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Sony HDR-CX7 camcorder

CHAD SAPIEHA

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 1:41 PM EST 15/07/08

A high-def wonder that makes shooting video simple ...Read the full article

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  1. Kay Ay from East of To., Canada writes: I hope my husband doesn't read this article :)
    It sounds much better than our current video camera just on length of video that can be taken.
  2. Michel Morin from Montréal, Canada writes: Can you check that stills are only 3.1 MegaPixels with the SONY HDR-CX7. I have read a lot about this camera and it is supposed to shoot stills at 6.1 Mpx.

    Also, did you find any inconvenience with the lack of a Viewfinder on this camera.

    Finally, I undertand that the actual pixel count for movies is 1440 x 1080 and not Full HD 1920 x 1080. Does it cause any problem when read on a Full HD SONY Bravia XBR2.

    Many thanks.
  3. Chad Sapieha from Toronto, Canada writes: Thanks for your questions, Michel. You’re correct, Sony does state that this camcorder has a 6.1 megapixel still camera, but that’s interpolated size (i.e. the image captured is three megapixels, then up-converted to 6.1). As I mention in the review, stills are good for a camcorder, but don’t compare to a decent dedicated digicam. Shots I took in good lighting and in which the subject wasn’t moving were clear, colourful, and crisp. Shots captured in low light environments or that focused on a moving subject weren’t as attractive. Regarding your viewfinder query, I almost never use viewfinders on consumer grade camcorders, so the lack of one meant little to me. The LCD is vivid enough that I was able to easily make out the picture even in direct sunlight. Plus, most of the features are accessed through the touch interface, which would force one to use the LCD most of the time even if there was a viewfinder. As for your final question, I tested the HD video on a 1080i plasma set and it looked terrific. However, I have no reason to doubt that it wouldn’t look just as good if not better on a Sony Bravia. Note, though, that there are some funny HD numbers at work here. HD video on the HDRCX7 is captured at 1920 x 540 (seems whacky, given that “True HD” is typically 1920 x 1080), then converted to 1080i for playback. All you need to know is whether your TV is 1080i capable, and yours is.
  4. John Diefenbaker from Canada writes: One very minor point - most, but not all, Sony products use Memory Sticks. The Sony a100 SLR uses Compact Flash, but that's mainly because Sony bought Minolta's SLR business and Minolta used CF. Of course, the a100 does include a CF-MS adapter in case you want to pay more for less storage...
  5. Michel Morin from Montréal, Canada writes: Many thanks for your reply. The HDR-CX7 looks like "it`s the one" on this August 1st, 2007.
  6. Michel Morin from Montréal, Canada writes: We are now one year later, in 2008, and this camera is now selling 798 $ plus 110$ approx for a 8 G Card (at Dumoulin stores inQC).
    Do you consider this is still the best camcorder (HQ with flash only) around ?
    Your article is so far, one year later, the best review that I found.
    Any update?
    Many thanks !

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