Sony DCR-HC96 - Camcorder MiniDV

Comments about Sony DCR-HC96 Mini DV Camcorder:

I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH BEFORE PICKING THIS CAMERA AND I STILL HAD KNOW IDEA IF I WAS PICKING THE RIGHT ONE AND I AM SO PLEASED TO SAY I MADE A GREAT CHOICE I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH THIS CAMERA.
GREAT FOR EVERYDAY USE.
I USE THIS CAMERA A LOT WITH MY 1 YR OLD TO CATCH EVERY MOMENT IT IS SMALL AND EASY TO USE AND HAS A GREAT PICTURE.

Comments about Sony DCR-HC96 Mini DV Camcorder:

This video camera is definetly worth it for the price. I use this camera to make short movies with my friends and it gets the job done perfectly. The picture is astounding for Mini DV and the accessory shoe comes in handy. The only thing that I would recommend if you are going to buy this camera is to get another battery. The battery that comes with the camera only lasts about 1 hour. If you are going to buy this video camera I recommend that you purchase with it the NP-FH100, which is a battery that lasts about 6-8 hours, depending on what you are doing.

Comments about Sony DCR-HC96 Mini DV Camcorder:

I use the DCR-H96 along with a JVC GY-DV500U & a JVC GY-DV5000U for weddings, church services, etc.
The resolution is actually brighter than the more expensive camcorders, but I have filtered the lens and it is difficult now to tell the difference in the camcorders. It is small and can be used where the others cannot. The only down side is because it is small, the buttons and menus are small, but that is to be expected. It was purchased for the size, resolution and dependability and I am satisfied with all three

Comments about Sony DCR-HC96 Mini DV Camcorder:

I recently bought the Sony HC96 Camcorder for my Sony bullet helmit cam to capture videos of the racers at the Mid-South Hare Scramble Series. It produces excellent footage in high quality. My son, the racer, thought it was a bit cumbersome but said he didn't mind. Most others are bigger than this small sized camcorder. I chose the Sony because it has always been my favorite brand as far as durability and high quality.

Comments about Sony DCR-HC96 Mini DV Camcorder:

I use it skydiving and have purchased them for friends as well

Comments about Sony DCR-HC96 Mini DV Camcorder:

I used this camcorder to film all of my families 8 mm film to transfer to DVD. Everything came out completely stunning!! I absolutely love this camcorder. The touch screen takes a little getting used too. It doesn't suit larger fingers. But this fault doesn't take away from the excellent picture quality and overall quality of this camcorder. I highly recommend it to anyone!!

Problems Encountered: Small buttons on the small touch screen is the only fault.

Comments about Sony DCR-HC96 Mini DV Camcorder:

If you are buying a camcorder for the first time and you would like to record to cassette (MiniDV) then Sony's HC96 is for you. The star of this camcorder is its 1/3 inch Advanced HAD CCD. The cam has a small lens (only 30mm filter) but because of the size of the ccd it performs well indoors in rooms with good lighting. I have a cam bigger than this that does not perform as well in poor or normal indoor lighting. It is way better than a cam with a 1/6 inch ccd or even a 1/4 inch ccd. Outdoors, I think the color can't be beat. You would have to get a 3 chip cam to beat the color on this cam (or high def if you have the money to burn). I only gave it a 4 in the features department though, because of the small LCD. Personally, I like the bigger 3.5 inch LCD's that top of the line cams use to come with in the past. The HC96 has a wide screen (2.7 inches versus a smaller 2.5 on some models). But it still feels small in the field, especially since most of the controls are place on the touch screen menu. The built in lens cap makes up for the screen size though. It may look like a gimmick but it is pretty cool. Whenever you turn it on the cap opens and when you turn it off it closes. As for still pictures, it is not bad, the built in flash makes a difference (it is bright, but you can adjust it in the menu from low-medium to high). You will have to buy a Memory Stick duo to take pictures though (there is not one supplied with the camera). The stills look comparable to a 3 mega pixel digital cam. But, a dedicated digital cam will still give you more detail and better focus. So, as always, if you are into picture taking, it is better to get a true digital cam for more richer and detailed pictures. But, if you are looking for one machine to do both, this cam can pull double duty for you (it makes 4x6 pictures that are bright and clear. On a whole, this is a very good camcorder. Too bad there is no mic jac (would have to attach one to the hot shoe). And there is no head phone jack either (which keeps this cam from greatness). However, it has a lot of pro feature like progressive record and zebra patterns, so, it is worth the price...

Problems Encountered: Problems Auto focusing indoors / Consumes battery power fast / Night Vision not as strong as on older Sony models

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: Sony TRV 108 Hi 8 mm / Sony HC40 Mini DV / Canon Optura 20 Mini DV

Items I Recommend: Extra battery / Lens filter / Light & Mic for hot shoe / Memory Stick Duo /