Logo Logo

/// HD Camcorder Comparison



multiple selection by CTRL + left mouse button
lowest US price max
Manufacturer
On the market since
Video formats ?
Recording Medium ?
more filters
sorted by
models per page
Best values highlighted
view only tested models
diese Seite auf deutsch
 Jump to: Model | Test preview | Video | Configuration | Audio | Still | Misc. | Product Shots | Test results | More information |
2 models found [ Permalink for this page ]   

models compared on this page: Sony HDR-XR550V and Sony HDR-XR520

display: 3 models per page sorted by score Best values highlighted
Model

Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Sony Information on Sony

Name HDR-XR550VHDR-XR520
European name ?HDR-XR550VEHDR-XR520VE
US name ?HDR-XR550VHDR-XR520
lowest US price 960 $1700 $
On the market since March 2010 March 2009
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
Video formats ? AVCHD
SD MPEG2
 AVCHD
Recording Medium Built-in hard disk
SDHC card
Memory Stick PRO Duo
Built-in hard disk
Memory Stick PRO Duo
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
SD MPEG2 720 x 576
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
SD MPEG2 720 x 576
video resolutions US ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
SD MPEG2 720 x 480
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
SD MPEG2 720 x 480
Max Bitrate ?24 Mbit/s16 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG2
MPEG4
MPEG2
MPEG4
on-board memory ?240 GB240 GB
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Sony
Sony
Optical Zoom ?10 x12 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?29,8 mm42,9 mm
Filter diameter ?37 mm37 mm
Image Stabilization ?optically and electronically
optical
ND Filter ?No
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?11
Size of image sensor ?1/2,9 inch1/2,8 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?4150000 Pixel  
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
auto
manual
presets
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/10.0001/800
Maximum shutter time ?1/61/50
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Infrared recording ?  
Expanded Focus ?  
Peaking ?  
Signal Processing
Zebra ?No
No
Histogram ?No
No
adjustable sharpness ?  
Adjustable color ?  
Cinegamma ?  
Black Strech ?No
 
Knee ?No
 
Colorbars ?No
 
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
 
Custom Presets ?  
Set Time Code ?No
 
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		About Special Equipment
About Special Equipment
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		 Out
Out
HDMI ? Out
Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		--
USB ?USB 2.0
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
Headphones ?3.5 mm mini-jack
3.5 mm mini-jack
Lanc ?No
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? AI
AI
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 510 g510 g
Weight (with battery) 590 g590 g
Battery type Sony NP-FV50
 
Battery capacity   
Charger ?internal
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 70 mm71 mm
Width 74 mm75 mm
Depth 143 mm134 mm
Relative Size ?77
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?201600 Pixel 123200 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,5 Inch3,2 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?921000 Pixel 307200 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Manual Focus ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Focus switcher ?No
No
ND Filter ?No
No
Exp Lock ?No
No
Gain ?No
No
White balance ?No
No
Push AF ?No
No
Audio Levels ?No
No
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons		No
No
Audio

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
Audio Formats ?AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
Microphone ?Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
auto
Audio levels ?  
Still

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
hard drive
SDHC card
Memory Stick Duo
hard drive
Medium included ?No
 
Effective pixels ?  
Resolutions ?4000 x 3000 - Max
4000 x 3000 - Max
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
Specials GPS with geo-tagging functionalityGPS with geo-tagging functionality
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
View 1
 
View 2
 
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
luminance resolution
chrominance resolution
lens distortion
test small ISO image
noise / internal microphone
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode ?
Test image 12 lux optimized ?
 
slashCAM rating
Lowlight ?Very goodVery good
Resolution ?Very goodVery good
Color performance ?GoodVery good
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ? Excellent Poor
Configuration / image ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Configuration / sound ?PoorSatisfactory
Handling ?GoodGood
Portability ?Very goodVery good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		390364
Pros + multi functional ring
+ focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well
+ good lowlight sensibility
+ wide angle
+ Display with high resoultion
+ very good low-light sensitivity
+ iris control ring and touch-focus work together very nicely
Cons - image characteristics cannot be modified
- no focus or exposure assist
+ very few possibilites for manual control
Conclusion The wide angle (which shrinks a little with active image stabilization) as well as the low light performance is better than on all competing modells.But in terms of sharpness, manual control options and color reproduction the Sony is not quite on par with the class winners.The automatics work solidly in a Sony-typical way.Remarkably good is the high-resolving display, but a focus assist option is nevertheless missed when setting the focus manually.The Low-light picture quality is very good and sets a new standard for the sub 1000 euro camcorder classBut there is no histogram, no zebra, no shutter-control, no focus assist and no picture adjustmentThis is sad, especially because Sony could probably unlock these functions via firmware
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VSony HDR-XR520
slashCAM Review
HDR-XR520 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts HDR-XR550VE and saving on external media
SonyHDR-XR550VE or Panasonic HDC-HS700?
SonyHDR-XR550VE or at Panasonic HDC-HS700
Final Cut Pro plugin for SonyHDR-XR520VE
Camera Case for SonyHDR-XR520VE
SonyHDR-XR520VE flickering beam on BRAVIA TV
Buy Panasonic HDC-HS300 / Canon HG21 / SonyHDR-XR520VE
Wide Anglefür XR520 + Beginner Questions
HD video import of SonyHDR-XR520VE in Final Cut Express (Mac)
Lens / wide Anglefür SonyHDR-XR520VE


Please consider that these data have been entered into this database by human beings.Also, the technical information provided by the manufacturers are at times contradictory, incomplete and sometimes even incorrect.Although we take great care checking all information, we can not gurantee for its correctness.Should you find this data to have some omission or error, please let us know! Mail:



update am 12.Februar 2012 - 06:23
slashCAM ist ein Projekt der channelunit GmbH
*Datenschutzhinweis*