I happened to own Canon HV20 Camcorder briefly until I saw this camcorder with my friend. I loved everything about HV20 except it's cheap(call it ugly) design and build quality. Also, I didn't like the concept of tape anymore after having over 30+ MiniDVs that are collecting dust.
br /
br /I've owned a MiniDV Camcorder now for over 8 years and it still works great. But, I could never transfer 30+ tapes I have taken so far to any media except the first one. Why?
br /
br /Tape based vs Flash Media
br /The DV Tape capture is a nightmare process. Takes forever to capture to PC, edit and burn DVD. With flash media, I can delete any scene I don't like right on camcorder and later don't have to deal with it while editing. Also, when I shoot silent scenes (which is very rare), I can hear the tape motor sound. I noticed this even on the new Canon HV20. Also, sometimes we want to delete some scenes we recorded earlier on the tape. That is practically useless on tape as that space on tape is wasted. With flash memory, you delete a scene and the memory available increases right away.
br /Some reviewers say Flash memory is expensive. While true it can't be too expensive for someone who sheds 1K on a camcorder. Moreover, their prices are falling faster than the real-estate prices in Northern Virginia. You can get couple of 4GBs and one Portable Storage Device(PSD) like WOLVERINE DATA FlashPac 7-in-1 Memory Card Reader and 60 GB Storage Device 7060 and you are done with buying any more flash memory. PSD can also be used as a backup device for all your photo and video collection if can buy HyperDrive Space, 160 GB Memory Card Backup Storage Device for 18 Types of Memory Cards.
br /
br /Now to the video quality:
br /I wasn't expecting CX7 to be as good as HV20 because of its miniature size. But, I was thrilled to see both look exactly the same. At least to my eyes when I blew the picture in my Home Theater with 12 feet wide screen played from Panasonic AX100U Front Projector. I played CX7 by inserting the memory stick in my PS3. I tested some shots taken in dark conditions and in bright outdoors. Both are great camcorders. I saw no noise in either of them with basic indoor lighting from recessed lights. I also shot with my Old Mini DV Camcorder in Standard format and it looked terrible on 12 foot screen as expected. I felt it was worth the upgrade after comparing all three.
br /
br /Audio:
br /CX7 shines here. It was able to create a surround sound effect when a flight flew above me when I was shooting. That made the recording feel more realistic. Also, CX7 definitely has the advantage of not having a motor running close to it like the tape based models have.
br /
br /The digital pictures are also of decent quality. I would say as good as any compact 4 to 5+ MP cameras out there.
br /
br /Sony did a wonderful job with the design of this camcorder and it's great they didn't skip on active shoe that can be used to attach external video light/flash and microphone.
br /
br /What should Sony do to their next model?
br /I think they can increase the camcorder size slightly and add a viewfinder.
br /
br /Must buy accessories:
br /SanDisk 4 GB Ultra II Memory Stick PRO Duo (SDMSPDH-4096-901, Retail Package)
br /Sony NPFH70 H Series Actiforce Hybrid InfoLithium Battery for most Sony Camcorders
br /Sony HVL-HL1 Video Light (3-Watt) for DCR-PC55, DCR-SR80, SR100, SR200, HDR-HC3, HC5, HDR-UX1 UX5 Camcorders
br /Sony BCTRP Battery Charger for DCR-HC, DCR-DVD, HDR-HC3, HC5, HC7, HDR-UX5 UX7 Camcorders
br /Mini HDMI cable from Monoprice dot com which costs around $6.
br /
br /I will try to update my review after I shoot with it for couple of weeks on my India Trip!
br /
br /Updated after my return from India Trip.
br /First, thanks to amazon for price matching my purchase with the new price which is $60 less than what I paid almost 5 weeks back.
br /Now, my opinion about the camcorder after extension use in India. I recorded over 3 hours in FullHD. I took a cruise on River Godavari which takes me through valleys, and villages and across islands with temples. I got my full camcorder's worth with that trip recording. When I came home I watched it in my 12 foot wide 2.35:1 screen using PS3. I can say video quality looked as good as any HD programming (even though my recording style was not of professional style). It's noise free and the video stabilization worked excellent and it shows when I used the zoom way too much at times.
br /I also recorded a wedding which is indoors with less lighting. Since I used Sony HVL-HL1 Video Light, the video looks like HD. Sometimes, I had to record without the Video light and in very dim lighting. Those recording had good amount of grain. But that is expected from such compact version camcorder. I recommend anyone who buys this camcorder to also get the Video light. I was able to record upto an hour without having to change the battery. Unless you plan to record over an hour of video at once or plan to use video light a lot, you can manage without an extra battery.
br /
br /Now, can't wait to order Sony VRDMC5 DVDirect DVD Recorder to convert my recording on to DVD in AVCHD format so I can play on my PS3.

I love this camcorder! I received it in the mail today, so this review is still fresh, but so far, I like what I am seeing. The camera is incredibly light and small, even more so than I originally thought it would be. In fact, it's almost so small that my hand wraps all the way around it which in and of itself isn't such a great thing given that the wrist wrap doesn't really serve that much of a purpose anymore. I find that when holding it, I prop it up with my right hand and balance it with my left. The LCD screen is quite large for how small the camcorder is, which is nice, and all of the buttons, while taking a bit of time to figure out, are easy to use and hit with your finger. The memory stick pro duo slot is small and I can see how it might be easy to damage a duo card, especially when transferring cards in/out if you are doing a lot of filming, but in general it's not so bad. I haven't tried the HDMI port since apparently it's one of those mini-HDMI ports Sony seems so fond of these days, but I have hooked the camera up to my 60" Sony SXRD via component (via the included Handycam base station). The picture on HD (SP) -- the default HD video mode, looks really good, even in low lighting conditions, though I found the footage to be a little bit grainy. When upping the picture quality to XP (highest quality), any and all colors just POPPED out onto the screen, and a bit of the graininess was eliminated. Easy and fun to use, small (great for travelling) and a great picture, I give this one 4 stars not 5 only because of small faults in the picture quality and because of the need and current cost of buying extra components such as extra memory stick duo cards, avchd players for home media setups, etc.
br /
br /July 26th:
br /
br /--Still liking the camera. I bought the NPFH70 battery as an extra battery--the battery that comes with the camera doesn't really last that long (long enough for at least one full HD shooting onto my 8GB memory stick, but not two full shootings).
br /
br /--The AVCHD format is really growing on me because of its size and manageability from a home media standpoint. Personally, I don't NEED cinema quality HD, and the HD this camcorder provides is pretty darn impressive as is. Basically, I am willing to sacrifice SOME (small) loss in quality for the huge gain you get in compression.
br /
br /In addition, the software support for AVCHD is growing. You're starting to see the major software editing suites add some support one way or another. Final Cut Studio for example now has an AVCHD transcoder capability, and on Windows, there are plenty of $50-100 software programs out there that will do conversions and burn to CD, as well as editing software that currently supports it or plan to support it in the near future (Pinnacle Studio, Ulead, Sony's Vegas software). But, in general, I wouldn't recommend EDITING in this format to begin with. It's way way too compressed for fast editing from what I hear, and you'd do better if you're doing professional editing to convert it to another format using any of the above software suites first.
br /
br /I think it's a great format and camera for high-end consumer/home camcorder use which is what this camera is meant for, but definitely not for an avid professional who's a serious video/audiophile--if that's the case, plop down a few more bucks and get the features you're looking for.

Having not seen any HD video from a camcorder I was expecting something more than I got... In the right lighting it is very sharp and nice, but in anything other than perfect lighting the video is *very* grainy... This is not HD video of the kind you see on t.v... it's sharp, but has extremely poor color depth. The "X.V Color" that they advertise seems to mean "crank up the saturation artificially to a ridiculous level"... which sometimes is ok, but really just overcompensates for the poor color depth... People's faces are flat pancakes of orange tone... and in general colors are only passable when lighting is great.
br /
br /The features are nifty and overall the form factor is nice. I'm just not sure that the image quality is worth giving up a 3CCD minidv standard def for... it's a really tough choice.
br /
br /One more minor thing - the "240 fps" super slow mode is neat, but they don't mention that it records in very low def for some reason... not terribly usable on a hi-def output.
br /
br /Again, I am not comparing this to other HD camcorders because I have not seen the output of those... And everything I"ve read about this cam says that the HD quality is good or great. But from an objective viewer who's not used to anything but t.v. HD the quality is borderline at best...
br /
br /I'll probably keep it until something better comes along and then upgrade. I'd be very curious to know if the quality is a limitation of AVCHD or just this camera.
br /
br /
br /thanks,
br /Pat
br /
br /UPDATE:
br /
br /I'm adding this update after having used the camera for several months - reasonably happy with the camera.
br /
br /I'm finding that the quality is actually pretty good, especially if you do any further compression. E.g. I can scale the video down to 1280x720 at medium quality and it still looks great... in fact smoother and more natural... I can get an hour of video down to about 1.5Gigs this way (using Final Cut on my Mac) for presentation (I still keep the originals of course).
br /
br /My biggest complaint right now is the incredibly slow startup time of the camera. It takes at least *10 seconds* from turning the knob to being able to hit the record button. This means that if you're not really prepared you'll miss a lot of priceless baby moments :) And if you do hit the record button prematurely you may not notice that you're not recording at all and totally blow it... This has happened to me several times.
br /
br /I was going to bump up my star rating to 4 based on getting used to the video quality and overall happiness with the product, but I'm going to leave it at 3 because of this glaring defect of the slow startup time.
br /
br /
br /Pat
br /
br /
br /

I have had the chance to use this little device for about a week. Is it perfect? No! Does the battery last forever? No! Is the picture quality flawless? No! Is it cheap? No! Are the stills great? No! Is Sony Vegas included? No! Is it light? Yes. Is it easy to use? Yes. Is it fun to use? Yes!!!! Do I carry it everywhere? Yes! Am I worried about AVCHD? Who cares!!!
br /
br /This is not a perfect camcorder. It is not without its flaws. I previously and still own a Panasonic PV-GS250. Is it perfect? no. How many hours did I record with it during the last 2 years? Maybe 4 hours.
br /
br /The best thing about the camcorder is the size. I can carry it or with a holster case without calling attention. The next best thing is NO TAPES! I can jump from scences instantly! The stills sucks but that's why I have Nikon DSLRs for.
br /
br /I now have to get a PS3. Can you hear me crying!!!!
br /
br /I will be going on vacation to Turkey and Greece during the next week. I will report back.
br /
br /Nana
br /
br /August 16, 2007
br /I just came back from a cruise in Turkey and Greece. I had the chance to visit the sites of three of the ancient wonders of the world. My Nikon D200 and the Sony HDR-CX7 was with me every step of the way. I am primarily a photographer but this little device was a nice change. I bought a Lowes lens case with a belt loop (the Sony HDR-CX7 fits perfectly in!!) so it was attached to my hip at all time.
br /
br /The ergonomics is perfect for trips. I saw so many people using large camcorders I just don't know how they do it. I can bearly keep my arms up with this tiny thing. Most people didn't even know I was videotaping.
br /
br /Focusing is not a major issue to me. It certainly does not focus as fast as my D200.
br /
br /I also got an extra battery (70) which I had no problems with recording time. Three 4 gigs sticks was all I needed.
br /
br /As for quality, I wish it was less grainy. But it is a lot better than my fuzzy memory of the places I've been because I would be too lazy to use anything else especially tapes!!!
br /
br /I will keep you up to date.
br /
br /Nana

I will start by saying I am not an expert with camcorders, so this review will be from the perspective of a typical electronics challenged father, who by no means is an expert in video or audio quality. Please accept my apology now for not being "technical" in my evaluation. My last camcorder was the Sony Hi8, TRV-700 (purchased in the late 90's), which had broken some time ago. This fact alone should tell you how limited our camcorder experience has been. We wanted to start filming out family events again, and decided on this unit for several reasons. First, it is small and light, which is a huge plus on vacation, particularly after 8 hours of walking with 3 kids. Second, the idea of flash memory rocks! (can you say "no moving parts"?), We spent a week on vacation and only needed two 8Gb sticks, although we had more with us, just in case. Everything we recorded was in HD, and we will be transferring it over to DVD using the latest Sony VRD-MC5 DVD recorder. Our next purchase is a blue-ray player (debating between the PS3 or the Sony standalone unit), which will allow us to watch the HD DVD's on our HDTV. If you burn in SD, any DVD player will work, but why compromise after spending the money to purchase a HD capable camcorder? We were able to find the 8Gb memory sticks on Amazon for just under $139.99 each, and can't wait until Sony releases the 16Gb version early in '08 (32Gb in '09), if for no other reason than the price for 8Gb sticks will drop. I am sure there are those who will swear by either tape, or DVD versions, but if it's simplicity your after, with a nice touch of "light", consider the Flash Memory camcorders. The Sony model is nice, and in my opinion, just a little nicer in build quality than the Panasonic version that just came out. However, I am sure either one would satisfy most people. Thanks for putting up with my "non-expert" review!

I own both this and the Panasonic HDC-SD1. While this is a very cool and small camcorder, it just falls short for the price. Overall I love the size, weight and look, but it takes somewhat grainy movies and the user interface is confusing. For example, unlike most cameras on the market the main on/off dial only has record mode and no play mode - you have to find the tiny play button on the touch screen. They try to make it better with an "easy" mode but that won't let you record in the highest quality, unfortunately.
br /
br /Pros:
br / - Small and light weight
br / - Good in low light (and has night vision)
br / - Looks cool
br /
br /Cons:
br / - Somewhat grainy movies even in highest quality setting
br / - Too expensive for what it is (e.g. no flash card included)
br / - User interface is poor (have to press tiny buttons on small screen)
br / - Uses non-standard HDMI cable which isn't included costs $50 extra
br / - Not full HD (1440 x 1080 vs 1920 x 1080)
br /
br /So, I'd say if you want to go with bleeding edge flash-based AVCHD recorders like this, stick with the tried and true Panasonic HDC-SD1 (or the newer HDC-SD5 that does full HD, not 1440 like this one). The HDC-SD1 takes great video with its 3 CCD sensor. If you're willing spend a lot extra for the small cool factor and can live with some graininess in the video, get this Sony.
br /
br /Or, if you want top-notch HD that you can actually edit in iMovie, the MiniDV Canon HV20 is the best on the market and takes the best HD video money in this range can buy (downside is it still uses tape - although that makes archiving easier).
br /
br /NOTE to Manufacturers: Please create a camcorder that records HDV (instead of AVCHD) onto flash memory cards. There is no reason to compress the video so much using AVCHD when flash memory prices are rapidly falling every day!

I bought mine a month ago and have had alot of fun with it.
br /
br /You should know, this camera only records it's audio as 5.1; it is not switchable to Stereo... which is ok since all dvd players and authoring software will mix it to stereo for you. The audio outputs on the camera are just stereo though, weird.
br /
br /Also, keep the camera steady, it's so light that's it's difficult to keep steady and it does have a harder time with too much commotion in frame.
br /
br /In auditorium envirments where the audience is dark and a stage is well lit, it will over-expose on auto-exposure, which is incorrectable and adds video noise. So just switch the exposure to manual and tune it down.
br /
br /At least buy an extra battery a camera bag. I also bought a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens, video lamp/still flash. You'll also want editing software:
br /
br /Sony Vegas lies about editing AVCHD. It merely plays it and accepts it as an import file. It WILL NOT export to AVCHD.
br /
br /As of now, Pinnacle Studio 11.1.1 is the only software I know of that allows users to edit from start-to-finish in AVCHD. Exporting to file, Blu-Ray compatible DVD, or HD-DVD compatible DVD. I know because I did just that and I noticed NO video quality degradation. You get 40 minutes of video at 15K bitrate to a 4.7 DVD, compatible for most new Sony and Panasonic Blu-Ray players. 15K bitrate is the maximun bitrate this camera records at. But be warned, many users have problems with Pinnacle; I don't.
br /
br /ALSO, a good thing here, there is NO "spinning up" noise from tape drives or disc drives or DVD drives... because there ARE NONE! Since it records to a memory card, there are NO moving parts for the Mic to hear. That tends to be a chief complaint with many serious camcorder users.
br /
br /It's worth it, and will likely last you 15 years, unlike cameras with tape drives and disk drives.
br /
br /Shoots good stills too.
br /___________
br /
br /Update: Dec 27, 2007
br /
br /Still lovin my CX7. It really does snap great 6.1M stills, though the 6.1M's have a 4:3 aspect ratio.
br /
br /You can switch the aspect to 16x9 which are 4.6M but look good under good lighting or with a flash. This is great for using just this camera to create multimedia presentations that switches back and forth from stills to video; that way you won't have to stretch or crop or see black pillars to the sides of the stills ... it saves the work of having to crop the stills.
br /
br /I didn't really say anything negative about the camera; but to be fair, I am disappointed that this camcorder doesn't have a viewfinder. The flip-out screen is terrific under most lighting conditions with the exception of good sunlight, which blots out the screen... that's not cute. And Sony should have considered that, since this camera does it's best work in good sunlight. However, it's competitor the Panasonic HDC-SD5 doesn't have one either; but the Canon HG10 does, which is not a ram recorder, it's a hard-drive recorder and records 24p. Hopefully, after so many negative comments, Sony and Panasonic will go back to including viewfinders on their camcorders.
br /____________________
br /
br /Update - Jan 07, 2008
br /
br /It intermittantly searches for a better focus in auto-focus in darker enviroments. So you may need to turn off auto-focus once the focus is optimized; assuming you and your target are relatively stationary. Trust me on this, it's very annoying to capture a once in a lifetime moment, then discover that the focus is getting blurry from time to time.
br /________________________
br /
br /Update June 18, 2008
br /
br /I found a way to get rid of most of stammering and hic-ups in the playback from the PC software. The utility they give you to play back the files that you saved to your PC is called something like media browser. I found that on my P4 3.2 Ghz with 1 Gig RAM and nVidia 256 AGP, I found that opening up Window's OS Task Manager and then going to Processes and finding the browser process (called something like SPBrowser) ... I right clicked on it and then experimented with all the CPU prioritizing assignments for this process; and suprisingly I found that the lowest setting tends to manage the video streaming with noticably less hic-ups and stammering.

Hi-def recorded resolution is 1440 X 1080 (not 1920 X 1080).
br /
br /Hi-def records in four different bitrates from 5Mbps to 15Mbps. SD records in three bitrates: 3, 6, and 9 Mbps.
br /
br /SD resolution is NOT reduced to half at the lowest bitrate, like some other Sony camcorders do. 3Mbps is 720 X 480, though I think SD is always 520 effective horizontal lines.
br /
br /If you record in HD, you can play it back as SD using the analog cables. One of the cables is component output. So if you have a DVD recorder with component input, you can get the full 720H resolution on DVD this way.
br /
br /The included software will allow you to convert HD to SD, resulting in approx. 8Mbps bitrate. Unknown whether this retains full 720H resolution.
br /
br /Recording at 5Mbps in HD, and playing back as SD looks excellent, like it was recorded at 6Mbps SD. Thus, it almost makes sense to always record in HD. You can always convert it later if needed.
br /
br /No eyepiece viewfinder, and no neck strap. Does not come with any memory! The manual says it does but the box does not.
br /
br /Included software can generate an AVCHD-DVD, which will play on AVCHD-capable Blu-Ray players. Also included is a software player for these discs, but it requires a FAST computer. The player will not play videos from the hard drive; they must be on DVD.

I was torn on getting either the Panasonic SD5 or the Sony cx7 but ended up with the cx7 because I love the fact I can use it with the Sony VRDMC5 Directdvd which will make playable HD discs from normal cheap blank dvd's! they will playback on PS3 or bluray player... I use a PS3 and it can play the hd video straight from the memory stick... I then also copy clips directly to the ps3's hard drive... Since all of this is Sony stuff I decided to stick with a sony camera.
br /
br /The video is very impressive! Shooting in hd is so cool - the colors are rich the video is sharp and in true 16x9 ratio - so playback on your hd set is fantastic !
br /
br /I also tested importing the video into iLife '08 and it indeed works but it has to be converted to a mov file so your video becomes a large file that you can edit.... I am hoping quicktime will have a version that will just work and play avchd natively someday.... but the bottom line is that it will work on your mac if you need to edit. If your pc then try out Nero8 - it will also handle avchd and make playable discs.
br /
br /If you get the cx7 be sure to get the Sony VRDMC5 as well because it will make those hd discs without any need for a pc. For playback I would also get a PS3 so you can build video clip library using its hard drive so you do not even need to breakout the dvd just play it right off the unit.
br /
br /The camera has a great touch lcd screen and a very fast zoom. Day shots are fantastic and indoor shooting is fine... there will be some graininess because of low light but I must say I was still impressed.
br /
br /If your looking into a new camera ... HD is the way to go... and tapeless is just plain awesome! Now that the PS3 handles avchd - its finally starting to come together for recording straight through to playback and archiving. With a tape system all you end up with is a drawer full of tapes that never get played because of the hassle of hookup and finding the scene you want... with flash based recording its all digital so everything is a file and can be moved around and called up on a seconds noticed...
br /
br /The only drawback with avchd right now is the ease of editing and direct playback on PC's or macs. While Nero8 and iLife do work they need a powerful computer to do it. If you just want to record and playback just get the PS3 and Sony VRDMC5 and you'll be in hd heaven... you will be able to make playable hd discs and the ps3 will give you full hd playback from the stick,hard drive or disc. You can also just use a blu ray player but you will need the Sony VRDMC5 to make the discs for them to playback on.

In general I like the camera, it is small and shaped nicely, the quality of the movies recorded under sun light is very good, it is easy to handle and the features are great.
br /But...,
br /When recording at night, it requires an external light; it takes 'forever' to be ready for recording after you turn the power on; and the software that comes with the camera should be a little bit better considering the price you paid for the camera.
br /Note: Movies burned directly to DVD do not play in your DVD player at home. Needs to convert to mpeg before burning your DVD.

Video it takes is just as good as it looks. The digital still picture quality is good enough for normal user like me to avoid purchase of additional compact digicam.
br /
br /I was able to fill entire Sony 4GB memory stick with video and still pictures and still had lot of battery power left.
br /
br /I played video with mini HDMI cable for now on my 50" Plasma and the picture looked terrific. The colors and sharpeness is also much better than my Standard Definition Canon MiniDV I own for 2 years. Of course, resolution is way way better.
br /
br /I shot all my video in both dim light rooms and outdoors. While outdoors looked as good as HD channels, indoor video needs more lighting. I will probably buy a video light for important occassion.
br /
br /Overall, I can't ask for anything better in such a beautiful gadget that I can carry with me in my medium size handbag.

Pretty impressive camera. The HD recording and playback is astonishing. As noted in some other reviews, good light is a requirement. Poor lighting will leave you with a grainy picture which is a little disappointing. This seems to be an issue with most of the HD camcorders out there so it wasn't a big issue for me. Still far better than SD cameras.
br /
br /The ability to record to Memory Stick is awesome. Memory sticks are pretty cheap today but do not get anything less than 4GB. this will give you about an hour of record time. No noise, fast playback and quick searches
br /
br /The included battery gives you about an hour of time. Get yourself a extended battery.
br /
br /The camera is extremely light and fits your hand perfectly. All of the controls are easily accessible. As noted in some other reviews, camera will shake a lot so use 2 hands. It is very light.
br /
br /The software works flawlessly for me via Windows XP. The one touch "burn disk" button also works as described. The included AVCHD player will play your transferred files on your computer, you do not need to burn to disk first. I have also played directly from memory stick via PS3 which also worked well.
br /
br /The night vision works well too.
br /
br /Overall, I will highly recommend this camcorder. I would have given it 5 stars if it weren't for the low light graininess. Overall, well done Sony.

I pre-ordered this camera and received it on July 9th. Good thing for Amazon's price guarantee.

I'm a digital still camera fanatic, but haven't had the desire for a video camera until the arrival of baby a few weeks ago. Everytime I pickup this camera, I'm amazed at how small and light it is. It holds very well, except for the positioning of the picture button. It falls right were I would expect on a digital still cam, however had to retrain my mind to use thumb for video start/stop.

The picture quality is exceptional when viewed on my 50" plasma, especially when the video was shot with good lighting. Indoors, without strong lighting, does produce a "grainier" picture. Acceptable, however definitely buy the $35 video light Sony offers to brighten up the picture.

The menu system, battery life and featurs are all fantastic for me. I believe if you buy this camera for its lightweight/compact design and shooting good quality HD video, you won't be dissapointed. For me, if the camera wasn't compact and easy to tote around, it wouldn't get much use. This camera is getting a lot of use.

I bought 2 8GB cards, one to record and a backup. Very easy to transfer files and playback on PC with Sony software. I have a hi-end homebuilt PC, however it occassionally gets broken up when playback from the video file. I will determine what I need to upgrade to get high quality HD video on my PC.

Only disappointment is the quality of still pictures. I "dreamed" of an all in one high end HD video and still camera, however we're not there yet. The pictures are better than nothing, however color and resolution are not even close to a $199 digital still camera.

Enjoy!

Having spent the last few weeks using the CX7 both on vacation and at home I can honestly say I'm quite impressed! I was previously using a Sony PC5 MiniDV camcorder and the difference in video quality is quite impressive. I have a Sony 60 inch SXRD XBR2 tv and the video quality is very impressive especially compared to what a standard definition MiniDV is capable of. It is very easy to use and to set up right out of the box but make sure you don't use "EASY mode as you can't record in the highest quality setting using this mode. The still pictures are very impressive as well. I own a Sony DSC-T10 7.2 mega pixel digital camera and have been comparing the picture quality printing on 5X7 photo paper and I can't see any difference in clarity. The camcorder is also small enough to fit in a average size pocket (lived in my shorts when I was on vacation). The manual is very easy to understand and is well laid out. Haven't even had to take a look another look at it as the camcoders menu is very easy to use and navagate. The included battery has decent life although you will definitely will want to get a second battery and at least a 4gb memory stick or two (I bought a 4gb and a 8gb). And not having to deal with a tape is one of my favorite features. Just take out the memory stick and put it in my computer and a minute later all my videos and pics are on my hard drive! No more messing around with tapes and taking the time to hook up my camcorder to the computer and waiting for the transfer. Quick access to any scene as well! If you get the feeling I like my new camcorder your quite right. I considered the SR7 before I purchased my CX7 and even spent almost a week with the SR7 hard drive model but I can honestly say using this flash memory camcorder is the best purchase I have made in some time. Highly recommend it!!

This camera works great, its memory stick duo performs way better than hard drives, flash, tapes or anything in the market. Very easy to download to a computer and work with the image files. Still pictures are of good quality too! You do not need to carry a camcorder and a digital camera, this device is both! My only complain is that, as it does not have a viewfinder, it should be smaller, though its size is convenient to put in a coat's jacket.

Nice stills and regular resolution video. On full resolution HD image is great but breaks up when panning, better if camera is standing still or panning very slowly.
br /Would buy it again.
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When I was shopping around for hi-def-capable video cameras, I wanted to avoid the pitfalls that plagued previous video cameras I had purchased. Ergonomics, picture quality, ease of use, storage and especially weight were all important factors. I tried several cameras that were hi-def capable that used tapes and hard disks, but found those things to just add weight to the body. I have weakness in my right wrist that makes holding a 2 pound camera for an hour really painful. No matter how awesome the camera is, I end up leaving it at home and taking videos on a tiny point-and-shoot digital camera because it's just not worth it unless I lug around a heavy tripod or monopod. Fortunately, this unit is light and designed perfectly around the average adult-sized hand. The controls are easy to reach and the touch screen is great. I put a clear contact protector over mine to ward off fingerprints. Note that there is no electronic viewfinder on this unit...and when was the last time you used an EVF on a small video camera? Right. It saves weight!
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br /As for the quality, it looks good on a large hi-def unit, but be aware that the AVCHD codec compresses the video quite a bit. The 15 MBps setting gives great quality, but I found the 9MBps setting to be a good compromise between space and quality. The CMOS sensor can include some graininess in the video, but you've got lighter weight when compared to a 3CCD camera. Of course, the 5.1 sound is great and the camera picks up ambience well. You have to be aware that, like all of the hi-def cameras, the real problems come during editing because simple video editors can't handle AVCHD video natively (expensive ones can and upgrades can be bought), so you're stuck with the relatively basic manufacturer software. A hard disk camera would allow for more storage, delaying the inevitable, but investing in the DVD recorder unit that is now available is a good idea. Also note that decoding and playback of the HD video signal can slow down some computers considerably...fortunately, the video looks awesome when played back through the camera to the TV via an HDMI cable.
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br /Battery life on the included battery is not bad. It will allow for more recording time than the average user will have Memory Stick space. Long-play batteries are available, but I've found that 4GB of memory stick and the kit battery are fine for most things. If you have the portable DVD recorder unit, you can offload as you wish to regular DVDs. You can also insert the stick directly into the PS3 for hi-def playback. Note that the AVCHD codec is also used for standard definition recording and the highest standard def setting (9M) is the second-highest hi-def setting...so I just leave it in hi-def mode.
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br /Hi-def video cameras are becoming more mainstream, but the manufacturers seem to be pushing 2 main formats. One is the AVCHD hi-compression codec that allows for longer recording at the expense of quality and the other is the HD codec (using MPEG encoding) that allows for great quality but requires bulky media like DV tapes.
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br /Sony has a large camera that does HD very well, but it costs three times as much as this unit and has bells and whistles the average user will never even touch.
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br /I would say that this camera addresses the large part of the market that wants something light and easy to use with good video quality. It's not going to win any awards and I'm sure next year's model will be improved on 100000000 points, but for what it is, this camera works well and I've caught some great video on it.
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br /I recommend it, but only if you try it first and compare it to others in a brick-and-mortar store, first.

great pictures.
br /narrow latitude. it's almost impossible to keep correctly exposed both highlights and shadows under the sunshine. but still excellent for the price.
br /the slow motion features really attracted me, but it turned out to be unusable. image quality is really poor and a sharp focus is impossible. if you count on this feature, just forget this camera.
br /too bad there's not a progressive mode, but still, deinterlacing the clips is a viable options and the quality remains great.
br /if you don't use a mac for editing, avchd is a long long journey through codecs and format translations. i use cineform and it's ok.

This camcorder is great. The picture quality is very good and even takes great stills! The best part is how well it works with the my mac and the new imovie.

I've had this camera for a month now. I actually bought it to film our 20 month old. Seemed like HD was the way of the future as we have a 50 inch plasma at home and want our memories to be in 1080i.
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br /The Good - Amazing picture quality, very easy to use, small and easy to handle and plenty of recording time with an 8 gig flash card. 5.1 audio seems cool if you can get it to work on your system. Also like the fact that it can shoot 3 stills while filming and shoots stills in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. Very good quality stills (but see color saturation problem discussed below). I've heard people complain about the battery life of the battery that comes with it but I find it to be fine. Even with 8 gb of memory you are really only getting about an hour of footage at the highest quality recording. The battery easily lasts that long. In any event, I think less recording time is a blessing as it forces you to not bore your viewers with 30 minutes of your baby sleeping!
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br /The Bad - AVCHD is a decent format for recording and storing compressed HD on flash but I can't find any software which will edit it on my MAC. Both iMovie '08 and Final Cut Express convert it into Apple Intermediate Codec. Once converted the files are huge unless you are willing to drop to non-HD or barely HD resolution. Thus, when I plug my camera into Plasma and watch the raw footage it is amazing, but after I've finished editing it with the mac and turn it into quicktime it looks at best to be DVD quality and usually a bit worse. While AVCHD can be played in a Playstation 3, you would only be playing the raw footage on your memory card (or burned to Blue-Ray IF you have an HD-Burner) not your edited movie. Unfortunately, Sony's software does not work with a MAC. Furthermore, I haven't been able to figure out how to take advantage of the 5.1 audio recroding since all the programs on my MAC automatically convert the 5.1 to 2 channel audio upon import. A definite bummer and something to think about. One other note on the photos it snaps. They tend to be a bit saturated with color (e.g. make grass look like astroturf). This problem does not occur with the video so much however.

I chose Sony HDR CX7 over Panasonic HDC-SD5, Samsung HMX10A and Canon HG10 after an extensive research. I want a camcorder that can record both in HD and SD format, using Flash memory card, and taking decent still pictures. The reasons why I bought it are listed in THE GOOD section.
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br /After using it for 3 weeks, I hate it in some areas. They're listed in THE BAD and the UGLY SECTION.
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br /THE GOOD
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br / BEAUTIFUL VIDEO QUALITY
br /It records beautiful and sharp video even in SD format. The color is vivid and attractive.
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br / BEST STILL PICTURES
br /It takes pictures in 6 and 4 mega pixels. The color are lively and bright. All the competitors take pictures in only 2 mega pixels. They look very bad compared to Sony's. Still, these pictures do not look as sharp as a digital point and shoot camera. No pictures taken by any camcorders look as good as the ones by cameras.
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br / NIGHT SHOT FEATURE
br /You can shoot video in the dark by turning on the built-in infrared light. No competitors have this feature.
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br / SHOOTING VIDEO IN BOTH HD AND SD FORMAT
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br /Only Sony and Panasonic camcorders have this feature.
br /I want mine to be able shoot movies in both HD (AVCHD) and SD (Mpeg2) formats. It's because I and the majority of my friends have regular TVs and DVD players. We think the price of HD equipment is still too high.
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br / HIGH-CAPACITY EXTRA BATTERY
br /The battery that comes with my camcorder lasts only 1 and 1/2 hours. I bought an extra one, NPFH100 H Series Actiforce Hybrid InfoLithium Battery. It lasts approximately 7 hours. That's more than enough for me.
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br / NOISELESS RECORDING
br /Because it uses flash memory card, the camera makes no noise. As a result, my video recording does not have any sound made by the camcorder. The same thing goes for any camcorder that uses the same technology
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br / AFFORDABLE PRICING
br /At $700, it's cheap for a high definiton, flash card camcorder. You can't go wrong with that
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br /THE BAD and THE UGLY
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br / SUPPORTING ONLY 8 GB of FLASH MEMORY
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br /The highest capacity of the memory sticks supported is only 8 GB. If you're recording in SD format, it will record for 4 hours. That's good enough for casual users. If you're recording in HD format, it lasts only 2 hours. That is short. I resolve this problem by using 2 memory sticks of 8 GB each. That gives me 4 hours of HD video or 8 hours of SD video. This is good enough for me. I wish it supported 16 GB memory stick.
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br / PROPRIETARY INTERFACE AND HARDWARE
br /This is one of the reasons I don't like Sony merchandise. It's because it costs me much more in the long run. Further more, I'm not able to use many better accessories made by other companies. For example, if I could use Sandisk Compact Flash card, it would cost less.
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br / SLOPPY ACCESSORIES
br /Sound quality is not good unless you stand about 1 feet away from the object. It has too much echo. This is typical problem of all consumer camcorders made by all companies. So, I bought an external microphone, ECM-HGZ1 Shotgun Microphone. I ended up returning it to the store. It's because it's not better than the built-in one. It also looks and feels like a toy. If the camcorder did not use proprietary Active Interface Hot Shoe, I would be able to use pro external microphones made by other companies to produce excellent sound.
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br /Now, there's no way to record better sound with this camcorder. It does not have a line-in for microphone. If I want it, I'll have to buy pro -level camcorders which cost minimum $6500!
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br / BAD SOFTWARE SUPPORT
br /I misplaced the software disc that came with the camera. So, I could not install the software browser to view HD video and picture files. I could not find full version of the software on Sony website! They have only the upgrade version. Luckily, I just found the original disc.
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br /In short, this is the best camcorder in its class which meets my needs. If only it used standard interface, then it would be an excellent equipment.
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I've had the camera for about month, with chances to shoot in various lighting and action situations. I have been shooting in HD, but most often editing for use on standard DVD or YouTube - so I haven't made full use of the HD on playback. Still - the results, to me, are amazing. Really clear, nice color - and the audio quality of even the built in (surround sound) mics is quite good to my ear. I recorded a friend singing and playing acoustic guitar, while recording audio to a separate Mac-based system. i figured I'd throw away what the camera had captured and sync, instead, to the better mic'd setup. The camera audio was actually good enough to use for what we wanted. Not studio quality, of course, but lots better than I'd expected.
br /The ease of carrying this camera in a pocket, and getting the video into iMovie or Final Cut is great. I'll never go back to tape - even in the bigger and better camcorders that I'll buy before long. Even the the CX7 will be an important part of my kit - at the stealth. 'easy to get in there' end of the spectrum.
br /The one drawback for me is the fact the the usb computer connection requires the docking station. If i could just connect the camera to usb it would be lots nicer. I can live with that - but I wonder if Sony will come out with a next revision that has that feature.

This is not a professional camcorder. Some people expects too much. For me has been a pleasure. The video is really awesome for home video. With 8Gb memory Stick you have an hour of 1080i video. I play my videos on an 1080p HDTV, including the HDTV compatible photos at 6.1Megapixes. The size is also great for the use I give to the camcorder.
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br /The low light detail is a small issue for me.
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br /Note that the avchd video format for high definition is starting to be compatible with the editing software applications, so if you plan to edit heavily, research on the current compatibility status of the software on the market. Sony Vegas supports the format initially.

This camera will most probably satisfy any amateur cameramen who is buying it for the very nice occasions ahead of them. This was my case.
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br /For me it was totally satisfactory until I wanted convert them to .avi files and try to watch them in Windows Media Player or my divx player.
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br /I have found a converter software that is taking a century to convert and the file sizes are increadibly big. 1,7 GB for a 15 min. video and to tell you the truth I am not satisfied with the video quality after conversion. I would very much appreciate if someone knew how to help me. Before you make this purchase, I highly recommend that you find how to convert files into industry std. extensions with acceptable file size and good HD qualities.

This is an excellent camera. I bought it along with a 8 GB card (annoyance #1 - it doesn't come with a card) and started shooting with it about 5 mintues out of the box. Sony's software is almost completely worthless (annoyance #2), but it's relatively easy to hook it up to a PC and download your videos. An 8 GB card will get you about 2 1/2 hours of high def video, longer than the battery seems to last (annoyance #3). It is extremely light weight and portable. It is also very easy to operate. There is even an "easy" mode for people like me who don't fool with all of the settings. Be prepared to up grade your computer; whatever you have, it probably isn't fast enough. My desktop can't play the videos without dropping every 4th or 5th frame; I ordered a new computer this weekend.
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br /Annoyance #4 - you need the docking station if you want to hook it up to a TV or computer.
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br /Annoyance #5 - Proprietary hot shoe.
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br /I did give it 5 stars because the problems are only small issues. Overall, it is an absolutely great camera that takes great pictures and is easy to operate. The 1080i video looks super clear on an HDTV. Don't waste your time with a hard drive or DVD burner. This is the future.

The camera works great, but it does not work very well with a Mac. Sony's software is only for PC, which is hard to believe in this day and age. There is a way to make it work in iMovie, but I hope you have a few hours to download your video. Anyway, like I said, I'm not complaining about the camera itself (which is great), but I am very frustrated that this is even an issue.

It has a great quality for video and good quality for photos (6mp)...
br /Didn't got a good quality in photos taked when still recording Videos and can take only 3 pictures in this mode at 4.6mp .
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br /You should buy a secondary battery if planning to film for more then 2h... Sony NPFH100 H Series is a great choice for that.
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br /I miss in this product other away to see images other than lcd but only for pictures, for movie i think it's fine.
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br /The menu is simple and easy to use.
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br /One problem is the needed to use dock station every time you need to connect to computer and don't after you copy the movies to computer in Full HD mode, you need a secondary program to see it because the sw that comes with them don't allow you to play movies in your HD... or I don't know yet how to do it.

I searced for about a month trying to find the right camera for recording my grandchildren, hikes, and family gatherings. I had a DVD type (Hitachi) and it lacked the reliability I wanted. This camera without tape, DVD's, or even hard disk sounded like what I needed. So far (about 2 months) it was the right choice. I don't do much editing, so I'm not sure how easy that is to do, but copying video or stills to DVD's or prints is very easy. The video on my HD TV is great. I'm very pleased.

This is my first camcorder purchase and I am extremely surprised how simple this camera is to use!
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br /I got an 8gb mem stick as well as the NPH70 battery as recommended by previous reviewers.
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br /If you have a Mac, Imovie works great. You don't need the camcorder attached to the laptop. You can take the memory stick and put it in a card reader and then transfer to your computer.
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br /Hard for me to gauge quality b/c i have no reference point but the best setting HD (XP) looks incredible.
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br /You will not regret this purchase.
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Video quality is great. Easy to use. 3 Watt accessory light works well but needs a diffuser. Battery life is good. I used 8gb memory sticks and got about an hour out of each on best quality. Small, light and simple. Suggest an after market hdmi to mini hdmi for convenient playack from hdtv. I was able to put the memory stick into my ps3 and played the movies in seconds! Chose over the canon hg10.

I like this model. Simple and compact.
br /Sound and Video quality is damn good.
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As much as I love the appearance, build quality, size and comfort of this unit, I can not give it 5 stars. The only issues that bug me are first and foremost the suckie software. I even tried "Ulead Video 11" after trying over and over to work with the stock software. Unlead (despite what they say) is far too complicated, cumbersome and in many ways not compatible. Further, I hate using the dock to connect to my lap top.
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br /The video picture images are nothing short of amazing.
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br /Overall, the camera is very good once I figure out the software it will be just short of perfect.
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I've had this camera for a few months now after upgrading from a tape based Sony pistol-grip style camcorder. Aside from the wacky avchd codec that is not particularly standard, this is a nearly perfect fusion of form and function. I did debate between this and the TG1, but in the end I decided I couldn't live without Nightshot. I don't use it much, but I'm used to having it and I know I would miss it. Get a mini-hdmi - hdmi cable and the camera works as a terrific player on any hdtv (w/ an hdmi in, of course). Buy with confidence. This is a terrific camera.

I bought this about two weeks ago and couldn't be happier. My first experience, I took it to my daughter's dance and took some outstanding HD videos. Playing it on my 50" HD plasma you can't believe your eyes. It is as you are watching a broadcast sports event. Still pictures are outstanding and the look and feel of this camera is awesome. The only thing I would suggest is to get yourself a cable to go HDMI. Sony should have included this but it's not that expensive to buy one. If you are looking for a video camera that is portable and easy to use, this is definitely the one.

The avchd software does not work with vista 64 bit PC's. The camcorder is very good.

Light, compact... very clear, sharp image during daylight shooting, a bit grainy at night.
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br /Stills are 6mp, very nice...

a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/RNEZCCFJI9P46"Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RNEZCCFJI9P46/a This camera is exactly what I wanted, a mere upgrade from the HDR-UX1. No more disc rotation sounds, and extremely high-quality video.
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br /Video taping at night is a bit low quality, but all you have to do is turn on the night vision, and everything is crystal clear all over again!
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br /This camera is outstanding.

I received this camcorder for Christmas. I don't think the pictures are all that great but I am shooting with a digital SLR I would not leave your cameras at home. In watching the playback of what I have filmed it seems like the object does come in and out of focus sometimes. Even though tapes will give you the best picture I am sick of tapes! I had originally wanted a hard drive but when i saw the size of them I decided to go with the Flash Memory. I have not tried to download any of my footage onto my computer (I cringe at the thought of having to figure that out)

Everything is great about this item except two major features: focus and recording in the highest quality which Sony was proud of, announcing this camcorder. So, auto focus works terribly and it is not only quick off focus moment during recording - when it goes unfocused it will take it up to 8-10 seconds to bring itself back too focus. And the main DISSAPOINTMENT is it just does NOT record more then 2-3 minutes of highest quality (15 Mbps), because of "buffer overflow" followed with "data error - these are messages you will get trying to record this type video. But Sony Support says is just because I have been using Memory Stick Pro Duo MagicGate, I was not supposed to be using MagicGate one, but on their official site MagicGate Memory Stick is all over accessories to this camcorder and it is everywhere on the pictures. So this is complete FIASCO of THE FIRST MEMORY STICK HD-CAMCORDER.

I bought this hanycam a week ago and it sucks! When you take pictures with a tripod it looks blurrier than my antique canon i bought 2 decades ago. And also the flip screen with constance use it will no longer be able to keep in the same place, very annoying when your filming and moving at the same time. Please contact me if you know how to get a refund!!!

the image quality is amazing, the audio is not great , it is not meant to be used with Mac computer which is very surprising with today's technology!!

I was prepared to order one when a friend bought one and I had a chance to try it out. What is wrong with Sony (and Panasonic and others)? There is no viewfinder and trying to shoot in bright overhead sunlight using that LCD screen is lousy. Obviously these viewfinder-less cameras are not aimed at anyone serious about video work. I had planned to get one of these to supplement my 3CCD primary cameras because small size is an advantage in some places, but no viewfinder makes it impossible. I would have given this a 0 star rating, but that wasn't a choice here.

Don't think this was Sonys' fault. They have great products, but this camera was broken on arrival-auto focus didn't work. Also, and most annoying, it was clear that the box had been opened and tampered with prior to shipping. This one is on Amazon. Return was a hassle, won't use Amazon again.