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models compared on this page: Sony HDR-CX550V and Sony HDR-HC7

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Model

Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Sony Information on Sony

Name HDR-CX550VHDR-HC7
European name ?HDR-CX550VEHDR-HC7E
US name ?HDR-CX550VHDR-HC7
lowest US price 1899 $1700 $
On the market since March 2010 January 2007
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
Video formats ? AVCHD
SD MPEG2
 MiniDV
HDV
Recording Medium SDHC card
Memory Stick PRO Duo
built-in flash memory
MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
SD MPEG2 720 x 576
HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
video resolutions US ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
SD MPEG2 720 x 480
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
Max Bitrate ?24 Mbit/s25 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG2
MPEG4
DV
MPEG2
on-board memory ?64 GB 
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Sony
Carl Zeiss
Optical Zoom ?10 x10 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?29,8 mm41,3 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 inch1/2,9 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?4150000 Pixel 2280000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/10.0001/auto
Maximum shutter time ?1/6auto
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ? Yes
Expanded Focus ? Yes
Peaking ? Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ?No
 Off
70%
100%
Histogram ?No
Yes
adjustable sharpness ? Yes
Adjustable color ? Yes
Cinegamma ? No
Black Strech ?No
No
Knee ?No
No
Colorbars ?No
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
No
Custom Presets ? No
Set Time Code ?No
No
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		About Special Equipment
No
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		 Out
Out
HDMI ? Out
Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		- In
Out
USB ?USB 2.0
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
Cinch
Headphones ?3.5 mm mini-jack
Mini-jack
Lanc ?No
Yes
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? AI
AI
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 440 g550 g
Weight (with battery) 490 g 
Battery type Sony NP-FV50
Sony NP-FH60
Battery capacity  1000 mAh
Charger ?internal
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 66 mm82 mm
Width 74 mm82 mm
Depth 143 mm138 mm
Relative Size ?69
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 Inch2,7 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?921000 Pixel 211200 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Rocker
Manual Focus ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Focus switcher ?No
Yes
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
 
Audio

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
Audio Formats ?AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
Microphone ?Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
auto
Audio levels ? No
Still

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
hard drive
SDHC card
Memory Stick Duo
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ? 1991000 Pixel
Resolutions ?4000 x 3000 - Max
2848x2136
2848x1602
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
Specials GPS with geo-tagging functionality&"Smooth Slow Record" slow motion mode: 3 seconds are recorded with 200 half frames/sec., resulting in a 4-fold slow motion.However, the recording is without sound and in poorer image quality.
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
View 1
View 2
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
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 goodSatisfactory
Resolution ?Very goodSatisfactory
Color performance ?GoodSatisfactory
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodGood
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ? Excellent Sufficient
Configuration / image ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Configuration / sound ?PoorSatisfactory
Handling ?GoodSatisfactory
Portability ?Very goodVery good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		390310
Pros + multi functional ring
+ focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well
+ good lowlight sensibility
+ wide angle
+ Display with high resoultion
+ good picture impression
Cons - image characteristics cannot be modified
- no focus or exposure assist
- low color resolution
- color moirees
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 Sony HDR-HC7 shines with very good brightness resolution, but tends to show quite visible color moires on very fine details.The color resolution is only on SD-level, which makes for a rather soft image impression.The noise behavior has been improved compared to its predecessor - along with the few smear-effects this provides very good image dynamics.In terms of color the HC7 is neutral.The wide angle is very limited for indoor shots, lens errors keep whithin limits though.In low-light situations the HC7 produces somewhat colorless and dark images.The touch screen brings no points in the configuration score.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HDR-CX550VSony HDR-HC7
slashCAM Review
HDR-HC7 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts noname Batteries for SonyHDR-CX550VE
HDR-CX550VE - clipping of live concert recordings
Replacement Battery for HDR-CX550VE - alternative to the original NP-FV100 Accessories!
Panasonic HDC-TM700 or SonyHDR-CX550VE??
SonyHDR-HC7E: HD / HDV to PC
FCE exporting on Sony HDR-HC7E
HDR-HC7E: Picture wobbles horizontally when it's warm
sony HDR-HC7 and HDR-HC9
HDR-HC7E what do?
Problems with SonyHDR-HC7E
Hife differed SonyHDR-HC7E and HDR-HC9E
Canon HV20 or Sony HDR-HC7E - HDMI -in/out?
HV 20 No !!!!! HC7 ?????
SonyHDR-HC7E tapes
SonyHDR-HC7E, although I only wish to DV?
SonyHDR HC7 - Disturbing noises drive
how does it HC7 so - your opinions are in demand


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 23.Mai 2012 - 15:50
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