By many measures Sony DCR-HC42 isn't the best camcorder in its class, but it strikes a good balance for many intended buyers. For instance, similarly priced Panasonic camcorder records more vibrant images. Canon's similarly priced camcorder performs better under lower lighting situation. But it has few nice features that separate DCR-HC42 from these camcorders, particularly if you like widescreen composition.

Let's examine its pros and cons.

Pros:
- Excellent form factor, among the smallest and lightest camcorders in its price range.
- Excellent DV Widescreen support, including great widescreen LCD.
- Long battery life (nearly 2 hours in continuous shooting with LCD backlight turned off, about an hour in demanding situations). Optional batteries offer longer battery life.
- Included docking station makes it easier to connect to computer or TV.
- Very good outdoor performance.
- Automatic settings work well.
- Built-in lens cover.

Cons:
- Optical zoom is only 12X, which is inexcusable considering lower-end DCR-HC32 goes up to 20X.
- Proprietary accessory shoes for attaching accessories such as microphones and light. These accessories aren't cheap.
- No headphones jack for monitoring audio recording.
- Sensitive microphone may pick up button clicks (best to turn off the button click "beep" sound).
- Not so good low light performance.
- Most functions require you to access touch screen LCD.
- Touch screen menu system can be complicated to use.
- So-so digital camera image stills quality.

Compared to lower-end DCR-HC32, DCR-HC42 adds many features in an attempt to justify higher cost, including DV Widescreen, widescreen LCD (LCD backlight can be turned off to conserve power), color viewfinder, noticeably superior CCD for better image quality, accessory shoe that powers external microphone and lighting attachments, and higher resolution megapixel still camera. If widescreen does not interest you, DCR-HC32 may be a better buy.

DCR-HC42's most obvious gimmick is widescreen. If you have HDTV set, this is the low-end camcorder for you. As of now, Sony is the only big name manufacturer that includes widescreen LCD, which while not necessary to capture DV Widescreen, helps the experience immensely. Many camcorders with conventional 4x3 LCD do in fact record DV Widescreen as well as standard DV but LCD will have either black bars on top and bottom or worse, squeezed to accommodate wider images onto narrower frame. It is worth noting that while DV Widescreen increases horizontal resolution, it does so at the expense of vertical resolution. DCR-HC42 has real-life DV resolution of about 400x300 and DV Widescreen resolution of about 450x250. But this is still better than "fake" widescreen DV camcorders such as DCR-HC32, which records widescreen composition onto 4x3 frames, which decreases vertical resolution without increasing horizontal resolution.

Taking DCR-HC42 out of the box, I was surprised how small and light the camcorder was. My previous camcorder was bulky Hi8 model, and while I have played with many MiniDV camcorders at the store, its size still surprised me a bit. Recording a long footage without the use of tripod, I appreciated every ounce that DCR-HC42 sheds from heavier models.

Recording indoor in lazy afternoon, I was disappointed by recorded footage at first. But tinkering with the camcorder taught me a trick that cleans up noisy low-light images immensely - the back light feature. This feature is designed to brighten up the subject set against brightly lit background (e.g., a person standing before sunrise) but significantly cleans up noise under indoor situation as well. Some footage takes on much smoother appearance with this feature turned on (helped further by using other features).

One of my biggest pet peeves is touch screen menu system. While personalized menu feature helps immensely (in which you can assign up to 28 frequently accessed features available within few clicks), I much prefer using physical buttons. Features such as tweaking exposure, adjusting focus, selecting automatic exposure, and adjusting white balance require using touch screen menu system. Thankfully, very frequently used features, such as enabling fully automatic mode (called "EASY" mode), previously discussed back light feature, and zoom are physical controls.

The main reason to choose MiniDV over other formats (e.g., DVD, MicroMV), is because the format is computer friendly. Using light weight compression algorithm (similar to MJPEG), DV format offers minimal digital artifacts and is highly suitable for linear editing. Before connecting the camcorder to computer, invest in FireWire (also known as i.Link or IEEE 1394) cable. This cable, along with FireWire connector on your computer, is necessary to edit DV footage on your computer with zero loss in quality. Windows XP includes Windows Movie Maker 2 which is good video editing software and works well with DCR-HC42. Sony includes video editing software, too, but it is pretty limited with many usability issues. If you are using Windows XP, stick with Windows Movie Maker. Macintosh users have even better tool at their disposal, iMovie HD, part of iLife `05. iMovie HD supports DV Widescreen, which lets you work with widescreen footage directly. Using this software, I was able to cut fairly well edited home movie.

All in all, DCR-HC42 is a good camcorder for point and shoot crowd, and particularly appealing to those with widescreen TV set. Its touch screen menu system may detract some buyers, but the Easy mode works pretty well for "set and forget it" crowd. More advanced users will have to put up with touch screen menu, but it wasn't so bad once I got use to it. If you record lots of footage under low light situation, this isn't the best camcorder for you. DCR-HC42 shines under bright outdoor.

I purchased this model last year DCR-HC40 on 6-11-2004. It stoped working on 06-22-05.
The record button is matfunctioning, So it is not able to record.
Also it discharges the fully charged battery, as soon you hit the record button.

So when you press record button, it swithes the mode to memory card(like on/off switch does) & discharges battery to 3 min. If you keep on external power, than it keep on swicting between tape/memory card on record button press.

I have purchased for $599.00, The sony wants $269.00 to fix this problem. Beware what you getting into. Here is there support no 800-282-2848, if you want to confirm this.

Beware!!! What you paying for.

Real Briefly - this camera is great for Instant Recording. I love the touch screen capability - makes for easy viewing and editing. It can also take still photos on the fly, a great feature. It has steady shot and good options for editing tape (fade etc.) The docking station is easy: rechargeable battery and I had no problems sinking it to my PC to download my pictures with the extra memory stick I bought at time of camera purchase. Not the greatest quality for still photos but something is better than nothing. Keep your digital camera.

I was at a party with a friend with a Sony DVR camcorder. It took forever to format the new discs and then she had a fatal disc error and lost all her footage while I kept on shooting no problem.
I love this camera!!Overall ****stars b/c of OK still shots.

This camera offers descent point and shoot type video. If you're interested in making independent films, I would stay away from this camera. For one, there is ONLY ONE CCD. The camera CAN'T shoot in 24p progressive video mode, you're stuck with lame 29.97fps. That means you'll never get that "film-like" feel that film-movie cameras have. There isn't a manual focus ring, you have to focus using MENU controls! The camera also has a CCD the 1/5.5" in size. This pales incomparison to other cameras with bigger CCDs (like the sony fx1 with 1/3" CCDs). A bigger CCD means better low light capability. Also the max verticle lines of resolution is 520 lines. This camera can't compete with 1080i type cameras that have over TWICE the verticle lines. But it's a good camera for those who can't (or don't want to) spend $40K on a professional digital camera. So don't buy this camera if you're interested in making professional feature films.

The camera is nice and compact, smaller than it's competitors including Canon, easy to hold and carry around. Very high image quality - looks like broadcast quality when viewing on a television set. Very professional features - it may take some hunting and pecking through the manual to learn all the options. Light aperture can be adjusted manually or automatically or with general (pre-programmed)settings such as "high speed action" or the "beach," etc.. Runs quite long on the battery that comes with it. Built in lens cover makes it simpler. Overall a great camera. I also have a $3500 professional mini-DV and this one is virtually just as good.

I bought this camera earlier this year and was originally dissapointed because the color quality seemed poor. I had first bought a tape and compared a number of similarly priced cameras at a store. Ironically, I didn't test the Sony because the sony is bottom-loading and the stores can't get easy access to the tape bay on the display models.

What I saw was this: when I filmed purple items (for instance, flowers), they came out primary blue in the playback. If you film a scene with snow, it has a distinct blue cast. If you film someone's face up close, the viens under their skin will appear more prominant and blue in color. All this happens in well lit situations and when played back on the units screen or on the TV. I called Sony about this and they said they knew of no such defect. I realize that 3-ccd cameras will do much better, but camcorders have been around for a couple of decades at least and I expect in the year 2005, the technology would at least be able to get the color rendition right.

In the end, I've kept the camera because it's fun and convenient to use due to its small size. I used it to film the birth and early days of my baby's life so, in the end it's produced some great memories.

There is currently a known issue with many of the Sony Camcorders. This is being called the "black screen of death".

What happens is that the camera works great for 1-2 years then the CCD goes out like a light. The camera will not take video again.

Sony is evasive if not downright deceitful about this issue when you call tech support. The fact is Sony does not stand behind their product. If this happens to you, Sony will not own the defect and you will be out hundreds of dollars.

There is a lengthy thread on CNET on this issue. Search for Sony black screen.

Wishing you luck in the purchase of your (not Sony) video camera,
Scott

I'm impressed with the image quality of home movies made with this camcorder, which has been a proud possession of a relative for approximately a year. Most impressively, the colors are quite realistic and vivid, due in no small part to the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens. I've frequently seen images on an old color television set (one purchased back in the early 1990s) from this camcorder and they have never failed to look quite good. I've tended to notice few of the color-fringing problems observed by other Amazon.com reviewers. If you're interested in making home movies outdoors, or even indoors under bright lights, then this Sony Handycam Camcorder could be the ideal camcorder for you.

I am quite satisfied with the performance of this handycam. Very light weight, nice resolution. Wide screen is cool.

When I travel with my VideoCAM oversea, I like it to be viewed on TV system with PAL as well. I don't know if this is achievable. In addition, I like the battery can last longer. Other than that everything seem to be very well designed.

I bought this camcorder about a month ago and have used it for recording nearly 4 hours of video so far.

Things that I like most about this camcoreder are
1) Image stability
2) Image Quality (Both Video and Still)
3) widescreen mode (40' angle for widescreen capture)
you loose tiny bit of resolution in wide screen still images
4) handling and portability
all the manual conttols are well arranged
smaller size allows easy portability
5) Battery life (I got almost 1hr 30 mins each time)
6) Touch Screen Menu (I wonder why some found it difficult)
7) Ease of use
8) Docking station
9) Still Image modes
exposure bracketing (three photos taken at various exposure)
normal burst mode (three photos taken consecutively)
10) LCD/viewfinder (2.7" Widescreen LCD screen)
it doesn't solarize like others when viewed from an angle
both LCD screen and viewfinder in color and 123K resolution

Areas where this camcorder lags behind
1) Low light performance
2) Scan rate (it should be 24P)
3) Optical zoom (It offers only 12x optical zoom)
while DCR HC32/21 offers 20X optical zoom

Overall
This camcorder is good for
1) Point and shoot users
2) Techno freaks
3) Outdoor video
4) Indoor video with decent lights
5) If you own a SONY laptop (ease of capturing movies and image)

Recommended Accessories
1) Tripod (set it up and operate camera from far using remote)
2) External flash (Very useful, can be attached on top)
3) Additional battery
If you want to capture more than 1 hr video w/o recharging
If using external flash

I had recently bought one and returned after observing its poor low light performance. This camcorder gives exceptional quality video in outdoors. In indoors with minimum lighting, it produces below average quality video and grainy pictures even with night shot. Especially if you are planning to shoot lot of video indoors (involving kids, for family events), this is not the right camcorder to buy.

After using this camcorder for 6 months I am very satisfied with the product. Sharpness, color saturation and ease of use are excellent. The reason I'm rating only four stars is the poor quality of the software that came with the camcorder. Once I switched to Adobe Premeire Elements for uploading and editing my videos there was a remarkable improvement in my "low light" clips and a significant increase in the quality of all my shots.

Mac users: beware! Apple iMovie and Apple Final Cut Express will not recognize this camcorder!

I purchased this camcorder before I read the comment below warning Mac users away from this unit. I remember breaking out into a cold sweat...this camera was on its way and had what I wanted: a dedicated 16:9 widescreen LCD and designed with that format in mind, and it wasn't Mac friendly?!? Why would the instruction manual refer to Mac OS X and why would Mac publications review a model that wouldn't be compatible with iMovie? It just wasn't adding up. It seems to me that reviewers need to specify the type of computer being used and the OS version, keeping the discussion narrowly focussed, rather than writing off an entire class of user.

Here's my system:
Apple Mini with Superdrive and 1GB Memory
Mac OS X (10.4.3) Tiger
iLife '05 with iMovie HD, iDVD and Final Cut HD

After hitching up the docking station (just another thing to tote around and eventually lose and it'll set you back $70 to get a new one from Sony), the camcorder immediately connected without glitch to the Mac and was controlled perfectly.

A bit pricey, but a nice camcorder for widescreen recording. The slight buzzing sound from motor is normal (I compared it with the DCR-HC32) and was not picked up by the camera's microphone.

For those that want a good, solid, point and shoot camcorder, you should seriously consider this one. MSRP is $600.00 but I got mine for $459.00 with a $50.00 rebate - making the price $409.00. When I was researching, I compared this cam to other cam's priced at around $400.00 and this was by far the best cam for that price range. To step up, I'd have to shell out another $200.00 and I decided that I could live without the additional features of the cams in the $600.00 range. So basically, this camera was competetive, but a little lacking as a $600.00 cam, but as a $400.00 cam - it is a GREAT deal! There are two lower models in this Sony line, the DCR-HC21 $400.00 MSRP, and DCR-HC32 $500.00 MSRP. I couldn't find any discount prices on those two. So the way I see it, I'm getting a cam that is a LOT better for the price of the lowest cam in this line - I couldn't pass up that deal. Of the brands of cameras to buy, if you're looking at MiniDV format, the top models seemed to be Sony, Panasonic, and Canon. The Sony and Panasonic seemed to be heavily compared to one another...and of those two, I preferred the Sony because of brand loyalty, size, and shape of the camera.


Absolute Pros:

1. Super SteadyShot Picture-Stabilization System
I love this feature, it's a definite plus. I cannot tell that I'm moving unless if I make obvious jerky movements. This is a must for camcorders as it greatly reduced the picture shaking and making everyone motion sick from watching your vids.

2.Super NightShot Plus Infrared System
This is a very nice feature. I know a lot of reviews I've read in my research said that of the Sony DCR-HC line, only the HC90 had actual good low light performance. This worried me, but now that I've tried mine, I am not concerned at all. I think those reviewers are experts that are very picky (for good cause) - but for a Point N Shooter, the low light performance was good enough for me. One thing to note is that when you have this feature turned on, it turns your picture black and white. The subject that is illuminated by the infrared is whiter and the dark surrounding is darker. If you want true color, you'll have to turn this off and buy an additional cam light that can fit onto the Hot Shoe Accessory on top. To test the low light performance, I have recorded a few rides at Disneyland like Pirates, Haunted Mansion, etc...these rides are very dark inside with only the subject/stages lit up. The cam was able to record everything in here just fine. I would switch back and forth in these dark rides from NightShot and without. I liked how much it lit up the subject, but I don't like the black/white. Most of it was captured without the Nightshot, and it was able to get most things. I also recorded the fireworks show and it filmed it wonderfully. For what I'll be using this for, I'm satisfied with the low light performance and the NightShot Plus - especially for $400.00 (can't be beat for the price I got it for). If you're doing a lot of night/low light filming, you might want to look into the more expensive cams like the HC90 who's low light performance shines above that of Panasonic & Canon (of that price range of 999.99 MSRP, but can be found for around $700.00)

3. Size, Shape, and Weight
I bought this cam for daily use. It's main/daily purpose would be to work in conjunction with my bullet cam to record my daily 50 mile commute back and forth from work (on a motorcycle). So I needed the smallest and lightest camera I could find - this was it for the performance. I do have to say that the Panasonic's long, round design fit my hand a lot better, it seemed a lot more natural and ergonomic - but it was also larger and the round shape would not fit as well in a bag for compact packing purposes as the Sony's design. I'm now a lot more used to handling the Sony and it's very comfortable to me now. The size, shape, and weight was the best of all the cam I saw and felt. The only way to go smaller/lighter is to ditch the MiniDV line and go into the Flash line, and I was not willing to do that for performance reasons.

4. InfoLithium Battery with AccuPower Meter System
InfoLithium batteries are a must because they don't suffer from life-shortening "memory effect". With older styles of batteries, you should completely discharge the battery before fully charging it again otherwise it will suffer from that Memory Effect. With the InfoLithium, you can just put it on the charger after each use to ensure you have a full battery at all times, no need to worry about complete discharge and recharge. This is a definite plus. Since I do use my cam every day and for many different purposes, I bought two additional batteries: the NP70 and NP90. The NP70 (@ 2.5 hrs of continuous use) I use back and forth with the supplied NP50 (@1 hour continuous use). The NP90 is very bulky and makes the cam heavy and uncomfortable to carry around, but it's about 5 hours of continuous use and is good for when I'm using the cam in conjunction with my BulletCam (Cam is in a bag that I carry on me, recording what the BulletCam sees). I definitely wouldn't recommend using the NP90 battery if you're wanting to use the cam by hand, and especially if you like using the viewfinder, because the battery is very bulky and sticks out a lot on the back, interfering with your face trying to get to the viewfinder. Battery life greatly varies depending on how much you are asking of the cam and if you have accessories drawing on the power as well, it's nice that the cam will display remaining battery and tape life. To conserve battery life, use the viewfinder instead of the LCD screen. I don't like the viewfinder. You can find aftermarket batteries that are a whole lot cheaper than Sony's...so just buying additional batteries is a better option for me. The supplied NP50 was able to last my entire day at Disneyland. I was able to record everything I wanted to record, used the LCD screen, didn't worry about it - and still ended up just using one 60 min tape. In fact, the battery outlasted the tape. The cam said I had 8 min left on the battery! So I'm very pleased with the battery performance. When I was first researching cams, I didn't like that you could see the battery (it's on the back, underneath the viewfinder) - but now I see that only with it being out in the open like that can you change out different sized batteries, so this is now a definite plus.

5. Tele Macro Function
Useful for shooting close-up shots without having the camcorder cast a shadow on the subject. Images shot in the Tele Macro Mode will have the subject properly focused with the background unfocused so that the subject stands out.

6. Ports
On the camcorder's right side is a long slender port cover which actually only reveals two ports (although it could cover about four, as it does on the DCR-HC21): the LANC jack (for remote control) and A/V input/output. Also, on the back of the camcorder is a DC input. There are many off-camcorder ports on the camcorder's docking station. They include secondary A/V input/output and DC inputs, as well as a FireWire port and a USB port. FireWire/i-Link is a MUST for capturing high quality vids. The A/V port is a MUST for use in conjunction with a BulletCam. Not all cams have all the ports you need, so it's a definite selling point that this cam has it all. It also support LANC, for LANC remotes. This is another MUST for use with the BulletCam.

7. Built in Lens Cover. This is invaluable cause I don't want the lens to get damaged when the cam is in my pocket/purse/waist pack...



Is a Definite Plus to me, but can be a Con for others:

1. Ease of Use
For a Point & Shooter, this cam is perfect. It's small and lightweight enough to tuck into a purse or even a jacket pocket, so it's easy to carry around with you anywhere. It knows what to do and adjusts focus/light/etc automatically. You can literally "Point and Shoot". For those who want more control though, this is not so good of a thing. There is NO manual shutter speed control, and it's a little fussy to get to the other manual controls.

2. Handycam Station
The supplied Handycam Station provides quick and easy connections to a TV for viewing or to a PC for editing and sharing video. Just placing the camcorder on the Handycam Station instantly makes the connections. No need to search for cables or wires when charging or playing back. I like that I can have all the wires plugged into the Station. When I get home, I just pop the cam onto the station and it begins charging. When I'm ready, I just turn on my computer and start capturing. I don't have to worry about plugging/unplugging every single time - and when you use the cam daily like I do - this is a definite plus. It could be a con to some people who might want to complain about having to carry yet another thing around. You would only need to have the Station if you planned on Capturing somewhere else...since I do all my captures at home, this is not an issue for me.

3. Tape is Bottom Load. Meaning, if you have the cam on a tripod and need to change tapes, you need to remove the cam from the tripod before you can access the tape. Since I never use tripods, this is not an issue for me, but this can be a big con to others. I do notice though that it's a little annoying to have to take the cam off the Station to change tapes...but it's not like it's that hard to get it off the Station (just pops on and off). So although the Bottom Load is a tad annoying at times, it's not that big a deal to me.



Definite Pros, they were factors for me buying it, but I don't notice it that much because it's integrated:

1. Professional-Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens
Can be argued that this is the best quality lens offered by any brand.
2. 2.7-Inch-Wide Touch Panel SwivelScreen LCD Display (123K Pixels)
Wide Screen was not a big deal to me, for my applications, but I definitely appreciate that I have very nice LCD screen. When I see other cam's LCD, I'm think they're very puny looking. As a Widescreen, this is the best deal since it's the only cam in the $600.00 price range with a Widescreen.
3. Program AE (Auto Exposure) Modes
Program AE modes make recording easy even when filming in challenging situations. Choose from Portrait, Beach & Ski, Sports Lesson, Landscape, Spotlight, and Sunset & Moon modes. I haven't had to use these modes yet because everything that I've shot, the cam was able to automatically do it perfectly on it's own. I'm certainly glad they're there though...just in case!
4. Manual Focus
Allows the user to manually adjust the focus of the camcorder using the touch panel. Manual focusing also allows the user to control the focus in difficult situations in which either the environment or the subject does not allow the camcorder's autofocus to perform optimally, such as when shooting through a window or in a crowded environment. Like #3, I haven't had to manually focus on anything yet...but if I did, I like that it's there.
5. Analog To Digital Conversion with Pass-Through
Convert and/or record any analog NTSC video source to digital video via the analog inputs. Analog NTSC video can also be passed in real time through the digital Handycam Camcorder directly into a PC via the i.LINK interface for easy PC editing of your analog footage.
6. Picture Effects
Get creative when recording or playing back your videos with Sony's Picture Effect Modes. Effects available in Camera mode: Negative Art, Sepia, Monotone, Solarize, Pastel, and Mosaic. Effects available in Playback mode: Negative Art, Sepia, Monotone, and Solarize.

Cons:
1. Sony does not provide Tape, Memory Stick, FireWire/i-Link Cable, or a case. I think these things should be provided! Expect to shop around and pay a little to get these items on your own.
2. The A/V uses a special 10-pin connector, which I have not seen any 10-pins with a right angle. What this means is that when I'm using my BulletCam, the cam is sitting in my waist pack and the A/V cable is sticking straight out of the port instead of being a right angle. Sticking out like that is VERY annoying. It's hard to pack and easier to get tugged out of the port.



Now there are four items that need mentioning:

1. 12x Optical/480x Digital Zoom
I'm pleased with the zoom, it works very well, it has variable zooming speeds that it easy to use and the cam focuses well as it's zooming. But why is it that both lower models have better zoom than this model? HC21 & HC32 comes with 20x800x zoom, and this one comes with only 12x480x? So even though the zoom itself works well, I feel a little ripped off.

2. TouchScreen
I like that the cam has few buttons on the outside. This prevents accidental buttons getting pushed when I'm using my BulletCam. It also keeps the cam looking sleek and clean. But I don't like that you have to use the touchscreen. I don't like that the LCD gets all these fingersmudges on it, I don't like HAVING to use the touchscreen to access features and modes. The touchscreen itself is easy for me to use, but I also have small fingers/fingertips - I wonder what a big guy with big hands thinks of having to tap the touchscreen all the time. In order to record from the AV Input, I have to use the touchscreen to get to the REC CNTRL mode - this is extremely inconvenient and made it necessary for me to purchase a $70.00 remote to bypass that. It would have been nice to have a few buttons that you could assign special features you use often, and also to have a button lock.

3. 1.0-Megapixel (Gross) Advanced HAD CCD Imager
Panasonic offers the 3.0 CCD Imager...so that is superior. I'm happy with my 1.0 CCD, but I think that Sony is lacking in this aspect.

4. Still Shots
Although I'm a gadget freak and love to have electronics that do more than one thing, I have no illusions about this multi-functionality. I now have a phone that takes pictures and videos, a camera that takes pictures and videos, and a camcorder that takes pictures and videos. Which takes the best pictures? The Camera. Which takes best videos? The Camcorder! When shopping, focus on what you're buying. If you're buying a camcorder, focus on it's performance as a camcorder and don't worry about the Still-Shot feature. When you are editing the video, there are plenty of software that will grab any frame of your vid and turn that into a picture file for you, so you can always get pictures that way! Most reviewers rank camcorders as having subpar still shots - well, d'uh. I have a Sony Cybershot 5.0 MegaPixel camera and it takes excellent pictures, I can't possibly expect my 1 MegaPixel camcorder to compete on that level as my Camera...and vice versa...the camera cannot take vids like the Camcorder can. I think the still shot feature on any digicamcorder is utterly useless when you grab the pict from the video with most software, and because it has no hope of competing with a dedicated machine.

All in all, I'm loving this cam. It's the smallest/lightest/prettiest little MiniDV cam. I was able to get a $600.00 for $409.00, therefore, making it a deal that was too great to pass up. It does everything I need it to do (albeit after purchasing additional items to make it work exactly as I want)...it's easy to use, and easy to transfer vids onto my computer. I would definitely recommend this cam. There are just so many choices out there that a lot of this stuff is personal preference. I would definitely recommend this, but take a look at the Panasonic and Canon as well (at least) to make sure you get the cam that is perfect for you.

Other people have reviewed this camera and have their reasons for liking or disliking it. I picked this one for two main reasons, and a few bonus ones.

1. Smooth Interval Recording
I'm not a video freak. I wanted a camera so I could shoot my overseas trips and not much else. When I saw this camera could shoot a single frame per second or longer, I knew it was something I could have fun with too. Smooth Int Rec works well. I've done a dozen interval shoots and they all turned out great. Having things sped up is a hoot and I always try for a couple of these when I'm on a trip.

2. Touch Screen
Removing all those stupid buttons from the camera body worked for me. The options are right in front of you to select, its so easy. Anyone who complains just hasn't used it long enough to realise how easy it is.

Comments on the rest... Well, 12x zoom is a little low, but I use a 10x still camera, and holding that still is tough going, so 12x was fine with me.

I'm annoyed I can't operate the camera on power without the base station. These smart batteries are kind of OK, but it's hard to judge current time left against future usage.

Otherwise, things are fine. The camera works well in heat and humidity, vibration.

I picked this camera without actually holding one and didn't realise how small mini-DV cameras were. I think this one is a good all-rounder for most people, but make sure you are clear on what is important to you so you don't get disappointed on low-light performance, zoom and the like.

Good value for the money, I'm happy...

As an owner of the Sony DCR-HC30 model DV Handicam, I want to warn everyone about my horrible experience with this product line. Design and feature-wise, these Handicams are great. The problem is, they are built like junk.

From the day I opened my box, I got a message that told me that the heads were dirty and needed to be cleaned. In retrospect, I should have returned it for a replacement then and there. But being a basically optimistic guy, I decided it just got dirty in transit, and I got a head cleaner and cleaned the heads. It worked fine for about 30 days - just about the amount of time in Sony's crappy labor warranty. And from that point forward, I have gotten dirty head messages constantly, which at first could be `cleaned away,' but now, even when the message is gone, problems persist.

I often get bars across the screen during playback, and I have already determined that I have lost many a precious memory of my infant children. Sony's solution to this situation is their standard "flat rate" repair program, truly a bargain for $250 or so - more than half what I paid for the camera in the first place.

And Sony wonders why their brand value has all but disappeared? They are just another electronics brand now, and one with sub-par quality and service at that. Guess I'll be buying Samsungs or Canons next time around.

Are you listening, Sony?

Before purchasing this product I did plenty of research hoping that it would help me make a wise decision as to what camcorder to buy. Since there are innumerable digital camcorders to choose from, this fact no doubt makes it extremely difficult to know which one to acquire. Since Sony HC-42 is a rather inexpensive camcorder I had been careful not to expect too much. Upon delivery I immediately charged the battery and started recording. The video quality for indoor shooting was extremely poor in spite of the fact that the room in which I was shooting was well-lit. The picture was grainy and significant noise could easily be seen. In fact, the entire LCD screen was filled with white dots. Thinking that there was something wrong with the settings I referred to the manual which said that the camcorder always comes with the optimal settings. So I went outdoors, the video quality was slightly better but the white dots were still there and I am not talking about small and barely visible dots, even in this case the distortion was highly evident. Keep in mind that this shooting took place outdoors on a sunny day!

I went to a local store to see if they had a Sony HC-42 in order to determine if mine was defective in some way. Admittedly, the video quality was a bit better in the local store but the white dots were still there. So, what I did was to compare the Sony HC-42 with the other camcorders present in the store at that time (Hitachi DZ MV750, Panasonic PV-GS35 and a JVC GR-D270). My verdict was that these three camcorders completely outperformed Sony HC-42 in video quality. Note also that only the Hitachi's camcorder is more expensive than the Sony HC-42. I was shocked by this fact since I am a big fan of Sony's products; I have their DVD player which works exceptionally. One thing I like though about the Sony HC-42 is the touch screen that works flawlessly and very smoothly. Many camcorders in this price range usually lack this feature. Furthermore, the ergonomics of this camcorder are superb, it is small and fits easily in your hand and the battery time is good as well. None the less, the video quality is not better than on a VHS camera and that is completely unacceptable, one cannot compromise with the video quality. I would have accepted a slightly lower video quality for indoor shooting, that I can live with. However, when shooting outdoors I want it to be perfect, with as little aberration, noise and distortion as possible. Sony has failed to deliver in this case. I am not implying that there are no good Sony camcorders on the market but this one is not something I would recommend my parents to buy, if you know what I mean. Before you purchase this product make sure to go down to your local store and test it first.

By the way, I have returned mine.

This is a great camcorder. I won't go into detail on that, there are plenty of very comprehensive reviews here for you to read.
If you are planning to use this camcorder with a Bullet or Helmet Cam, as many MANY people are, be aware that the AV input is through a proprietary Sony connector that will stick straight out of the camera.
This is a problem because it either pulls out too easily, or worse and more likely, it could break the camera where the cable plugs into it if you are not extremely carefull.
The simple solution would be to use a right angle connector so the cable is flush with the camera body (Like the LANC remote). Seems simple right? Wrong! I've been searching online for over a year now and the only thing I've found is that there are a LOT of people with the exact same problem as me.

Are you listening Sony? If you insist on using these proprietary connections to lock us into your accessories, at least provide decent accessories! Please give us a right angle A/V cable!

If you don't care about this issue, then go for it! Its a great camera.

This is one of the best camcorders in the market today and I would definitely recommend it to anyone planning to buy a Mini-DV camcorder

Positive factors:
- Very small and easy to hold with one hand. Can be easily attached even to a mini-tripod with ease.
- Excellent widescreen video and hi-fi audio. Your videos finally get that "Hollywood" feel when you shoot movies in 16:9 ratio (widescreen format). Even if you don't have a widescreen TV currently, you will very soon have one as more and more people are buying them. So its better to buy this camcorder and shoot in 16:9 format to enjoy your movies later in widescreen format.
- Includes widescreen rotatable LCD so what you see is what you get when you shoot in 16:9 ratio (widescreen format)
- Good battery life. One extra battery is enough. You can easily manage a day's worth of shooting with two batteries before recharging them again
- Includes docking station making it easier to connect to computer or TV. If you have a good computer with a firewire port, please buy a firewire cable to connect the camcorder to your computer. You can download your movie in excellent clarity in .avi format and edit it as required
- Make sure to change the audio setting to 16 bit (instead of the default 12 bit) for very good hi-fi audio
- Touchscreen menu system is great. You don't have to search for any buttons as they are all available in the touchscreen menu itself.
- 12X optical zoom is more than sufficient for ordinary home videos. Anything more produces more "shaking" and would necessiate the use of a tripod. When you shoot without a tripod, 12X is the best zoom you can achieve without worrying about shaky videos
- 1 MP widescreen still photo. You can use this feature if you forgot to bring your digital camera. The photo clarity is not good so please don't expect great shots. Since the photo is in 16:9 format, you can take panoramic photos and cover more people in group shots
- Nightshot: Cool feature that records using infrared light. Useful for shooting at night as you can record a video even in 100% darkness
- Color widescreen viewfinder - Very useful when you are running down on batteries and need to use the viewfinder. The color widescreen viewfinder gives an excellent picture and is as good as the LCD in clarity

Negative factors:
- Outdoor videos especially in bright sunlight are overexposed. So please adjust the white balance when shooting outdoors. Add the white-balance menu to your shortcuts so that you can easily access it and return to default once you start shooting indoors
- Sensitive microphone may pick up button clicks (best to turn off the button click "beep" sound).

Notes:
- Use a fresh cassette after recording 2 or 3 times on the same cassette. The head tends to get dirty if you re-record on the same cassette more than 3 times
- You can edit movies in Windowx XP using Windows Movie Maker, but beware it does not support 16:9 ratio video. Hence your videos look ugly as you shot them in 16:9 but Movie Maker converted it to 4:3. Invest in Pinnacle Software version 9 or 10 for better movie editing capabilities. Pinnacle is the only software, I am aware of, that preserves teh 16:9 ratio. Even Roxio could not allow 16:9 format.
- You can also invest in wide-angle lens as it gives excellent coverage

I was excited when i received my handy cam . I pictured all Niagra falls , ocean city , washington DC , New york etc etc etc.. The vedio quality was gr8 outdoors and it was just more than what i want...

For Indoor the video is not good .. when you shoot at night its not visible and if shot in night mode every thing comes like 1930's black and white, and not real.

I also used stills and they were good for 1 mb shots. Outdoors they were as you may want them too but indoor or at night they are useless...

So over all it is giving me what i expected it too ..I can safely say it met my expectation with it performance. Not an outstanding deal but really a worthy deal to make ..

I recomand this camera to people.

I love this camera based on its ease of use, and the super picture. I hook it up to the tv and it fantastic. I have read the accompanying booklet however, cover to cover (the english part) and still cannot figure out how to convert the tapes to dvds or playable cd's. I have a camcorder with larger tapes and purchased this so I could end the drawers and boxes full of tapes. Now I still have all those tapes, they are just smaller.

This camera is simply the Best: Best price, Best machine, Best quality.
With my PCMCIA Firewire 400 card i can produce DVD with excelent quality. Don't need anymore lots of tapes to store everything I film.
Great seller: The camera arrived within the 2 days delivery time.

This camera is a decent enough camera, compact, easy to use and takes good quality video and still pictures and the battery life is excellent. The battery that comes with it is good for a couple of hours continuous recording and the tapes only last for one hour. I acquired a second battery that is good for 240+ minutes so I never worry about running out of juice. I have only two complaints really, one minor and one major.

The minor complaint is the fiddly little controls on the touch screen LCD viewfinder. I find I need to use my reading glasses to see what I'm doing.

The major complaint is transfering video to my computer via the iLink cable (not supplied). I have never persuaded it to work. By browsing various camera fora on the web I am finding a complaint identical to mine with this model in particular as well as other Sony models. The computer will recognize the camera in USB mode (for capturing still pictures from the memory stick) but does not see it at all when plugged in via iLink (firewire/IEEE 1394). All indications are that my firewire port and cable are perfectly OK. Sony tech support, both web chat based and phone, have no clue and because I am out of warranty it will cost a flat $210 to send it in and have them take a look at it.

If all you want to do is connect the camera to your TV to playback the video you take, it's a good camera. If video capture an editing is what you have in mind, buyer beware. Because of this, I can only give the product 2 stars, other wise it would be a 5.

My second Sony camcorder is even better than the first, and is light enough to take along on frequent travel trips, including spas in the US and Canada. I am going to Quebec City and will certainly be able to compactly pack, use and edit anything I take with the Sony camcorder.
My one complaint is that the strop gets in the way when I place the camcorder on its shoe.

Hi,

I have lost the CD rom to download the movie from the camera.

Sony does not offer it for free on its website. You have to pay $70 dollars to get it again.

That clearly disappoints me.

We bought this digital camcorder just under a year ago and were very happy with it...up until last week. The LCD screen just quit working. No mishandling or anything. We can still record using the viewfinder, but who wants to do that when one of the main reasons we bought this model was for the LCD screen for recording and viewing. Another issue that comes up when the screen quits working is that in playback mode, you must utilize the play/rw/ff controls (and in record mode the entire control menu is unaccessable as well) by touching the screen. When the screen doesn't work, this is an issue. You can still use these controls IF you flip the screen over and shut it back into the camera (screen facing out) and then guess where the buttons would be...challenging because they're upside-down now, and backwards. Sony apparently only has a 90-day warranty, so we are now requird to pay $136.74 for labor to get the LCD screen repaired. Thank goodness it quit working LESS THAN A YEAR after we bought it new, because for the first year at least parts are free!?

We realize things don't last forever, but when one buys a $600+ video camera from a reputable name like Sony, you expect it to work for at least a year. And if not, for things to be made right at no charge to you.

Very disappointing. Buyer beware.

1. Cannot do live video capture of streaming from a tripod, since the firewire and USB interfaces both require the HandyCam Station to be in place (which covers up the tripod mounts).
2. Transferring video from this to a Windows machine is terrible. Works fine with a Mac, but iMovie on the Mac is inadequate for capturing video for use on web. Capturing video on Windows is a nightmare to setup...especially if you use a variety of computers.

The LCD Suddenly stopped working after 15 months after purchase.Looks like this is a known issue and Sony doesnt acknoledge the faulty Image sensor.
I am not going to buy any SOny Product from today.

Stay Away or els be ready with 200$ for service charge.

Like some of the other reviewers, I've owned this camera for under 2 years - treated it with care - and poof - one day the display panel just stopped working - it just shows a black screen - rendering the camcorder worthless. This is apparently a known issue with other models of the Sony Handycam - However, Sony does not acknowledge a problem with this particular model (HC42), even though it obviously exists. If and when it breaks, you'll have to ship it back to Sony to get it fixed - at a flat rate price of about $210.00! I am so disgusted with Sony's lack of acknowledgement of this defect. I asked if they would discount the repair price and they said no. Well, guess what - I'm going to say NO to Sony from now on.

I bought this camera brand new and I should have known better when I was doing my research.

1. I could not find info on this particular model on the Sony website. It was almost as if this was a knock off or a model that Sony only sold in third world countries. Weird.

2. Right out of the box the image was VERY grainy. It looks like I was shooting in low light and had the gain cranked up. After years of playing with the menu's there is no way to fix this. If you're shooting in outdoor sunlight, great, but anything less then noon time sun the video will be grainy. And don't even get me started about the still camera. A complete waste of time. The pictures are so grainy and nasty you can't even use them.

3. After less then 2 years of normal (i.e. not rough) use the LCD screen stopped working. I can only shoot or watch video the screen closed through the viewfinder. If I open the screen it shuts off the viewfinder and the screen still doesn't work. It just stopped working. It wasn't dropped or bumped or gotten wet. Nothing, it just stopped.

I have been a loyal Sony brand consumer for years. In both my professional position and my home electronis, I have always backed Sony. (I worked for an AV company). But I'm done. I think I'll buy a real video camera next time like a canon and not a toy from Sony.

I purchased this Camcorder a little more than a year ago. While on a recent vacation the display stopped working. Can still take movies and stills but what good is it if you can't review the movies or photos. Called SONY to inquire about replacing the LCD. The warranty was up (one year)and they would repair it for $211. It appears from other reviews that Sony has a problem but won't admit it.

MOST OF THE HC42 CAMCORDERS HAVE AN LCD ISSUE. AFTER 1.5 YEARS OF USE THE LCD STOPS WORKING AND DOES NOT DISPLAY ANYTHING.

I HAVE GONE THRU MANY FORUMNS AND HAVE ATLEAST 25 OF THE OWNERS FOR 1.5 YEARS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. WORST OF ALL SONY WILL CHARGE YOU AN EXTRA $250 TO FIX THIS ISSUE THATS SO WIDELY SPREAD.

DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT AT ANY COST!

WHAT A WASTE OF $500+

I bought this camera after the birth of my daughter, she is only 2 now and the camera is worthless. The camera keeps giving a "reinsert tape error", and no one local will even attempt to repair it, and the quotes for mail in repair are about the same price as buying a new camera.

Its too bad, I liked the camera.

I owned this camera since 2005 and have 20 hours of great quality outside daylight video and some really bad indoor lower light video.
Mine broke after 2 years, the tape eject broke and the lcd kept going out, sony wanted at least half the cost i paid to repair it. What a shame for sony who used to make previous work horse camcorders in the older formats.

I have enjoyed this camera for about two years. It is small, light, takes good video and is what I need from a video camera. However, this model and many other Sony models have a CCD Defect that causes the camera to record nothing but sound and a black screen. Unfortunately, Sony does not acknowledge this as a defect, even with the number of people that apparently have this problem. The repair cost for this is more than $200 from Sony, so I will be looking at other brands to replace this.

I bought this camera (DCR HC 42) in 2005 and it worked very well until recently. The lcd screen has gone blank after going dim and off-color first (this all happened within 2 days).The viewfinder is still functioni ng but the lcd gives access to all the features which were responsible for me choosing this camera. Several post on other websites seem to indicate that this is a flaw with this camcorder so invest in additional warranty.

Picture quality and other features are good as long as it works.If you are buying this make sure that you buy extended warranty.Mine died after one and half years,as per Sony cost of repairing it is more then buying a new one :).I paid $500 for this and it lasted only for 1 and half years even though I rarely used it.I see lot of people having issues with Sony handy cams recently.Do proper research before buying a handycam(google for issues others having with the model you are buying).If you buy this product.... don't forget to buy extended warranty otherwise a small issue might make this handycam useless.

Years ago, Sony stood for undisputed, unrivaled quality that could last for a life time. I have purchased a numbers of Sony products over the past few years all based on the faith.

No more.

One by one, that trust has eroded with the failing products. My VAIO can barely holds itself together in one piece, then the LCD display of my DCR-HC42 went blank, not to mentioned all the battery problems that Sony produced...

Goodbye, Sony! the overpriced, under-quality gizmo brand! You have just lost a loyal customer and I am sure you will lose a lot more...

This Camera's display went completely bad after around 1.5 years of light use. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT !!!!!! What's the use of it when there is no display on it. My 400$ got wasted. :-(

Don't buy any SONY products. SONY is not SONY anymore. Many of their products are crappy and not cutting edge. I bougt a SONY digital camera late last year. It broke within 6 months. I sent it to SONY service center and was told that it would cost more to fix it. I got my money back but bought a Nikon. I also bought this SONY camcorder DCR-HC42. I usually buy the extended warranty, but somehow I forgot to buy an extended warranty on this one. This one broke after 1 and a half years. I contacted SONY and was told that I have to pay $201 to fix it.
I'm hearing problems with SONY products from too many people- TVs, camcorders, digital cameras, even alarm-clock radios. Don't buy SONY. SONY is spending too much money on Hollywood, not on technology development.

First 6 months were great after that it started getting intermittent 'reinsert cassette' errors. No info on how to solve this issue and it would always happen at the worst times spoiling your filming. Now it won't turn on at all. Most expensive paper weight.

I bought a Handycam DCR-HC32 in March of 2006. In June of 2007 the screen went black when trying to record. I called customer service and they said they know of no such problem and its an 'isolated incident.' I checked on several troublshooting message boards and the same LCD problem is found everywhere. I do not understand how Sony says mine is an isolated incident when its happened to so many others, including some of these reviews on Amazon. To top it off it will cost a minimum of $171 to get it repaired. What a waste of my money, last time I will buy a Sony camcorder.