Sony seems to excel at making easy to use camcorders, and according to CCInfo’s Sony DCR-SR40 review, this fact may be the only thing that saves this particular camcorder. The Sony DCR-SR40 records footage to a 30GB hard drive using a mediocre 680K, 1/6″ CCD. It is definitely an entry-level camcorder, and CCInfo’s review backs that up.
The Sony DCR-SR40 performed as one would expect, capturing a noisy image when compared to other camcorders of the same type. Low-light performance, especially at 15 lux, was abysmal to say the least. The small LCD screen also made it somewhat difficult to use the trademark Sony touch-screen menu systems.
That being said, CCInfo deems the Sony DCR-SR40, “perhaps the most idiot-proof camcorder ever.” Basically there isn’t much you can mess up, and the internal recording medium does away with multiple tapes and allows for more recording time. However, in both my opinion and CCinfo’s your money would be better spent on something a tad more expensive.
