Mike Perlman takes a big bad HD monster for a ride in our in-depth Sony HDR-SR12 review. Does the image quality match its sound architecture and plush handling? Read on to find out.
Review summary of the Sony HDR-SR12:
 |
|
Gallery » |
 Sony raised the roof with the introduction of the Sony HDR-SR12. It offers 1080i HD video that can be recorded to a massive 120GB HDD or Memory Stick PRO Duo card. The camcorder is also built like a tank and features swanky architectural goodies like retractable port enclosures and an ample touchscreen. Manual controls are not brimming out of it, but the multi-function Cam Control dial offers instant adjustment at your fingertips. There’s also an Easy mode for extreme novices whose only desire is to turn the camcorder on and press the Record button. The Sony HDR-SR12 delivers a beautiful HD image in most shooting environments, but low light gave us some issues. You'll get the best results from AVCHD compression if you're using an HDMI port for playback, and editing the footage requires a power plant computer to process the video. If you have an HDTV with HDMI or an HDMI editing suite, then the Sony HDR-SR12 is an all-around excellent camcorder. Release: April 2008. Price: $1100.
Pros: Great handling and construction. Excellent connectivity. Beautiful image in most lighting.
Cons: Poor low light performance in certain environments. AVCHD complicates playback and editing. Mediocre battery life.
| Poor |
Mediocre |
Good |
78%
VERY GOOD |
Excellent |
|
|
|
Full Sony HDR-SR12 Review:
|
Design - Excellent
This is the Cadillac of consumer camcorders. The Sony HDR-SR12 is like a plush lowrider, equipped with ergonomic architecture, intuitive controls and a wide LCD screen for its class. Retractable plastic shields that meld with the structure of its body seal all ports and terminals. At just over 1 1/2 lbs, this camcorder is not a lightweight, but it packs a potent punch in the handling department. If it's too heavy, the added bulk will reduce the chance of camera shake, particularly for shooters who are espresso junkies.
The Sony HDR-SR12 is also a smooth operator, flaunting a stealthy gunmetal and black body. We could have used a little extra padding along the inside of the hand strap, though. We've seen Sony implement the cushy, mesh hand strap on other camcorders. So why couldn't their top-tier HDD cam receive the royal treatment too?
The camcorder has a 12x optical zoom, which is slightly larger than the previous industry-wide 10x optical zoom standard. The zoom toggle is smooth and responsive, but we'd like to see a buttery zoom ring around the lens, offering greater control.
Sony also burrowed a nice little cavernous chamber for the rechargeable NP-FH60 battery pack to rest in. This makes using the viewfinder a fun activity, rather than an epic battle with a hard plastic battery poking into your face. If you upgrade to a larger battery pack, space might be a little tight. Luckily, the viewfinder flips upward rather than outward, to provide enough clearance. Besides, most shooters will want to take advantage of the ample 3.2" LCD screen with touch technology. Overall, Sony has left most other camcorders in its wake with the design of the HDR-SR12.
Interface - Very Good
The Sony HDR-SR12's vast 3.2" LCD screen and highly inviting Home menu system make operating this camcorder a blast. Just keep a lens wipe with you if you're concerned about fingerprints.
Now about that friendly Home menu, the two-tone blue buttons are inviting and the operation sounds echo with musical intonations, if you choose to keep them on. Items are arranged logically and organized in a tabbed structure. For instance, all Manual Controls can be accessed through the Camera menu on the bottom right side of the LCD screen. The administrative options are located in the top left corner of the LCD screen. If you want to switch to playback, the Playback button in the bottom left corner is one press away. The touch screen interface is highly responsive and the larger LCD screen offers more real estate for finger romping.
One of the most exciting stocking stuffers on this camcorder is the multi-function Manual Control dial that allows you to control four different image adjustments. The dial is easily accessible and simple to use by pressing the center Set button. A miniature menu will appear containing Focus, Exposure, AE Shift and WB Shift. You can manually focus, adjust the WB shift and control the exposure in harmony with this dial, and it's the next best thing to a lens ring control. Sony, please bring back the multi-function lens ring! With a control up front, the Sony HDR-SR12 would be a manual control power plant to be reckoned with.
Shooting Features - Very Good
The Sony HDR-SR12 is one of those versatile camcorders that functions optimally in Auto or Easy mode, but also excels in manual adjustment. The HDR-SR12, despite its advanced design and exceptional image quality, is a bit short-staffed when it comes to true manual controls. There is no independent Shutter Speed control, whittling the fleet to just Focus, Exposure, and White Balance. Instead of a manual Shutter Speed, the camcorder has an Auto Slow Shutter setting that automatically adjusts the shutter speed based on the available light within the shooting environment. There's also a Color Slow Shutter mode that enhances colors in dark areas, but to achieve this, the Sony HDR-SR12 has to drop to a shutter speed so low your video will look like a pixilated, blurry fiasco.
The Focus control is sharp as a tack, both in Auto and Manual mode. The HDR-SR12's internal brain is quite incisive and will focus accurately and quickly without much lag time. On the manual front, the camcorder does not have any type of Focus Assist that magnifies the field or uses color to signify a properly-focused portion. Sony does have a Spot Focus that enables the shooter to tap on the area of the screen they want focused, and with a 3.2" LCD screen, there's a lot more real estate to choose from. The Sony HDR-SR12 also offers 32 steps of exposure control, which will cover many dim shooting environments. Sony tends to lean toward the cool side, so you'll want to make sure you have the white balance dialed in as well.
If you don't feel like full-out manual control mayhem, Sony is the Captain of Semi-Automatic control. We're talking about AE (Auto Exposure) Shift, WB (White Balance) Shift, Spot Meter and various Scene Selections. AE Shift and WB Shift provide slider bars that enable shooters to brighten or alter color temperature based on the Auto Exposure or Auto White Balance. Spot Meter functions just like Spot Focus, only the area of the screen you tap automatically tailors the exposure to that portion of the screen. For shooters who want a quicker fix, the Sony HDR-SR12 has multiple Scene Selection modes including Twilight, Sunrise & Sunset, and Snow. For kicks, you have your classic Sony image effects like Sepia, Black and White, Pastel and Old Movie, which is just a sepia tone and low shutter speed.
One of the gnarliest features Sony offers is Smooth Slow Record, which captures 12 seconds of video at 240fps. This is true slow motion, and the action looks like something you'd see in a sports replay. Plus, we can't forget about Sony's Super NightShot mode, which uses an infrared light to "see in the dark." This is the chosen video mode of many stolen "home movies."
If the HDR-SR12's manual and semi-automatic controls are still forcing you to run for the hills, there's always Easy Mode. Sony's Easy mode is geared toward ultimate camera-phobes who just want to power on the camcorder and hit the Record button. All adjustments are made automatically as there is no access to the Camera menu or Control Dial menu. The Home menu is simplified and buttons are enlarged. Yes, this is total Grandma mode.
The Sony HDR-SR12 is capable of capturing still images up to 10.2MP in size but that's interpolated, meaning the actual resolution is only half that. It's a fancy picture blowup, but still the largest still image available on a consumer camcorder. Most manual controls can be accessed in Photo mode, along with camera classics like Self-Timer, Red-Eye Reduction and flash modes.
Hardware and Connectivity - Very Good
Sony enhanced the processing with the HDR-SR12 using what they call BIONZ and EXMOR technology, which sound more like towns in a Tolkein science fiction novel than anything. In short, the camera shows a decrease in overall noise and low light sensitivity is improved. The camcorder also has a smaller CMOS sensor than previous generation Sony camcorders, but the new processing makes up for it.
As far as Audio, the HDR-SR12's onboard microphone leaves much to be desired. In our test we heard blanket of background buzz in most environments. Zoom Mic is the only worthy audio control on the HDR-SR12, which increases the microphone's sensitivity the closer you zoom on your subject. Regardless, we recommend taking advantage of Sony's hot shoe in conjunction with an external boom. Since the hot shoe is proprietary, you'll have to find an adapter online to attach third party battery-powered mics.
The Sony HDR-SR12 is equipped with Super SteadyShot Optical Image Stabilization, a shake reduction system that operates by using a gyroscope to isolate the lens from the body of the camera. OIS is superior to Electronic Image Stabilization, which uses pixels around the border of the frame to compensate for sudden movement. The HDR-SR12's OIS functions well at low speeds when we were concerned about stationary handheld jitter, but any movement that's too spastic will prove difficult for the OIS to handle.
When it's time to playback your video clips on an HDTV or to edit, the HDR-SR12 will not let you down in the connectivity department. Ports consist of Mic, Headphone, HDMI, AV/Component, USB, DC, and Memory Stick PRO Duo. You also get a docking station with DC, AV Out and USB terminals. Having a separate headphone jack is great for monitoring sound, especially if you opt for an external mic. As far as editing goes, AVCHD video is still the newest kid on the block and requires a super power computer and advanced editing software, or at least the latest versions of iMovie or Ulead. Files can be transferred to a computer via USB, and that's it. There's no friendly FireWire to save the day and transferred clips will have to be converted some way or another in order to play natively. This is where HDV retains the editing crown, allowing realtime capture while AVCHD files can take far longer to log and transfer.
The HDR-SR12's NP-FH60 rechargeable battery pack will last you approximately 90 minutes without any fancy video work such as zooming or heavy menu hopping. With typical video operation, you're looking at around an hour before the Sony HDR-SR12 calls it quits. This is an average to low performance and you'll need to invest in a couple larger packs to sustain enough power throughout the day.
Image Quality - Very Good
There are a few things you should know about AVCHD before we delve into the HDR-SR12's video performance. First off, playing your clips on an HDTV through analog (AV) will yield mediocre results compared to an HDMI or Component connection. HDMI is the optimal choice, but that means you have to buy a separate HDMI cable. As far as editing, most programs will have to convert the video so the software can understands the complex nature of AVCHD. We used Final Cut and exported BMP images, then compressed them to JPEGs using the highest quality settings. We also used a 1080p monitor to interpret the video.
For the most part, the Sony HDR-SR12 displays an exceptional image, but this depends on the shooting environment. In areas where the light is just right, the video quality looks like b-roll in a feature film. However, Sony's blue noise runs rampant when the lights dim and AVCHD compression becomes noticeable.
Bright Light Scene Test – Astor Place
Here is a prime example of AVCHD compression. See those little blocky specks around the "Unnecessary Noise" sign and the pedestrians in the crosswalk? That's also referred to as artifacting, a side effect of the advanced compression. In other news, the image looks a bit washed out and detail is lacking in the trees. On the monitor, motion was very smooth and most of the image was sharp. A scene like this is best represented via HDMI playback.
Color Test - Fruit
This where the Sony HDR-SR12 shines, with a vibrant color display that does not appear over- saturated. The reds, dark blues, oranges and greens of the fruit look more realistic, and not like a coloring book picture filled in outside the lines with neon crayons. You'll also notice the increased sharpness of this image compared to the Scene test, and the subdued lighting is part of this performance.
Sharpness Test - Graffiti
Now we're seeing that high-definition Sony sharpness. There's virtually no ghosting along the black lines of the graffiti. You can even see the paint strokes within the lettering. Color is spot on and noise and compression are not a problem.
Backlight Test – Auto Exposure
Backlight Test – Full Exposure
The Sony HDR-SR12 handles backlighting with great aplomb. If you're looking for noise, check a milk carton, because it's missing from this image and the sharpness and detail here are stellar. Even in the dark shadows of the sign, the detail is superb, especially in the yellow walk signal box. Now, with the exposure cranked all the way up, the sky becomes significantly illuminated. But the sky is not fully blown out, as you can still see a faint light blue path across the top of the image. Surprisingly, the detail remains within the signs and post.
Detail Test – Bricks in Optimal Lighting
Detail Test – Building Facade
It's mind-boggling attempting to find a flaw in this first image. This looks like a screenshot from a Discovery Channel documentary. The detail is beautiful amongst the sky, bricks, window, even in the shadows. This is what HD should look like. The Sony HDR-SR12 does a fantastic job with the second images as well. A pattern this intricate is a tall order and the detail here is spot on, especially in the flag and the lettering. The sharpness drifts away in certain parts of the pattern, and you can see slight stepping in the arches of the curves. Despite these minor issues, the camcorder cranks out stunning detail.
Motion Test – Head Bob and Hand Shooters
Your trusty infoSync editor is captured here in mid-awesomeness. What we're looking for here is the quality of the motion in the hands and the head, as they were moving at a fairly rapid speed. On the monitor, the motion was fluid and displayed minimal to no ghosting. The sharpness is slightly lacking, but for a spastic wheelin' dealin' used car salesman movement, the HDR-SR12 handles it quite well.
Sunset Test – Verrazano in Sunrise & Sunset Mode
Sunset Test – Verrazano in Auto Mode
Sunset Test – Verrazano in Twilight Mode
Things started to tank as the sun slowly sank into the horizon. In Sunrise & Sunset mode, the sky is warm, but noise is dancing all over the screen. During a pan, the bridge was engulfed by the infringing noise in the sky at times and overall sharpness decreased. Despite this, the Sunrise & Sunset image is still usable—the brightness is fine. You'll just have to deal with the noise levels. In Auto mode, this is the worst image of the three. Sharpness is nonexistent and color is too cool. The bridge tension wires have been eaten by the ominous sky. This just goes to show that you can't rely on Auto all the time. In Twilight mode, the image is significantly darker, but sharper and devoid of noise. It may be unusable for most shooters, but might suffice for a low-budget film.
Noise Test – Lighted Path
Noise Test – Motorcycle Under Streetlamp
Upon the lighted path, big, blocky splotches of noise attack the steps and shadowy areas of the trees. There's heavy compression going on here and this is an example of the HDR-SR12 at its worst. The image of the Kawasaki is showered with blue speckles and displays an overall lack of sharpness. With all the light from the street, we'd expect a better performance here. Sure, both images are bright enough, but a lack of color information and barrage of noise does not feel like High Definition to us.
Low Light Test – Desk and Lamp
The classic desk and lamp displays the HDR-SR12's ability to throw all the noise into the shadows and struggle with the color gradation in the light. This is not a terrible image, it's just nothing electrifying. It's bright enough, but the lack of detail is a major deterrent.
Candle Test – Auto
Candle Test– Candlelight Mode
By candlelight, the HDR-SR12's Auto mode can only concentrate on the actual candle. The background is entirely indiscernible. You can also see the rigid lines of color gradation in the varying levels of the candle. In Candlelight mode, the Sony HDR-SR12 churns out a bright image with considerable less noise. On the downside, the shutter speed is dropped significantly and the motion of this clip is like watching a cheap reenactment scene from Unsolved Mysteries. The color gradation is still apparent, though better behaved. In extremely dim light, the HDR-SR12 will struggle.
Dim Light Gradation Test– Lamp
Here we're looking for the smoothness factor of the gradual shift between light and dark portions of the lamp. You can count at least six different levels of color in the lamp, all sectioned with a rigid border. We should be seeing a smooth, almost uniform transition between varying portions of light, but not here. The Sony HDR-SR12 displays superb brightness here in this moderately dim shooting environment, but lacks refined detail.
Price and availability
The Sony HDR-SR12 is available now online for as little as $1100.
|
|
|
|
|
Archive