Sony DCR SR42 30GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom
Normal Price:$549.99
Our Price:$897.55
Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Manufacturer: Sony
Model: SR42
Binding: Electronics
Publisher: Sony
Label: Sony
Features for Sony DCR SR42 30GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom:
- 30 GB built-in hard drive; record up to 20 hours
- Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens; 40x optical/2000x digital zoom
- 2.5-inch touch-panel SwivelScreen LCD
- Super SteadyShot picture stabilization system
- Handycam Station included; one-touch disc burn
Small Picture
Medium Picture
Customer Reviews
Very poor video quality 
2008-05-15
I have to say, first of all, it hurts me to write this review. I wanted to like this camera. I really, really did. I loved the size, the shape, the ease of use. I even ordered an extra battery on how much I was going to use it. But I just didn't like the video quality. It is plain bad. I even thought I was going to be able to live with it, but I watched a few videos last night and made some side by side comparisons, and it was just too much for me to bear. I am taking it back to the store tonight to get my money back.
The interlacing was AWFUL. If the camera moves slightly, the lines dominate the screen. Even in bright sunlight, it looked like a youtube video. A few months ago, my wife won a "FlipVideo" hard drive recorder that takes very simple video with no zoom, etc. Seriously, these videos were better than this Sony's. This was the deciding factor in me taking this camera back. I am going to try another camera to see if it is just this one or all Hard Drive based recorders.
Fantastic Camera! 
2008-04-28
This is a very slick little piece of electronics! It has got its own internal hard drive so there are no CD's to pop in and out. Fits to contour of your hand for better grip. Flip screen is sturdy and useful.
The only thing I would list as cons would be the fact that its a tad bit pricey (but you do get what you pay for). And the camera itself takes a bit of time to get familiar with.
But other than that, if you are looking for a high quality camera that has everything you could need, look no further!
Great camera, great value! 
2008-04-17
This camera is a great value! It was cheaper than any of my local electronics stores. Very user friendly! Extremely happy with this camcorder. Just now working on making DVDs of the videos I have taken and its has an easy burn which I have not used yet. I am using Windows Movie Maker because I wanted to edit and create and the format the videos download onto computer works great with WMM. No complaints on this camcorder! I know there is an updated version of this but I'm not sure I would even bother spending the extra $$ to get it. This camcorder is great! It also switches between video and photos effortlessly! Great Buy!
Fantastic value 2008-04-08
We purchased this camera at a national electronics chain, who shall remain nameless. We found it on here for $150 less! Give me a break!
It's a great family camera, we use it to tape our baby as she begins exploring. It would also be great for family sporting events, vacations, and the like.
Highly recommend!
camcorder 2008-04-05
Had a great time using it on my trip to the South Pacific,(Palau).
Very easy to use and tvery compact ,makes holding it a snap.
Very Low Quality and Blurry 
2008-07-08
Very Low Quality and Blurry. I would compare the quality of this video camera to the standard video camera you get from a cell phone. I am going to try to return this camera.
SONY DCR-SR42 30GB HDD Handycam Camcorder with 40X Optical Zoom 2008-06-15
I bought this unit relying on the reputation of SONY and never thought SONY could offer such a bad quality video on his handycams. It is awful. It is a real lemon ! I won't recommend to anyone to buy this model. Sorry SONY but you just deceived me !
It's what I was looking for!!! 2008-06-08
If you are looking for a camcorder easy to use and easy to share video with, the Sony DCR-SR 42 is the camcorder for you!!! Compact with a very nice designe!
Better than anticipated 2008-06-06
The Sony DCR-SR42 w/30GB Hard Drive is better than I expected when I placed my order. It is so easy to use. The digital camcorder playback is so crisp and clear. And the colors are reproduced so faithfully. I am also impressed that the camera can easily be used at night and otherwise under poor lighting conditions. I am very pleased.
The software that comes with the camera is easy to use and probably satisfactory for most users. But I use other software programs for both camcorder and still photos because they have more features.
It is true that the still photographs are only of snapshot quality. But they are much better than the photos taken with my Palm Zire (a PDA with a 1MB built in camera). Of course my PDA is sneakier - has a crude camcorder function - and is always with me.
Of course, for personal or family use, I would confidently recommend the Sony DCR-SR42. More good news: this is not the latest model and should be available at a bargain price.
Make sure you can edit MPEG-2 2008-05-20
This camera uses MPEG-2 format that Windows Movie Maker can't read; I bought Sony Vegas Movie Studio thinking that would work but it won't load on my computer.
Sony says it's not their fault, it's Microsoft's fault because if Visual C++ won't load. Microsoft is no help.
Sony said they would help if I'd bought from directly from them, but because I bought from Amazon, I was on my own.
