Sony DCR-SR45 30GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

Artan Kajtazi Repulic of KosovaThis review is from: Sony DCR-SR45 30GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom (Electronics)I bought this camera 2 weeks ago and I must say, it's really neat. The quality of the camera while recording at first was a little less than I expected it to be, but that's because I had the recording mode in LP (medium quality) so I put it at the highest (HQ) and everything looked fine.Honestly, the best things about this camera is that it's very small, can fit in the palm of your hand with ease.The next thing is the Night Vision mode, this is the best, I was able to record in TOTAL DARKNESS inside my house (w/ all lights off) and I could still see things!Last major noticeable thing is the fact that you don't have to keep changing discs every 30 minutes to record new video. You can record straight to the Hard Disk for up to 9 hours at the highest quality!Listen, if you're looking for a good quality, small compact video camera for under $500, get this. It's a really good camera and a really good deal. Thanks, Sony!

We bought this for 2 reasons, 1. Ghost Hunting & 2. Vacations, it works awesome for both, for ghost hunting, it has an IR, infrared feature that helps you use it in the dark, you still need additional IR lighting for more viewing area for it to pick up, but for close in work, the built in IR is ok, it takes great Video, & it also has a very nice audio pickup, I've read a lot of not so good reviews on the audio ability of these, but in picking up EVP's in ghost hunting, it does an awesome job, it's almost as good as our best Audio recorder, we have now bought a 2nd one & maybe someday a 3rd for our group, another group recommended it to us & they were exactly right about it, we love it, & use it for all vacations also.

I bought this camera as a replacement for a VHS-C camera that I never did manage to use because it was just too cumbersome. The HandyCam SR45 is certainly small -- it fits in my purse! But it does have a few flaws I wish I had realized before purchasing.First of all, it doesn't have a wide-angle lens. That is an optional accessory. This limits my filmmaking abilities more than I realized it would. Secondly, it dosn't have a viewfinder. You are forced to use the viewscreen at all times. In bright sun you can't see the image on the viewscreen at all, so without the option of switching to the viewfinder it's hit and miss if you are filming what you think you are filming.And the last major challenge I have is that it records in MPEG2 format. This is the format (I guess) that you need to output directly to DVD. But for editing, this is not the best format. To edit in Windows Movie Maker you have to convert the file types and the quality tanks. I am looking at some MPEG2 editors right now, but I hear that editing right in MPEG2 format you lose some ability to make fine-tune edits.On the plus side, I never have to buy tapes for this thing, and with something like 6 hours of recording built in at the highest quality I doubt I'll even need to buy memory cards for it. (Even on a great vacation, over 6 hours of footage is too much! Edit yourself!!) No running out of room in the middle of something exciting happening.The lens cap is built in, which is also great, but I'm forgetting to close it all the time. And the 40x Optical Zoom is fantastic! It takes some great up-close shots without having to get up-close. And transferring to JPEG for still shots is easy with the new software I'm trying, and the stills look great.And the nightshooting is really cool, too. I just don't know if I'll ever use it other than to torment my cat.Overall it's a nice little camera, but there is room for improvement.

I bought this camcorder a few months ago because I was looking to upgrade from my bloggie camera that I used during band competitions and ghost hunting adventures. I wanted to find a camcorder that had night vision or "night shot" and something that was easy to use and reliable! Thus far... I LOVE LOVE LOVE! this camera! It's easy to use. With the flip of a switch, you can turn your camcorder on, push of a button you can start recording or take pictures, and with a simple switch, you can take your camera from day vision to "night shot." It's really a great all around camera and can be used for all occasions!A few times a year, we try to go ghost hunting as amateur ghost hunters. This camera is AMAZING for that as well! It's been wonderful using the night shit on the camera and with a recorder, the camera is a great addition to the set of accessories! I can't say enough about this camera! It's a perfect camera for any non-professional looking for a decent camera!

I had put the purchase of this device off for over a year because it is such a big investment and I did a lot of research prior to the purchase. I made the plunge prior to the family roadtrip and I haven't regreted it once. The camera arrived two days before we left and I never had to take the time to figure it all out. The kids did it for me and showed me on the road. I am amazed at the simplicity and easy of carrying! I love the size. We used it hard for ten days of touring California and it never missed a beat. I purchased the additional battery which was recommended and we charged both batteries each night. Battery power was never an issue. Downloading the video was easy as well.If I had to mention one con, it would be that the power switch was a little difficult to turn. Other than that I am extremely satisfied with the product and highly recommend it.

I got this for ghost hunting and YouTube video's.It's a good cam for what i will be using it for.For a standard video,i say it look's good on my HDTV,no problems downloading from cam to PC.The night shot is good,but don't go too far.You will need more light to use it outside.It's easy to use and not so big that you feel like you're arm will fall off.In all,i give it a 5 star even if it's not HD...but it come's close to it without the price of one.