Another point of frustration is Sony's continuing tradition of dumbing down its consumer gear so that the company can continue to sell higher-priced pro variants. And just as it was initially difficult to do anything with the footage from the VX1000, there are few sophisticated HDV editing options currently available, and high-capacity HD DVDs are still on the drawing board. It also has some very well-thought-out features that make it an ideal vessel for riding out the transition to HD: it can shoot standard-definition DV, and it can downconvert HD footage to SD for viewing or editing with current standard-definition postproduction systems and distribution formats.Īs with the VX1000 before it, the Sony HDR-FX1 is a product of its time with a couple of significant limitations, most notably a lack of progressive-imaging capabilities and pro audio connections. The HDR-FX1, on the other hand, incorporates three CCDs and more-advanced controls.
#Sony digital video camera recorder full
Unfortunately, with their single-chip imagers and limited controls, both the GR-HD1 and its slightly more professional sibling, the JY-HD10, did not do full justice to the new format. JVC introduced the first cameras to incorporate the HDV standard, a prosumer format that records high-definition video to MiniDV cassettes. Sony's first HDV camera, the HDR-FX1, may turn out to do for high-definition video what the company's VX1000 did for standard-definition video back in 1995-and with a list price of $3,700, it actually costs less! What made the VX1000 so significant was its realization of the awesome potential of DV, which, for the first time, enabled people of modest means to produce video of extremely high quality. Furthermore, its feature set now suffers inĬomparison to those of recent models, and we've adjusted its rating
Editor's note: Though the HDR-FX1 remains an excellent prosumer HDĬamcorder, the changing competitive landscape has prompted us to retire itsĮditors' Choice designation.