I’ve tried a couple of Sony handycams before (starting with the XR100 and then the XR200) and they just get better and beefier each time around.
The latest one I’ve been using for the last couple of weeks is the Sony HDR-XR350 which introduced a couple of improvements from its predecessor.
The internal HDD storage has been bumped to 160GB from 80GB on the XR100. As usual, the handycam can do 1080i (1920×1080 pixels) movie recording and 7MP for still photos. Sony claims it can do up to 67 hours of video recording but have not verified it though.
The built-in wide-angle lens is capable of 29.8-357.6mm (35mm conversion) focal distance with a nice aperture opening between F/1.8-3.4. Sony boasts of very high quality low-light shooting with Exmor so we had to test this on the road.
This sample 1080p video was taken during last week-end’s Manila International Auto Show 2010. This one is for the low-light test.
Some of the videos have been downscaled using CyberLink MediaShow Espresso as they are too large to upload as raw files. This other one is the zoom test (12x) taken during our recent Holy Week trip to Anilao.
This one is the Steady Shot mode which reduces camera shake when on the move (somewhat similar to an image stabilizer):
That Steady Shot feature isn’t really very apparent unless you pair it with a regular video recorder and notice the camera shake. During the Sony event last February, we tested this one while running around ala-Amazing Race and it seemed to work.
They also placed the handycam on an electronic rocker to shake it while recording and it captures a very stable footage (I also tried jumping up and down along with the rocker to see it will cancel that stabilizing effect).
The Sony HDR-XR350 handycam has a suggested retail price of Php64,999 in stores.
My brother bought this same model from Japan but its firmware is in Japanese. I would like to know if somebody here knows how to convert it to English or can point me to a tutorial to convert it to English firmware. BTW, I love its Steady Shot feature.