Sony HDR-SR10 4MP 40GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 15x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Photography (Sony)


Sony

Price: $749.99


  • 1920 x 1080 high-definition recording
  • 2-megapixel ClearVid CMOS sensor with Exmor technology; Bionz image processor
  • Capture video to hard disk drive or Memory Stick media; 40 GB built-in storage
  • Dolby Digital 5.1-channel recording

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Sony DCR-SR300 6.1MP 40GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Photography (Sony)


Sony

List Price: $1,099.99
Price: $1,493.45


  • 10x optical zoom; Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio recording
  • Handycam Station included
  • 3.0-megapixel ClearVid CMOS sensor for crystal-clear video and still images
  • 40 GB HDD stores up to 28 hours of video

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Sony HDR-SR5 AVCHD 4MP 40GB High Definition Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Photography (Sony)


Sony

List Price: $0.00
Price: $699.99


  • Easy one-touch disc burn; Handycam Station included
  • Professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens
  • 2.7-inch widescreen hybrid touch-panel Clear Photo LCD Plus display
  • Record high-definition (AVCHD) video directly to a 40GB HDD

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Sony HDR-SR10 4MP 40GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder

amzn.to The HDR-SR10 Handycam camcorder delivers everything you need to shoot stunning Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution video and 4 megapixel still ...

Is the Sony HDR-SR10 40GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder a good buy?

Nov 20, 2008 by The Sage | Posted in Camcorders

I have been researching HD video cameras and this seems like a good choice. What I was wondering, however, is this: would this camera be good for family/travel, short films, and editing? What I need is a camera that offers no video compression, which, as I understand, is what this camera offers. I would need the footage to be uploaded to my PC without losing any quality and then have it available to edit with my Sony Vegas 7.0. Also, if that is what this camera offers, is there any other camera that offers the same specifications, but for a more affordable price?

Thanks for the help.

All currently available consumer hard drive and flash memory high definition camcorders save their high definition video to extremely highly compressed AVCHD video format (MTS and MT2s file types). Even their standard definition video is REALLY highly compressed MPEG2.

MiniDV tape based camcorders save to DV (standard definition) and HDV (high definition) that is a lot less compressed than the AVCHD camcorders. As well, with the known vibration and altitude issues that hard drvie camcorders have, they no longer make my short list - after all, I never know where I will be, so why bother having known problems only to not have a camcorder that records video if I find myself in those situations... And... Sony Vegas 7 cannot deal with AVCHD format video.

So... in your specific situation, least compression pushes you into miniDV tape. Your computer requires a firewire port for transfer. If it does not have a firewire port, hopefully it has an available expansion slot so you can add one. That you also have the added benefit of not getting saddled with anemic (highly compressed) AVCHD or the known problems with hard drive based camcorders are awesome bonuses.

Canon HV30 or Sony HDR-HC9.

Little Dog | Nov 20, 2008