Customer Reviews for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
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Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Model: DCR-SX40
SKU: 9185428
UPC: 027242763166
With 4GB of internal memory for storing photos and videos, as well as SteadyShot image stabilization to ensure clear images, this camcorder makes it easy to capture and preserve important moments.
Average Customer Rating:
4.0
out of 5
(24 Reviews) 24
Rating Snapshot 24 reviews
5 stars
12
4 stars
6
3 stars
3
2 stars
1
1 star
2
79% of customers would recommend this product to a friend
(
19 out of
24)
Customer Reviews for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Review 1 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Excellent Value
Customer Rating
4.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
It utilizes the same controls as my other Sony video camera.
What's great about it: Simplw to use.
What's not so great: Screen could be brighter.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 2 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Easy camera
Customer Rating
3.0
Posted by: skateboarder
from Maryland,MD
on 04/17/2010
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
3.0
it was pretty good, i liked it, i was pretty upset that you couldnt put a fisheye on it, really upset i liked the zoom in, i would recommend it.
What's great about it: easy to use, pretty strong, fast kept up my skateboard, and other things.
What's not so great: cant put a fisheye on it, the touch screen got old, the touch screen broke
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 3 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Not half bad for the price
Customer Rating
4.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
3.0
not a half bad cam. why it does not have a light is beyond me. this cam would be perfect if it had that.
What's great about it: Quality and the ease of use are great. Price as well
What's not so great: No flash/light!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 4 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Performs Like a Sony Should
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: ncbigshow
from Franklin, NC
on 03/21/2010
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
This was my first digital camcorder. It is great for beginners. The powerful zoom is better than I thought it would be. The touch screen is not over sensitive. Great picture quality for the price. The only thing I dislike about the camcorder is, when you are zoomed all the way in, the picture gets shaky and is hard to control, but when not zoomed in all the way, the camcorder doesn't shake so much. I definitely would recommend this camcorder to anyone.
What's great about it: powerful zoom, great price, touch-screen
What's not so great: when zoomed in full power, pic gets shaky
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 5 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Love this camcorder!
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
It is small, easy to use and great features! The zoom is awsome!
What's great about it: everything!
What's not so great: nothing!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 6 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Very nice basic camcorder.
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
Needed a new camcorder for kids performances to replace our analog 8-mm version. That was also a Sony and I have had good luck with their products. I considered getting a new camcorder about a year ago, but at the time the memory-versions were more expensive and the touch screen interface was not as good. This camera has improved on both those counts plus many others including being able to take photos directly without having to edit any video files. Some have complained about the software, but I have been able to pull the .jpg and .mpg files directly from the camera & media with no problems. My so took a recording from his latest recital and uploaded it to YouTube in no time.
What's great about it: Intuitive user interface, lots of features.
What's not so great: Steady shot not quite as steady because it's so small. Taking a little getting to.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 7 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
A Camera which has it's good or bad, I like it
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: yoandrew18
from Staten Island, NY
on 01/11/2010
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
3.0
Video Review:
(click to see the video)
I been video making since June of 08. It was june of 09 where I got my firsy camcorder for my birthday which was sony handycam. It's a great starter camcorder, you can put it anywhere, and its easy to use. It has great zoom for far away distance, if you use the diting software Sony Vegas it compatiable with no problem and thats why I love it so much. It perfect for the tripod and you can take it whereever whenever.
I wish it had more functions like a open mic and more buttons then touch screen. The zoom could get shaky and it could be too small. The sound is very good though, but I am looking for canon this june of 10. If you like sony and want a camera without HD and cheap. This camera good for you. watch this camera in action on youtube.com/yoandrew18
What's great about it: It's very easy to use, Very Nice zoom, great quality because it's sony, small, video file works with sony vegas 8.0 9.0
What's not so great: battery life getting worst, , too small, not enough functions, touch screen gets confusing, wish it had more butttons
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 8 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Very good camera
Customer Rating
4.0
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
Purchased this camera for the small size, it will easily fit in most pockets. I am pleased with the video quality. I haven't taken any still shots yet. I would recommend this camera.
What's great about it: Easy to use, very good video
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 9 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Sony Flash Memory Camcorder 41
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
4.0
Good quality camera for newfirst time users. Easy to use and carry around.
What's great about it: Picture and ease of use
What's not so great: none
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 10 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
fun and convenient
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: jdtre
from Sierra Vista, AZ
on 01/06/2010
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
I have never been particularly good with cameras--still or otherwise. Even I was able to use this camcorder with no trouble--it is virtually foolproof. I bought it to record my grandchild's Christmas program and I am so glad I did, I could not have been more pleased with the quality of both video and voice.
What's great about it: easy to use, very lightweight, and meets my needs
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 11 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Good camera, great price
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: JeffK9
from New York
on 12/28/2009
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
We puchased this camera as a replacement for our 6-year old Mini-DV camera, which was too unweildy to use and time-consuming to download videos from. Within minutes of charging the battery we were able to shoot videos and import them directly into iMovie on our Mac Mini. No additional software was needed - you just connect the USB cable to the Mac, start up iMovie, and select "Import from Camera." We haven't tried to install the bundled software on our Vista PC, and do not intend to.
Playing back videos from the camera to a television was even simpler. Just plug the supplied A/V cable into your television's inputs, connect he camera and set it up for playback (you may want to do that first, since the mic will pick up the TV's speaker outputs and create feedback). The touch screen makes using the camera a snap - I have hardly had to open the user's guide at all since purchasing it.
The camera's 4GB of onboard flash memory is enough to hold about 3 hours of LP video, which is about twice the duration of the included battery, so if you're planning on doing long home movies or won't be able to charge it, you might want a bigger battery. But for most home users, the basic set should be more than enough.
The picture quality is definitely not High Definition, but then, it's not advertised as such. It's comparable to any good Mini-DV camera, and certainly better than the 640x480 video you get from digital still cameras, and playback is much easier than on a Mini-DV. Image stabilization leaves a lot to be desired, but a good tripod or monopod can be had for under $40. The 60x optical zoom is excellent, very smooth, but you'll definitely want a tripod. Because image stabilization isn't the best, any jerky movement tends to throw off the autofocus.
Overall, this is an excellent camera for its price range. Very lightweight, easy to use, compact and portable. It's not HD, but if you're looking for a great digital video camer for under $300, you really can't go wrong with the SX40.
What's great about it: Couldn't be easier to use, very lightweight and compact, good picture quality
What's not so great: Poor image stabilization, autofocus not as good as it could be
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 12 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Major pros and cons
Customer Rating
3.0
Posted by: Swayze
on 12/27/2009
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
3.0
Ease of Use
2.0
Features
4.0
My parents recently purchased this camera for me as a Christmas present. I was delighted with some of the features, but not so happy with others. The good parts of this camera are that it is lightweight, sturdy, and compact. The computer software (PMB) is very easy to install, and the camcorder itself has a Carl Zeiss lens, which is a very top-quality lens. The cons of it are highly significant though. To begin with, the supposed steady-shot that it's supposed to have doesn't work. I made a video for someone and played it back and watched as the video jumped around in normal mode (not zoomed in at all). If you are running windows XP Service Pack 3, and you wish to transfer your video files from the camera to Windows Movie Maker, you must first upload the video files to the program that came with the camera. After this, you have then to convert the filetype from an .MPG file to a .WMV file. This was very difficult for me to figure out how to do, but you can do it directly through the provided program. However, if your video is more than 3 shots, it can be VERY time consuming. It took me almost an hour just to get 9 video clips converted to WMV format. And the video itself was only 8 minutes and 30 seconds long. The accessories that are listed in the included accessory book are overpriced, ranging from $50-$150 per item depending on what it is, and the quality of it. The supplied battery has a life of about 45 to 60 minutes depending on how long your movie file is. However, it is a lithum ion and so good for a long life of recharging. When you have the camcorder plugged in to your computer via the USB connection, if you are importing video clips to the supplied software, be prepared to sit there and panic as you watch the battery quickly deplete itself. I think that overall, this would be a great camera to purchase if you were to also purchase the recommended DVDirect DVD burner for sony. You plug your handycam into it, put a blank 12 cm DVD into the burner, and press burn on your handycam. However, while I do not own the burner, the instruction manual said that it can take anywhere from 21 to 60 minutes to burn a DVD depending on the length of your video. Also, the box says that it only works for Windows XP SP3/ Windows Vista SP1. So not Macintosh-friendly. If you are going to use this camera to edit on the computer and post to the internet or your own PC or YouTube, I highly recommend purchasing a different camcorder unless you have a high amount of patience and are willing to stress yourself out in order to create one mediocre movie.
What's great about it: Software is easy to install, got it on sale, has Carl Zeiss lens, and small/compact.
What's not so great: Short Battery life, picture not steady, grainy videos, accesories overpriced, needs conversion for video filetype.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Review 13 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
great camcorder for the price
Customer Rating
5.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
5.0
This is a very good camcorder. I got this on black Friday with an 8gb memory card and a 5hr battery for $289. The camera has really good zoom (60x) but id recommend using a tripod when zoomed in that far unless you have very steady hands. The video quality is pretty good for this camcorder when in a well lit area, the video quality goes down a little when in a dark area. It has a lot of different features and a touch lcd screen.the original battery that comes with it lasts around 45-60 min. This is a good camcorder for someone who wants something better than an average digital camera video but its not a hd camcorder. This is not a digital camera so the pictures come out in vga quality(640x480), do not think this will replace you digital camera even though it does take pictures. once you get all of the settings set right it takes very good video and the 4gb internal memory gives you about an hour of recording time of hq video. for the price this is a very good camcorder.
What's great about it: good videos,easy to use
What's not so great: video hard to stay steady when zoomed in.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 14 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Good for the price but thats about it
Customer Rating
3.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
3.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
3.0
It is not a bad camcorder if you need something small and simple. However it does have a few issues I am not pleased with. I have shot with Sony and Canon. However Sony mini dv and hi 8 camcorders actually have better overall quality than this does. The stabilization jumps all over the place. Even though it claims it has it. I am not sure where it is. The picture quality is very grainy. It would be good for short clips and family moments but not good for anyone wanting to use it as a back up camera. Go up to the CX100 if you want a good flash camcorder that is HD. Twice the price but worth it in the end.
What's great about it: Simple to work
What's not so great: poor stabilzation!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Review 15 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Decent video, very poor stills.
Customer Rating
2.0
Value for Price
2.0
Picture Quality
1.0
Ease of Use
4.0
Features
4.0
I brought this along on my recent vacation, didn't bother bringing my still camera since this has a built in camera. All videos are pretty good, but not impressive, the stills are just terrible. Poor resolution, faces washed out, just terrible. A phone camera is much better for stills.
What's great about it: Decent videos.
What's not so great: Digital still photos are very poor, very disappointing.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Review 16 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Good Little Camcorder
Customer Rating
4.0
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
4.0
I had no problems conecting to my computer. Follow the instructions and it worked fine. I am running Windows Vista 64 bit. Iloading sony viewing and editing software (PMB) without a hitch as well. I use Powerdirector by Cyberlink to edit and create the movies and burn to DVD and both video and Picture (MPG) and (jpg) files imported no problem into this. MPG also imported and played in Windows Movie maker 6.0 for Vista.
This is a good little camera that is very light weight and easy to use. I can actually carry it in a shirt or jacket pocket. Sound and video quility are both very good. With low still picture resolution it is no replacement for your digital camera. Has a tripod mount on the bottom but no mic input that I can find. 60x optical is impressive but it jumps around at this magnification if you dont have it mounted to a tripod. The image stabalization seems to work very good in normal zoom range. I like the flash stick storage over a built in hard drive becouse I can just pop in another stick if Iit runs out, My family is not the most disciplined about downloading the files and a hard drive would eventually fill up in the middle of vacation with no way to download.
What's great about it: Simple to use, I was taking video within minutes of opening the box, its very intuative and I like that
What's not so great: The still picture is low resolutution like 640 x 480, it's not a digital camera
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 17 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
pretty much useless
Customer Rating
1.0
Posted by: jag77
from USA
on 08/21/2009
Value for Price
1.0
Picture Quality
3.0
Ease of Use
1.0
Features
3.0
Out of the box everything seems to work fine. The in camera menu is intuitive and easy to use. The touch screen menu is a nice bonus. Videos taken seem adequate for this size of camera but it's hard to tell on a tiny screen.
The problem arose when I tried to connect the camera to my comp to upload the videos. The software needed will not install because it must detect that a compatible camera is plugged into the comp. This has been plugged in for about an hour and still says "preparing. . ." Preparing for what I can't figure.
Another reviewer on the blue model said he had significant issues that were similar. Like him I built my own computer so my knowledge of software is higher than average but I can't figure this out. If the camera won't even recognize it is plugged into the computer it is absolutely useless.
I don't know if this problem is specific to the device I purchased or if it's indicative of a greater problem. I think it's the latter because when I looked at the Sony support website it says that there may be compatibility issues w/ Vista 64-bit so be prepared for problems if you are running that OS.
I will definitely be returning this device first thing tomorrow morning.
What's great about it: in camera menu easy to use, lightweight
What's not so great: problems connecting to computer
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Review 18 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Terrible!
Customer Rating
1.0
Posted by: Kanan
on 07/12/2009
Value for Price
1.0
Picture Quality
1.0
Ease of Use
3.0
Features
1.0
Worst picture quality ever. It was the worst camera i have ever wasted money on.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Review 19 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
'THE BEST CAMCORDER"
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: chow553
from nj
on 07/08/2009
Value for Price
4.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
Easy to handle,More convenient to shot...best gui,,,,
What's great about it: Only one word "THE BEST "
What's not so great: Low recording time
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 20 for Sony Flash Memory Handycam Camcorder with 2.7" Color LCD - Silver
Love It!!!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: hflynn776
from Woodland Park, NJ
on 06/12/2009
Value for Price
5.0
Picture Quality
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
This is a great camcorder to have if your always on the go with the kids. It fits right into my purse or anything. Its light weight and extremely easy to use. Also has Great features like the face detection.
What's great about it: Easy to use, lightweight and compact.
What's not so great: Short battery life, you need to buy the extra battery and an extra memory stick.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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