Sony HDR-HC1 review

Video and TV standards are on the brink of their biggest shake up since the introduction of colour.

High Definition, or HD, is the new video format that's poised to replace PAL, the current European standard for television broadcasts, DVDs and video cameras. HD boosts the resolution from 720x576 pixels per frame to 1280x720, or even 1920x1080 - that's up to five times more detail. HD-compatible TVs are available now, and both Sky and the BBC are committed to introducing HD broadcasts in 2006. High definition replacements for DVD are on the horizon too, in the form of Blu-Ray and HD DVD.

This means that if you're planning to buy a video camera, getting one that supports HD is a shrewd investment. Until recently, this wasn't viable for home users, with the UK's most affordable HD camera, Sony's HDR-FX1, costing over £2,000. However, the HDR-HC1 changes that. At £1,200, it's just within the reach of amateur enthusiasts

Like the FX1, the HC1 records in HDV format, which means that it captures high-definition video to standard MiniDV tapes at 1440x1080 pixels per frame. MiniDV tapes are cheap and easily available, and this also means the HC1 can double as a standard MiniDV camera when necessary.

HD footage is widescreen, so the format uses non-square pixels to create a 1920x1080 image. The only potential hitch with HDV is that few video-editing applications currently support it, although Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition is an exception.

The camera itself is a joy to use. It's small enough to be taken on holiday, but feels durable and is comfortable to hold. A 2.7in wide touch-screen LCD provides visual feedback and access to most of the settings, including excellent manual controls - simply touch the screen to show which part of the shot you want to be in focus or correctly metered. A ring around the lens makes precise zooming or focusing easy and the high-resolution colour viewfinder screen assists with the latter too. Exposure shift and lock are available, as are manual shutter speed, audio volume and various exposure and white balance presets. However, keen film makers may lament the lack of gain and aperture controls, and the bottom-loading tape mechanism is a pain when using a tripod. Battery life is also a concern, lasting less than an hour for recording - consider spending a further £64 on a larger battery.

Image quality doesn't disappoint. Detail lives up to the high resolution and on a monitor or HDTV, the results are breathtaking. There's barely any image noise and colour accuracy is generally excellent, although colours become rather dull in low light. An impressive stills function is included, capturing 2.7-megapixel images to Memory Stick Duo card.

The HC1 is undoubtedly an impressive camera - ignore its HDV capabilities and it's still an excellent performer for the price. But is now the time to invest in HD? Unlike PAL, HD covers a range of formats, and it's possible that Sony's choice of 1080i (to use its technical name) could fall out of favour compared to the 720p and 1080p formats used elsewhere. As such, if you're thinking of upgrading, it might be worth waiting a year to see if prices fall and standards settle down. However, if you can't wait that long, the HC1 is at worst an extremely impressive MiniDV camera and at best, a ground-breaking HDV camera.

Author: Ben Pitt