Product Description

Stop stopping. None of us likes to switch tapes in the middle of a shoot, or waste time rewinding and capturing. That's why the DCR-SR42 Handycam camcorder contains a 30GB built-in hard disk drive (HDD) storage and allows you to capture up to 20 hours of recording time (LP) so you don't need to mess around with tapes. A brilliant 2.5" Touch Panel LCD display keeps the controls at your fingertips while a 40x optical/2000x digital zoom makes sure you catch all the detail. And when it comes time to share your memories, it couldn't be easier with the one touch disc burn capability and the Memory Stick Duo media slot. The DCR-SR42 puts the simplicity back into shooting and sharing your videos.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3190 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Sony
• Model: SR42
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.50" h x 7.00" w x 7.60" l, .81 pounds
• Display size: 2.5

Features

• 30 GB built-in hard drive; record up to 20 hours
• Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens; 40x optical/2000x digital zoom
• 2.5-inch touch-panel SwivelScreen LCD
• Super SteadyShot picture stabilization system
• Handycam Station included; one-touch disc burn

Manufacturer Description
You’re always making memories. So don’t stop capturing them. The DCR-SR42 Handycam contains 30 GB of built-in Hard Disk Drive (HDD) storage for up to 20 hours of recording time (LP). A generous 2.5-inch touch-panel LCD monitor keeps all the controls at your fingertips, while 40x optical and 2000x digital zoom keep all the action up close and personal. And when it comes time to share your memories, it couldn’t be easier than with the one-touch DVD burn capability and the Memory Stick Duo media slot. The DCR-SR42 puts the simplicity back into shooting and sharing your videos.

DCR-SR42 Highlights

1/6-inch Advanced HAD CCD imager 1/6-inch Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD with 340K effective pixels provides stunning detail and clarity for exceptional video (up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution) and still image performance.

40x optical/2000x digital zoom The optical zoom helps to bring the action close up from far away. In addition, the Digital Zoom interpolation means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zooms.

Professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario- Tessar lens Carl Zeiss lenses have an advanced optical multi-layer coating for increased contrast. This results in vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation and perfect renditions of subtle tones.

2.5-inch touch-panel SwivelScreen LCD The 2.5-inch LCD screen provides excellent viewing clarity. The high-resolution 123K pixel LCD screen rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles and provides sharp, detailed images for monitoring or playback.

Handycam Station included Simply placing the camcorder on the supplied Handycam Station cradle provides quick connections to a compatible TV for viewing or a PC for editing and sharing, all while charging the battery so your camcorder is always ready to go.

Memory Stick Duo media slot Capture still images up to 640 x 480 resolution, directly onto Memory Stick Duo media for easy transfer to PCs and emailing, printing, or sharing video and images with other compatible Memory Stick media devices.

Super SteadyShot picture stabilization system An advanced version of Sony's SteadyShot system that controls an even higher range of shake and vibration frequencies, to achieve an even higher level of smoothness without degradation of video like some other image stabilization systems.

On-screen zoom and record buttons For additional control of the camcorder, the DCR-SR42 features zoom and record buttons on the frame of the LCD screen. This allows the user more flexibility when holding the camcorder, especially in overhead or low angle shots.

USB 2.0 interface USB 2.0 interface provides an easy way to connect your hard disk Handycam to the computer and fast transfer of video and still images for editing. The camcorder can also be used as an external storage device, convenient for archiving, storing and trasporting your videos and still images.

DVDirect compatibility The DVDirect system allows for easy transfer to a stand-alone DVD burner via USB 2.0. The VRD-VC30 allows for easy transfer of video for DVD Burning. While the VRD-MC3 allows for seamless transfer of both video and still images for archiving on a DVD.

Easy PC backup Easily back up your footage to your PC using the supplied software. The footage will be stored on your PC's hard drive for archiving purposes and viewing at a later time; the footage is stored by date allowing for quick access. In addition, only new footage is transferred to your PC each time you backup your footage.

One-touch disc burn Easily burn a DVD copy of your footage using the supplied software. Simply connect your DCR-SR42 to your PC via the Handycam Station and supplied USB cable, and press the one-touch disc burn button.

HDD Smart Protection A unique Shock Absorber protects the Hard Disk Drive from physical damage if the unit is dropped. When the 3G Sensor detects a drop (loss of gravity), the power to the Hard Disk Drive is turned off in order to prevent damage; during this time the DCR-SR42 remains powered on and recording video to the built-in buffer. Once the unit has recovered from the drop the buffer is then recorded to the Hard Disk Drive.

Super NightShot Plus infrared system With Sony's Super NightShot infrared system, you can capture natural-looking video, even when shooting in low light. Record subjects up to 20 feet away using the built-in infrared system, but without the overall monochrome color common with earlier low-light recording systems.

Additional Features

• Manual focus
• Scene selection modes
• Picture effects
• Fader effects
• Battery information
• Easy Handycam button
• InfoLithium battery with AccuPower meter system
• Tele Macro function
• Multi-language menu

Customer Reviews

Sony DCR-SR42 - good enough.
I got this camcorder a few days ago. It is very user friendly and simple. This is great for those of us that are not the most savvy. Sadly user friendly can also be a curse. Even though the picture quality of the video is great(still shots not so great, but thats not why I got a camcorder) special effects and other features are lacking. So if you want a camcorder thats easy to use and will make great home videos this is a good buy. You'll have few worries and no tapes. Easy DVD burn(just one button). If you want features and loads of them you may want to browse some other models. No light, but good night vision. No view finder, but the lcd screen is pretty good, I could even see it well outside with the sun hitting it. No adjustments to still picture quality. No special effects built into the camcorder. But really easy to use.

How to calculate zoom....
OK, I have to start by saying I have not actually used this product. However, I have to comment on the review that says Sony is falsely advertising a 40x zoom. Unfortunately, the reviewer does not understand what 40x means, and since this is likely true of many readers, I wanted to clear this up.

If you read the specifications, you will see that this Sony camera has a lens with a minimial focal length of 36mm and a maximum focal length 1440mm. To calculate the zoom multiplier, divide the maximum focal length by the minimum focal length. In this case, 1440 / 36 = 40 so indeed the Sony camera has a 40x lens.

So, what happened when the reviewer "GAB" went to the video store and compared this to the JVC and other models? The answer is, he only compared the maximum zooms of the different cameras. The JVC, for instance, turns out to have a greater maximum zoom. JVC's camera specs for this model indicate it has a minimum focal distacne of 2.3, and a maximum of 78.2. You can't really compare the focal length numbers since the cameras are on different scales, but you can apply the same formula to the JVC, in which case 78.2 / 2.3 = 34, so indeed the JVC has a 34x zoom, as advertized. However, to completely compare the lenses, you should also zoom ALL OF THE WAY OUT, and compare those pictures as well. If you do this, you will find the Sony gives a much wider view than the JVC. In other words, the Sony has a wider angle lens than the JVC. So, if you are close to the subjects you are viewing, you will get much more in the picture with the Sony than with the JVC.

The bottom line is that zoom multipler on any camera lens is the ratio of the widest angle to the strongest zoom. Which is more important is up to you. Do you plan to shoot more indooors than out? In that case, a wider angle is probably better due to the close quarters. Do you plan to shoot lots of sporting events from the bleachers? In that case you probably want a greater zoom to get close to the action from a distance. Some of of both? You probably want greatest flexibility, which in this case the Sony gives you slightly more.

Consider how you plan to do most of your shooting, and buy the camera that meets your needs. But make sure you are comparing apples to apples, and considering all aspects of your decision. Zoom is only one of many features on these cameras - compare them all!

Note: Since I have not used this camera, but I had to select a rating for it in order to write this, I choose four stars in order to average with GAB's rating of 2 stars and end up at 3. I apologize is this is misleading to anyone.

Pros and cons of a Sony DCR-SR42
I wasn't originally planning to buy a hard drive camcorder (was mostly looking at mini-dv), but I saw this one at a discount at Circuit City, so that's why I purchased it.

After using this camera, I realized that it would have been a big mistake for me if I got the mini-dv tape camera. The advantages of convenience of a hard drive camera by far outweight the extra price (sometimes as low as 50$).

The best thing I like about this camera is of course the convenience of not having to buy tapes, and the ease with which the videos are transferred to the computer. I also really like the fact that I can review the clips on the camera right after recording, or earlier clips on the drive, without having to wait for the tape to rewind and trying to catch the right moment.

I also think that the audio is very good, the sound is clear and it records very quite sounds which make the videos even more interesting.

The other great thing I like about this camcorder is its powerful 40x zoom. I read a review here claiming that it's only a 25x zoom, but it still is really powerful and allows me to zoom up on people's face when they are so far that they wouldn't even be able to see that i have a camera. High flying airplaines can also be zoomed up to a full screen and I don't use the digital zoom.

There are other great things I like about this camera but I am sure it will be covered in other reviews so I am going to list some things that I thought were its weak sides.
First of all, the camera doesn't have a viewfinder which means that in order to see what is being recorded, one has to keep the LCD screen open, which uses the battery power pretty quickly. The camera can record, though, if you point it at something while it's on a tripod, and then let it record with a closed LCD, but hey, how often does that happen?

There is no usb port on the camera itself, the usb cable pluggs into the docking station, which means you have to carry it with you if you need to download a video on some other computer away from home.

As far as the video quality, it seems to be quite good by my standards. I mostly watch it on the computer and it is quite clear and sharp. The video is slightly better than on a Sony HC21 I tested before, and is about the same or slightly better than on my brother's JVC GZ MG21U hdd camcorder. The video is nowhere near the professional quality of course. But hey, professional cameras don't shake like camcorders either.

The bottom line, I think this is a good camera and the conveniences of instant file transfer combined with good zoom and audio should help the potential buyer make his/her decision. [...].