Sony HDR SR1 users

[Mr.Nice.Guy]

I got myself a Sony HDR SR1 yesterday for 861 quid, so I've just been able to play with it yesterday evening.
This is my first camcorder, so I'm a novice user.
I've waited for a camcorder like this because I just hate floppy's and tapes etc, so for me a HD is just perfect. I also didn't like the resolution you get on a normal camcorder and since I'm going to buy a Hi-def LCD (Sony 46x2000) I wanted a resolution of a camcorder which uses that resolution or at least half of it since the recordings are interlaced.

My first reaction is just how easy it is to use this cam, I could teach my girlfriend to use it in a matter of minutes (normally it takes ages to try and learn her to use any kind of gadget). Also the touch screen works very well, just touch the recording you want to see or delete etc, very straightforward. Transferring files from the cam to your pc is very easy as well, via USB2.0, you need to initiate the transfer on the camcorder. In you computer an extra removable drive appears, so I guess you could copy the files straight from explorer, haven't tried that yet. Some people complained the cam not having 1394, I guess USB is cheaper and it also does the job very well. Making still pictures while filming was very easy, I haven't compared the quality with my digicam, the only downside was that there is 1-2 seconds delay between pressing the button and taking the actual picture. I've disabled the flash, it just gave an ugly white picture which looked horrible, hopefully some adjustments can be made to the flash (intensity etc).
I'm don't think I'm going to use this cam in SD mode (I haven't bought a Hi-def cam for nothing), so I won't be able to tell you anything about that.

I was a bit surprised when I played back a hi-def movie on my PC, it had a peakloading of 95% using both processors on a X2 4400+ AMD, This was under very static circumstances, no movement, I wonder if there's a lot of movement if my PC can still handle it without framedrops? This is the first time I actually need my dual core Athlon. Since I only have a 3500+ in my HTPC when I buy the 46x2000 I think I'll need to upgrade the processor, or someone writes a more optimised decoder for this fileformat. Considering the aforementioned the processor in this cam is pretty amazing!

Although I don't know much about it, I thought the lighting of a recorded movie was very good, if I turned into a lightsource and turned away from a lightsource I didn't see all kinds of dramatic exposure adjustments which I once saw when I was using someone else's camcorder. When I made a recording yesterday evening in our room with 2 faint lights and the television set emitting light, I was able to film my girlfriend in very faint light conditions, OK the picture was noisy but still....

I'm going to use this camcorder on my skiing holiday, but I want to know the ins and outs before I go. I am a bit worried how this camcorder will perform under very cold conditions, the spec says 0 degrees is the lowest usable temperature the cam can work in. Last year it was -16 during the morning in Austria, I wonder how it will work in those circumstances. I've bought 2 extra big battery packs QM71D with a quickcharger to hopefully help dealing with extremely low temperatures, the only disadvantage is that the battery sticks out the back of the cam. To prevent damp entering the cam, I will be using a plastic bag when I go inside. Another worry is that I only have one week of skiing experience and I'm going to put this baby in my rucksack, I hope it will survive my falling , but I haven't purchased it just for show. I wonder if using a polarisation filter will improve the picture quality when filming in the mountains at high altitude, anyone an idea?

A thing that could be improved on the cam is the fact that you can't use the ring to zoom in and out, you can use a lever on top of the cam but I'd rather used the ring but maybe I just need to get used to it. The eyepiece on the viewfinder could be a bit bigger as well, especially for users, like myself wearing glasses.

The only worry is that at the moment no editing tools supports this file format, but hopefully that is going to change in the future. If anyone has news on that please post it in this threat. If the editing tools are available I hope they put a lot of effort in optimising the encoder and the decoder, since merely playing this file format gives such a high load let alone if you start to edit this fileformat, I hope I don't need a quadcore for that? I've invested enough for my taste in a reasonably fast computer. Of course you can always convert it into MPEG2 according to this forum: http://www.sonyhdvinfo.com/showthread.php?t=7502 only it will convert it to SD which is pretty useless .

Any fellow HDR SR1 users please let us know your experience with this baby, I know this thing is selling, so I can't be the only user around!

[gadgets]

I am waiting for mine to arrive, I have taken a risky route by purchasing via eBay and it is sourced from the US. So just waiting to see if it would have been less of a hassle to have bought it in Tottemham Court Road this past Sunday. I am mainly a point and shoot user but I am hoping to expand my horizons .

[Mr.Nice.Guy]

Originally Posted by gadgets

I am waiting for mine to arrive, I have taken a risky route by purchasing via eBay and it is sourced from the US. So just waiting to see if it would have been less of a hassle to have bought it in Tottemham Court Road this past Sunday. I am mainly a point and shoot user but I am hoping to expand my horizons .

Good another user, how much have you paid for it?
I've ordered some stuff via E-bay and had no problems, hopefully you have none either.

[gadgets]

I will let you know once it arrives as I am not sure of the total cost yet (I anticipate to be charged with VAT/custom duty which the vendor has claimed they will reimburse half of what I pay).

[Mr.Nice.Guy]

Today I took some time to practise with the cam and brought my tripod with me. Looking back at the results I must say I'm very impressed with the image quality , the detail in the picture and the beautiful autumn coloured trees have been digitized exactly as I can remember. I sometimes noticed some moire effects with gates and stone patterns when zoomed in on a certain distance. I'm also quite happy with the sound quality, birds and the wind through the trees. Since it was very windy today, sometimes the wind gets straight into the mic and that isn't very nice, I guess it would help if it were possible to cover the mic with a cotton bol or something like that.
I noticed that you can only pan really really slowly, otherwise it soon becomes a blurred image, but I guess that goes for most camcorders.
The wireframe guidance bars were quite usefull when I filmed Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire.
I tried to play a film via the network because I wanted to know the network load but the Sony software doesn't allow to play files from a network drive. Weird.
When working with a tripod it would have been much nicer to use the ring for zooming, it would be nice if Sony can update the firmware to support that. Using the small lever on top of the cam for zooming is a bit awkward, it is tricky to get the correct zoom speed and when I just hold the cam, I sometimes accitendtally touch the lever. From a sw point of view it must be peanuts to change the zoom control to the ring.

[Mr.Nice.Guy]

So I'm still the only guy having an SR1 on these forums?
Come on guys share your experience with us.
My girlfriend is taking it on a trip this weekend, hope I get it back in one piece.
I'll be posting my ski-trip experience with the SR1 in January, if there is snow that is .

[simeyfour]

just ordered one of amazon so will let you know how i get on once it arrives.

[skywalker1010]

Just ordered an HDR-SR1 HD cam from Amazon and I get that tomorrow

I have been ummin and ahhin about this purchase for ages, could not decide on an HC3 or SR1, I even got a price from Japan for the new Panasonic HDC-SD1 £600 but they were still awaiting stock.

So, it's my little 4 month old boys first crimble and I had to get something, I am sure I have made the right choice

Just wanted to know from any users what high capacity battery fits this cam, code numbers etc and best place to buy. I have an HD LCD set and spoilt for the last six months with SKYHD and will test some HD footage this weekend on it and will get back to the forum with some initial feedback on how it looks.

Cheers

[Mr.Nice.Guy]

Good finaly some fellow SR1 users, then I don't feel so allone.
I don't think you will regret your purchase, the only "problem" are editing tools but it seems Adobe etc are working on it so that shouldn't be that long anymore.

I've bought 2 Sony QM71D batteries, they last pretty long (I haven't checked the actual time yet sorry) I also bought a quickcharger Sony AC-SQ950D Super Quick Charger for infoLITHIUM M series around £100. Of course you don't need this charger you can also charge the battery connected to the cam, it is just convenient with more batteries. I'm currious how these batteries will hold out in the freezing cold, for normal temperatures they seem to last very long, only replaced it once with a fully charged one. The 71QM does stick out the back of the SR1 (about the thickness of a AA cell is sticking out). There is also 91QM version but that will stick out even more that is too much for my taste, but of course the batterylife is very well.

I payed around £ 55 per battery, I would buy the original Sony if I were you, there are a lot of cheaper non Sony batteries but I don't thrust them.

[simeyfour]

looks like two of us ordered from Amazon and when i looked they only had one in stock and puerely gadgets were fulfilling the rest!

[senu]

Originally Posted by Mr.Nice.Guy

I got myself a Sony HDR SR1 yesterday for 861 quid, so I've just been able to play with it yesterday evening.
This is my first camcorder, so I'm a novice user.
I've waited for a camcorder like this because I just hate floppy's and tapes etc, so for me a HD is just perfect. Of course you can always convert it into MPEG2 according to this forum: http://www.sonyhdvinfo.com/showthread.php?t=7502 only it will convert it to SD which is pretty useless .

Any fellow HDR SR1 users please let us know your experience with this baby, I know this thing is selling, so I can't be the only user around!

SD is not "pretty useless" even sourced from HDV cconverted to SD for PC support

[skywalker1010]

Shity Link bunch of @rses

I got into work especially at 7am this morning to wait until 1pm the guaranteed delivery time by Amazon for this cam. I had the tracking number and at 10am the package was apparently on route to me when I checked the website. Waited and waited and just found on the City Link website that the delivery details had been changed 'there was no-one to sign for the package' so the delivery is going back to a depot

What a bunch of liars!, someone could not be arsed to fulfill the delivery, probably wanted to watch the footy somewhere and simply said he could not deliver.

What is the matter with these idiots!, no card left nothing.

I paid extra for this wonderful sercice, cheers Shity Link

Sorry for the rant, hope to have on Monday now

[Mr.Nice.Guy]

Originally Posted by skywalker1010

Shity Link bunch of @rses

I got into work especially at 7am this morning to wait until 1pm the guaranteed delivery time by Amazon for this cam. I had the tracking number and at 10am the package was apparently on route to me when I checked the website. Waited and waited and just found on the City Link website that the delivery details had been changed 'there was no-one to sign for the package' so the delivery is going back to a depot

What a bunch of liars!, someone could not be arsed to fulfill the delivery, probably wanted to watch the footy somewhere and simply said he could not deliver.

What is the matter with these idiots!, no card left nothing.

I paid extra for this wonderful sercice, cheers Shity Link

Sorry for the rant, hope to have on Monday now

Yes those delivery guys sometimes I just don't get them. Once I was waiting in my room for the delivery guy, I saw this guy coming (obviously he didn't see me), I thought why no doorbell so I walked to the door only to find a note that I wasn't at home etc? The guy just drove away, I called his boss and within 10 mins the guy was back, but what was he on about? He probably thought he would save himself 1 minute, I didn't get it.

[Mr.Nice.Guy]

Originally Posted by senu

SD is not "pretty useless" even sourced from HDV cconverted to SD for PC support

Maybe I don't get your post, I've bought the cam because of it's HD possibilities. Converting everything to MPEG2 DVD quality because of editing tool reasons and looking at a finished MPEG2 SD result is not the way I intend to use it, some people maybe don't have a problem with it but for me it is useless then I could have saved myself a lot of money and bought an SD cam.
But maybe you meant something else.

[GLOL]

Originally Posted by Mr.Nice.Guy

Yes those delivery guys sometimes I just don't get them. Once I was waiting in my room for the delivery guy, I saw this guy coming (obviously he didn't see me), I thought why no doorbell so I walked to the door only to find a note that I wasn't at home etc? The guy just drove away, I called his boss and within 10 mins the guy was back, but what was he on about? He probably thought he would save himself 1 minute, I didn't get it.

Nope, they'll be getting paid 'per drop' so if he has to come back tomorrow, that's another one.