camcorder, but it stops there. While some may be thinking I'm panning the camcorder, that is not true; I did enjoy using the DCR-HC40 in certain conditions. The crux of the complaint is with the CCD and resulting video and low-light performance. Sony should be applauded for making the effort to include a $50 or so suite of editing software in the package. The DCR-HC40 is really only a good camcorder if your looking for something that is easy to shoot with, and the upgrades of Megapixel stills are only marginally better than the cheaper DCR-HC30, and the video and low light performance is not at all better (as we would expect with a slightly bigger chip). Basically, there's little justification to buy an DCR-HC40, when you can get the same outstanding ease of use and automatic control features in the DCR-HC20 for $200 less.

Life gets even harder for the DCR-HC40 when you start to compare it to the competition. The JVC GR-D93 offers far superior low light performance and higher resolution stills, while the Panasonic PV-GS120 offers an all around better package with better video performance, better low light performance, higher resolution stills and better manual control. Sony made a mistake of not innovating with this year's model line. They had some great features in the 2003 line and the video and low light performance were great, however now the only redeeming quality of the DCR-HC40 is its ease of use features. This is the camcorder for people who don't know how to use a camcorder.