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Customer Reviews for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
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Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Model: HDR-CX160/LI
SKU: 2194107
UPC: 027242820852
Record important moments with this camcorder that features intelligent auto to analyze your shot and automatically select the appropriate settings and optical SteadyShot image stabilization with active mode for high-quality video on the go.
Average Customer Rating:
4.7
out of 5
(44 Reviews) 44
Rating Snapshot 44 reviews
5 stars
37
4 stars
2
3 stars
3
2 stars
2
1 star
0
86% of customers would recommend this product to a friend
(
38 out of
44)
Customer Reviews for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Review 1 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Size, easy to use, price
What's not so great: Can't think of anything.
Got this because my husband wanted a digital video recorder. While looking in the store, I started talking to a couple who have a photography business. He does the still shots, she does the video. She has this and uses it for her commercial work. We've been very impressed with its ease of use, video quality and compact size. We also ordered an inexpensive memory card and monopod online, which we recommend.
About me... casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
+8points
11out of 14found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Love it!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: High image quality
What's not so great: Nothing so far
This camera replaced an older Sony model that got years and years of constant use. This camera has the same ease of use as the old, with the same on-screen menus and features. The only difference is that it's smaller and has much higher resolution for crisper/clearer video. I use it primarily for sports and family events.
LOVE IT!
About me... Love shooting sports, Video enthusiast, Parent with kids, Love capturing special occasions
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great camcorder for the consumer
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: It's an excellent camcorder that is very easy to use.
What's not so great: Nothing that I have found so far.
I recently purchased the HDR-CX160/LI and am extremely pleased with it. It is very easy to use. The menu is intuitive. The picture quality and color are excellent. I found the low light performance very good, despite some other reviews I had read to the contrary. Excellent zoom capability and quality. I purchased an extra batttery and wall charger, which I highly recommend. While the camcorder comes with a charging cord that plugs into the camcorder, you can't use the camera while charging the battery unless an electric outlet is accessible while shooting. I have only had limited opportunity to use the software that comes with the camcorder and found it easy to use, but I'm not sure about the extent of its editing capabilities. Great camera.
About me... Love shooting sports, Video enthusiast, Love capturing special occasions
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great price and size for HD 1080P
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
4.0
Video Review:
(click to see the video)
What's great about it: Size and weight
What's not so great: touch screen
I'm not a fan of the touch screen and miss the view finder, but that appears to be a change with all the new camera's. I prefer to have the camera up to face because I can hold it steadier that if I have to hold it out to watch the video display. That said, I bought a Hoodman lupe. Works great with the camera. I really like the size and weight of the camera. I record a lot of track meets. I have a camera hooked to a key chain lanyard that hangs around my neck.
About me... Love shooting sports, Video enthusiast
I would recommend this to a friend!
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Not for still images
Customer Rating
3.0
Value for Price
3.0
Picture Quality
1.0
Ease of Use
2.0
Features
2.0
What's great about it: Optical zoom was pretty good
What's not so great: Still image quality very poor, and video broken into little pieces every time recording is paused
Bought this camcorder for the 3 megapixel still image capability. I've used a 3 MP digital camera for years and the picture quality has always been just fine - not awesome, but acceptable. I thought that the 3 MP pictures on the Sony HDR-CX160 should be equally acceptable - they were not. The indoor photos were absolutely horrible, very low quality and splotchy. I returned the camcorder to BB and will have to wait for the still image technology to improve (a lot) before I'll buy again.
Also, I didn't like the way it made separate video files everytime I paused recording. Now I've got to use a program to string them together into a continuous video, kind of irratating. I wasn't impressed at all with this camcorder.
About me... casual user
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
-15points
7out of 29found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Best Camera in this category
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: ricpc
from San Francisco, CA
on 01/15/2012
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: You will capture amazing moments in high definition.
What's not so great: The photos are poor quality. But videos are amazing.
If you compare all features in general, including very good battery life, I think this is the best camera you can buy in this category. Your personal movies will look amazing in a big size HDTV.
About me... Video enthusiast, Love capturing special occasions
I would recommend this to a friend!
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
easy and simple to use. good resolution
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: daddyofrobert
from New Jersey
on 01/14/2012
What's great about it: easy to use
What's not so great: sounds are loud
Bought this item for Christmas. worked well, easy to learn and use. Very lightweight and convenient. Purchased camera bag at same time.
Very easy to view and transfer video to computer or to the web for sharing.
Very easy to view and transfer video to computer or to the web for sharing.
About me... Love capturing special occasions, casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Small and Handy
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
4.0
What's great about it: Size and picture quality
We use to have a filp camera because we thought it would be easier to keep up with than a full size camera, but since it is always broke we decide to buy a real camera. This isn'a as small as a flip but it is still same and is so much better in every other aspect. We really like this camera.
About me... Parent with kids
I would recommend this to a friend!
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great camera, compact and easy to use
Customer Rating
5.0
What's great about it: Great price
The camera takes awesome video. We have enjoyed taking photos and video of new grandson. Great price, quality is excellent.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Works great, but read this if you use a Mac
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
Video Review:
(click to see the video)
What's great about it: Price, video quality
What's not so great: Battery bay is "slightly" different from other Handycam models, so my old batteries don't fit; have to buy new ones.
The camera itself is fantastic. I don't have any expandable memory, but the 16 GB internal HD is more than enough. However, it does not have "full compatibility" with iMovie.
iMovie DOES NOT import HD video. You must record on standard quality or get a converter. This is a pain in the butt. The standard quality looks bad on an HDTV, and it also takes HOURS to convert HD movies to an iMovie compatible file (on my 4GB memory MBP and Mini it took over 20 hours to render the final HD video that I recorded (about 34 minutes long)).
However, I bit the bullet and downloaded Final Cut. This made the whole process 100% easier. Importing HD movie from the camera to Final Cut took 1/100th of the original time (about 20 minutes) and editing was easier. I later upgraded my memory to 8GB, and now it runs super smooth.
Overall, the camera works great, but if you have a Mac, beware that editing HD footage can take a LONG time if you don't have the right tools. This isn't the camera's fault, but it's not something I seriously considered before purchasing the camera.
About me... Video enthusiast, Love capturing special occasions, musician, magician, performer
I would recommend this to a friend!
+11points
13out of 15found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great for low light / simple to use
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
What's great about it: Good Price and Low Light ability
What's not so great: Slow download speeds
I bought this to take video of my 18 month old. I have the camcorder sitting next to my TV so it's available on short notice. The low light ability is very good I have no issues getting bright video with minimal lighting. Zoom feature works great but is over kill for shooting indoors. I haven't used this outdoors but for sports I think the zoom would be perfect. The video quality is good but not great. It's certianly acceptable and very good for low light considering the price. There isn't much to this camcorder it has a few special features which I don't use but thats what I like about it. Open it up and press record there really is no thinking. I think this is a great camcorder battery life is good and the internal storage is nice but fills up fast when shooting HD (that's ok becuase I just use it at home and can transfer to my PC when full). If I was out of vacation I'd want to bring a laptop or extra cards for sure. My only gripe is the transfer rate when taking movies off the camcorder it's pretty slow it took about an hour to transfer a full card off the camcorder. To transfer a similar amount of data using my 5D Mark II it would only take about 15 - 20 monutes.
About me... Video enthusiast, Parent with kids, Love capturing special occasions
I would recommend this to a friend!
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
My wife loves it!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Takes great movies with very little compensation needed.
What's not so great: Haven't found anything as of yet.
So easy to use, takes extraordinarily great movies and pictures.
Plenty of memory with the 8 gig chip to take rather long movies. Playback is a breeze and editing if needed is smooth and user friendly. Great camera for the price. Next to jewelry, it was one of the best Christmas presents she says she has gotten.
Plenty of memory with the 8 gig chip to take rather long movies. Playback is a breeze and editing if needed is smooth and user friendly. Great camera for the price. Next to jewelry, it was one of the best Christmas presents she says she has gotten.
About me... Parent with kids, Love capturing special occasions, casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
1out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Good if you never had a camcorder
Customer Rating
3.0
Posted by: fotr
from wisconsin
on 01/11/2012
Value for Price
3.0
Picture Quality
3.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's not so great: low quality image
Title says it all. This is a good camcorder if you don't already have one.
Works fine , small , light , good battery life , easy to follow menus.
I feel the biggest issue with it is that the quality of the image isn't very great. YES , it's HD. But the actual image it produces while being higher resolution is the same as any other DV camcorder.
Also , the file format it shoots in isn't very compatible with other movie editors and it doesn't come with sony vegas in the box , but rather a cheapo movie editor.
This is a good camera for home movies but I feel for 400$ the image isn't much better then a used DV camera for much cheaper.
About me... Semi-pro videographer
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 14 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great camera, easy to use, light weight
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
This is a great camera, is very easy to use and light weight. The pictures are wonderful. I am very satisfied with this purchase.
About me... casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great Camcorder
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
This is a great camcorder for this price, definitely any body can try this.
About me... Parent with kids
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
HD is best!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
I debated about getting an HD or regular camcorder. I am happy that I purchased a HD. The picture quality is awesome and is worth the extra $.
About me... Parent with kids, casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 17 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great HD video camera
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Compact, picture quality, lcd touchscreen
What's not so great: nothing
Bought camera on Black Friday for $300. Very compact. Like the USB cord connected directly to camera and tucked away in hand strap. Video quality is excellent even in dim light. I don't use it for still shots. I have other cameras for that. LCD touchscreen makes it easy to use camera options.
Need to download software to view and manipulate video. Very good software. Can combine video clips. Convert to other formats (wmv, mpeg, ect#. There is reduction in video quality when u convert #no longer HD).
No longer have to use Sony cards for storage. Can use other SD cards for additional storage.
About me... Parent with kids, casual user
I would recommend this to a friend!
+15points
25out of 35found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great Camcorder !!
Customer Rating
5.0
What's great about it: Easy to use and operate for everyone, even my 10yr. old granddaughter.
What's not so great: none
I love it. Since purchase have been to the beach twice, did Halloween with the grandkids and dog's birthday with grandkids!! It's truly a great camcorder. I don't use it as a camera because it is only a 3mp. I have a Canon digital I use for still photos. If you want a really nice camcorder to use, this is the one. Planning to take it to Hawaii soon!!
About me... Love shooting sports, Video enthusiast, Parent with kids, Love capturing special occasions, great for grandparents., great for the beach and vacations.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Canon PowerShot S95 10.0-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black
(122)+13points
13out of 13found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great camcorder
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Wuality of viedo, easy to use.
What's not so great: nothing yet
I bought this the afternoon before a big junior high school basketball game. With little time to play with it, I took it to the game and recorder the game. I was amazed at the quality of both the sound and picture. I zoomed in across the gym and with no problem. I have not tried a still picture yet, but if it is anything like the video I know I will be pleased.
About me... Love capturing special occasions, grandparent
I would recommend this to a friend!
+13points
14out of 15found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Sony Handycam HDR-CX160/LI 16GB HD Flash Memory Camcorder - Blue
Great camera for a beginner.
Customer Rating
4.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
What's great about it: Picture Quality
What's not so great: Memory
The camera is great for the price that it is sold at. It has good picture and sound quality.
About me... Love shooting sports
I would recommend this to a friend!
-2points
8out of 18found this review helpful.
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