[DJ Dave]

I am still a proud owner - I was wondering if anyone on here still has their's. It's not the sort of thing you can keep upgrading as it becomes expensive and I think £1100 is enough to shell out on a camcorder all be it High Def!

Yes the new ones are smaller but I wouldn't swap mine for anything.

[senu]

Absolutely .. still in active service.. and love it... Last of its breed

I do have an FX1 as well but for its size .. and cost ..the HC1 is great

Im told the colour and low light performance of the HC3/5/7 are better (Clear vid Cmos.. blah blah blah..) but I guess its a matter of degree

[redsox_mark]

Yes I am still a happy HC1 owner.

[DJ Dave]

Remember Andy Mack's "handbag" style case?

I think you also have it Mark?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...V57173000_.jpg

I am going to buy it from him as I remember they made that particular case specifically for the HC1E. Can't believe I have gone all this time with no case, but I've been holding out for the aluminium one (LCHHCE.AE) they also make but it's very expensive (over £150) and it's quite heavy (2.8KG).

It's also quite hard to get hold of - none of my local Sony Centres appear to have it.

http://www.sonycentres.co.uk/product...352_393_45_414

Am I making an OK decision to buy the bag?

[senu]

I use a Panasonic bag which for a tenner from Comet ( clear out sale ) was a giveaway. Almost free infact
The HC1 fits in it nicely as well as extra battery, , AC power supply , a firewire cable and a few tapes new and used

My point is that unless it is a reasonable cost it doesn't always have to be a Sony..
I did originally want one for a SONY from my Local Sony Centre but I was put off by their prices, and attitude.(it was seriously poor)

I'm glad I didn't as they would have taken my money and still felt they were doing me a big favour.

I do have a case like the one you linked for the FX1 ( it is larger .. and less portable) but for the HC1 you have to weigh protection against portability.
If the case seems heavy. you will be demotivated to take it with you on a whim
There is also the issue of travelling, Security agents and metal cases to consider

[redsox_mark]

The HC1 handbag is fine - I use mine all the time. It is light and just big enough to hold the camcorder, a spare tape, and a spare battery.

[DJ Dave]

I have offered Andy £25 inc P&P, fair enough deal?

[chrishull3]

i find my hc-1 as good as my three chip fx-7 color wise.the only gain with the fx-7 is far more hands on control ,20x zoom etc.
but i do not think my next cam if i get one will be tape i think hdd and avchd will gradually take over.chris

[redsox_mark]

Originally Posted by DJ Dave

I have offered Andy £25 inc P&P, fair enough deal?

Seems fair to me.

[senu]

Originally Posted by chrishull3

.. i think hdd and avchd will gradually take over.chris

Time marches on and that would be progress

The image quality of AVCHD and convenience of recording to and easy transfer from HDD and Flash care are difficult to resist and a marketeers dream!

But only much better ( and easier) AVCHD editing, output and Camcorders in the HC1, FX7 and FX1 class would ensure that..
If AVCHD camcorders remains firmly "prosumer only" with little by way of videographer friendly features, it would ensure the persistence of tape as a viable format
Im of the opinion that Mpeg4 in general ( Divx and AVCHD) was not initially developed with editing and output in mind
Editing support is almost an afterthought, Playback is not kind to modest ly specified PCs and even then the industry is not at in a hurry to make BD and HD DVD domestic recordable formats "commonplace" because they are paranoid that the ability to record them will lead to BluRay disc and HDhDVD piracy

[chrishull3]

Originally Posted by senu

Time marches on and that would be progress

The image quality of AVCHD and convenience of recording to and easy transfer from HDD and Flash care are difficult to resist and a marketeers dream!

But only much better ( and easier) AVCHD editing, output and Camcorders in the HC1, FX7 and FX1 class would ensure that..
If AVCHD camcorders remains firmly "prosumer only" with little by way of videographer friendly features, it would ensure the persistence of tape as a viable format
Im of the opinion that Mpeg4 in general ( Divx and AVCHD) was not initially developed with editing and output in mind
Editing support is almost an afterthought, Playback is not kind to modest ly specified PCs and even then the industry is not at in a hurry to make BD and HD DVD domestic recordable formats "commonplace" because they are paranoid that the ability to record them will lead to BluRay disc and HDhDVD piracy

i agree at present if i were changing i would be hesitant to buy hdd or avchd
mainly becouse of the cons regarding editing and all of them are prosumer at
present.blue ray cams will soon be out but edting may be a problem there as well.but my first camera weighed a ton and was connnected to a portable recorder by cable so as times have moved i think they are bound to in the future.chris

[Robinredbreast]

I may have posted this far too late. I haven't yet seen anything on the market to superscede the HDR-HC1E. For me the Infra red facilty is important for wildlife trigger video used with Handy AVI. The only problem is HD output. Now BlueRay is the norm, a BlueRay writer is required. The available software is a bit thin on the ground. Rendering takes about 6months!!! Please tell me if I'm hopelessly out of date.

Redbreast

[chrishull3]

Shows how i changed after going avchd when my HC conked out i have been back with a canon HV30 hdv for well over a year and its pq is superb.making BDs is dead simple with pinnacle i just make the edited tapes first and recapture before splitting to menus and burning bds.

[GregJP]

I looked into upgrading my HC1 a month ago in the belief that 5 years on there must be a much improved Prosumer model out there.
I was initially very disappointed to find that the 'prosumer' market as I see it has effectively disappeared (along with the term) or at least in the form of a highly rugged highly compact High Definition Camcorder. I think the HC1 was a one off in a changing market. At the time it came out I thought it would be the start point for a range of High Definition (HDV at the time) compact 'prosumer' camcorders. While Sony continued to produce the HC3,5,7 and 9, it appears (correct me if i'm wrong) as if the focus of each new generation was primarily on cutting costs and corners (none look as rugged, feature rich or professional to me) moving aware from prosumer. Others like Canon produced some models, but it looks as if early on in HDVs development, manufacturers could see MPEG4 and the end of tape as the best option for consumer and near prosumer, with HDV the reserve for low budget pro HD (with less compression artifacts and easy MPEG2 editing).
I suspect with risk aversion at heavy investment into prosumer models coupled with a worry that prosumer models may eat into Pro model sales, Sony decided to steer HDV development away from the consumer market.
To me this was premature and there is now a hole where the Prosumer HC1 sat.
I believe the so called Pro version of the HC1 is still available (5 years on from the HC1) at a highly hiked price (with a mic mounted on top).
I looked recently at the Panasonic 700 series and the Canon Legria but in the end, came to the conclusion that the HC1 is stil a top notch Camcorder and has performed an excellent job over 5 years.
I looked at some MPEG4 files and while they can be very sharp on static images, I thought that the reduced bandwidth highly compressed moving images were quite obviously sub HDV, or at least certainly not an improvement on the HC1.
Recording 30Mins of HD onto an archive tape costing just over £1 is still a real plus, even if it takes more effort to get it into the PC.
The latest advances in image stabilisation and possibly a better wide angle zoom would have been realy useful wish list items on an improved HC1.

In the end (and at the moment) I'm not so dissapointed as I still have the HC1 and have saved money sticking with it. I think HC1 owners where in a way lucky to catch Pro style design and features on a high end Prosumer model.

What can replace it when it fails is the big question?

[senu]

Totally spot on .
I have the HC1 love it to bits but its LCD is now a little tempramental
I have used a Sony , Panasonic and Canon AVCHD models and also have a Sony XR200V for use .. TBH the more current models have sharp colourful video but I agree that in terms of movt HDV still ( to me) does a really good Job
Ive used Panasonics Midrange AVCHD thouh and they are great but not pocket friendly
Sony EX1 is also ace but that is long GOP mpeg2 on non tape media
I still also have the FX1
I agree that the transfer of AVCHD to PC is almost painless in comparison to tape but Im sad too that Prosumer HDV such as the HC1 represented is no more..

[traveljunkie]

I also have a much-loved HC1 - but the LCD has finally died completely. I am therefore thinking about repair or replacement options, and would appreciate some advice and opinions!

It seems that Sony will do a fixed-price repair for £250, but that seems rather a lot to spend on a five-year-old cam.

My replacement options seem to be limited - given my reluctance to loose a "proper" viewfinder. Perhaps a top-of-the-range consumer Panny or Canon?

Alternatively a "hybrid" stills/video cam sounds interesting ... perhaps a Panasonic GH1, or even a "superzoom" like the Fuji HS10 or the new Panny FZ100 (which both look like cheap options).

Which way should I jump?

[senu]

I also still have it and yes, the LCD is playing up insofar as you cannot use its touchscreen anymore and it only displays when opened and turns on itself( ie with cover facing the camcorder body)
It is stellar in every other way but I fear the LCD repair may put me off carrying on with it
it was a classic and Sony never quite made another like it, sadly.
Im begining to think £250 may not be too bad to have it still if only to archive all my recordings

There is really no current equivalent.

Originally Posted by traveljunkie

My replacement options seem to be limited - given my reluctance to loose a "proper" viewfinder. Perhaps a top-of-the-range consumer Panny or Canon?

Not even them although all the latest AVCHD camcorders ( including Sonys) are capable of sharp colourful Hi def video
The nearest would be a Panasonic AVCAM llke the AG HMC 40 and that really makes the £250 seem like a bargain!