On the HDR-PJ710V (no viewfinder), I understand that when you close the LCD door, the camera stops recording. The thing is, I'll be locked on a tripod, and after I hit record I'd like to close the door and CONTINUE to record.

Someone at Amazon suggested that by setting the camera's menu item "Power on by LCD Panel" to OFF, this might be possible.

Can anyone confirm this? Will tweaking that menu item allow the camera to continue recording with the LCD panel closed and off?

Thanks.

Yes, confirmed on my 710, there's a small "power" button under the LCD on the body that takes over for "power on by LCD open/close" when the menu item is switched from "on" to "off".

FWIW, the "best" new improved feature of the 710 is the BOSS "magic eyeball", if you'll be on tripod, you could go with a CX560 and get pretty much the same results....

That's great; thanks for checking. (All but one of the 'quick answers from Amazon claimed this wasn't possible...that it would stop recording when closed.)

Good point about the CX560...I'd forgotten about that model and its larger sensor. I just checked, and even used it's calling in quite a premium....

Sometimes you have to get someone with "hands on" and who can double check that a feature works a certain way <wink> - I wasn't sure myself, but tested the function, and yep, you can record with the LCD panel closed...

I "think" the 560 had the same sensor as the CX700, and they kept the sensor around for the later 7xx series cams (the "new" lower model has a small sensor!), so the 560 is a decent option to get farily late model tech, and save a few $ if you don't mind used. If you'll be doing handheld, the BOSS system is worth the extra $, but if it's a static/tripod cam, you wouldn't be using that nifty new feature.

Oddly enough, Sony support just emailed the following link...I'd forgotten I asked...which clarifies and expands upon the information that's in the user guide (this will probably come as no surprise, but you CAN record with the door closed):

HDR-CX760V/PJ710/PJ710V/PJ760/PJ760V | Power On By LCD (HDR-PJ710/PJ710V) | "Handycam" User Guide (http://esupport.sony.com/docs/dvimag/HDR-CX760V_PJ710_PJ710V_PJ760_PJ760V_guide/en/contents/07/07/23/23.html)

Meanwhile, well-meaning people keep adding wrong answers (e.g. "No. And this is another minus.") to my question at Amazon's product page. I now feel obligated to correct each and every one.

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Actually, I'd planned on switching from a 3MOS Panasonic (I hate the color) to a larger chip Canon (I like the color), but still no 60p on the higher-end G10/G20. Sony came out of left-field for me, but seems like a nice compromise. Thanks again.

A side note,
The HXR-NX30 can record with only the viewfinder pulled out, and with the LCD screen closed. I speculate that related models with viewfinders might operate similarly.

Oddly, there is another Power button on the HXR-NX30, but you have to open the LCD to get to it, so it's basically there to shut off power while the LCD is open. (I can't see much use for that.)

I use that power button to switch off power to change the SD card. It is there on all my Sony's

Ron Evans

Ah, good point, Ron. Don't know why I didn't think of that.


Didn't mean to meander this thread.
Cheers

Sony cams typically have multiple ways to access functions...

The power button should "overrule" all the other on/off functions, as will a power signal via the A/V LANC. IF the particular model has a pull out Viewfinder, that will overrule the LCD "switch", and keep the camera on when the LCD is closed. The menu function serves to add additional control by telling the camera to ignore the "switch" signal from the LCD.

And as long as the red record light isn't on indicating a read/write in progress, you should be OK to "hot swap" the SD card.