Sony HDR-SR11 10.2-MP 60GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Sony HDR-SR11 10.2-MP 60GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Much better than I expected Customer Reviews:
The video images you recover from this camcorder are unbelievable. It was like going from a dig 300 SLR Canon to a 1D SLR Canon for still. Software that Sony gives you and what you can buy has a learning curve, but in the end it is worth it for the video you recover from this camera and lens combination. BTW, this will exceed anything on the video end you will find by either Nikon or Canon in their new Dig SLR lines. I was shooting both. If you want video, get a video camera. If you want the performance of a high end dig SLR, get it, but skip the video hype for now. If you can only carry one, well each user needs to decide which is a higher priority, still or motion.
As Good as They Get
This is one very good camcorder. I’ve had the HDR-SR11 for about 6 to eight weeks. I’ve shot a lot with it since then. I was very early on the bandwagon for digital camcorders. I’ve been thinking of going to HD for a while. I tried out a couple of Canons, then made an irrational choice I picked the Sony not based on a tryout but on my past history with Sony and a friend who claimed to have tried out both and liked the Sony better. Th camera is built like a tank, it gives the iompression of quality. The user interface is tremendous, I had problems using this camera for about 10 minutes byt then I’d figured it out and really like the user interface. The bundled software is OK. It allows very easy download and you can put a simple movie together withit. I use it only for downloading as Nero 9 is harder to download to. For everything else I use Nero 9.
The camera is solid with plenty of adjustments, and the sound is really good on its internal 5.1 mic. The most impressive are the auto settings. They produce great results when you’re in a hurry and just need to shoot. One suggestion you need two accessories an extra battery at least the NP70 and most importantly a uv or neutral density filter basically smooth window glass but it does keep the inside lens clean and my UV clears a little haze. A big memory stick pro duo is handy but not necessary.
I personally believe that this is the best consumer level camcorder out there. I like it better than the canons I tried but they were also good and certainly not bad choices.
With great low light performance an immense disk drive plus it’s ability to use the new fast memory stick duo line you don’t have a lot to worry about even if you can fill up the disk which should be empty when you start your day you can switch ove to the menory stick and keep on shooting.
Some complain that the camera is too big or too small I disagree. My wife uses it comfortably and has tiny hands mine are huge, I could palm a basketball when I was 11. Botyh of us find the camera quite usable thus the ergonomics are good. It is a bit heaver than some but not a lot and it is much steadier than the real lightweights.
It produces great color and sound, sharp focus, and very good low light performance. I don’t hesitate to give it a hardy recommendation.
Simply the Best
This is the best camcorder I have ever owned (camcorders I have owned: one Hi8 mm Sony, one Hi8mm Canon, Two miniDV JVCs, one hard drive HD Sony–SR5). I believe the best way to evaluate a product is by comparison — of course one cannot compare “apple to orange”. Before I bought the SR11 two weeks ago, I bought a Canon HG10. The canon is also a hard drive HD. I was very disappointed by the Canon. The Canon HG10 video quality (resolution and color) was just slightly better than my JVCs (miniDV digital standard definition) and much worse than my almost two-year-old Sony SR5 (also hard drive HD, the SR5 also produces excellent HD videos). Although the Canon has many more other features (e.g. a wide range of shuttle speed, 24p, etc), I returned the Canon because to me, video resolution, color saturation and low light performance (to be fair, Canon HG10’s low light performance was excellent) are the most important elements of a camcorder. I did not think the manual shuttle speeds are important for a video camera although I do believe they are important for a still camera. In terms of 24p, although many reviewers stated they like it, I don’t think it makes much difference after trying it on the Canon HG10.
I bought the SR11 after returning the Canon HG10 and I am totally satisfied with the SR11. The SR11’s video quality is amazingly good—extremely high resolution and vivid color. It has everything you need for excellent quality HD family videos in every event of daily living including low light situation.
I did not expect a camcorder can produce good still pictures but the SR11 surprised me. The still pictures taken by this camcorder are also very good although they cannot compare to my Nikion D80 DSLR. I would not use the SR11 as the primary device for still picture but I will definitely have no problem with using it for still pictures when my Nikon is not around.
The SR11 has exceeded my expectation. I highly recommend this camcorder to anyone.
The software came with SR11 can do only limited editing but this is in line with the industry standard (i.e. feature of software came with other brands). I use Pinnacle 12 Plus for editing. However, the AVCHD disc burn by Pinnacle was not recognized by the AVCHD player software came with the SR11. This same disc can be recognized/played by the other AVCHD player I installed in my computer. I am contacting Pinnacle trying to figure out what the problem is. If you buy the SR11 and don’t have an editing software and want to invest in one, perhaps Sony Vegas is the way to go.
Phenomenal
This camcorder is great. It replaces a SD JVC camcorder that died; fortunately just prior to my first child being born. So I did my due diligence and finally chose the SR11 from Sony. The SR12 is identically spec’d but with a larger hard drive, thus more capacity. I went with the SR11 as even on the highest HD setting, I would have to change the battery several times before the hard drive would fill up. For me I have found that decision to hold up well and I come nowhere close to filling up the 60GB hard drive between recordings. I saved a few pennies vs the SR12 and applied that to getting an extended capacity battery. Much better money spent IMO. The batteries on these cams are getting better but you still need an extended pack to record a long session. What good is the extra capacity if you don’t have the battery life? The HD is not a limiting factor for how much you can record, its the battery life. SO for a similar amount of money as an SR12 I have an SR11 that can actually record more with my extra battery before I have to go and find a power outlet. Besides if I ever (don’t know how) fill up the hard drive, I can slap in stick media and record to it!
As far as quality goes, it is stunning. I have a 50″ Pioneer plasma HD deisplay and this camera really makes it shine. It is amazing that for this amount of money my home movies look 10x better than my local networks SD newscast. As a matter of fact, it’s really not that far behind the HD video being broadast; especialy when considering the money involved! This camera is the difference between watching home movies that look like 10 year old tapes on America’s Funniest Home Videos and watching your newborn baby on blu-ray. Money well spent IMO.
It has strong additional features as well. The facial recognition feature is very effective. The 5 channel (not 5.1) microphone works surprisingly well too. The soundstage surprised me on the first clips I replayed on my home theater. Sound panned as I panned the camera; all this on a consumer grade cam is amazing. The hybrid recording is a plus in my opinion too. Pepole get scared at the thought of walking around with a hard drive getting bumped around. This has not been an issue with these cameras so far but lets consider the possibility. The key advantage of Sony’s hybrid system is in case a failure does occur. The Canon’s I looked at were either flash memory or hard drive only. If either fails you are done. With Sony’s system say the hard drive does die, just slap in some stick memory and keep on rolling video. The flash memory only camcorders appear to be much cheaper but add in the cost of getting the stick media and see that advantage almost disappear. Toss in the fact that the biggest stick media is around 50% of the capacity of this camera’s hard drive and 25% of the big brother SR12 and you’re gonna be switching memory cards or uploading to the laptop much more frequently. Plus there’s the possibility you could misplace them juggling them around while on vacation.
Again in summary, money well spent and hard to believe this level of quality is finally within reach of us end-users.
Great quality camcorder
I was shopping around at other places, but after reading reviews about the businesses offering this camcorder, most of the cheaper places seemed to be scams or places that earn their money pressuring you to buy accessories, etc.
The picture quality is phenomenal, even indoors and in low light. There is some graininess at the edges, but subjects always look great. The built-in mic records in 5.1 surround, and while I haven’t really tried to listen to each channel it does pick up a surprising amount.
All ports are protected by hard plastic covers that slide or flip open, as opposed to rubber stoppers, which at least gives a sense of a better build quality than most. Some ado has been made of the control dial, which is the metal knob located just below the lens, it’s visible in the product picture; it’s OK, but can only be assigned one function at a time, either focus, white balance, or exposure, and if you want to change the function, you have to go through several presses of the touchscreen.
The touchscreen itself is fairly responsive and accurate, and logically laid out. There’s also a dedicated, hardware “easy” button if you don’t want to fuss with it and just point/shoot.
AVCHD as a format seems to be getting more universally accepted as a video format to edit; I have an aging Pentium 4 3GHz and playback can be a slight issue, it’s not terribly smooth or watchable. I’d recommend getting a mini HDMI cable, the camcorder only comes with a SD plug with RCA outs and the picture quality is terrible in comparison. Included software is the barest barebones, you can transfer video and pictures to your computer, watch/view them, and burn raw footage to DVD in standard definition.
I believe that the measure of a camcorder is the quality of its video, though, and this one shoots 5 star video; most gripes that I have really have to do with the cost of upgrading to HD, like getitng a HDMI cable, HD editing software, parts for my computer so it can edit/playback smoothly, etc., which really aren’t the camera’s fault. Aside from being able to more efficiently utilize the control dial, I can’t think of anything I’d want to improve on this camcorder.