EXCLUSIVE: Sony HDR-CX7 Review
Quick rundown:
Pros: Small and lightweight. Easy to use. Great image quality.
Cons: No viewfinder. OIS not effective enough. Spartan manual controls.
Tapeless camcorders have become a hot ticket item and Sony is never far behind the trends. The HDR-CX7 nearly oozes ease-of-use, with few buttons or input/output jacks in sight. Sony’s first Memory Stick camcorder is definitely a looker, but will it deliver?
The back of the camcorder is simple, with the power/mode switch and the record button being the only two buttons available. I really liked the recessed battery compartment, which, even with a high-capacity battery, keeps the camcorder looking slim and trim. Pull back the flaps next to the battery and you have your Mini HDMI, A/V output, and charging jack.
It should be noted that, because the battery is not fully enclosed, Sony gives you the option of using a high-capacity battery. Some manufacturers are manufacturing camcorders with enclosed battery compartments, which makes them look cleaner, but also makes it impossible for a larger battery to fit.
The right side of the camcorder is where you hand goes, so there is really nothing to see here except the flash button, which changes flash settings for still photos. The hand strap is comfortable and plush.
The LCD screen dominates the left side of the HDR-CX7, but when open (which it will be all the time since the HDR-CX7 doesn’t have a viewfinder) you have access to the main array of buttons on the camcorder. These include the back light, display button, index button, play button, easy mode, and the Nightshot switch. Also hidden underneath the LCD screen is the Memory Stick PRO Duo slot, just barely accessible when the camcorder is on a tripod.
A Sony accessory shoe, the surround sound microphone, photo button, and the zoom rocker grace the top of the camcorder. On the bottom you will find the docking station port.
Now on to the good stuff…
Video quality on the Sony HDR-CX7 looks really, really good. The 1/2.9″ CMOS sensor, which all of Sony’s top HD camcorders use, really does the trick. Colors are saturated just a little, but not overly so. Sony definitely hit a nice color balance.
The image is sharp, and the average camcorder user will be very happy with its performance. The prosumer may be able to nitpick and find something to complain about if they compare it to, say, the Sony HDR-HC7 HDV camcorder, but, overall, in the tapeless, memory-card camcorder market, this is the best I have seen.
Sony also seems to have solved much of the problem of motion artifacting. This occurs when there is a lot of movement in a scene, and AVCHD camcorders have been notorious to this point for creating a sort of motion trail look, which seriously degrades the image. Though there was just a little bit of artifacting apparent on the HDR-CX7, I had to specifically look for it to find it.
Comparing the HDR-CX7 footage to footage from the Panasonic HDC-SD1, the most comparable camcorder available, I liked the HDR-CX7 better. This is largely due to the motion artifacting issue, and the Sony HDR-CX7 also seemed sharper in comparison. It should be noted that Panasonic has since released the HDC-SD5, an even smaller version of the SD1, but at the time of this review, I have not seen it in action.
Low-light performance was decent, and should not disappoint the point-and-shoot market for which Sony has manufactured the CX7. In situations with low light levels, the HDR-CX7 produced a fair amount of grain. However, even the loss of some detail and color did not take away from the high-definition experience.
When I first picked up the Sony HDR-CX7, I was instantly taken in by its small size and light weight. I am tall and have long fingers, but it was no problem to adjust to the camcorder’s size.
The small size of the HDR-CX7 made it a little difficult to hold steadily. Sony’s Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) was not able to take away as much shakiness as it should have. Considering how small the camcorder is, this is to be expected. If you suffer from shaky hands and are going to be using the long end of the zoom a lot, be wary of this camcorder.
Also be aware that there is no viewfinder on the CX7, so any framing or picture adjustments must be done using the LCD screen.
Holding the camcorder and navigating the touch-screen menu on the LCD is easy, although on the smallish 2.7″ LCD you sometimes have to remember not to mash the screen with the full tip of your finger lest you hit the wrong button.
Sony’s touch-screen menu system is not loved by all, but over the past few generations of camcorders they have evolved it into a menu system that is much better than it was previously. Point-and-shoot users will appreciate the fact that there are not that many options that you have to stress over. More advanced users will wonder where some of the manual settings have disappeared to.
The target market for the Sony HDR-CX7 is definitely point-and-shoot, but it would have been nice to see a few more manual controls. However, you do get a few things like spot focus, spot meter, white balance, and a very basic exposure setting to play around with and satisfy your controlling side.
If you still feel overwhelmed by the sparse menu options you can also elect to press the “Easy” button. This puts the CX7 into an idiot-proof mode that completely automates everything. Grandma will thank you for this.
Recorded footage can be played back right away on the camcorder by hitting the play button (who would have thought?) on the side of the camcorder or on the lower left of the LCD screen. Up comes a screen with thumbnails of the scenes you have recorded. Tap a thumbnail and your selected scene begins playing immediately.
Sony does not include a Mini HDMI cable with the Sony HDR-CX7, which is a bit of a letdown for those who want to utilize their snazzy new home theater systems. They do include the component cable, but there is no component output on the camcorder itself. This means that, with what the camcorder comes with, to output HD quality video, you have to have the camcorder on the docking station. Basically, that means one extra thing to carry around to show off your footage.
Connecting the camcorder to the TV and playing it back is a breeze. Just set it to playback and select the scene you want to watch. Playing back video was flawless and looked great when connected to a 32″ Samsung 1080i HDTV.
With average use, the supplied battery lasts about an hour. This can differ greatly from charge to charge depending on how much starting and stopping, powering off/on, zooming, etc. is being done. This is an OK life for a camcorder battery, and there is always the option of a higher capacity battery. Sony says the NP-FH100 battery is good for 3 hours of average use. I would definitely recommend a longer life battery.
It is important to remember that when you buy the Sony HDR-CX7 you will also have to spring for a Memory Stick PRO Duo card. At the time of this review, an 8GB card is the largest available, and on the highest quality setting you will get approximately 60 minutes of recording time. If you record long events you will need to lower the recording quality or bring along extra cards.
The Sony HDR-CX7 was really fun to use, and produces great quality images. I would highly recommend it for the point-and-shoot user who wants a small, compact camcorder that records to flash memory. If you are a more advanced user, make sure you are OK with only a sparse offering of manual controls.
Whether you are shooting a birthday party, family events, vacations, or just horsing around, the Sony HDR-CX7’s small size and great quality will serve you well if you can front the cash.
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