Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony DCR-HC44 Handycam MiniDV Camcorder [12x optical zoom]

We were in a hurry to purchase a Camcorder at the very last minute---a day before our holiday and to be honest I wanted to purchase a similar Panasonic Camcorder to this one because it had 3 CCCR's which is a feature which supposedly gives better colour quality. Nevertheless, the store which we bought it from (we didn't have time to wait for Amazon's delivery unfortunately) was sold out of the Panasonic model which I wanted at the time but now I can't remember and so we bought this one instead. This is my first ever Camcorder and I found it extremely intuitive to use. The EASY button lives up to its name and makes taking good quality videos almost a case of point and shoot. The zoom is excellent and its Image Stablisation appears to work quite well. The view screen on this one was a bit bigger than the Pansonic I looked at and I really like the way this SONY is shaped. It is very easy to hold. My few criticisms is that I wish it had those 3 CCCR's (one for each primary colour) and I think the start up time when you turn it on takes a tiny bit too long. On holiday I was repeatedly turning it on and off to conserve the battery and an ever-so-slightly "slow" (as opposed to instantaneous) startup time makes you sometimes miss a shot if you are in an ultra-hurry. However, I think this is made up for by its convenient shape. I really like the Carl Ziess lense's quality. It is sturdy and travels well. Overall, a very good camera and I recommend it, especially for a camcorder beginner like me.

Please note my rating is for the item and not for Amazon!

I have to say (before I get to the Handycam) that If you want one, pay the extra to get it from Empire Direct.
I originally ordered this item using Amazon Gift Certificates, bought for my wife and I for Xmas. Amazon marked the item as dispatched and it never arrived. They then blamed Parcelforce and my neighbours. Parcelforce then claimed Amazon had not actually dispatched the item.
Amazon then spent a week giving me the runaround and telling lies before eventually agreeing to refund me with a cheque. This hasn't yet arrived (although I am told it is coming) and I have had to buy the Handycam again!

Enough of that, on to the Sony...

For a Camcorder Newbie this is an ideal starting point. Easy to use with the option of taking things further when you get more confident via the 'EasyCam' function. Picture quality is certainly good enough for all but the most demanding amateur film maker as is the sound quality.

The 'NightShot Plus' function is a fantastic feature for a camcorder of this price. We are already planning our first 'Most Haunted' home movie!

Added to all this is the nice little 'HandyCam Station', which is now connected to my PC by a Trust i-Link PCI card and Belkin Firewire cable (both excellent). I am just a little worried by the longevity of the connection between Station and Camcorder, seems a little brittle.

Overall, this is an excellent bit of kit for the money and I would recommend it without hesitation. Just be careful if you order it direct from Amazon.