Popular Gadget | Sony DCR-SR45 30GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder | First of all, it doesn't have a wide-angle lens. That is an optional accessory. This limits my filmmaking abilities more than I realized it would. Secondly, it dosn't have a viewfinder. You are forced to use the viewscreen at all times. In bright sun you can't see the image on the viewscreen at all, so without the option of switching to the viewfinder it's hit and miss if you are filming what you think you are filming.
And the last major challenge I have is that it records in MPEG2 format. This is the format (I guess) that you need to output directly to DVD. But for editing, this is not the best format. To edit in Windows Movie Maker you have to convert the file types and the quality tanks. I am looking at some MPEG2 editors right now, but I hear that editing right in MPEG2 format you lose some ability to make fine-tune edits. On the plus side, I never have to buy tapes for this thing, and with something like 6 hours of recording built in at the highest quality I doubt I'll even need to buy memory cards for it. (Even on a great vacation, over 6 hours of footage is too much! Edit yourself!!) No running out of room in the middle of something exciting happening.
The lens cap is built in, which is also great, but I'm forgetting to close it all the time. And the 40x Optical Zoom is fantastic! It takes some great up-close shots without having to get up-close. And transferring to JPEG for still shots is easy with the new software I'm trying, and the stills look great. And the nightshooting is really cool, too. I just don't know if I'll ever use it other than to torment my cat. Overall it's a nice little camera, but there is room for improvement.
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