Fortunately, the online seller has their own van and drivers, so that I can get the lovely camcorder today, when the postal stuff stopped working.

*My* first impression of the Sony HDR-SR7E: small, and very well made.

It is small, not bigger than you hand - but with 60GB HDD, and all high-end configuration!

The finish on the left(LCD) side looks shiny, as well as a good finger prints collector.... (Well, not so bad...)

The right side, which you are holding, are made of tough plastic, feels good.

I will try some shooting later and make some research on the software.

For now, I like it very much.

[AngelEyes]

Can you show us some pictures of it, in your hand etc. so we can geta good idea of size?

Thanks

Adam

Finally I got some time to take pictures of the lovely SR7.

Unfortunately the forum doesn't allow to upload large picture. I have attached the small version. If you want to have a look at the big ones, here are the links:

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/6738/dsc0064rt8.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/8126/dsc0066ju9.jpg

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/5573/dsc0067sl5.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/4361/dsc0068hf7.jpg

I put a standard CD as the reference object, hope this will help you to have some idea about the size of this camcorder.

[AngelEyes]

Many thanks for that, it really does look quite small... arg! the decisions get harder by the day

[JUS]

Littlelio,

You certainly are making it hard to decide...SR8...CX6...SR7...jeez...I'd be very grateful if you could answer a few questions please

Have you had a chance to use it much?

What recording resolutions have you tried?

Do you have a HD screen you've connected it up to and if so what resolution is the screen?

Have you connected direct to the screen and if so what do you think of the picture quality?

Have you tried the editing software?

How quick was it to transfer from camcorder to PC?

I'm not sure what to expect..I'm not expecting the PQ to be good as professionally produced HD-DVD or BBC-HD but interested to know what you think it compares to.

Jus.

[JUS]

Oh yes, and how much and where did you get it...I can't find it that much cheaper than the SR8...but I could be looking in the wrong places.

I am glad to help, because I was in your position weeks before...

> Have you had a chance to use it much?

I just got it days before, not many chance to use it.

> What recording resolutions have you tried?

I tried all the modes. In short, my laptop just can not play the HD clips smoothly, but perfect with SD clips. PS3 can handle all the resolution without any problem.

> Do you have a HD screen you've connected it up to and if so what resolution is the screen?

Haven't tried the HDTV.

> Have you connected direct to the screen and if so what do you think of the picture quality?

Same as above.

> Have you tried the editing software?

Picture motion browser and other handycam tools are all fine software and you can organize and view the pictures and videos very easily, but I can not say they are 'editting software'. Yes you can do some trimming job, but that's all... you really need other decent software to edit the videos.

> How quick was it to transfer from camcorder to PC?

As fast as copying from one HDD to another :D

> PQ

I have no problem with it, because it is much better than SD, and I am happy at this point - we all take videos for fun, not making a movie right?

> where to get it

This is a bit complicated

First of all, CX6 is due to July the 7th according to play.com, and SR8 is 'coming soon'. So if you want them, wait for another 10 days.

As for my SR7, for now, the lowerst price is 800 pounds, common price would be 850 online, and I picked mine at 820, with a free camcorder bag( which is not bad but too big...)

However, there is something tricky with this camera: some online shop label it as 'in stock' but actually not. But I think today, or days later, most of them should be 'true' since the cameras should arrive in their warehouse.

You can check Amazon.co.uk for them and choose between different sellers. Personally I trust amazon, but it sells at a bit higher price.

Play.com sells SR7 at 840 pounds, including postage, not bad.

www.misco.co.uk sells SR7 at 845 now.

The price will fall soon I guess, well if you want to get one, don't mind because these kind of gadget will be cheap eventually, who knows.

===

My suggestion, is that how will you use the camera. The reason I switched from CX6 to SR7 is that CX6 can not hold much video even for a single day-trip...

The only difference between SR7 and SR8 is the size of HDD: 60GB VS 100GB.

[JUS]

Thanks very much

I agree...not making a real film...I currently have an old analogue sony camcorder and the PQ is pretty gainy and horrible. I'm expecting/hoping it to be quiet sharp and clear and watchable on my 50" plasma.

I agree with you, CX6 just wont be able to record enough footage and I don't want to carry around loads of memory sticks etc.

As for SR7 vs SR8. it's really 22hrs vs 38hrs of HD. I'm expecting to go to India for a few years and will be going on various trips around the country...I don't want to run the risk of running out of space and missing bits...saying that 22hrs for a 2week holiday is a huge amount...decisions decisions.

Didn't realise they weren't out yet...zero info on the sony site. humm... I'll sit around and wait I think. Especially as the SR8 will only be about £120 more.

Thank you very much for your help...much appreciated. I'd (and I'm sure others) would be very grateful of any additional info you post as you get using the wee fella

I am glad I can help. I did some extra research on internet about the SR7, here they are:

1, battery.

FH60 can hold 1000mAH power, FH70 - 1800mA, FH100 - 3980mA, while FH50 - 900mA

More importantly, the size:
FH70 actually is the same size as FH60 (that's why there is no FH60 sold as optional accessaries, because it is a bad designed one just for 'applied with camera' battery). They are both 33mm long.

FH100 is 55mm long, very big, it can block you from looking into the viewfinder..

FH50 is only 18.5mm long.

2, case

I would suggest anybody using the small camcorder get a small case. You may want to put the camera in it all the time, while obviously a large bag is not the option.

3, battery charger

I don't feel like charging using the camera, which will cause lots of heat.

AC-VQH10 is the only official charger for H series battery. It is good, but maybe too good... Interestingly, on the brochure came with SR7, it said BC-TRP is also compatible with H batteries, although it is described as only for P battery on the sony website. I think H and P are compatible with each other anyway, so it should be ok to buy a BC-TRP.

[tonycraig]

If I get a 7E do I need a Mini HDMI to HDMI cable? If so, does anyone sell them other than Sony (expensive!)?

Yes you need mini HDMI, which is not available now... even in sony uk store...

it is said to be available this month.

Hello

We sell a Mini-HDMI to Standard HDMI in 1.5 and 2M lengths from £10.99.

Hope this helps.

All this is pointless as Sony only fit mic's with a max sound pressure level of 90dB, thus thwarting the chance of filming anything but a silent movie in the presence of any real excitement.

[JUS]

£770 delivered at amazon!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...ctiveda3026-21

[rhubarbe]

Hmm, yes, Pixmania. Ho hum.

They were advertising a Ricoh GX100 VF1 kit at £290 on the Amazon site, depsite that fact that they only sell the GX100 without the VF1, and the VF1 kit as an accessory is nearly a hundred quid.

I'm desperately umming and ahhing about an SR7 and a CX7. SR7 has HDD and a viewfinder, which to me is such a boon since I need reading specs to see the LCD and it ain't practical while walking along. CX7 though is so small it'd fit in the bumbag I carry around with me all the time, and 8GB memory sticks are now at £90.... and there is always the Jobo Giga One option. Why did I sell mine two weeks ago?

Oh, I hate having to buy things. :stamps foot:

Originally Posted by rhubarbe

Hmm, yes, Pixmania. Ho hum.

They were advertising a Ricoh GX100 VF1 kit at £290 on the Amazon site, depsite that fact that they only sell the GX100 without the VF1, and the VF1 kit as an accessory is nearly a hundred quid.

I'm desperately umming and ahhing about an SR7 and a CX7. SR7 has HDD and a viewfinder, which to me is such a boon since I need reading specs to see the LCD and it ain't practical while walking along. CX7 though is so small it'd fit in the bumbag I carry around with me all the time, and 8GB memory sticks are now at £90.... and there is always the Jobo Giga One option. Why did I sell mine two weeks ago?

Oh, I hate having to buy things. :stamps foot:

I was hesitating between CX6 and SR7, too. now I don't regret getting a SR7 since it can hold more videos! and viewfinder :D

[rhubarbe]

You see, I can just see myself on holiday. We're going out for a short walk, not to do any videoing, just a walk. Last year I'd have put my Pana SDR-S150 in my bumbag and taken it with me. This year I can't because I have sold it (the SDR-S150) so I have to make a choice soon.

I'd like to think that I'd take an HDR-SR7 with me every time I went out but I just don't think I would. I'd think, "I'm not carting that about with me all day." And so I think that just like last year, when I forsook the DCR-SR90E and bought the SDR-S150 in preference because of the size, and having acquired (and sold) a DCR-SR90E recently, loving the viewfinder but not the weight, I just think that I'll have to go for the HDR-CX6EK. No matter that it costs more than an SR7 and that I'd need spare MS cards (not cheap either), and a tank.

Same decision as last year except that now it's HD not SD.

Are you using the PS3 to play back the AVCHD clips?

Originally Posted by rhubarbe

You see, I can just see myself on holiday. We're going out for a short walk, not to do any videoing, just a walk. Last year I'd have put my Pana SDR-S150 in my bumbag and taken it with me. This year I can't because I have sold it (the SDR-S150) so I have to make a choice soon.

I'd like to think that I'd take an HDR-SR7 with me every time I went out but I just don't think I would. I'd think, "I'm not carting that about with me all day." And so I think that just like last year, when I forsook the DCR-SR90E and bought the SDR-S150 in preference because of the size, and having acquired (and sold) a DCR-SR90E recently, loving the viewfinder but not the weight, I just think that I'll have to go for the HDR-CX6EK. No matter that it costs more than an SR7 and that I'd need spare MS cards (not cheap either), and a tank.

Same decision as last year except that now it's HD not SD.

Are you using the PS3 to play back the AVCHD clips?

Yes I use PS3 to play AVCHD clips.

If you like CX6, just go for it.

Now here is some my second impression:

1, I tried some SD(not HD...) recording, it is horrible!

Well I don't mean that the camera is broken or bad... SD is out of date now

2, Just realized that the slow-motion recording only works for THREE seconds! and 12 seconds as the output.

3, Yes HDD is much easier to use, but you may want to get a sony vegas studio to do some editting job or join clips together - you will do this anyway.

[rhubarbe]

Back in the land of SD I used a Zensonic Z500 media player to play my clips sequentially, so I just kind of ran them together without even bothering to edit them.

I don't have a PS3, and as I don't play games I don't think I'll bother, but it does leave me with a decision to make.

My HTPC is 2 x 2.4GHz AMD AM2 with some onboard HDMI video so I hope it'll be up to the job of decoding the AVCHD video....

[JUS]

Originally Posted by rhubarbe

You see, I can just see myself on holiday. We're going out for a short walk, not to do any videoing, just a walk. Last year I'd have put my Pana SDR-S150 in my bumbag and taken it with me. This year I can't because I have sold it (the SDR-S150) so I have to make a choice soon.

Yes, that's what's giving me the difficulty. I want convenience so I use the thing...although I won't be wearing a bum bag Difficulty I'm having is I can't actually find a shop with the CX6 and SR7

Originally Posted by littlelio

Now here is some my second impression:

1, I tried some HD recording, it is horrible!

Well I don't mean that the camera is broken or bad... SD is out of date now

Littlio. Not sure I understand...Do you mean SD is horrible? If not, why is the HD horrible?

Originally Posted by JUS

Yes, that's what's giving me the difficulty. I want convenience so I use the thing...although I won't be wearing a bum bag Difficulty I'm having is I can't actually find a shop with the CX6 and SR7



Littlio. Not sure I understand...Do you mean SD is horrible? If not, why is the HD horrible?

Terribly sorry... it is SD ...

BTW, play.com has both of them in stock, now

[AngelEyes]

I agree witht he sentiments above, if Sony weren't so... 'Sony', then cheaper memory cards would make it a much easier decisions for the CX6... I need to see them side by side I think

[rhubarbe]

I see 8GB memory Stick Duo cards at about 90 quid Googling, and Sony say that'll do 2:55:00 but I expect that this is at the lowest resolution. I can't recall for sure the bitrates of AVCHD but I think that the lowest quality equates to 6mbps (highest 15mbps please correct me if I am wrong), so we'll be looking at about an hour on an 8GB card.

So, for a day I would need three of the 8GB cards and a tank to store the clips in until I get home. Serious amounts of cash beginning to be used up here.

OTOH, if I buy an HDR-SR7 with 60GB that'll be easily enough for a fortnighht because I don't expect to have it with me most of the time.

Bite the bullet, I expect.

[JUS]

Is tough..I THINK I've convinced myself the SR7 at £770 is the better option....although still keen to see how big it is first.

If you go on holiday for two weeks with a CX6 do you buy some sort of external HDD thing to download everything from your memory card to or do you have loads of £90 memory cards?

If I don't find a shop with both soon I'm sure I'll give in and put an order in for a SR7

[AngelEyes]

I am now very close to buying the SR7/8 over the CX6, I would still like to compare them in a shop side by side but I think if i see the CX6 I will just want it despite it being the wrong choice really

Anyone seen them in a chain store like John Lewis yet?

Adam

[JUS]

I found comet in purley way has both in stock so I intend to go and see them next Sunday. If you go to the comet site and do a search for each product using your post code I'm sure you'll find somewhere closer

[AngelEyes]

I think I am just going to get the SR7, the Summer holidays are moving on and I want to shoot the kids (!)

I have seen a good deal on http://www.hidigital.co.uk for £739 but the website is crap, lots of links to various accessories that they don't actually stock... wonderful.

What spare battery and small bag would you recommend and where would you buy them from?

I already spotted the mini-hdmi link here: http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catal...oducts_id=1820


Thanks.

Adam

[AngelEyes]

I was thinking of a small case like this: http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProdu...gory=CAC+Cases

Is this the right battery? http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProdu...s+%26+Chargers
I don't want to get one that obscures the viewfinder, would this be ok as I assume it has a better life thatn the standar battery?

One last question?

Does the camera save photos to HDD or do you need a memory stick? and does it come with one?

Thanks

Adam