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Sony HDR-HC3 4MP High-Definition Handycam MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom | 
| Brand: Sony
Category: Photography
List Price: $1,499.99
Buy New: $1,499.95
as of 3/11/2010 19:57 PST details
You Save: $0.04
New (1) from $1,499.95
Seller: Wall Street Photo
Rating:  52 reviews
Sales Rank: 35702
Media: Electronics
Batteries Included: Yes
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Optical Zoom: 10
Display Size: 2.7
Battery: 1 Lithium
Maximum Focal Length: 51
Minimum Focal Length: 5.1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 3.2 x 3.1
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: HDR-HC3
Model: HDR-HC3
UPC: 086753091267
EAN: 0086753091267
ASIN: B000DZFSFY
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Records and plays back both high-definition (1080i resolution) and standard-definition video on MiniDV | | • | 2.1-megapixel ClearVid CMOS image sensor; 1.43K effective | | • | Variable-speed Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 10x optical zoom lens; digital zoom to 80x | | • | 2.7-inch widescreen touch-panel LCD | | • | Super SteadyShot image stabilization |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
CL) U) SONY HDR-HC3 HI-DEF CAMCORDER
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 52
 awesome! April 24, 2006
J. Coons (san diego)
66 out of 72 found this review helpful
After recording and playing video all weekend, my simple conclusion is this video camera is AWESOME. Yes it is expensive, but, WOW the pictures is fantastic when hooked up to my hi-def plasma or played back on my iMac. It is as small and light as any normal video camera. It takes regular DV tapes, and is easy to use and easy to play back on the TV with either HDMI or Component cables if you don't have HDMI.
If you are considering a new video camera, GET THIS CAMERA.
It is absolutely worth the money.
I went back an looked at my old video tapes, video I once though looked good now looks terrible compared to the images from this sony camera. I haven't been this thrilled with a purchase in a long time.
HC3 Perfect camcorder for Consumer HD recording April 18, 2006
Mark D. Schmitt (Crystal Lake, IL United States)
35 out of 39 found this review helpful
I have had this camcorder since Friday April 14th and have multiple opportunities to 'play' with it. Most of my videotaping has been in SD mode, not HD.
This camcorder is the perfect camcorder for users who want to position themselves for HD in the future. It is capable of HD recording and the recording quality is very good to excellent. The controls are plentiful for an average consumer. However, the prosumer or professional user may be disappointed that there is no mic or headphone jack as well as no separate controls for White Balance, Exposure, Focus or AE shift.
I would recommend that if you are doing any recording of music, that you purchase one of the microphones that are available for this camcorder. The built in mic is only adequate.
There is a technical review of this camcorder on camcaroderinfo.com that goes into a wealth of detail if you are interested.
So far, after 3 days and a church cantata, I am very pleased with the performance of this camcorder. Good job Sony!
Awesome July 21, 2006
Aurelio Benassini Togno (NJ USA)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
This is my 4th camcorder and I just love it.
I'm a big photo enthusiast, and despite I own a Nikon D70 Digital SLR camera, this summer on a 3 week trip to Europe (by train) I decided to travel light and left home my Nikon to use only my new Sony Camcorder: It's a great travel companion, light discrete and easy to use. Still photos are very acceptable. Video quality is simply breathtaking.
I've done editing on my G5 iMac using iMovies HD and it works just fine. Edited video needs to be recorded back to tape to keep the HD format, but I hope that problem will be solved in a few months, when HD DVD-R drives becomes more affordable.
In summary if you are looking for great video quality and performence, look no more. This is the best Camcorder you can get without going PRO.
As additional advice: get a case and one additional battery since the one that comes with the camcorder is rather small and doesn't last enough.
First and maybe my only! November 9, 2006
dimatuma
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
Bought this camera way back in April shortly after when it came out. Bought it just in time for my first born to join us in the world. The reason why I bought this camera is because it was cutting edge, and at the time, I was in a time crunch and knew that if I bought a SONY camera, then it will be a good buy. Well... its been 6 months now and I can tell you that this camera does rock. here are some things I had to buy for this camera (which by the way I bought for 1499 way back. now look at it, it's only 1099. WOW!)
1) Bought the HD tapes (Bestbuy has these for 30 bucks for a 2pack, amazon has it for 20 bucks)
2) Bought a battery with longer life span.
3) Bought a firewire cable (any firewire cable will do) to connect it to my Mitsubishi WS55511. Found out that MitsWS55511 does not comply with this camera to my big dissapointment and I was about to return the stupid camera out of disgust. I can't believe I can't use the firewire connection with my HD tv. Ticked me off to be honest with you. I then took the camera to the BigScreen Store with a bunch of HD tv's and found out that all the new tv models that has IEEE input does work with this camera. I decided to keep the camera and basically use the component cables (my tv does not have HDMI input) and used that for the TV.
4) Bought a $100+ HD software (pinnacle software) to download the movie from the camera to DVD. $1499 camera and it does not come with download sofware?! C'mon!
5) Bought a Camcorder light and found out it makes a whopping difference with low light.
6) Bought a tripod but hardly use it.
7) Bought a 2GB Memory chip
Things I have issues with:
1) The camera does not have a stabalizer button, Supposedly its built in, however while watching videos, It does not seem the stabalizer is working.
2) The camera does not come with a shoulder strap. Again, $1499, it should come with this.
3) The camera does not allow you to record movies on the memory chip. This would've been a great feature for quick clips and all you have to do is take the chip out and download the file. All movies has to be recorded on the DV Tape.
4) Without a light, recording in low light conditions may affect the quality of your HD playback. Thus, the reason why I bought the Sony Light (see my other review).
Things I think is worth it:
1) The item is compact and light
2) The picture is OUT OF THIS WORLD. BEST PICTURE, BAR NONE!
3) The 4MP is pretty good. I love taking still pictures (widescreen and 4:3) with this thing. I dont have to lug around 2 cameras around.
4) The LCD touchscreen is wide and big enough for quick playback.
5) Zoom is awesome, especially in HD.
Overall, this product does deserve a 5 star. However the package it came with could've been better, esp with the price I paid. $1099 for this product is a steal! Of course the pictures I took with it is priceless. I attribute this to the timing of when I bought the product. Was in a hurry in buying a camcorder but at the same time I wanted something that would at least last me for a few decades. Now to get my ROI, it needs to!
LOL
Hope this helps!
Superb HD quality May 24, 2006
Ivan Drekalo
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
Just got this camera from amazon a day ago, and the performance is unmatched. I been waiting for an HD consumer camcoder to match my 2 year old HDTV for a while, and this one is perfect. Recorded footage in dusk lighting and its superb. I switched between Discovery HD theater Channel and my camcorder and both look the same quality. Definetly broadcast HD quality camera. Records to my old DV tapes just fine, easy to capture video in HDV ( sony vegas software), easy to hold, film, good image stabilization, zooming focuses quickly as well. I exported the capture HDV video to 720x480 MPEG 2 Widescreen for use to burn my files as DVD, and to my surprise 90% of the HD quality remained ( when you have a very good source for making DVDs, they look as good as any DVD u buy in store). This will make perfect quality DVDs, and i will keep the HDV footage (either on Hard Drive, DV tape or DVD5 in divx or WM9 file format at full resolution) so that i can master HD-DVDs or Blue Ray dvds at full resolution when that technology is ready.
Low light performance is good as well. But clearly the best aspect of the image quality is the picture perfect quality of HD footage, the stable HD picture and the immence detail... everything from 300 full detailed flowers on my garden, to every 1" tile in my pool, to leaves of grass on my lawn, all recorded flawlessly with full detail.
Stop thinking about it and buy it, you won't regret it. Plus u have 30 day return policy on amazon, so u have time to test it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 52
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