Newbie first SR 11 impressions
 

Bought an SR11, shipped to me on Monday, I got it today. Never have had or used a camcorder before. After reading all the horror stories about complicated AVCHD viewing and editing and the handling pros/cons of camcorders, all I can say is that I had this thing up and running and on HDTV and computer monitor in no time and with no problems.
I checked the batt out of the box - camera had 27min of charge when unpacked, so I started shooting. Don't even hear or feel a whisper of the HDD. The vid and stills are both great. I had the Sony software loaded in my computer in minutes and files downloded. Viewed vids on a Gateway TFT LCD HD monitor. Beautiful - color looked great and accurate with no color adjustments on cam, files or output, contrast was great (first clip had window backlighting behind a hairy dog and the camera handled it very well), focus seemed to need horizontals to work, but this only came into play with extreme zoom on a small area with no horiozontals. Focus track during zoom was also better than I thought it would be.
Stills are great too, but flash yielded a tiny bit too much red - easily fixed in any photo edit software or in camera adjustment, but I ahven't gotten that far. Cam prefers flash even in seemingly adequate light - turned it off and got great exposure with excellent color rendition in late PM indoor natural lighting.
Camera is a gem to handle - all ports/doors are attached, sliding and self storing. Touch screen is fine - I think it's really convenient. Takes only a light touch and is very fast/responsive. You can click thrru settings really quick. BTW, I didn't read the manual - all menus are logical and self-prompting. A LOT easier than any still digicam I have. I'll definitely carry a microfiber cloth to keep the LCD screen clear. It doesn't show fingerprints in use, but prefer to keep it clean.
This is all totally newbie feedback, but this thing is the best. I'll try to post my first raw file, but need to shorten it a bit from 138meg.
Also had it on a Sharp Aquos HDTV in minutes - REALLy great pic. Non-digital cable now looks really bad in comparison. Again, no input/output adj on TV was made -just plugging in the RBG and sound plugs and setting TV input.
I have Vegas - this weekend I'll load that to see what editing is all about. Haven't played with the Sony software yet, but for basic plug-n-play it couldn't be easier. (Computer is a Toshiba laptop, 2.2GH Centrino Duo, 2.2GB RAM.) All cords and cables (as far as needed so far) are supplied. I added an 8GB mem stick. Can't put stills on HD (I think).
More later - suggest things I might check out. For $966, this CC blows me away. How/where can I post 30-50 meg files and what file format would you want to see?

It would be great to see the raw file. I'm trying to test out playback on my computer and even if I was able to see a 1 second clip it would let me see if I can play it back through hardware acceleration on my computer.

Also would really like to know if you do basic editing ( trimming clips) on Vegas if it makes you re render the entire file or not.

I'm not sure the best place to post clips, but am sure someone will chime in to help you with that. I'd really like to get hold of a small raw file from the sony, even if it was small enough to email ( under 3 megbytes). In case that would be something you'd be interested in , my email is billjernigan at hotmail dot com. I'd gladly forward the file to anyone else that would want to do testing on it as well as post results of my testing on the forum.

Bill J.

By default video and stills are stored on the HDD. You need to go into the media menu to select where you want the video and stills to go. Both still AND video can go to either HDD or Memory stick. The data on the HDD can also be copied to the memory stick too. I agree with you the cam is great having had mine about a week now. Get your self a Sony HDMI cable( yes you need to get a Sony one as one end is Sony proprietary mini to the camera!!!!).
Ron Evans

HDMI cable
 

Ron, What does the HDMI cable do that all the other cables don't?

HDMI combines all the audio and video into one cable and this connector is on newer TV's. Its convenient( only one cable for audio and video) and the data stays in digital form to the TV no conversion back and forth between digital and analogue for the cables like component and composite then have the TV convert back to digital for display. HDMI "should" be a better video and audio transfer. The connector on the SR11 is under the cover on the front,right side of the camera with the mic and headphone jacks.

Ron Evans

Hi Ron -
Isn't the Sony plug a "standard" type "mini HDMI"? Or are they going to stick you for a custom plug....

And now you've had the cam for a week, what are your thoughts?

How does it do in low light? Noise acceptable? Color retention good?

Those initial pictures looked pretty good, does this feel like it can "cross over" the still/video line sucessfully?

Manual control adequate, or does it still seem limited?

Is that larger LCD a huge improvement over the ol' 2.7?

Just curious how the cam "feels" to you after the "new" has faded <wink>!

I have no idea if the Sony is standard mini HDMI ( is there such a thing?) their cable is the mini on one end and a standard size on the other. After a week ( in which I have had a cold so not on top form) I like the cam. Compared to the SR7 it seems to be better in low light, a little less noise until it opens right up to 18db gain, certainly at 12db gain it looks good( SR7 was still grainy at 12db). The picture in good light is very clean. Those stills I posted are typical of the moving pictures in terms of noise level. Manual controls are the same as SR7 though the control wheel is a lot more convenient( it has face detection and guide frame not on the SR7). Controls certainly do not match up to the FX1 but are adequate for the intended use. LCD display is wonderful at 3.2" and with much more resolution than the 3.5" on my FX1, a very nice monitor. For me as a point and shoot still it will work though it lacks the fine control a real still camera would have. I will get a Memory Stick and try recording to that too as that may be the way to protect HDD for moving shots.
I am hoping Sony comes out with a FX1/FX7 replacement in AVCHD at even higher data rate also with HDD and Memory Stick or SD flash recording!!!! I am sure they will have competition for the new Panasonic!!!

Ron Evans

SR11 clip
 

My first ever clip, SR11 out of the box. Challenging backlighting, dog hair texture, etc. Don't laugh...
Hope it gives some clues as to whether the SR11 is an improvement over previous AVCHD camcorder capture quality.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YJ4MWA8F

Thanks for posting the file Dan. I used it to test out my htpc ( http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=116329 ) and it worked great.

Bill

Thanks Dan for the file
 

This is my first post to the forum. So I figured I would post here since I am waiting for more feedback on this CC.

Dan thanks for downloading the file. I was able to do some testing in vegas with it and make a DVD as well.

Dan I was curious as to how the camera was working in low light. Like a night time setting with 1 or 2 house lamps on. Have you had any time to get some samples.

Hey Paul I purchasd this camera 2 weeks ago still waiting for it to send to me. Dell says Monday it will be here so we will see. But over at another forum not sure if you have been there but here is the link

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...highlight=sr11

Someone posted a video of the SR11 and its goes from bright kitchen light to where the quality is amazing to a low light room and there seems to be some Noise in the footage. The person that posted the footage did say that the quality wasn't even the highest setting and they didn't mess with any settings so that could explain to the noise. Somone over people did mention that they had an HV20 and have the new SR11 and they said the quality from the SR11 in low light was actually a little bit better than an HV20. Here is the video link if you would like to see it.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IOJTU4RD

Thanks travis, And no I have not been to that site before. I tried to upload the magaupload but was given a message that that file is temp.. not avail..

So I'll try later: this all sounds so promising. I'm starting to get very excited. I find it interesing how some find the camera to be smaller than expected

Hmm you can also try www.rapidshare.com

Guys, here are a couple of native clips from the SR12. The first is a hazy early morning in N.Y.C. The cam is actually capable of sharper, clearer video, but it does give you an idea. The second is a brief clip on a better day.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=00JC43E9

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GOHXJM70

Here's an indoor mall shot.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FNJ134QO

One thing I can tell you about any of these clips, they look a ton better on a large screen HDTV as opposed to a computer monitor. On my 60" Pioneer Kuro, the quality absolutely blows away what I see on my computer monitor. But I hope this helps out some of you who are curious about the Sony cams.

How do you use Megaupload so that I can access everyones footage?