Sony DCR SR85 1MP 60GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom

Customer Reviews

Great Camcorder!

2008-04-16
This little hard drive camcorder is awesome! A couple of these reviews are just so ridiculous. Just try it out and you won't be disappointed. The storage is enormous, the battery life is phenomenal and the videos are great! It's fun and easy to use!

Great camcorder

2008-04-07
This is a great camcorder. Having the video written to disk is great. We've had DVD camcorders and watched an entire day's filming at WDW wasted when the DVD wasn't readable when we got back from vacation.

My wife likes using an eye view finder, but this camcorder does not have that. I have glasses so I've always opened it up and viewed it that way while filming. She also doesn't like the fact that you have to open the lens cap by hand, as it doesn't open automatically like our previous DVD camcorder.

We bought this particular model for the 25x Optical zoom, and that works great. The included software is awesome too.

maybe I got a dud...

2008-03-01
Maybe I got a dud, but this camera did not work at all for what I needed. First off, I was not able to use it, because it buffered itself every 20 seconds. I was only able to get about 3 minutes of video before it started buffering. Then, it would buffer about every 20 seconds, resulting in only short snippets of viewable video.

Secondly, the lack of a mic gain setting screwed me. Yes, I was recording in a loud environment. The sound was very distorted and unbearable. This camera needs a function to be able to turn down the mic sensitivity.

Didn't work for me.

Great Value for the Money!

2008-02-06
I just received this camcorder (DCR-SR85) and I am very happy with it! It is so small & lightwieght, plus it takes fantastic videos. The videos download very quickly with the included software, and are crisp and clear as any DVD movie that I have (standard definition). I stuggled with all the choices out there, but I am very satified with this product. I use it mostly to document procedures for work, but it is great for home movies also. I think it would be nice to have a larger mega-pixel camera in it (only 1 meg) since it is so small it could easily replace my digital camera also! I also purchased the extended warranty from Sony for only 89.00 (3 years), and an extra battery. This one is a keeper!

Best camcorder

2008-06-02
This is my first camcorder and I selected this after a careful study of exisiting models across various brands like panasonic, jvc, canon. This was fitting my budget with lots of required specifications. I did go to nearest electronics shop and had a look at it before ordering it and comparing it other models. I used it extensively in my recent trip to smokies and it was fantastic. Lots of space..I need not bother about space. Four days of usage and I was hardly using 10 gb out of 60 gb. Clarity was good. Wish I could explore all the features of it. I would recommend this to any new comers into the camcorder world.

Good product, excellent customer service

2008-05-31
It is a good handy cam, however I was not satisfied with video resolution. But at this price you can't expect more then that. Camcorder had a problem with zoom in and out operation, there was some mechanical noise and it was getting recorder in video. So returned it. Got full refund from amazon instantly... no troubles at all, Thanks amazon!

it is great

2008-05-28
over all, it is great, but when you change the optical times, you should do it slowly. otherwise the video will become not clear.

Bad for Editing Movies

2008-05-24
Although this is a good price and good picture and has a large hard drive you cannot edit your movies which is why I bought the camera in the first place. Unfortunately we've had it for over a month before we discovered this. I am very disappointed.

Great Camcorder

2008-05-02
This is one of the best camcorders I've ever dealed with. It's a big step up from a old VHS mini tape one. The hard drive makes it very convenient. With the charger station that comes with it, you can use it to charge and watch the video footage at the same time. I paid $550 which is quite a deal because it is a $700 camcorder. I do wish some more accessories came with it but that's okay. The zoom is great. For being only a one megapixel camera, it looks pretty good except when zoomed in. I would definitey consider this to all my friends.
- real easy to use and great capabilities

Cameras & Photography Products and Books

	Click!. The No Nonsense Guide to Digital Cameras Review: ... "Click! The No Nonsense Guide to Digital Cameras" is misnamed. It covers a lot more than just cameras. In a couple of hundred pages, it includes using a scanner and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 to rescue faded, damaged family photos, the basic guidelines to good picture taking, how to use Elements 2 to improve your digital photos, and how to print and preserve your pictures for the ages. White, the author of the bestseller "How Computers Work," knows how to pack a lot of helpful, understandable information in a brief no nonsense book.
	Sony Cybershot DSCS90 4.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom Review: "This Camera is one of the best in its price range. It takes beautiful clear pictures and can be used right out of the box, but its worth learning all its features. The included memory holds about 20-25 pictures so I upgraded to 128mb. I reccomend getting a 128mb card and the Sony camera case. Not only is this one of the best cameras in its class it includes decent software and rechargeable batteries that are at least a 20$ value. HIGHLY reccomend over canon,kodak, and fuji. One more thing this camera has CARL Zeiss lens (if you dont know, great lens) all the competetors have generic lens."
	Sony Cybershot DSCF88 5MP Digital Camera with 3x optical Zoom Editorial Review: Kick back with your favorite DVDs anywhere! Sleek, portable player features IR wireless remote. Plays DVDs, CDs, MP3s and Kodak Picture CDs. Includes 12V power source adapter and Li-Ion Battery Pack. Model D1710. 90-day limited warranty.

PC Magazine Guide to Digital Photography

Editorial Reviews from Book News, Inc.
A couple of digital photography experts weigh the advantages and disadvantages of film vs. digital photography, and explain the basics underlying both types of photography. The Grottas provide reality checks on such issues as whether the number of megapixels really matter, and tips on camera selection, use, and e-mailing and organizing photos. The handbook includes color and b&w images, a glossary, and sidebars and Web links for further technical details.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland.

From the Back Cover The megapixel hype
The fact is a camera’s megapixel rating is only a measure of how many pixels (photosensitive sites) an image sensor has…. An image sensor is simply one component of an entire system that produces a digital photograph… So resist buying into the megapixel hype when you’re choosing a digital camera. From Chapter 1

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