Digital Trends

Sony HDR-HC7 June 24th, 2007 | by David Elrich

Conclusion

Like the Canon HV20, I have no problems recommending this camcorder even though it’s tape based. Video quality is excellent and stills are, well, camcorder stills no matter if the spec says 6.1MP or 6,000. The HDR-HC7 feels very comfortable and the controls are nicely positioned. The touch screen LCD makes it fairly simple to navigate the menu system but it’s not the most intuitive I’ve used. In the real world of legit online merchants, I found the Sony for about $1000 USD and the Canon for $1,029 USD, basically a 30 buck difference. For that little, it really boils down to your tastes since video in both instances is top-notch. Do you like a touch screen? Go with the Sony. Prefer moving through menus with a joystick? Opt for the Canon. And if that 24p Cinema mode intrigues you, the HV20 is the one. And if it were my thousand bucks, Canon gets my vote by a mere pixel or three.


Pros:

• Delicious HDV video
• Solid optical Image Stabilization
• Nice feel and ergonomics

Cons:

• Touchscreen might be a turnoff
• Menus are a bit confusing
• No true 24p mode