HDR-UX7

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• Expert Rating

  3.50 / 5

• User Rating

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• Price

  $ 2,099.00 (AUD)

Ben Russell Good Gear Guide 30/05/07 Follow @pcworldau

Pros

• Handles a wide variety of scenes respectably, 1080i delivers sharp and clear images

Cons

• Some problems with colour reproduction, limited optical zoom

Bottom Line

If you're looking for a high definition DVD camcorder, and don't mind having to occasionally work around colour reproduction issues, then the HDR-UX7 is a solid choice.

Would you buy it?

• Yes 0
• No 1

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Image quality isn't the best we've seen, with minor amounts of image noise and blurring visible in some of our test footage. Nevertheless, the clarity of images, including fast moving objects, is relatively good for the most part and is enough to satisfy non-professionals. Colour reproduction is probably one of the camera's biggest flaws though, with reds and yellows looking washed out in certain light conditions. We did manage to correct most of this through calibration, but it's still an annoyance for users looking for true-to-life colours.

The UX7's auto mode performed well, with the exception of the aforementioned inability to adapt to certain light conditions to produce accurate colours. Autofocus reacts well to quick changes and manages to quickly focus on objects, even at close range. Thankfully, Sony has included an impressive range of manual options, including white balance and exposure. Optical zoom is only available at 10x however, and this is somewhat disappointing for a DVD based camcorder, even if digital zoom to 20x is available as well.

Design-wise the UX7 is comfortable to hold, with all buttons in easy reach. The interface, navigated via touch screen, is well laid out and easy to navigate. Battery life is incredibly good at over two hours, especially considering that a single DVD's capacity is just under one hour at the lowest quality setting, and around 20 minutes at the highest.

Overall, there isn't anything that stands out about the Sony HDR-UX7. If you're looking for a high definition DVD camcorder, and don't mind having to occasionally work around colour reproduction issues, then it's a solid choice.