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  • Performance

  • Format

  • Tour

  • Auto / Manual Controls

  • Still Features

  • Handling and Use

  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity

  • Other Features

  • Comparisons / Conclusion

  • Specs/Ratings

  • Performance
  • Format
  • Tour
  • Auto / Manual Controls
  • Still Features
  • Handling and Use
  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity
  • Other Features
  • Comparisons / Conclusion
  • Specs/Ratings

Performance

The Sony DCR-HC48 utilizes a 1/6" Advanced HAD CCD Imager featuring 1070K gross pixels, 670K effective pixels 16:9 video mode, and 690K effective pixels in 4:3 video mode.  While the pixel count is identical to last year’s DCR-HC46, that camcorder’s CCD was slightly larger, at 1/5.5".  The effect that a reduced sensor size will have on video performance is unknown; however, the size of individual pixels on the new chip will be smaller.  Smaller pixels have a lesser light gathering ability than larger pixels.  If the CCD or processor has been improved, however, the new 1/6" CCD may perform as well or better than the 1/5.5" CCD from 2006, at least in bright or adequate light.

In our tests, the HC46 was a strong performer, producing video that was near the top of its class.  We found the camcorder to suffer from blue noise randomly scattered throughout the image, evidenced by numerically higher blue channel readings than expected. This is an unfortunate deficiency found in many Sony camcorders. Resolution scores for the HC46 were very good and only the Elura 100 among similarly priced MiniDV camcorders outclassed it.  Sony’s top-of-the-line MiniDV DCR-HC96 is the only camcorder to carry over unchanged from last year, and we found it to be a stellar performer with superb color reproduction and sharpness.  The HC96 has a significantly larger sensor measuring 1/3" and boasts 2048K effective pixels, but the added imaging power comes with a steep $800 price tag.  The HC36, last year’s step-down model from the HC46, turned in lower scores for both performance and resolution. It came equipped with a lower-resolution 1/6" CCD that has been carried over to its next generation model, the 2007 DCR-HC38.

Low Light Performance

The DCR-HC46 underperformed in low light, relative to the good quality video we saw in our 3000 lux tests.  Surprisingly, the HC36 showed a brighter image with truer color in low light than its step-up counterpart despite its smaller and lower resolution sensor.  With a new CCD, the DCR-HC48’s low light performance remains an unknown quantity.  The fact that its predecessor’s scores were unexpectedly weak despite its 1/5.5" chip underscore the difficulty in predicting low light performance based strictly on sensor size.

Format

Compression

The DCR-HC48 employs standard DV 25Mbps compression for video recording. DV compression generally produces the highest quality standard definition video among consumer camcorders, due in part because its 25Mbps data rate is much higher than the 8.5Mbps maximum seen in MPEG-2 video compression.  MPEG-2 compression is commonly used in DVD, HDD, and flash media-based camcorders. While MPEG-2 video has made great strides in recent years, DV remains the superior format in terms of video quality.

Media

The DCR-HC48 captures video to standard MiniDV tapes.  These tapes are inexpensive compared to DVDs and record 60 minutes of SP video or 90 minutes of LP video.  While videotape enables the capture of high-quality DV images, it is a linear medium that necessitates real-time transfer of footage to a PC.  DVDs and other random access media have grown in popularity due to their convenienceand despite their inferior compression. They can be played instantly in most home DVD players, searched by clip on-camera, and offer in-camera editing options that DV cannot match.

The DCR-HC48 also supports a digital still memory mode using Memory Stick Duo and PRO Duo memory cards, a proprietary Sony card format.  Still images can be captured to Memory Stick Duo at resolutions up to 1152 x 864 resolution.

Editing

MiniDV is a mature media that has been widely available since the mid-90’s and is supported by professional NLEs (non-linear editors) like Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid DV Express, Adobe Premiere, and Sony Vegas, as well as most consumer NLEs.  The DCR-HC48 ships with Picture Motion Browser ver. 2.0, a rudimentary NLE that allows users to import footage and perform basic edits. Picture Motion Browser is only compatible with Windows PCs, so Mac users will need to find their own editing solution.

Tour

**The Front **

The Sony DCR-SR48 has undergone some slight design modifications which give the camcorder a boxier look.  From the front, this year’s model has a notable bulge on the left where the grip area assumes a more rounded appearance.  At the front end of the grip is a new mechanical lens cover open/close switch.  The addition of an integrated lens cover is an upgrade over last year’s separate cover and is a nice convenience feature usually reserved for more expensive camcorders.

At the top of the front end is the 30mm filter diameter f/1.8 - 3.2 Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with a focal distance: 2.5 - 62.5mm, and 390mm in telemacro. The 35mm equivalent focal distance is 41 - 1189mm in 16:9 mode and 43 - 1075mm in 4:3 mode. In 16:9 still memory mode the 35mm equivalent is 39 - 975mm ,and in 4:3 it's 36 - 900mm.  Below the lens is a black plastic cover housing the Super NightShot Plus Infrared Sensor.  At the base of the body is the onboard stereo microphone.

**The Right Side **

The right side of the HC48 looks much like the HC46, but it has also seen some slight improvements.  The main feature of this side is the hand strap, which now slants steeply from the back of the camcorder to the front.  The increased downward slant makes it easier to hold the camcorder with a straight wrist and results in a more natural alignment for most hand-held shooting.  Last year’s strap, and those on most consumer camcorders, requires the user to tilt the camcorder backwards to keep the lens axis parallel to the ground. 

The other change is the rounded contour of the grip area thatallows the HC48 to sit very comfortably in your palm.  A ridge that runs horizontally from front to back, above the hand strap, seems designed to hold your fingers out slightly from the body, though we initially found this addition to be a bit of a mystery.  At the top rear corner of the right side is an upward bulge where the zoom rocker, photo button, and power/mode dial are attached.  The open switch for the tape compartment is on top of the right side’s front, where the body curves around to meet the lens barrel.  All in all, Sony has made the 2007 version of this camcorder even more comfortable to grip than its predecessor, indicating that the company is still working to make improvements to a DV line that may not live for many more years as non-tape formats come to the fore.

**The Back **

The back of the DCR-HC48 has undergone some minor changes from the DCR-HC46, with the migration of the AV-out terminal to the lower right corner of the battery slot where the DC-in port used to be and the DC-in port to the lower edge of the body, underneath the battery.  Both ports are protected by plastic covers that are easily opened but may be susceptible to breaking off if they happen to catch on something when open.  The battery release switch has also moved from directly above the battery slot to the top left corner beneath the viewfinder.  The battery now sits squarely in the center of the back, whereas in the HC46, it met the bottom edge of the camcorder.  The other major features of the back end are essentially unchanged, with the extendible EVF (electronic color viewfinder) sitting at the top left, the Power/Mode dial at the top right corner, and the Rec/Start/Stop button at center right.  

**The Left Side **

The left side of the HC48 has also seen some changes, most notably in the shift of the Back Light, Disp/Batt Info, and Easy buttons from the body above the LCD screen to the LCD cavity.  This change is one that we’re not excited about since it means these buttons cannot be reached when the LCD screen is closed, though that will only annoy the few users who habitually shoot with the EVF.  The MemoryStick slot remains where it was last year, in the LCD cavity near the back edge of the body, and the playback speaker and resent button retain their placements near the front edge of the LCD cavity. 

The 16:9 widescreen 2.7" LCD screen with a 123K pixel resolution is virtually unchanged.  The screen opens on a sturdy hinge to 90 degrees from the body, rotates through 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles and can be folded into the LCD cavity facing out.  As in the 2006 model, there are four buttons on the LCD frame below the screen, which are from left to right:  Rec/Start/Stop, W(ide) and (T)ight zoom, and Wide Select (for toggling between 16:9 and 4:3 recording modes.  The buttons, other than Wide Select, offer alternatives to the main controls and are useful for shooting from unusual angles where the primary controls are difficult to reach, such as when the camcorder is held high overhead.

The Top

The features located on top of the Sony DCR-HC48 have not changed despite the boxier shape of the body versus the HC46. The tape compartment release latch is still located behind and to the rear of the lens, and the NightShot Plus switch remains on the center left side of the lens barrel.  As in last year’s model, the Power/Mode Dial protrudes from the back right-edge of the body, with the Photo button just ahead, and the zoom rocker following.  All of these controls are well-positioned, and most shooters will find them easy to reach when gripping the camcorder with the right hand.  The placement of these key controls and their operation is an area in which Sony has long excelled, and the HC48 keeps the faith.

Auto / Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (0.0)

Sony has excelled in producing camcorders that are easy to use, with automatic controls that perform consistently well.  In essence, automatic mode, or "Easy" mode as Sony calls it, takes care of all aspects of image control other than zooming in and out and... well, holding the camcorder for you - hence its popularity. These are seriously easy camcorders. Higher-end enthusiasts and video professionals tend towards the use of manual controls to govern image quality.  When the subject in the frame is clear and lighting is good, Sony camcorders make fast adjustments to focus, aperture, gain and white balance.  In more challenging situations, all camcorders, including Sony's, have difficulty making accurate picture adjustments because their electronic brains don’t know what the subject is. 

Say the subject is your brother Joe. Joe's on a ski slope with the sun at his back. Joe is a small portion of the frame compared to the mountain in the background, your camcorder may assume that the mountain is the subject.  It then adjusts for the brightly lit mountain, leaving Joe out of focus and underexposed.  Camcorders have similar difficulty gauging appropriate color in mixed lighting, for example, when some light in the frame comes from an incandescent source and some is streaming in through a window.  The DCR-HC48 can be expected to struggle in all these situations, though Sony cams often make auto adjustments more adeptly than camcorders from other manufacturers.

Like the HC46, the HC48 does include a suite of recording modes that optimize auto mode for some of the challenging situations mentioned above. Called Scene Modes by Sony, they include: Beach, Candle, Fireworks, Landscape, Portrait, Snow (yes, your brother Joe might find a little help here), Sports Lesson, Spotlight, Sunrise & Sunset, and Twilight.  In addition to these Scene Modes, the HC48 includes Spot Meter and Spot Focus which are features that are helpful when auto mode is making adjustments based on the wrong part of the frame.  When either of these settings is engaged, you can force the camcorder to use a specific part of the frame as its reference by touching the area on the LCD you want it to measure.

*Overall Manual Control *

The Sony DCR-HC46 offers manual control over zoom, focus, exposure in EV steps, and white balance.  All of these controls, other than zoom, are accessed and adjusted using the touch screen interface.  After entering the menu, you tap your way to the appropriate control  and then touch the relevant onscreen buttons.  While a touch screen is fine for menu navigation, or checking in at the airport, it’s a terrible method for making fine adjustments to a video or still image because it lacks the refinement of almost any external physical controller.  The icons and buttons that appear onscreen also obstruct your view of the image you are adjusting, and annoyingly, your fingerprints are bound to grease up the screen. 

We like the ease of navigation that Sony’s touch screens provide, but they render manual control virtually useless.  Sony is after the mass market of point-and-shooters who seldom if ever use manual controls.  Their decision to relegate manual controls to the touch screen on all but their highest-end consumer camcorders speaks to this business decision, as does the lack of many other important manual image controls including shutter speed, aperture control, and gain.

Zoom

The DCR-HC48 features a 25x optical zoom and a digital zoom that maxes out at 2000x. It can also be disabled or set to 50x (a far more sensible option).  Digital zoom magnifies an image electronically, meaning that the resolution of the image will decrease as you move further into digital zoom territory.  For this reason, we recommend either disabling this feature or capping it at 50x.  The step-down DCR-HC38 features a massive 40x optical zoom – the strongest on the consumer market, while the DCR-HC96, with its larger sensor, has only a 10x optical zoom.  The main zoom toggle is excellent, in keeping with other Sony camcorders. This zoom controller is a rocking lever that protrudes up slightly from the top of the body and falls right under your index finger when gripping the camcorder.  The zoom lever allows for fine control over zoom speed.

Two buttons on the LCD frame under the screen are the HC48’s secondary zoom control and are useful for shooting in positions that make it difficult to use the main lever.  The buttons operate the zoom at a medium fixed speed unlike the zoom lever, which allows you to change the zoom speed according to finger pressure.

*Focus *

Manual focus is adjusted using the touch screen interface that has changed little from last year’s HC46. After selecting manual focus from the camcorder submenu, a horizontal bar appears superimposed over the image being monitored.  On the left side of the bar is an icon of a man, representing near focus, and at the right side is an icon of a mountain, representing distant focus.  To change focus in either of these directions, you simply press and hold or tap the correct icon.

As you might imagine, it’s difficult to accurately assess focus when there are icons cluttering up your 2.7" screen.  Onscreen buttons also make fine adjustment nearly impossible because they are pressure-sensitive, activating only when the amount of force applied reaches a certain point.  As a result, it’s impossible to start or stop the focal adjustment on a dime.  Mechanical focus controls are almost always better than Sony’s touch screen buttons.

Luckily, Spot Focus works reasonably well and can be a lifesaver when neither straight auto nor manual focus is up to the task.

*Exposure & Aperture *

The exposure control on the Sony DCR-HC46 has a touch screen interface that is nearly identical to the manual focus interface and is plagued by the same problems.  Once exposure is selected from the menu, a horizontal bar appears, this time with – and + icons at the left and right ends.  Pressing either icon decreases or increases exposure through a 24 step range that presumably refers to EV steps, an aggregate of aperture and shutter speed.  Sony’s high-end HD camcorders do feature an external physical dial that can be used to adjust exposure that is a great improvement over the touch screen.

There is no mode in which you can set the aperture directly. All Panasonic camcorders give you that option, as do some upper-end Canons.

Shutter Speed

You cannot manually control shutter speed on the DCR-HC48, an omission that is consistent across Sony’s whole Handycam line. You will find manual shutter speeds adjustments of some kind make an appearance on camcorders from nearly every other manufacturer, including Panasonic, Canon, JVC, Samsung, and Hitachi.

White Balance

White Balance is one manual control that Sony gets right, with a manual "one push" option, as well as indoor and outdoor presets.  Setting white balance manually is quick and easy.  After you have navigated to the white balance screen, you simply press the One Touch button to lock in your setting.

Gain

Like other consumer camcorders from Sony, the DCR-HC48 does not offer manual control over gain.

Other Manual Controls

The Sony DCR-HC48 offers no manual controls in addition to those mentioned above.

 

Still Features

*Still Features    *

The DCR-HC48 captures stills in Digital Still Memory Mode to Memory Stick Duo cards in JPEG format. Memory Stick Duo cards are loaded into a spring-loaded slot in the LCD cavity.  The still photo resolution settings appear to be unchanged from the HC46, and include 640 x 480 (0.3MP), 1152 x 864 (4:3 at 1.0MP), and 1152 x 648 (16:9 at 0.7MP). Stills can be compressed at either Fine or Standard JPEG qualities. The camcorder can record VGA quality stills while video is being recorded, which equals 640 x 480 in 4:3 mode, and 640 x 360 (0.2MP) in 16:9 mode.

Unfortunately, the Memory Stick Duo card counts as an optional accessory; no card ships in the HC48 box.

Handling and Use

Ease of Use

Placing the Sony DCR-HC48 in Easy mode limits you to control over zoom and a handful of setup options including (menu) Beep On/Off, Clock Set, and Display Guide, which is a sort of "show info" function for items in the touch screen menu. The Disp/Batt Info button also continues to work in Easy mode. It toggles through display options while recording and shows information about battery life in standby.  Thus, easy mode leaves you with little to worry about other than framing shots, making it practically idiot-proof.

The touch screen also keeps navigating the text-based menu a simple endeavor.  As long as you can read and have a basic understanding of video nomenclature, you’ll have no trouble tapping your way through the scrolling list of options.  It is also "easy" to use the manual adjustments via the touch screen interface – but it’s very difficult to use them efficiently or accurately.  For making fine image adjustments, the touch screen leaves much to be desired.

For its target point-and-shoot market, this Sony is a very good fit.  Anyone who’s shot with a camcorder before should have little difficulty locating the well-labeled external controls like the zoom rocker, record start/stop button, and power/mode switch.  The zoom rocker especially is a fine control, and though we’re always assessing zoom controllers from other companies, Sony camcorders consistently top the list for their sensitivity and ergonomic feel.

Handling

The HC48 is a shade larger than last year’s HC46, measuring 63 x 85 x 115mm (2 1/2' x 3 3/8' x 4 5/8') and tipping the scales at 465g (1.0 lb.) fully loaded with tape and battery.  The external measurements of the HC38 are identical, but it is a touch lighter at 450g (15 oz.).  These dimensions make the HC48 a mid-sized consumer camcorder that won’t weigh down your backpack but also won’t fit into a pants pocket. 

In your hand, the DCR-HC48 feels good, with great balance and a down-sloping and well-padded strap.  The tape compartment doubles as the grip area, and it is shaped to fit very comfortably in your palm.  Sony’s DVD camcorders, like the DCR-DVD308, have a taller body that will fit most hands more awkwardly, causing the camcorder to tilt slightly away from the palm.

The included Sony DRCA-C155 Handycam Station adds to the camcorder’s ease of use by allowing you to keep the station connected to a PC via an i.LINK (IEEE 1394) cable.  Instead of connecting and reconnecting wires from the HC48 when you need to transfer footage, you just drop it into the dock.  The drawback to an accessory like this is its impact on portability.  The Handycam Station is another item you’ll need to pack.  Overall, however, the DCR-HC48 handles very well, easier to use and more ergonomically friendly than the point-end-shoot competition.  If you are looking for decent manual controls, however, the usability of the HC48 will offer little consolation to its huge shortcomings in that area.

Menu

The Sony DCR-HC48 has Sony’s standard menu.  It is accessed by the "P" button on the touch screen, and when this button is pressed, an interface that looks something like a Rolodex or scroll occupies most of the screen.  Up and down arrows at the top and bottom of the screen are pressed to cycle through text options, which appear in categories that are separated by a horizontal divider.  As you scroll through the options for a given category, a corresponding icon to the left of the scroll is displayed.  For example, a camcorder icon appears as you scroll through image control options such as Focus, Tele Macro, and Digital Zoom.  Scrolling beyond the end of the camcorder section brings up a new icon on the left (a pencil and filmstrip), and a new set of options and so on.

As you scroll through the menu, pressing the label for a menu selection brings up the sub-menu or onscreen interface for that selection.  Generally, the first screen you see when an option is selected

LCD and Viewfinder

The LCD screen on the Sony DCR-HC48 measures 2.7' and has a resolution of 123K pixels and a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio which is unchanged from the HC46.  The 16:9 display is an upgrade over the HC38 and HC28 that both have 4:3-native screens.  The display doubles as the camcorder’s menu and image control interface, using Sony’s Touch Panel Hybrid technology.  Like other Sony screens, this one retains image clarity when it’s viewed from an angle, whereas screens from other manufacturers quickly solarized when they are not viewed straight-on.  This characteristic of Sony’s screens certainly deserved plaudits – but the company’s decision to rely on a touch screen interface does not.

Yes, the touch screen is very easy to use and makes navigating the menu a cinch for anyone who has used a touch screen kiosk or ATM, but for making image control adjustments, a joystick interface would be better.  The screen will pick up fingerprints, no matter how clean your hands are, and adjusting focus or exposure accurately when icons are cluttering your view is at best annoying and at worst, impossible.  Furthermore, the fact that the buttons on the screen kick in only when finger pressure reaches a certain point makes precise adjustments more difficult than with a physical button or joystick.  That said, Sony camcorders are made for point-and-shooters who are most interested in ease of use.  For these consumers, the touch screen is an efficient and very friendly interface.  For manual control junkies, they are a less than desirable "feature" of the HC48 and Sony’s entire Handycam line.

In addition to the 2.7" LCD, the HC48 also includes a 123K pixels EVF (electronic color viewfinder) mounted at the camcorder’s rear.  The EVF is functional but not comfortable and will do in a pinch when you are trying to conserve battery power or in an environment that’s too bright for the LCD.

**

**

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

**Audio
**The DCR-HC48 offers no audio options other than the onboard stereo microphone.  In order to use external mics, you’ll need to step-up to the HC96, that is unchanged from 2006, which adds Sony’s proprietary AIS (Active Interface Shoe).  The AIS is a hot shoe, compatible with many Sony accessories including mics, video lights, and flashes.

**Playback
**Playing back tapes on the HC48 relies on – you guessed it – the touch screen interface.  Toggling the Power/Mode Dial a notch clockwise does engaging playback.  Each time the dial is pressed with the index finger, the camcorder cycles from one mode to the next.  Play/Edit mode brings up a familiar set of VCR buttons on the lower edge of the LCD screen:  Play/Pause, Stop, FF, and Rew, and they all work as you’d expect.  In Easy mode, the playback controls are enlarged to obscure even more of the image, as if Easy mode users lack the fine motor controls of non-Easy mode users…

A few options are only available during non-Easy mode playback, including variable speed playback and frame-by-frame advance.  Playback zoom is available in either Easy or non-Easy mode playback, and allows you to enlarge the image up to 5x with the zoom rocker, and then to pan around the image by touching the edges of the screen.

**Connectivity
**The DCR-HC48 includes a Handycam Station where you’ll find a the camcorder’s full complement of ports and terminals including AV Output, i.LINK (IEEE 1394 or FireWire), USB 1.1, and DC-In.  The DC-In and AV-out terminals are also found behind port covers on the back of the HC48 body.  The step-up HC96 adds a LANC jack for remote camcorder control, and an Active Interface Shoe, compatible with a large number of Sony accessories.  In addition to the connections listed above, Sony sells an optional S-Video output cable that plugs into the AV port.

**

**

The Handycam Station is a device that many users will appreciate.  You can keep the station connected to your PC, and "dock" the HC48 by simply placing it on the station.  Any port with an active connection is then instantly available.  The drawbacks to a docking station include portability (it’s another item to pack for your trip to the beach) and the fact that without the station, you won’t be able to transfer footage since neither the USB nor i.LINK terminals are found on the camcorder body.  We would prefer Sony to include all ports on both the Handycam Station and the body of the HC48 for maximum versatility.

Other Features

Other Features
Fader - The HC48 includes a familiar suite of in-camera fade effects that are engaged via the menu before video recording commences. After a fade-in has been selected, pressing the record button will fade into recording mode. Fade-out effects are set while the camcorder is recording, requiring you to navigate to the desired fade-out using the touch screen.  As you might imagine, browsing the menu while recording will jostle the camcorder – and your perfectly framed shot.  While this is a nifty feature, you’ll have much greater control over fades added to video in post using NLE software.  The fades available include white, black, mosaic and monotone. Overlap, wipe, and dot fader are available only as transitions between shots as fade-in options.

Electronic Image Stabilization - The Sony DCR-HC48 features Sony’s Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System, a proprietary flavor of electronic image stabilization (EIS).  EIS systems are very good at reducing the effects of hand shake on a video image, but they do this at a cost.  By using a portion of the image as a digital buffer zone, they reduce the resolution of the recorded image.  Though the resolution loss will be imperceptible to many users – and may be preferable to a nausea-inducing and shaky image – there are better OIS options available on Sony’s high-end camcorders (as well as all of Panasonic’s consumer camcorders for 2007.)  OIS, or optical image stabilization, systems also stabilize the image but do so optically without the resolution loss associated with EIS systems.

Digital Effects/Picture Effects - Digital effects, like fader effects, are applied in-camera, and include include Flash Motion, Luminance, Old Movie, Slow Shutter, Still, and Trail. Picture effects include Monotone, Mosaic, Negative Art, Pastel, Sepia, and Solarization

Super NightShot Plus Infrared System  - Super NightShot Plus is an infrared night shooting mode that makes use of the infrared beam below the lens to gather image information in zero lux environments.  This feature uses an invisible infrared lamp to illuminate nearby objects and allows the camcorder to capture grainy monotone images akin to the video gathered by military night vision goggles.  It’s a gimmicky feature that only Sony consumer camcorders have, and it’s a great party trick for teenagers if nothing more.

Comparisons / Conclusion

**Conclusion
**The Sony DCR-HC48 is a camcorder that follows up on the company’s best entry-level offering from 2006, the DCR-HC46, with a few welcome improvements.  The integrated lens cover is a great addition that’s usually only found in higher-end models. The body also fits even more snugly in your palm than last year’s MiniDV Handycams.  We find the placement of some buttons in the LCD cavity rather than the exterior on the left side to be inferior as they are less accessible when shooting with the viewfinder.  Yet this is a change that should impact only a small number of users who prefer the EVF to the user-friendly LCD.

The big wild card in judging the HC48 is the 1/6" CCD sensor that boasts the same resolution as last year’s 1/5.5" sensor.  Without improved engineering, a reduced overall sensor size should yield lesser low light performance since it means the individual pixels on the sensor are smaller.  However, it is reasonable to assume that Sony has improved the CCD’s design and that the new chip will either offer comparable or better performance than last year’s 1/5.5" CCD.  Until we test the video and still performance of the HC48, we won’t be able to weigh in on how much the 1/6" CCD changes the look and quality of the image over the HC46.

What we do know is that this camcorder is a modestly improved iteration of the DCR-HC46.  The menu interface, LCD and EVF, and core specs remain essentially unchanged while the ergonomics are a touch better.  Meanwhile, manual controls (which have seen some promising improvement in high-end Sonys like the HDR-HC7 and HDR-SR1, thanks to their manual control dials) remains limited and plagued by a poorly implemented touch screen interface.  Yet for point-and-shooters who have little use for a competent manual control suite, the HC48 should be an attractive little device given its best feature of all: a MSRP of just $400, representing a $100 drop from the initial price of its predecessor.

Specs/Ratings

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Meet the tester

John Neely

John Neely

Editor

John Neely is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

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