Customer Reviews for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
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Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Model: DCR-HC52
SKU: 8661959
UPC: 027242727427
Preserve special memories and important events on MiniDV discs with ease thanks to this Handycam camcorder. Get up close and personal with the 40x optical zoom lens and let SteadyShot image stabilization keep things looking sharp and detailed.
Average Customer Rating:
4.2
out of 5
(42 Reviews) 42
Rating Snapshot 42 reviews
5 stars
16
4 stars
22
3 stars
1
2 stars
1
1 star
2
90% of customers would recommend this product to a friend
(
38 out of
42)
Customer Reviews for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Review 1 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Last of a dying breed
Customer Rating
4.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
4.0
This is my second Sony camcorder. The first, an HC48, died after about two years, so I have some trust issues. However, I snapped it up when I found that it is about the last tape machine on the market, and may already have been discontinued by Sony. It was also about the only reasonably priced camcorder left on the market with a viewfinder. Why they've discontinued viewfinders except on the high-end machines is baffling, because I, at least, cannot shoot outdoors in bright sunlight with only a display screen. The only downside I've found so far is that at full extension of the 40x zoom, there is too much camera shake with my Velbon tripod, so I'm looking for a sturdier pro-style model.
What's great about it: Light, compact, controls easy to use, fine picture quality
What's not so great: 40x zoom requires extremely sturdy tripod
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 2 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Good only when it works!
Customer Rating
1.0
Value for Price
3.0
Picture Quality
2.0
Ease of Use
3.0
Features
3.0
Easily put this is my 3rd Sony Handycam to die on me in ten years! I bought this camera 6 months ago to replace the exact same one that I got 3 years before that. BOTH died on me and with very normal use! I have tons of money invested in batteries and accessories. Sony customer service is terrible. To just have someone try to fix the problem it would start out at $150 which is a joke for a camera that was bought 6 months ago. I will never buy another Sony camcorder based on the short life span, quality of picture and customer service. I highly recommend going with a different brand and certainly not buying this model. Maybe their higher end models are better and last longer but I have had zero luck with their products. Ugrading to an exensive HD camcorder now and will spend even more because I wont buy another Sony. Sadly, my batteries and accessories will go to waste.
What's great about it: Being able to record to tape to have a hard copy.
What's not so great: Sony cameras DO NOT LAST!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Review 3 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Compact & User-Friendly
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
Highly recommend this camera. Compact design; multiple color choices; nice viewfinder feature to access menu. No need to touch screen (scratching it over time); small LED light for low-light filming. Auto turn-on when you open viewfinder. Snapshot feature great at the touch of a button. Anti-jiggle feature. Large storage capacity. Easy to download to computer or save to disk. I went for the returned cameras at Best Buy; getting a brand new camera that someone didn't want for $150 less than the never-been touched. Well worth it! 90-day guarantee. Can purchase extended warranty within one-year of purchase. Great camera for the serious filmer.
What's great about it: Compact; Easy-to-use features; great LED light for low-light filming. Great price! Camera to Computer download a snap!
What's not so great: No night vision.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 4 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
AWESOME
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: gio21
from Seattle, WA
on 09/30/2009
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
I love this camera, i use it for filming skateboarding and it works great. it was $40 off and it shipped in 3 days suprisingly!! i highly recommend it for skateboarding. it uses dv cassettes and not SD cards which some people would not like, but it works great. i am putting a fisheye on it , and with the record button and zoom button on the screen, it makes it easy to use. its great!!!
What's great about it: Great price
What's not so great: dv cassettes
I would recommend this to a friend!
+2points
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Review 5 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
What's the fuss?
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
I'll try my best to update as soon as I've logged some hours, but first thing's first. My Canon ZR-10, bought in June '01 (to tape honeymoon) just said goodbye as the tape got tangled and took a head with it as I grabbed it out of the camcorder. So I did some research, saw that miniDV, while on its way out, still provides the best video quality (as compression algorithms necessary to facilitate using DVD-R, HDD, or Flash memory noticeably compromise in this area), has the longest projected lifetime, and is currently the cheapest on the market. I'm still thinking about the Elura 100, but it's at least 3 years old now, and I don't feel like trying a used seller for such a purchase. Having used the DCR-H52 for about an hour so far, (1) FireWire works fine with my Mac, (2) Mac immediately recognizes it, and (3) what's the fuss about buying FireWire? Get it on the cheap online, no worries! Having used the Sony Hi8 format back in the day (mid 90's) as well as to record my honeymoon when the ZR-10 got locked in the wedding chapel, Sony has always had great quality and I'm thinking I made the right decision in buying this fine piece of technology.
What's great about it: Tried-and-true technology / Tried-and-True Brand
What's not so great: Not sure yet
I would recommend this to a friend!
+3points
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Review 6 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Great !
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
NICE camcorder..easy to use! versatile, great results...does the work for you it seems ..at a great price!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 7 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Good camera ever
Customer Rating
1.0
Value for Price
2.0
Picture Quality
3.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
Preserve special memories and important events on MiniDV discs with ease thanks to this Handycam camcorder. Get up close and personal with the 40x optical zoom lens and let SteadyShot image stabilization keep things looking sharp and detailed.
What's great about it: Easy to set up, good price
What's not so great: Short battery life, scratches easily
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
-2points
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Review 8 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
very nice camcorder
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: dhawkins909
from Richmond,VA
on 05/22/2009
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
It is a very good camcorder to have, I loved it when I got it for christmas. It's very easy to hold and it has a night shot control. Also it includes a video on how to use it. It plays a big part in my skateboarding.
What's great about it: great price, and touch screen
What's not so great: short battery life
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 9 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
GREAT CAMERA
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: jpross123
from louisville ky
on 04/29/2009
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
I love this camera. You can even use it in the dark. It has good battery life, the quakity is excellent and you even have a touch screen which makes it eaiser to use. I have not found a bad thing about it exept you have to buy your own firewire connector, so you can upload your videos.
What's great about it: Light, Good Quality, Small, Good Price, EVERYTHING
What's not so great: Does not come with a firewire cord
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
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Review 10 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Great Camcorder
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: Anonymous
from Mill Creek, WA
on 04/26/2009
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
This is a great beginner camera, and has some higher level features at an entry level price. It has a great picture and fine sound. The major complaint made in the reviews I've read was that there was no firewire cable included. Of course Sony likes to sell their proprietary iLink which is their name for the ieee 1394 cable. The reason I believe it's not included, is because they don't know which cable to include. If you have a laptop with built in firewire, you will probably need a 4 pin-4pin, if you have a PCI card in your desktop, you will probably need a 4 pin-6pin. Then there is the question of length, 3', 4',6'.etc. Everyone's needs are different so it's best to order the cable separately. Cables run from 5.00 - $45.00 so a good online search is recommended.
Some fault the camera for not haveing a still capture, but most of the camcorders that do have them are such low quality poor resolution that they are worthless. I use a separate digital camera of my choice for that.
My disapointment with it is that is does not provide a bridge between analog devices and my computer. For the price, I can live with it and just buy a bridge. I do miss my old camcorder but it cost about $2,000 when I bought it and this little camera has most (but not all) of the features I used.
For computer editing, I was able to connect via firewire with Windows XP and Vista. I captured and edited using Nero 7, U-Lead Visual Studio 8 and Windows movie maker.
What's great about it: Picture, Sound, Ease of use
What's not so great: No pass through from analog to digital
I would recommend this to a friend!
+7points
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Review 11 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Great camera! Don't ne scared off my mini tapes
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: TECHGIRL10
from PHILADEPHIA, PA
on 02/18/2009
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
I returned the Sony DCR-SR47 because everything worked great until I plugged it into the TV and was really disappointed with the picture quality.
I took this camera on a road trip, and got some great shots from a moving vehicle. Easy to use, easy to playback on the TV for friends.
I like the mini tapes over hard disk, I like knowing I have an instant hardcopy backup. I also have a separate DVD burner for my media, and yes you do need to pay extra for a firewire to transfer to computer. And in my case extra for a PC card with a firewire port to go to my laptop.
With the camera at such a low price, I was OK with these extra costs.
What's great about it: size, ease of use, menu guide, playback on TV, zoom
What's not so great: nothing significant
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 12 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Great Camera for a great price!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: Nickapalooza
from La Crosse, WI
on 02/14/2009
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
We had originally bought a Hard Drive camcorder. We were pleased with it but the Video is not nearly as good as this Mini DV. Also this is much more compatible with our Mac which is nice i would recommend this camera to anyone that wants to shoot good quality footage at a decent price. Hope this helped
What's great about it: The VIdeo is awesome, Sound is good , and it is cheap
What's not so great: Did not come with Firewire cable so be aware you need to buy one
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 13 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Great camcorder
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: fdelapena
from Rockville, MD
on 01/17/2009
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
So far, this is a great camcorder for Macintosh owners since Macs come with Firewire ports. The touchscreen LCD is a great plus, it makes navigating through the menus so much more user friendly.
Another great features with the Sony camcorder is that it has the NightShot features which allows the camcorder to be used as a infrared nightvision camera which is more effective than having an LED lightbulb for a built in Lamp.
What's great about it: Good quality videos, and is Mac compatible.
What's not so great: None
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 14 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
good, but cant find cable for it
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: georgy
from New York,NY
on 12/23/2008
Value for Price
3.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
i can only find a firewire cable, if all you have is a usb port you cant edit it on the computer. otherwise it takes good video
What's great about it: easy to use,long batt. life
What's not so great: cant find cable
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 15 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
I'm glad I bought it instead of another one!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: Joeys1
from Darnestown, MD
on 12/20/2008
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
I was amazed that it has better sound quality than my own ears (I could clearly hear a light conversation about 20 feet away! and still hear wht is close to me better). Also when I used it, it looked HD. The comfort of holding this made me hold it ALL the time and allowed me to shoot steadier videos. Other amazing feature was the focuses, lighting ajustments, and the ways you can make the screen face with the picture right side up. There is so much good stuff I can put here. There were 2 small problems though. It is hard to understand some functions and it was extremely hard to find a connection cable so it can hook up to the computer.
What's great about it: Best sound I've heard, great zoom, nice focus, easy to hold, good def.,love the touch screen, and many more
What's not so great: It was extremely hard to get a cable for this to the computer. Hard to find certain options and directions.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 16 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Great buy if you need somethin cheap
Customer Rating
4.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
3.0
This is a very good camera if you are needing something that you are not worried about the price. It has its ups and downs. I marked the features low because there really aren't any features. It is your entry level camcorder so even though you are spending a little over 200, do not plan on incredible features. However the picture quality compared to several years ago is so much better than it used to be. I was amazed at that part. This is coming from a guy who doesn't have the money to spend 800 on a camcorder so I was impressed. It is very simple to use. Turn it on and start playing.
I would recommend it to anyone who cannot afford a hard drive camcorder, and wants a good camcorder for the price.
What's great about it: Extremely easy to use
What's not so great: Too easy to accidentally take a photo while shooting video, no features
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 17 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Sony customer
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: knt2000
from Titusville, Florida
on 10/14/2008
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
3.0
Features
4.0
Just like my other Sony's - I have trouble going through the menu(s). I can not seem to understand what the "Display Guilds" are? The manual talks real basic and does not explain what they are for. I can not find any option to remove the date/time stamp from recording.
What's great about it: Small and light weight
What's not so great: Hard to navagate the menu(s)
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 18 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
happy I purchased it
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: Missy320
from Austin, Texas
on 10/01/2008
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
4.0
This camcorder is very nice for the price. I highly recommend this product.
What's great about it: small, very easy to handle
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 19 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
Great Buy
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: putertutor
from Minnesota
on 09/15/2008
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
I appreciate the size and ease of use of this camera. The touchscreen menu is pretty easy to follow and the night shot feature gives an interesting effect. I would definitely recommend this camera.
What's great about it: Easy touchscreen, small, compact & lightweight.
What's not so great: Have to run tape through camera to watch on TV or upload to computer and download to DVD.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 20 for Sony MiniDV Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" SwivelScreen Color Touch-Panel LCD - Silver
excellent purchase
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: Coloma
from Coloma, MI
on 09/15/2008
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
great purchase for recording football games. We have used it 10 times + now and haven't had any problems. We had limited school funds to work with and this has filled the need well. We haven't experienced any problems yet and do not expect too. It has been very easy to setup and use and the zoom is appropriate for out needs.
What's great about it: price and ease of using
What's not so great: depending on use, not any
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
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