Seemed great.....for 14 months.....
Pros:
Small size -- uses DVDs (more portable) -- SteadyShot -- NightShot -- self diagnostic
Cons:
Expensive media -- not durable -- limited warranty is JUST THAT -- expensive to repair
The Bottom Line:
I would not buy this camcorder again because of the high cost and low durability. In retrospect, the media (although very convenient to use and share) is expensive.
|
|
Overall Rating:
|
 |
|
Author's Review
I received this as a requested gift around my daughter's first birthday. I thought it would be great to be able to make a DVD and then pop it in the DVD player and see the results. An added bonus was that I could easily make copies for friends and family. Another reason I chose this camcorder is the longevity of the media itself.
This camcorder has some incredible features and, at the time (Dec 2003) was state-of-the-art. It has night-shot, which was wonderful for taking pictures of our little one while sleeping (and also at lights-out birthday parties and events). It also features "steady shot" which makes for a much better-quality picture. Formatting a DVD-R was simple...just pop it in and you're ready to record without formatting. There are three (3) speeds to record at (SP, LP and HQ). I usually used HQ since we're 'preserving memories'. Another of the exciting features is that this camcorder is supposed to "self diagnose" in case of a major system failure/malfunction.
The software that came with the camcorder allowed me to do some very fancy editing when I wanted to. The camcorder takes both movies and still pictures and the software allowed you to 'fuse' the two with some really neat special effects.
I believed I had found the PERFECT camcorder that had all the features plus many more that I could ever ask for. Then, out of the blue, there was no picture through the lens. Both the LCD and viewfinder would display text, etc.;however, there was no picture. As I stated earlier, in case of major system failure/malfunction, the camcorder is supposed to give an error code that you then give to a repair technician. The technician, based on that code, can give you a more precise repair amount.....in theory. The camcorder didn't give a failure code. It just failed....precisely 14 months after it was purchased.
Sony warranties the entire unit for 90 days and then a limited warranty for one (1) year.
If you buy this camcorder, be sure to purchase the extended warranty. It is well worth it when you consider that it costs (per Sony) $184 just to have it looked at, not including diagnosis of the problem or repair.
I own numerous Sony devices (laptop, digital camera and TVs) and have always been very pleased. I hope this is an isolated incidence.
