Sony announces HDR-CX520V, HDR-CX500V camcorders
 

Manufacturers Product Announcement:

Sony Electronics News and Information

Sony USA Product Pages:

HDR-CX520V:

HDR-CX520V | HDR-CX520V High Definition Handycam® Camcorder | Sony | Sony Style USA

HDR-CX500V:

HDR-CX500V | HDR-CX500V High Definition Handycam® Camcorder | Sony | Sony Style USA

Interesting departure from the CX7/CX12. Looks to me like they moved a "manual" dial/button to the rear (not as the web description says "on the front"), not sure that's an improvement.

Obviously this is the guts of the XR500/520 with no VF, no HDD (replaced by 32G or 64G flash... $200 for 32G of flash?!?!), slightly smaller screen, and IMO less user friendly control layout (note the lack of secondary record/zoom controls on the LCD). While interesting, at the price points quoted, I have trouble seeing the purpose for these - you lose a lot over the XR for almost the same $$...

I suppose the smaller size might be good for some people, but considering the minor size difference, the XR is a better option. I guess they are trying to keep "premium pricing" on the "R" sensors and super OIS, considering the other CX series offerings. Knock about $200 off those MSRP's and you might have a deal, but...

And where the heck is the FX7 replacement with "R" sensors and manual control?? A challenger to the HMC150... As well as the long rumoured Sony DSLR-V Alpha series camera...

From a control+hooking up accessories point of view, I saw little to make me regret getting my Sony HDR-HC9 last year. I can hook up standard 3.5mm jack microphones, 2.5mm jack LANC, composite, component, and HDMI all at the same time if I want, ...

The upside is flash memory recording, GPS, and of course higher definition, 1920x1080 vs. 1440x1080 anamorphic.

I saw that if you hook the camera via HDMI to a compatible HDTV that the camera upconverts from 1080i to 1080p.

The other thing mentioned is the connection to the DVD burner that converts to SD. That is useful as it takes some time and not always good downconversion. With some in camera editing and recording of a playlist could be quite useful.
The improvements in combined OIS and EIS might also be good for sports or even used as a headcam.
I too am waiting for a HMC150 competitor. The XR500 is making my FX1 look old but I would like more control and a bigger lens. Actually I would quite like it to have a big hard drive as well as flash memory, just like the XR500. A FX1000, in AVCHD with all the capabilities of the XR500 would be just great!!!
I might get one of the HDR-CX500 for my ski trips though.

Ron Evans

Bill -
The XR500 has all those I/O options (although the LANC is in the A/Vjack), again why I'm a bit hesitant about these newly announced cams, although I've shot a SR/CX mix in the past. The CX has always had limited I/O, and it was size that was the advantage, but the XR is pretty small and light, and I'm now spoiled by the VF.

I don't see the "upconvert" thing as a big deal, it's still recording 1080i.

Ron -
Unless the CX is a LOT smaller and lighter or you need a camera without a hard drive for some reason, I see the XR as the better value. I'm guessing that the guts are tweaked a bit from the XR500, but are basically the same. I am intrigued by the mention of a "new" menu system... never been thrilled with the dual access approach of the SR11 and XR500. A better more intuitive menu couldn't hurt!

I sure hope they have a few more announcements coming... c'mon FX9 and A580 (just theoretical model designations for a new flash based prosumer video camera and a DSLR-V, based on nothing more than idle speculation!)

Forgive my in not tracking down the relevant reviews myself, but with these models proliferating ... I gained the impression that neither the XR nor CX series camcorders allow for proper manual control of shutterspeed (say, fixed shutter at 1/60sec).

Is that really so?

I don't think any of the compact consumer cams has offered this for quite some time. Certainly the HC series didn't.

Wow - that surprises me. My Sony HC1, Sony FX7 and even the little Samsung HMX100 that I just bought can all fix their shutter at 1/60. I guess I'm spoiled, but I find the stroboscopic effect that higher shutterspeeds produce quite unpleasent and virtually unwatchable in anything aiming to be serious footage.

Once you move to manual exposure it will be fixed at 1/60, but there is no way of fixing just the shutter at 1/60 that I can find and no way in manual of adjusting the shutter to anything other than 1/60. I think the scene selection presets also change the shutter speed but I haven't used those so can't comment.

Ron Evans

At least with the HC3 and HC7 (don't know about the XRs) the shutter speed will move off of 1/60th in manual mode, but it takes a lot to make it do so. I have some charts somewhere that show the shutter, f and ND values for each "notch" in manual exposure in various modes. But generally it does stay at 1/60th except at the extreme ends of the spectrum.

Don't know if the XRs are the same.

Edit: Here are the charts; they're for PAL but US values should be similar...

http://www.sonyhdvinfo.com/showpost....1&postcount=24

Great charts. I haven't used manual much outside theatre which of course is dark. Just tried a few shots around the house with the SR11 and XR500. With apertures below F3.4 they seem to stay at 1/60. At about F3.4 they both change to 1/125. This is with no programs set. This seems to match what happens in full auto too. At F2.8 they are both at 1/60. So like the charts show I expect that "manual" has little effect on shutter speed. I shot in auto and moved around to vary the light. At F3.4 shutter was still at 1/60 and as light increased the shutter speed did so leaving aperture at F3.4 and it never changed from F3.4 until I pointed at the sky when it changed first to 1/125 then F4 then to 1/250 eventually getting F4.8 as it focused on some clouds and modified the image until they looked just like I was seeing them on a nice blue sky. This was with the XR500.

Ron Evans