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My Opinion: The Best HD Camcorder Deal Going Right Now
This may surprise some.
I've never been a huge Sony fan.
However, I believe the Sony HDR-UX1 is the best budget high definition camcorder deal going right now.
Why?
Take a look at how its price has fallen to $649.95 at B & H:
It has both headphone and microphone jacks.
It records to DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD+R Dual Layer mini (8cm) discs.
CamcorderInfo.com got really picky and found this early AVCHD model didn't have a picture quite as good (a little too much noise) as the HDV tape-based camcorders, but the picture quality is still quite good:
Now that the price has dropped below $680 (including shipping), it's a steal, in my opinion.
I'm not a big Sony fan, but that company has offered budget consumers a great deal with this camcorder.
It's a better deal than what Panasonic and JVC are offering.
Jerry Jones
I've never been a huge Sony fan.
However, I believe the Sony HDR-UX1 is the best budget high definition camcorder deal going right now.
Why?
Take a look at how its price has fallen to $649.95 at B & H:
It has both headphone and microphone jacks.
It records to DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD+R Dual Layer mini (8cm) discs.
CamcorderInfo.com got really picky and found this early AVCHD model didn't have a picture quite as good (a little too much noise) as the HDV tape-based camcorders, but the picture quality is still quite good:
The Sony HDR-UX1 is a great camcorder. Sony has finally brought to market an HD model with all the features that users demand after creating a hole when they replaced the HDR-HC3 with the HDR-HC1. The multifunction ring is great and reminds us of one of our favorite camcorders ever, the Panasonic PV-GS400. The mic jack, heapdhone jack, and HDMI port are things that really distinguish this model from other HD models (including Sony's) in the field and justify it's slightly higher price tag.
However, we know that you know the specs. The real question is how does AVCHD compare to HDV? AVCHD didn't outright disappoint us, and we can proudly say it's the first MPEG-4 camcorder that didn't look absolutely terrible. The video is sharp and the colors are great. That being said, there are some compression issues. Are the compression issues going to affect normal users and prosumers? It's unlikely. Do those compression issues probably prevent the HDR-UX1 from being used in truly professional situations like wedding and event videography? That's more likely. We think most professionals won't be comfortable with the amount of compression used. On top of that, there are HUGE workflow issues with the HDR-UX1 that aren't solved yet. AVCHD video also requires an enormous amount of horsepower from your computer, which may set this format back even further.
What's the bottom line? The HDR-UX1 is potentially great for the prosumer who wants to get features like a large LCD screen, improved control, and more inputs and outputs that will allow them to make great videos. The HDR-UX1 is like a shrunk down Sony A1 (the prosumer HDV model) with audio control and picture control that prosumers want; and haven't seen on an affordable model under $2,000 since the Panasonic PV-GS400. What is so refreshing about it is this very fact; that Sony has bucked the "over-simplification" trend for once and given us what we all want. We're so happy about that and all the great features of this camcorder that we want to look past the compression and editing issues. As we said (and as it has been stated to us again and again), solutions will arrive soon enough. When you take into account all the features, and not just performance, the HDR-UX1 is the best HD value under $1,500 currently on the market.
However, we know that you know the specs. The real question is how does AVCHD compare to HDV? AVCHD didn't outright disappoint us, and we can proudly say it's the first MPEG-4 camcorder that didn't look absolutely terrible. The video is sharp and the colors are great. That being said, there are some compression issues. Are the compression issues going to affect normal users and prosumers? It's unlikely. Do those compression issues probably prevent the HDR-UX1 from being used in truly professional situations like wedding and event videography? That's more likely. We think most professionals won't be comfortable with the amount of compression used. On top of that, there are HUGE workflow issues with the HDR-UX1 that aren't solved yet. AVCHD video also requires an enormous amount of horsepower from your computer, which may set this format back even further.
What's the bottom line? The HDR-UX1 is potentially great for the prosumer who wants to get features like a large LCD screen, improved control, and more inputs and outputs that will allow them to make great videos. The HDR-UX1 is like a shrunk down Sony A1 (the prosumer HDV model) with audio control and picture control that prosumers want; and haven't seen on an affordable model under $2,000 since the Panasonic PV-GS400. What is so refreshing about it is this very fact; that Sony has bucked the "over-simplification" trend for once and given us what we all want. We're so happy about that and all the great features of this camcorder that we want to look past the compression and editing issues. As we said (and as it has been stated to us again and again), solutions will arrive soon enough. When you take into account all the features, and not just performance, the HDR-UX1 is the best HD value under $1,500 currently on the market.
I'm not a big Sony fan, but that company has offered budget consumers a great deal with this camcorder.
It's a better deal than what Panasonic and JVC are offering.
Jerry Jones
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