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models compared on this page: Sony HVR-A1 and Sony HDR-HC7

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Model

Sony HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Sony Information on Sony

Name HVR-A1HDR-HC7
European name ?HVR-A1EHDR-HC7E
US name ?HVR-A1UHDR-HC7
lowest US price 2149 $1700 $
On the market since October 2005 January 2007
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
slashCAM rating ?Satisfactory
Satisfactory
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
Video formats ? MiniDV
HDV
DVCAM
MiniDV
HDV
Recording Medium MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
video resolutions EU ?HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
DVCAM 720 x 576/50i
HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
video resolutions US ?HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
Max Bitrate ?25 Mbit/s25 Mbit/s
Compression format ? DV
MPEG2
DV
MPEG2
on-board memory ?  
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Carl Zeiss
Carl Zeiss
Optical Zoom ?10 x10 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?41 mm41,3 mm
Filter diameter ?37 mm37 mm
Image Stabilization ?electronical
optical
ND Filter ?Yes
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?11
Size of image sensor ?1/3 inch1/2,9 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?1983000 Pixel 2280000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/10.0001/auto
Maximum shutter time ?1/3auto
Apperture control ?auto
manual
AE-Shift
auto
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ?No
Yes
Expanded Focus ?Yes
Yes
Peaking ?Yes
Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ?70%
100%		 Off
70%
100%
Histogram ?Yes
Yes
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
Yes
Adjustable color ?Yes
Yes
Cinegamma ?Yes
No
Black Strech ?No
No
Knee ?No
No
Colorbars ?Yes
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?Yes
No
Custom Presets ?No
No
Set Time Code ?Yes
No
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 In
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		 In
Out
No
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		 Out
Out
HDMI ?No
 Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		 In
Out
In
Out
USB ?USB 1.1
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ? XLR
Mini-jack
Cinch
Headphones ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
Lanc ?Yes
Yes
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? AI
AI
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 1020 g550 g
Weight (with battery) 1120 g 
Battery type Sony NP-FM50
Sony NP-FH60
Battery capacity 1180 mAh1000 mAh
Charger ?internal
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 140 mm82 mm
Width 100 mm82 mm
Depth 190 mm138 mm
Relative Size ?269
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?B/W and color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?252000 Pixel 123200 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 2,7 Inch2,7 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?123200 Pixel 211200 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Ring
Rocker
Manual Focus ? Ring
Menu
Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
Menu
Rocker
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Focus switcher ?Yes
Yes
ND Filter ?No
No
Exp Lock ?Yes
No
Gain ?No
No
White balance ?No
No
Push AF ?Yes
No
Audio Levels ?No
No
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons		1 
Audio

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
Audio Formats ?MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
Microphone ?Stereo internal
external XLR
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
No
Still

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
Memory Stick Duo
Medium included ?16 MB
No
Effective pixels ?2764800 Pixel 1991000 Pixel
Resolutions ?1920x1080
1440x1080
640x480		2848x2136
2848x1602
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
Specials  &"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 HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
View 1
View 2
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HVR-A1Sony 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 ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Resolution ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Color performance ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
subj.Picture impression ?GoodGood
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ?SufficientSufficient
Configuration / image ?GoodSatisfactory
Configuration / sound ?GoodSatisfactory
Handling ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Portability ?Very goodVery good
Photo function ?SufficientSatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		326310
Pros + good picture impression
+ portable
+ partly professionally equipped
+ good picture impression
Cons - color resolution only average
- DV-quality only average
- low color resolution
- color moirees
Conclusion Like its consumer twin HC1 the Sony HVR-A1 has a very good brightness resolution, but tends sometimes to show color moirés on fine details.The color resolution is not on a HDV-level, though the CMOS sensor theoretically should have more reserves.The overall picture impression is good, partly due to the good dynamics behavior with little noise and few smear-effects.Color-wise the A1 is fairly neutral, almost somewhat low-key.The wide angle is very limited for indoors, but on the other hand there are only few lens errors.In low light situations the A1 loses color fast.Compared to the HC1 it is slightly better equipped in terms of sound and image.The handling remains only satisfactory due to the touch screen.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 HVR-A1Sony HDR-HC7
slashCAM Review
HVR-A1 Review
HDR-HC7 Review
external reviews/tests www.dv.com
www.sundancemediagroup.com
 
Forum posts Audio channel raise (XH A1 + Zoom H4n)
XH A1 - Recording directly to hard drive
For XH A1 do shoulder camera
XH A1 and Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 - Sound recording problem
XLR cable for XH A1 and setting with Rode NTG-1
XH A1 capture tapes with XL H1?
ABT A1 Aloha: You look at the video synonymous only to the woman?
XH A1 Anal / dv
XH A1 High Definition: Violent Noise despite presets
XH A1 Audio MONO MIC Jack?
Conclusion XH A1 vs VX2100E
Canon XH A1 for sale
XH A1 s.TV join? Help!
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 11.Februar 2012 - 12:40
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