| |
Model
|
| Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| Picture ? | | |
| Manufacturer | Sony 
| Sony 
|
| Name | HDR-CX740 | HDR-SR12 |
| European name ? | HDR-CX740VE | HDR-SR11E |
| US name ? | HDR-CX740 | HDR-SR12 |
| lowest US price | (1399) $ | 1700 $ |
| On the market since | March 2012 | March 2008 |
|
|
Test preview
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| slashCAM rating ? | Good
 | Good
 |
| test picture 1200 Lux | | |
| Test image 12 lux auto-mode | | |
Video
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| Video formats ? | AVCHD SD MPEG2
| AVCHD
|
| Recording Medium | Memory Stick PRO Duo SD Card SDHC card SDXC card built-in flash memory
| Built-in hard disk Memory Stick PRO Duo
|
| video resolutions EU ? | AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50p SD MPEG2 720 x 576
| AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
|
| video resolutions US ? | AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60p SD MPEG2 720 x 480
| AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
|
| Max Bitrate ? | 28 Mbit/s | 16 Mbit/s |
| Compression format ? | MPEG2 MPEG4
| MPEG2 MPEG4
|
| on-board memory ? | 32 GB | 120 GB |
| Optics |
| Optics Manufacturer ? | Carl Zeiss
| Carl Zeiss
|
| Optical Zoom ? | 10 x | 12 x |
| Wide Angle 16:9 ? | 26,3 mm | 40 mm |
| Filter diameter ? | 52 mm | 37 mm |
| Image Stabilization ? | optically and electronically
| optical
|
| ND Filter ? | No
| No
|
| Exchangable optics ? | No
| No
|
| Image Sensor |
| Number of sensors ? | 1 | 1 |
| Size of image sensor ? | 1/2, 9 inches
| 1/3, 1 inch
|
| image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ? | 6140000 Pixel | 3810000 Pixel |
| Image Sensor Type ? | CMOS
| CMOS
|
| Controls |
| White Balance ? | auto manual presets
| auto manual presets
|
| Focus ? | auto manual
| auto manual
|
| Minimum shutter time ? | 1/10.000 | 1/800 |
| Maximum shutter time ? | 1/6 | 1/2 |
| Apperture control ? | auto manual
| auto manual
|
| Infrared recording ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Expanded Focus ? | Yes
| No
|
| Peaking ? | Yes
| No
|
| Signal Processing |
| Zebra ? | 100% 70% | 70% 100% |
| Histogram ? | No
| No
|
| adjustable sharpness ? | No
| No
|
| Adjustable color ? | No
| No
|
| Cinegamma ? | Yes
| No
|
| Black Strech ? | No
| No
|
| Knee ? | No
| No
|
| Colorbars ? | No
| No
|
| Misc. |
| Shot Transition ? | | No
|
| Custom Presets ? | No
| No
|
| Set Time Code ? | No
| No
|
Configuration
|
| Connections |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
FBAS ? synonymous: RCA, composite | Out
| Out
|
YC ? synonymous: S-Video | About Special Equipment
| Out
|
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
| Mini-jack
|
| Lanc ? | | No
|
| Time-code interface ? | No
| No
|
| Genlock ? | No
| No
|
| Accessory shoe ? | | AI
|
| HD-SDI ? | No
| No
|
| Misc. |
| Weight (without battery) | 555 g | 570 g |
| Weight (with battery) | | 650 g |
| Battery type | Sony NP-FV50
| Sony NP-FH60
|
| Battery capacity | | 1000 mAh |
| Charger ? | | internal
|
| Remote control | | Yes
|
| Size |
| Height | 67 mm | 76 mm |
| Width | 73 mm | 83 mm |
| Depth | 137 mm | 138 mm |
| Relative Size ? | 6 | 8 |
| Viewfinder |
| Viewfinder available ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Color Viewfinder ? | Color
| Color
|
| Viewfinder format ? | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Viewfinder pixels ? | | 123200 Pixel |
| Display |
| Display available ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Color display ? | Color
| Color
|
| Display size | 3,0 Inch | 3,2 Inch |
| Display format ? | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Display pixels ? | 921000 Pixel | 921600 Pixel |
| Touch Screen ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| External controls |
| Manual Zoom ? | Rocker Zoom ring multi-assigned
| Rocker
|
| Manual Focus ? | Menu bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
| Menu
|
| Manual Aperture ? | bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
| Menu
|
| 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
|
Audio
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| Audio Formats ? | AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
| AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
|
| Microphone ? | Mini-jack external
| Mini-jack external 5.1 Internal
|
| Audio Control ? | 2 steps
| auto
|
| Audio levels ? | Viewfinder Screen
| No
|
Still
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| Recording Medium ? | Memory Stick Duo SD Card SDHC card SDXC card built-in flash memory
| Memory Stick Duo
|
| Medium included ? | No
| No
|
| Effective pixels ? | | 5080000 Pixel |
| Resolutions ? | 6544 3680 - max
| 3680 x 2760 |
| Standard ? | JPEG Exif 2.2
| JPEG Exif 2.2
|
| Flash ? | Yes
| Yes
|
Misc.
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| Specials | - Built-in USB cable - GPS
| |
Product Shots
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| View 1 | | |
| View 2 | | |
Test results
|
| Test pictures |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| 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 ? | | |
| Manufacturers URL | Website Sony | Website Sony |
| slashCAM rating |
| Lowlight ? | Very good | Good |
| Resolution ? | Very good | Good |
| Color performance ? | Good | Very good |
| subj.Picture impression ? | Very good | Very good |
| Optical Zoom ? | Sufficient | Sufficient |
| Wide Angle ? | Excellent | Sufficient |
| Configuration / image ? | Satisfactory | Good |
| Configuration / sound ? | Poor | Satisfactory |
| Handling ? | Good | Good |
| Portability ? | Very good | Very good |
| Photo function ? | Satisfactory | Satisfactory |
| Optics ? | Good | Good |
| Dynamics ? | Good | Good |
| Conclusion slashCAM |
| slashCAM rating ? | Good
 | Good
 |
Total score ? (maximal 570) | 390 | 366 |
| Pros | + Image stabilizer + wide angle
| + focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well + focus ring replacement is OK + Good image in terms of sharpness and color + Very sharp display
|
| Cons | - Image characteristics can not be changed - few image control options - Small (touch) screen
| - no manual shutter control - the owner is put under tutelage
|
| Conclusion | The Balanced Optical SteadyShot already convinced us on the sister model and can be seen as real added value compared to the competing models.Combined with a steadicam and maybe an optical flow stabilizer in post some impressive tracking shots are possible without dollies or cranes.However, it is more than incomprehencible that at a price of 1,000 Euro Sony does neither allow full control over shutter speed and aperture nor adjustments of image characteristics. | In terms of picture quality the gap between the best Canon-cams in this class ist almost leveled, and the handling offers many unique features (camera control ring, focus and exposure via touchscreen, high-resolution LCD), which can´t be found elsewhere (yet).If Sony would allow the user to manually set the shutter (and with meaningful numerical values), this camera would really rock |
More information
|
| Reviews and Forums |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX740 | Sony HDR-SR12 |
| slashCAM Review | | |
| external reviews/tests | | |
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