Sony DCR-SR220 4MP 60GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 15x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Bought the camcorder about 2 weeks back. Was delivered within 3/4 days. Takes great videos and excellent pictures. Also since its quite handy to carry, don't have to take my Nikon Digital camera always.
Only con for me is the sound volume on the videos. For some reason the volume sometimes is barely audible if one is not speaking loudly wherease my old Sony Hi8 Camera would capture the slightest sound clearly. Have tried all the sound settings but haven't been very successful. Took it to daughter's performance concert and there the volume was good.

I film a lot of high school football (at night under the lights) and I bought this camera to replace my mini-DV tape Sony handycam. I'm glad I made the switch although the other Sony did a great job. I get high quality images even when the field lights aren't that bright.

I'm switching to Adobe Premiere but I was using Windows Movie Maker to put together my clips. Unfortunately Movie Maker can't accept the Mpeg-2 clips this camera generates so I have to convert them first.

I'm very happy with the camera but the reason for a 4 instead of 5 is that I don't think the "Quick On" feature works as quickly as it should. I click it between plays to put the camera on stand by. I have to be really careful to click it again after the team breaks the huddle because there's a little delay coming back on. Even more, there's a delay when I click record back out of Stand by. I've come close to missing the start of a play, especially at first.

After I put the clips together I upload them so that other parents can watch. I can't include a link here but if you search for "knob noster alumni" you can look undero Panther Pride | Football highlights to see clips taken with the camera. The google versions aren't as good because they get compressed a lot so if you have high speed internet I recommend downloading the higher quality clips.

Weeks 1-4 were taken with the Sony mini-DV and weeks 5-7 were taken with the new Sony.

I did a lot of research to purchase a camera for a family vacation . I originally was convinced I needed a High def camcorder . Once I read how difficult it was to use the AVCHD format, I quickly convinced myself to stick with the proven platform of MPEG-2 . I went for hard drive over the canon mini Dv for ease of use and no tapes needed. So far, the camera has been extremely easy to use and download videoas to my computer. Still pictures are decent but not stellar. Easy to charge and review images/videos on the touch screen . I can't imagine why you would need more for family type videos.

With 60gb of memory a whole lot can be recorded and later transferred to a pc or dvd, sony makes some good camcorders with the carl zeiss lens.

This was my 2nd camcorder. The last one was purchased about 6 yrs ago and was a Hi-8 Sony. This camera has fantastic resolution on my 36" Sony Wega Tube TV. The Hard Drive is great to see different videos very quickly (instead of waiting for tapes to rewind.) It is not so clear on my father in-law's 58" Plasma though. High Def would be better. But for recording my family's Birthdays and swim meets its GREAT!

A big thumbs up for the amateur family videographer.

Aaron