Watch our video review for the Sony Handycam HDR-XR520

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idora

1:59 PM on 2 May, 2009

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Hi there James,

Love your camcorder reviews by the way..most helpful!

Anyway, your review is timely as I'm looking for a new camcorder (having given away my Sony analogue one yearsss ago!) ..

I'm torn between the Panasonic HS300 and the Sony XR520..both in similar category and price range..

I am planning to upgrade myself from just a "home video" enthusiast to a serious short film making hobbyist..

Thus, I suppose I would need a good videocam with progressive scan mode,etc for starters.

Can you give me some advice on which videocamera to choose between the 2 (panasonic and sony)?

Also how does the Canon range (HF 100, HFS 10, HFS 100) compare (quality wise) as compared to the Panasonic range?

Thank you

-Idora-

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James Morris

5:13 PM on 2 May, 2009

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@idora Glad you enjoy the reviews!

Neither the Panasonic nor the Sony have full progressive modes, although Panasonic bundles progressive with its cinema colour option. Canon does offer progressive scanning - 25pf - which is then encoded as 1080i for software compatibility. It's an extremely good system. From my testing, I still think Canon's LEGRIA HF S10 and S100 have the best image quality overall at the moment, but the other options you mention are very close. The Sony is less noisy in low light, but has a darker image overall and slightly less colour fidelity. The Panasonic has more manual controls than any of the others, so would make the best serious short film making tool. You can actually do rack focus / focus pulling with its lens ring, which you can't with any of Sony or Canon's consumer models. You also get direct control over shutter and aperture, so you can play around more with depth of field. It has a standard accessory shoe, too, for mounting third-party peripherals. So the Panasonic HDC-HS300 or TM300 (basically the same but with Flash memory instead of a hard disk) would probably be your best options.

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idora

5:44 PM on 2 May, 2009

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Hi James.

Thanks for your timely reply ! it's already 11/40p.m in Malaysia by the way..

From your reply, seems that Panasonic seems the best bet for me..but I got another concern since I'm nre to these new formats in Camcorders..

Which is the best format..Hard Disk Drive? Flashcard/SD card? Hybrid? Is HDD a safe recording format to use? any susceptibility to damage..let's say if I take it out on a rough journey for example?

As for the Panasonic HDC-HS300, since it hasn't got a "full" progressive scan mode, like Canon's 25 p/30p , how is the quality for rapid sports shots? (e.g. a tennis match )

Appreciate your comments before I make my purchase! ;o) Thanks!

-Idora-

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cyw

9:31 PM on 2 May, 2009

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Thank James for the review. Always informative.

I'm looking for a all-in one Camcorder that I can travel with. Size is important to me, but quality is top. It seems the video quality on this year's top consumer cam's seem very close. I guess it comes down to the secondary features.

Which of the three top models (xr520/s10/tm300) produces the best still photos? I've read that 3 chips sensors is not that good for stills vs. a larger single chip sensor. Is that true, so does the Panasonic produce less quality stills then say the Sony or Canon? Which do you believe has the best low light ability. Appreciate the help.

cheers-

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James Morris

12:59 AM on 3 May, 2009

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@idora The two drawbacks with hard disk camcorders are that they are bigger than Flash memory equivalents, and if you are on a really bumpy journey there is a chance the anti-shock system will kick in and prevent recording. But, on the plus side, Flash memory is still more expensive, so you get more storage with hard disks.

Progressive mode won't help you with sports. In fact, some reckon interlaced video provides smoother motion for fast-moving subjects. If a sharp picture is what you're after, being able to set a high shutter is much more important - so go for Canon or Pansonic as Sony doesn't offer shutter control. However, the Sports scene mode is designed to provide fastest shutter for the current lighting conditions, so achieves similar results.

@cyw Actually, JVC's Everio GZ-X900 (http://www.trustedreviews.com/camcorders/review/2009/04/25/JVC-Everio-GZ-X900/p1) shoots the best still images of any camcorder I've tested. It's very pocket friendly, too. Canon's LEGRIA HF S10 or S100 comes second, Sony's HDR-XR520 third, and Panaonic's HDC-HS300 or TM300 last, for the reason you mention. Three chips are not so good for photos, and that's why digital stills cameras don't use them.

For low light, I reckon Sony just about wins due to lack of noise, but you won't be disappointed with the top models from any of the big three manufacturers. The JVC X900 I suggest is a little behind in this respect, but still good.

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Charlie0166

11:21 AM on 5 May, 2009

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Great review again James - I assume this is the product that you were suggesting I wait for last week? Couple of questions - is the XR500 also a UK model? Not sure I need the storage of the 520, and the price should be lower on the 500...

Secondly, which is Sony's current top of the range flash based cam and how does that compare to the 500/520?

Many thanks

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James Morris

11:05 PM on 5 May, 2009

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@Charlie0166 Thanks! Yes, this was the one I was suggesting you wait for.

The XR500E should be a European model - the E implies it will be 50Hz-based. But Sony UK doesn't list it. I can't tell you about Sony's recent Flash models, as the last camcorder Sony sent me before the XR520 was the TG3 about a year ago! I'm hoping to get a look at the TG7 soon, but that's more of a pocket shooter. There isn't a Flash-based equivalent of the XR520. The CX11E is a previous-generation model.

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Charlie0166

11:27 AM on 6 May, 2009

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James

Sony's websites seem to be in a real mess. If you look here:

https://www.sonystyle.co.uk/SonyStyle/Camcorders/High-Definition

They list both the XDR 520 and 500 and both with sterling purchase prices. They also have the XDR 200 - have you seen that version, and if so how does it compare?

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James Morris

3:24 PM on 6 May, 2009

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I'm sorry, Charlie0166, as I said before the XR520 is the *only* camcorder Sony has sent me since the TG3 last year. I haven't seen *any* other models from them since.

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Charlie0166

4:55 PM on 6 May, 2009

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Blast those sony people! Never mind, thanks for all your help. It does strike me that there is a pretty big opportunity in the market place: there seems to be only one paper publication focused on Camcorders, but it has no comprehensive model list. All the questions I have been asking here and researching elsewhere seem to me to be a constant refrain - what is a true like for like comparison, what's due out soon, what feateures do you gain or lose by paying more or less.....and the web is much better place because magazines are always out of date by the time they are published.

Given the cost of the item, the revenue avaialable to a site that really delivers on this need should be substantial..

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