Japanese Review of the SONY HDR-SR1 AVCHD Camcorder

[Jerry Jones]

http://tinyurl.com/oj9kf

I wish there were a good translation!

But the video samples look surprisingly good.

As expected, the guys who've already invested in HDV are singing the "AVCHD can't compete with HDV" blues.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Sasq]

quick peak over it - guys I am in guam and on holiday, don't really want to be reading J atm...

Seems the hardware is sweet, though its first gen, so wait for second.
bundled software still leaves a lot to be desired, you won't be using this camera with the bundled if you want to do anything serious.
overall impressed with the 'debui' version.

*quick peak at the text, brain is in scuba mode, all errors and ommisions are the combined result of beer and blowing bubbles

[Jerry Jones]

Japanese HDR-SR1 Web Site:

http://tinyurl.com/fgsry

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Dr Mordrid]

Remember that Ulead is a member of the AVCHD group.

Googled translation;

AVCHD already the one shot! HDD model “HDR-SR1”

Image management how changes with ~ HDD record

* HDD favorite?

It is the new video camera standard where “AVCHD” records the hi-vision image which is encoded with H.264. First, it was announced as recording type to the DVD media, but after that the record to HDD and the memory card and the like was added.

New format AVCHD adoption DVD camera “HDR-UX1” of September 10th sale was caught in the market with big impact. But many people seem that as it is the HDD model, considers the favorite partly due to the fact that, after that the HDD model refrains.

That HDD model, “HDR-SR1” is sold finally. To load HDD of 30GB, as for shop front expectation price approximately 180,000 Yen. In public information announcement it has become October 10th sale, but with this it is not in time to the game of this year. In order the deadline to set that day as SONY, in order to be able to ship more quickly than that, you say that you endeavor. If it goes well, perhaps 1 weekly early than schedule whether, it goes, if well now you can buy to end of the month.

SONY this much as for quick product development being possible, as for the optical department as for thing and the record system which already can divert the unit of HDR-HC3 of the sale being completed that way, other than the H.264 encoder, the place where such as the fact that DVD and HDD already it is the result of commercialization product structure is possible with combination of existing technology is large.

The merit which is videotaped with the nonlinear media whether it is or HDD which is DVD now already many users understanding, as the following step it probably is the place where the answering searching of is difficult. So the HDD model of AVCHD, HDR-SR1 (below SR1) it will try trying promptly.

----

* Unexpectedly large pattern body

First but the body, comparatively size, HDD loading impression almost is not different from “HDR-UX1” of the DVD model. Actually height has become 5mm low, but is, as a frame structure almost it is the same. Perhaps by the fact that the design is standardized to the utmost, development cost and you aimed for the reduction of development period.

As for the body color, as for SR1 it has become the black which has the glossy impression vis-a-vis UX1 having designated the silver as keynote. When this surface you see carefully, the particle of small green and magenta is painted, engenders the unique pearl impression.

As for material feeling of paint the drive section is recognized may be wide, but is, when it has in the hand, it is regrettable to hide. But while the design which does not apply the money on the grip section swaggers, improvement of entire material feeling has persevered well.

To the unit of HC3 but design of the thick tube section, when story is asked to the design patsy, it means that with the notion that where, it became image of the HC1 being similar, when we would like to adhere to the control ring, as a after all first number machine. While the movement following certainly, with photographing, dial system compared to ring system is a merit.

As for efficiency of optical system being the same as HC3 and UX1, as for the lens optical 10 time zoom, as for angle of view 16: At at the time of 9 animated picture 41.3~485mm, 4: At the time in 3 still picture 37~370mm. Because as for magnification ratio being 10 times or more at the time of animated picture, the hand blurring revision territory changes in the tele edge and the wide edge.

As for image sensor with 1/3 type clear bits CMOS, entire picture prime 2,100,000 pixel. During animated picture photographing the still picture of high resolution just 3 also function and the smooth slow video recording which can be taken are the same. Up to 3 simultaneous photographing still picture, when HC3 comes out, were epoch-making, but CANON doing limitlessness photographing with HC10, because it removed, the feeling which the thing is not enough somewhat does.

Because the touch screen type menu is adopted, the buttons are few inside the surface and the liquid crystal. As for the difference with UX1, there is a lower part of the liquid crystal monitor, it is “the one-touch disk” button. This with the function which is loaded onto also the HDD model “DCR-SR100” of the SD format, connecting to PC, being one-touch, is the function that it makes DVD. It will try trying this afterwards.

As for being different design more or less, the dial of power source and mode change, scoops out rather in the body and is attached in the form which is packed. There is no either reason which you know whether it becomes like this with some circumstances, but it is dented and the point where name edition is printed to the part is design new attempt.

continued....

[Dr Mordrid]

------

* As for green deep coloration. If scenery XP mode

So it will try photographing really. As for Kanto district the or weather irregularity which recently is also influence of the typhoon is continued. This time excessively you could not take the picture which has the light intensity, but conversely HC3 and UX1, SR1 commonness, as a sample when it is dark perhaps the usefulness.

(quality image)

As a tendency of color, as HC3 being the same warm color system does not change. Simply, unique clearing bit arrangement uses pixel interpolation technology to the fact that picture prime of green is many partly due, comparatively as for the resolution impression it is high, there is a point which should feature in the gradation expression whose in addition green is deep.

The functional difference as a camera is the point where already there is a single step Hashikami, XP mode from the HQ+ mode of UX1. With DVD video standard, as for the highest transfer rate when it includes to 10.08Mbps and margin, 11.08Mbps it is stipulated, but with UX1 of AVCHD standard, 12Mbps which exceeds the margin of DVD video age somewhat had become the highest mode “HQ+”.

If with SR1 of HDD adoption, furthermore the XP mode of 15Mbps is loaded and it is the bit rate to here, we have assumed that the HDV format almost you can obtain the picture quality which is not inferiority. Happen upon attendant, with SR1 as for HQ+ mode it is excluded.

(modes image)

Certainly the high resolution impression can enjoy with XP mode, the detail impression without HC3 and inferiority. But this time the scene which sensitization has been done it is many because of the clouding heaven, accurately being able to reproduce, as expected, as the design but good bad, you can appraise in the sense, quality of the encoder sufficiently when it is to the noise due to sensitization.

On the one hand, with mode below HQ, you can see gradation in the part of the becoming dim which is deep, you become the unique kind of material feeling which was seen the frosted glass crossing over. In addition the last time the point where you can see the jump of picture quality of the GOP unit with LP mode was pointed out, but with the becoming dim which is deep you can see similar tendency even with SP mode.

Now they are the times when the personal contents picture quality are better than hi-vision broadcast. Chasing the rear end of the child, you take the picture which it does noisily if is, as for difference of mode you do not feel excessively, but raising the tripod properly, take flower bird Fugetsu it is, kind of when, XP mode thinks standard, it should.

On the one hand, memory stick or HDD can select with still picture photographing, in the video recording media. With AVCHD standard, it does not support the still picture retention to the DVD media, but as for HDD it seems that it can go.

But mode change of animated picture and the still picture considerably high speed, when animated picture photographing and at that time also the still picture photographed, still picture record processing enters after the video recording stop. In that case the point which cannot be changed directly in still picture mode, is the part where somewhat stress is felt.

------

* As for the backup to DVD the easy [chi] it is

In the video camera of HDD record, as for image you must spit out to the media outside a some, be sure. The person that that is difficult, is the case that it means to select DVD recording type. If the video camera of HDD record type, like Everio of Victor is not the solution, DVD drive direct connection, the place where by all means PC becomes necessary was the neck.

But it was the technique that SONY with if only the attachment software you insert, connecting the camera, DVD backs up the answer which was shown “DCR-SR100”, in the button one shot. The function is succeeded even in SR1, with button 1 shot to the DVD media of PC backs up the image inside the camera, similarly with the AVCHD format.

Also actually operation, connecting to PC with USB, just pushes “the one-touch disk” button. Decoding, it is not the case that it plays back & compiles, from camera the data in PC it makes disk image simply with sucking up, just you write that to the DVD media. Because there is no processing such as re-encoding, large doing also the performance of PC, there is no necessity.

However time is required for that appearance. Although image of 20 minutes or less which photographed XP mode on the center, with the machine of Pentium 4 2.8GHz it ends to media entry, 1 hours it caught strongly. When animated picture and the still picture exist together inside HDD, the AVCHD disk for animated picture and the disk for still picture are drawn up separately. One time animated picture and the still picture which were drawn up are properly skipped with backup of the next time.

As an actual problem, recognizing automatically, among PC which it backs up doing, the varieties has already used, the case where the permanent station software and the like of the picture sucking out and the like from the digital camera has entered it probably will be many. In addition there probably is also a DVD lighting software and, like iTunes while starting also an application which does the supervision of drive there is.

When that happens, the camera was connected and/or the DVD media of the sky just was inserted, “the still picture the [do] which is caught -!”“DVD the [do] which is caught -!”Because the various software means various thing, [nigiyaka] which is beyond the imagination is. Now when also the PC literacy of the user it has risen rapidly different from 5 years ago, don't you think? the attachment software please insert, -, with you feel that the present condition which is not completed has approached.

------

* Substance compilation now one

Another management method, is the method of sucking out to HDD on PC. It had belonged to this even in U1, “Picture Motion Browser” is used. With UX1 the taking in from the DVD media was done, but with SR1 it becomes taking in by way of USB. As for transfer rate being highest, 10 time speed.

With Picture Motion Browser, because in photographing day and time order it can manage animated picture and the still picture in regard to the calendar, there is a merit that the photograph and animated picture do not become disjointed. In addition using this, simply compiling, it becomes DVD of AVCHD type, it knocks down converts and it is possible also to make DVD video. Because it does at the time of the time before UX1 in regard to the compilation which used Picture Motion Browser, we want referring there.

Those where it becomes problem with SR1 are the point that it is not possible either forever to master HDD of PC. Saying, that some H.264 compressed efficiency is good, it does not go in the reason which saves 2 years and 3 years that way. As for calendar indication that the problem which you say whether this time, consistency of the image which it backs up in DVD and the image which is inside PC how is done, whether to somewhere there is a meaning at present time is an impression of becoming the advance shipment there.

If with the compilation of Picture Motion Browser, deletion of the unwanted part but possibility, because the line changing of cutting is not possible, to make what as a work, it is unsuitable. Roughly there is a skill that it lines up by the fact that fumbling time with the property of each cutting and changes order, but excessively it is not practical.

With UX1 of the DVD model, using the play list edit function of the substance, other than part deletion, it was possible to the line changing of cutting. However as for the substance edit function of SR1, as for the line changing of cutting although it is possible, there is no function of cutting division inside the play list. There is only the function whether cutting every you insert in the play list roundly, or delete of.

That it is what. First whether just it is not mounted with circumstances of the firmware, you thought, but when you look at the place where you have not written on either the manual, being serious, function of cutting division seems that it is not mounted. Being able to make DVD-RW, the reason where it cannot make HDD, or it is not possible and the [te] good reason is not at all recognized.

On the other hand, long haul taking, after just the necessary place among those leaving, elimination, with isn't the fact that method of using which is said is not possible with the substance to spoil the charm of long haul record possible HDD record?

continued....

[Dr Mordrid]

------

* Outline (Conclusion ?)

The new format of hi-vision video recording, furthermore as a HDD record model, as for HDR-SR1 there is an impression, debut with fanfare. The point where high picture quality mode above the DVD model is had, degree of attention is high.

Being equal to HC3 as a picture quality, is not something which exceeds that, but because function has been settled cleanly with new GUI, the using selfishness when photographing has improved. Also playback operation, grouping mass image classified by date, actualized the operativity only of the random access media e.g., you show.

With backup of image, as for the bundle backup with the attachment software it is convenient, but in the sense, rearrangement of image sufficient, it does also the kind of air which ahead has been done to send problem. On the one hand the management which used Picture Motion Browser this, rearrangement with the calendar and is funny in the design of random access concern, but at present time because the line changing of cutting is not possible, one contents are made until, it does not reach.

Perhaps, it has also the problem of development period, but the point that is regrettable it is not function of cutting division in the substance. Still, therefore the presently AVCHD compilation environment on PC is not sufficient very, we wanted with the substance mounting in a general way edit function at least. With special care, although it is the camera which can turn long shaku, edit function of the substance and the attachment software also both parties with “it makes shortly the band and ......”, uses and coming out is substantial down.

On the other hand it is thought that with the notion that where, UX1 comes out popularity conversely, there is a divided function in the substance, also the media the archive is possible that way. Never, SR1 UX1 ? increases probably is not the case, dog existence, but the HDD model is thought as left the big assignment to the next generation.

Whew....

[Jerry Jones]

As soon as Ulead gets the AVCHD software to us, this will be the consumer model to buy (in my humble opinion).

http://tinyurl.com/o637r

But it will be worth waiting to see what PANASONIC does, too.



Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Dr Mordrid]

I agree totally. Wait for Panasonic and their stablemate; JVC.