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Model
|
| Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| Picture ? | | |
| Manufacturer | Sony 
| Sony 
|
| Name | HDR-CX730 | HDR-HC9 |
| European name ? | HDR-CX730E | HDR-HC9E |
| US name ? | HDR-CX730 | HDR-HC9 |
| lowest US price | (999) $ | 911 $ |
| On the market since | March 2012 | February 2008 |
|
|
Test preview
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| slashCAM rating ? | Good
 | Satisfactory
 |
| test picture 1200 Lux | | |
| Test image 12 lux auto-mode | | |
Video
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| Video formats ? | AVCHD SD MPEG2
| MiniDV HDV
|
| Recording Medium | Memory Stick PRO Duo SD Card SDHC card SDXC card
| MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
|
| 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
| HDV 1440 x 1080/50i MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
|
| 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
| HDV 1440 x 1080/60i MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
|
| Max Bitrate ? | 28 Mbit/s | 25 Mbit/s |
| Compression format ? | MPEG2 MPEG4
| DV MPEG2
|
| on-board memory ? | | |
| Optics |
| Optics Manufacturer ? | Carl Zeiss
| Carl Zeiss
|
| Optical Zoom ? | 10 x | 10 x |
| Wide Angle 16:9 ? | 26,3 mm | 41,3 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
| 1/2, 9 inches
|
| image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ? | 6140000 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 ? | 1/10.000 | 1/10.000 |
| Maximum shutter time ? | 1/6 | 1/3 |
| Apperture control ? | auto manual
| auto AE-Shift
|
| Infrared recording ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Expanded Focus ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Peaking ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Signal Processing |
| Zebra ? | 100% 70% | Off 70% 100%
|
| Histogram ? | No
| Yes
|
| adjustable sharpness ? | No
| Yes
|
| Adjustable color ? | No
| Yes
|
| Cinegamma ? | Yes
| No
|
| Black Strech ? | No
| No
|
| Knee ? | No
| No
|
| Colorbars ? | No
| Yes
|
| Misc. |
| Shot Transition ? | | No
|
| Custom Presets ? | No
| No
|
| Set Time Code ? | No
| No
|
Configuration
|
| Connections |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
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 ? | | Yes
|
| Time-code interface ? | No
| No
|
| Genlock ? | No
| No
|
| Accessory shoe ? | | AI
|
| HD-SDI ? | No
| No
|
| Misc. |
| Weight (without battery) | 545 g | 550 g |
| Weight (with battery) | | |
| Battery type | Sony NP-FV50
| Sony NP-FH60
|
| Battery capacity | | 1000 mAh |
| Charger ? | | internal
|
| Remote control | | Yes
|
| Size |
| Height | 67 mm | 82 mm |
| Width | 73 mm | 82 mm |
| Depth | 137 mm | 138 mm |
| Relative Size ? | 6 | 9 |
| 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 | 2,7 Inch |
| Display format ? | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Display pixels ? | 921000 Pixel | 211200 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 bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
|
| Manual Aperture ? | 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 | | |
Audio
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| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| 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 ? | Mini-jack external
| Stereo internal Mini-jack external
|
| Audio Control ? | 2 steps
| auto manual
|
| Audio levels ? | Viewfinder Screen
| Viewfinder Screen
|
Still
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| Recording Medium ? | Memory Stick Duo SD Card SDHC card SDXC card
| Memory Stick Duo
|
| Medium included ? | No
| No
|
| Effective pixels ? | | 1991000 Pixel |
| Resolutions ? | 6544 3680 - max
| 2848x2136 2848x1602 |
| Standard ? | JPEG Exif 2.2
| JPEG Exif 2.2
|
| Flash ? | Yes
| Yes
|
Misc.
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| Specials | integrated USB cable | &"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
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| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| View 1 | | |
| View 2 | | |
Test results
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| Test pictures |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| 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 | Satisfactory |
| Resolution ? | Very good | Satisfactory |
| Color performance ? | Good | Satisfactory |
| subj.Picture impression ? | Very good | Good |
| Optical Zoom ? | Sufficient | Sufficient |
| Wide Angle ? | Excellent | Sufficient |
| Configuration / image ? | Satisfactory | Satisfactory |
| Configuration / sound ? | Poor | Satisfactory |
| Handling ? | Good | Satisfactory |
| Portability ? | Very good | Very good |
| Photo function ? | Satisfactory | Satisfactory |
| Optics ? | Good | Good |
| Dynamics ? | Good | Good |
| Conclusion slashCAM |
| slashCAM rating ? | Good
 | Satisfactory
 |
Total score ? (maximal 570) | 390 | 310 |
| Pros | + Image stabilizer + wide angle
| + good subjective image impression
|
| Cons | - Image characteristics can not be changed - few image control options - Small (touch) screen
| - low color resolution - color moirees
|
| 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. | The Sony HDR-HC9 has a fairly good brightness resolution, but tends to show quite significant color moirés on fine details.The color resolution is only on SD-level, which makes for a rather soft image impression.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 touchscreen brings no points in the equipment grades. |
More information
|
| Reviews and Forums |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-CX730 | Sony HDR-HC9 |
| slashCAM Review | | |
| external reviews/tests | | |
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