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Description:
This digital camcorder features a 2.5-inch LCD that provides brilliant images--plus you can swivel the screen angle up to 270 degrees to include yourself in the picture. The LCD also has antiglare and antifingerprint treatments that will help to eliminate smudges, and offer easier cleaning. The precision color viewfinder with 180,000 pixels provides excellent viewing clarity, with increased resolution. The InfoLithium battery with the AccuPower system is Sony's smallest lithium ion battery to date, and will show you the remaining battery power in minutes in the LCD or the viewfinder. New digital picture effects allow you to get very creative with your shots. There are six digital effects: still, flash motion, luminance key, slow shutter, trail, and old movie, plus eight different picture effects. Using Sony's unique Adaptive Frame Interpolation for better image quality, you can store up to 700 individual still photos on a 60 minute cassette in the LP mode. This camcorder also includes a built-in speaker with volume control.
Inability to Edit
Rating: 3 out of 5
Weight: 10! out of 10
Created: Nov 24, 1999
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I think overall the camera is a marvel. The quality of the images and the audio are much better than I was used to with VHS-C. And the compactness of the camera goes without saying. However, I belatedly discovered that there is no way to edit your the tapes on a computer as the comparable (and cheaper) JVC model can. JVC includes free software so that you can download, cut, reassemble, add effects and so on. With the DCR-PC1 you must purchase Sony's editing machine (if you can find it) at a list price of approximately $2,000. I am now patiently waiting for Sony or a third party to develope editing software. If editing is important to you, this not your camera.
tiny wonder
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 9.4 out of 10
Created: Nov 28, 1999
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Size matters. I've noticed in the almost year and a half that I've owned the PC1, I use it more frequently than previously owned camcorders. Because it is pocketable, I take it with me more regularly. I like the ability to hook it to my PC and save still shots. (With 30 frames per second you certainly can find an optimum shot to grab.) I wish it could operate in lower lite. By the way, a new battery has just come out which has greater capacity and is the same size as the older one.
Digital Video Editing on your PC
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 6.5 out of 10
Created: Jan 28, 2000
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An earlier review stated that it was not possible to edit digital video from the DCR-PC1 on a desktop computer. I bought a third party FireWire board and DV editing program bundle for my PC (I paid $80) and had the board installed, the software running, and video downloaded from my camera in under an hour. While cracking open a computer case and installing a new board might not be everyone's idea of fun, it is a simple procedure and greatly enhances the value of the camera. I've been very pleased with the DCR-PC1 and carry it everywhere I go.
Size matters
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 4.9 out of 10
Created: Oct 20, 1999
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We've had a PC-1 since Christmas 1998, and love it. Picture quality is better than Hi-8, though there may be better DV camcorders out there. The big advantage is the tiny size of the PC-1, which makes this a camcorder you actually take with you and use at times you might not want anything bigger. The image-steadying feature works well, and it's easy to shoot without the handheld jitters. Do yourself a favor and buy one of the larger capacity batteries when you get the camera; the standard battery is only good for 30 minutes or so with the LCD display on.
Incredible size and quality
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.6 out of 10
Created: Nov 22, 1999
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Although it does lack a couple of goodies like ultra-low light shooting, the size and picture quality are amazing. If you want a video camera you can take everywhere (it even fits into a coat pocket) get this one now.
Outstanding
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 3.4 out of 10
Created: Jan 4, 2002
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I purchased this camcorder Oct. 1999. The picture quality is crystal clear in good lighting conditions, grainy in low light conditions. I also purchased a ... hardware/software package from Pinnacle Systems ... that allows me to edit video and audio captured on the camcorder on my PC. This is a very innexpensive way to produce high quality home movies. The best feature of the camcorder is its size-you take it everywhere.
Small Size Makes Movie Taking Simple and Easy
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.4 out of 10
Created: Oct 15, 1999
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You give up some features (o lux, infrared, memory stick) to gain the biggest benefit of all...ease of use. My biggest problem with picture/movie taking is how much of a pain it is to setup the shot and mess with the camera. With the PC1, you just whip it out of your pocket and shoot. The picture quality is actually very impressive (I'm not sure what the guy above is missing). In tandem with a Sony VAIO, the PC1 makes one heck of a home video studio.
Efficient, excellent quality and compact
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.2 out of 10
Created: Apr 26, 2004
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I bought the PC1E in 2004 so it's not the newest, I have been looking for a camcorder to settle down with for a while now and have used Panasonics, Sharps and JVCs, I was put off Sony by the fact that you usually pay a premium price and I had no evidence that they were definitively better than the other brands. Obviously the size of the PC1 is noticeably small even by modern mini-DV standards it holds up well. It takes a little getting used to but unlike other upright cameras that I've used the natural holding position on the PC1 doesn't interfere with the microphone, a definite plus. Sound quality is good and the unit makes very little mech noise so you don't get that on playback. The Carl Zeiss lens is excellent as you'd expect, I particularly like the light adjustment which is very fast and very good, it means if you swing past a window whilst indoors it doesn't screw up your footage. All in all I'd recommend it as a great camera for the enthusiast, in terms of connectivity it links up to the Mac through iMovie with no trouble at all.
Rugged, efficient, easy and compact
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Sep 23, 2006
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I owned this wonderful piece of optical marvel since 2000. In all these years I traveled from the Sahara to the Mont Blanc, from 120F to minus 40 in Siberia. It never failed! I kept it in my pocket to record my life's events. I imported the videos to my hard drive, edited them and burned them to DVD with amezing ease. It is all metal construction and never suffered from the occasional banging it received. Excellent, but keep spare batteries on hand.
A Stellar Gem
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Nov 21, 1999
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This dinky Sony DCR-PC1 is perfect for all home video situations especially shooting images of our grandbaby. Children - age 5 and up - have also used this camera which is a testament to how easy the camera is to operate. The compact size and the excellent optics make this a win-win video camera. The only criticism I have about the camera package is that it should have come with an S Video cable. Overall I give this handy unit a 5 star rating for excellence of design, ease of use and small size. Good work Sony!
Overall a great product
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 3.0 out of 10
Created: Nov 18, 1999
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I've shot about 10 tapes with PC-1 and this is what I learnt: + I love its compactness (it's more important than I originally thought) + Has many features (scene transitions, digital effects, titles, manual focus/exposure) + Picture quality is very good (for a non professional camcorder) + 120x digital zoom is good enough (in digital zoom, unlike optical zoom, picture quality is inversly proportional to zoom (pixels are getting larger as you zoom in destroying picture resolution- you don't really need 300x) + Variable speed zoom works fine + You can buy extra case for underwater shooting + You can alternate movie/photos on the same tapep- I miss a package used to connect PC-1 with a PC (to grab frames or make movies from tape like JVC camcorders have) - Need to buy extra battery to give you 2+hrs of taping - Need DV tape with memory to add titles - Zoom In/Out button is not positioned ergonomically (should be tilted at 45 degree to make zooming easier)
DCR PC1 Handycam Digital camera
Rating: 4 out of 5
Weight: 0.0 out of 10
Created: Jan 14, 2000
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I am looking for a digital camera which can record directly on a CD. If there is one then please let know about it. Sony DCR PC1 is an excellent piece of photographic equipment. It is very useful for my profession of Highway Designing/Improvement. For my profession I need something that can be immidiately loaded / displayed on computer.
Very dissapointed with picture quality
Rating: 1 out of 5
Weight: 0.0 out of 10
Created: Oct 10, 1999
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To make this unit useful I had to spend $500 more and by a wide angle lens, in addition the color quality is very poor, there are no features available on a $400 Sony, like infared link, and 0 lux. Save the money and buy something else.
Good camera (Have you seen Yesh?)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Weight: 0.0 out of 10
Created: Sep 29, 1999
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We love this camera! My sister Helen and I used it on our trip to Korea, and we could shoot everywhere (The customers agents thought it a bulgoki container!)
