This item has been discontinued by the manufacturer and is no longer available.
Recording media is required but not included with this item. Please be sure to purchase recording media for this item.
The budget-friendly Sony HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black) shoots Full HD 1920 x 1080/60p video and can capture 8.9 megapixel still images as well. It features 16GB of embedded flash memory, which provides up to five hours of recording. The camcorder is equipped with a back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor that's ideal for low-light situations. Plus, it features a wide angle Sony G lens that supports 30x optical zoom and 55x extended zoom. There's also a 3.0" touch screen Clear Photo LCD display for easy recording and instant playback.
The HDR-CX260V comes outfitted with several video enhancing features. It has Face Detection with voice enhancement and noise reduction. The Tracking Focus function follows selected subjects as you record and the Geotagging with built-in GPS receiver and NAVTEQ maps is great for travelers. There's also a microphone input jack for connecting an alternate mic. The camcorder even supports Golf Shot for analyzing video frame by frame and Intelligent Auto, which supports 120 different scene combinations. It has Sony's Optical SteadyShot image stabilization with Active Mode as well.
Sony added a few playback and connection conveniences as well. The HDR-CX260V features Event Browse, which groups video and stills by each particular recording session automatically. It also has a Highlight Playback function that creates movies with transitions and soundtracks. Plus, with the HDR-CX260V, you can use the Direct Copy feature to transfer your HD footage directly to a hard drive without even using a PC. However, if you do want to upload videos onto Facebook and YouTube, the camcorder comes with a built-in USB cable, as well as editing and application software.
| Camera | |
|---|---|
| Sensor | 1x 1/3.91" CMOS Sensor |
| Pixel Gross | 5430000 |
| Effective Pixels | 2230000 |
| Optics | |
|---|---|
| Lens |
2.1 - 63.0 mm f/1.8 - 3.4 |
| Focusing Distance | 0.4" / 1 cm |
| Zoom |
Optical: 30x Enhanced (Optical): 55x Digital: 350x |
| Recording | |
|---|---|
| System | NTSC |
| Recording Media |
Internal Flash Memory 16GB Video/Image Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| Recording Time |
Internal Flash Memory GB HD PS: 60 minutes HD FX: 75 minutes HD FH: 100 minutes HD HQ: 180 minutes HD LP: 315 minutes |
| Video Format |
High Definition MPEG AVC/H.264 1920 x 1080p / 60 fps 1920 x 1080i / 60 fps |
| Still Image Resolution | JPEG: 8.9 Megapixel, 3984 x 2240 |
| Channels | 2-Channel Stereo |
| Audio Format | Dolby Digital 2ch |
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Display Type | LCD |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Screen Size | 3.0" |
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Image Stabilization | Optical |
| Shutter Speed |
1/60-1/10000sec 1/30-1/10000sec 1/250-1/10000sec 1/8-1/10000sec |
| Built-in Mic | Yes |
| Built-in Speaker | Yes |
| Built-in Light/Flash |
Light - No Flash - No |
| Tripod Mount | 1/4" |
| Input/Output Connectors | |
|---|---|
| Outputs |
1x USB 2.0 (built-in USB cable) 1x HDMI C (Mini) 1x A/V |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | No |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Languages |
English Spanish French Portuguese |
| System Requirements |
Windows
Mac
|
| Battery | Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack Hours per Charge |
| Charging Method | AC Adapter |
| Power Adapter | 100-240VAC, 50/60HZ |
| Power Consumption | Operating: 2.6 W |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 2.1 x 2.2 x 4.8" / 52.5 x 55 x 122.5 mm |
| Weight | 7.23 oz / 205 g |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Most Liked Positive Review
Not Bad for the Features
My tried and true Sony DCR-SR200 finally died, so I needed a new camcorder for a friend's wedding. I got the HDR-CX260V/B and it's pretty darn good. Here's what I like about it...Read complete review
My tried and true Sony DCR-SR200 finally died, so I needed a new camcorder for a friend's wedding. I got the HDR-CX260V/B and it's pretty darn good. Here's what I like about it: 01) Love that 55x extended zoom! Came in verrrry handy when filming the bride and groom at long distances away. 02) Included battery has decent duration 03) Switches on fairly fast (Faster than the SR200) and ready for action 04) Video at 60p and 60i is quite good 05) Lightweight and small (could be a problem for people with larger hands or longer finger spans) 06) Fairly intuitive menus 07) Nice wide-angle lens came in handy 08) I'm super glad that Sony did not require software to transfer files to the PC. I just set the camcorder to USB Mass Storage and then dragged and dropped files like I would a flash drive. 09) LCD screen can be flipped forward as a mirror image so I could record myself for lectures 10) Smooth Slow Recording came in handy when filming a pelican diving into the water 11) Decent videos in low light. Yes, it is grainy, but better than nothing and is better than what my wife was getting with her NEX-7 camera at ISO 3200. 12) Smile detection is pretty darn good. 13) Wide to telephoto is smooth and quiet Here's what I didn't like about it: 01) If the internal memory is running out during recording, you get a warning message. UNFORTUNATELY, it won't automatically switch over to the internal memory. You have to get into the menu and manually switch over. In my case, I was at the cusp. I had just enough internal memory left to film a particular part of the wedding festivities, but had it gone on another minute, I would have lost the moment! Going into the menu and searching for the section on changing from internal to external memory takes precious time to do! 02) When it's time for playback, you will have to remember if your footage was located in the internal memory or external memory. Once again, you have to go into the menu to manually switch over. 03) When it's time to connect the camcorder to transfer to PC, you have to go into the menu and manually select which memory to transfer from. Note this only applies in USB Mass Storage mode. This is the mode I use. I do not know what would happen if you installed Sony's software. 04) At extreme magnifications, there is purple fringing in high contrast areas. In the case of my friend's wedding, the transition between the minister's shirt and jacket (white and black, respectively) had that purple edging. (Please see attached) 05) If you want to delete files, you have to PLAY the file then quickly hit the Trash icon. I just wish that there was a separate Trash icon somewhere on the screen besides in Play mode. 06) A bit pricey, but I bought it because there was a sale at the Sony Store and it was $100 off, so it was worth it for the features that I needed. 07) No Night Shot Plus like my SR200!!! This is now only available in the very high end Sony camcorders! Cheers.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
No shutter speed
I purchased this camcorder to make videos of golf swings. This camcorder is ill suited for that purpose. You can not select the shutter speed for the shooting mode so the club is very ...Read complete review
I purchased this camcorder to make videos of golf swings. This camcorder is ill suited for that purpose. You can not select the shutter speed for the shooting mode so the club is very blurry on the downswing. This is frustrating since in the Sony's list of specifications it states that you can use anywhere from 1/60 to 1/10,000 in six different shooting modes. Steer clear of this camcorder if you have a similar purpose.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 43 customers
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
Use this Camcorder & just love it. Very easy to use no regrets.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
Light weight, easy to use, expand storage to almost unlimited! Hi Def 1080P video and 8.9MP stills with so sharp and accurate pictures you dont need a flash unless its completely dark!
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
This camcorder is very easy to use, the video quality is far better than expected. As a Realtor, I use it for video tours of houses and have been very pleased with the ease of use and exceptional picture quality.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
I use this camera to record every day events. Holidays, concerts etc. Very light and easy to manage and can be mounted on a standard tripod easy off mount. I'm used to my Sony z5u cameras for pro work, but this is good for the money for family use
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
This is a super little vid cam, only problem is if you own a Mac you cannot download clips to iMovie unless you are using OS X8. any OS previous to that will not work. When I upgraded to OS X8 some applications would not work unless upgraded, I lost the use of Quark Express, Microsoft Office and Epson print CD that I used to print covers for DVD's
The Camcorder actually shoots nice video and I'm now able to get it into iMovie and edit it.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
I am going to be using this handycam on a tripod and will have to remove it from the tripod everytime I use it to replace the SD card. I wish is were more easily accessible.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
I'm a pianist, and I use this camera to film performances. My only complaints are very minor: 1) I'm spoiled by the zoom on my other camera from B&H, this optical zoom is not as powerful as I'd hoped and 2) sometimes it takes a few moments to focus on what you actually want it to film.
Beware that if you buy a large battery for it, it doubles the weight and makes the balance awkward. If you have a good tripod, as I do, it's not a problem at all. I also have the battery it comes with for hand-held filming, should I wish to do that.
All in all a good buy. If I had to do it over again I'd do the same thing.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
The camera is simple to operate and took little time to learn the features. The GPS function works well and combined with the ability to take great photos gives you three great features in one small vidoe camera.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Brown):
The camera itself makes some noise, so that in recording a musical performance you can hear it in quiet times. There is some difficulty importing it onto my MAC, although I may have successfully mastered it.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
Love the HDR-CX260. I have had it for a month. It is comfortable to hold even with the larger battery that I purchased separately. The quality of the image indoor and outdoor is outstanding. I even filmed the churning ocean from inside a moving car while it was raining and it turned out awesome. Even the running commentary is crystal clear. The touch screen works well too. I haven't figured out a good way to use the feature that let's you tap the screen to tell it what you want to track and focus on. While tapping on the screen it induces alot of shaking. The play memories computer software included in the package is useful but somewhat limited. Overall I am very satisfied and I would highly recommend it as a first camcorder instead of the cheaper entry level camcorder.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Brown):
This is the Iphone 5 of Camcorders! I bought this for my Fiance for Christmas just a few days out, it arrived on-time for the holidays and was an instant hit. It was a great way to preserve our family get together and I love the ability to upload the videos through the wi-fi. Wasn't sure if, due to it's small size, if the picture would move too much by hand movement, but the stability control makes the viewing as nice as if it were a larger camera. I love it and so does my fiance.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
This is the third camcorder I've had in the past 15 years, and is the first HD camcorder I've used. I don't know how it compares with other HD camcorders, but using it is a jaw-droppingly amazing experience coming from my previous machines. I'm amazed not only at the recording quality, but also at its small size and numerous features. Wow!
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
Very good picture video quality
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
The capabilities of this light, easy-to-use camcorder are endless. The touch screen and easy-to-follow prompt allow for easy navigation and the HD quality is second to none. I would DEFINITELY recommend this camcorder to a friend
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
I purchased this Camcorder ahead of a special family trip so that I could become familiar with its operation and limitations and have learned some fine print. First off, I am very happy with the camera's performance. The video is clear and sharp although low light seems a little grainy but that is probably to be expected. One thing that may be a drawback to some is that it seems that you can't take still images when in certain video resolution modes. So far I haven't seen this as an issue as I usually have my DSLR with me for those moments. The other considerations that I have found are: 1)You will need a blu-ray burner to export the highest resolution images as a standard DVD apparently can't handle it. 2) You can copy your video/images directly to an external hard drive but will need an additional cable. 3)You can't seem to turn off the microphone. 4) When you connect the Camcorder directly to a TV you get terrible microphone feedback issues (unless you switch the camera to playback prior to connecting it to the TV). 5) There is no remote or, as far as I can tell, no after-market remote available. I don't think that these 5 items are necessarily any reason to mark down the rating, they are simply things to keep in mind.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
So far, so good. I was surprised at how compact this little device is. The picture quality is great for home video and the wider angle allows one to be closer to the subject that other comparable models and brands.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (White):
I use my HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder for my hunting video.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
This camcorder is a little tiny thing but works well. Good performance with the included battery.
The SDHC card slot is on the bottom so if you're using a tripod you have to take it off the tripod to change the card.
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
Great camera! Takes great video and pretty easy to use.... the only thing that's confusing is when you use the play back function and hook up to the tv the videos will play back to back but it doesn't explain that very well in handbook. Still pictures are good outdoors and zoomed but not that good indoors even with lights on. But other than those things we really do love it!
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Comments about HDR-CX260V High Definition Handycam Camcorder (Black):
I bought this camera to use primarily to video dog agility trails. I haven't had it very long, but we've done a bit of testing and so far, it is just wonderful!!! It is small and exceptionally easy to use. The zoom is fantastic and the capability it has to take photographs while it is in video mode is very cool! Takes great photos, I might add. There is nothing that I know of at this point that I would change on the camera...