Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:  
Summary: Nice Camera
Comment: A very nice camera. Sometimes hard to set up but once set up it works well. Only problem is takeing pictures in bright sunlight. Cannot what you are takeing in the finder. Have to download owners manual to ujnderstand some of the commands. Overall except for the bright sun part it is great.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I love this litle camera
Comment: I've searched online for a new video camera for weeks. I'm so happy I chose this camera. I have 3 small children and wanted a simple, small camera that took great video and this is it. Camera is compact and very easy to use. I didn't even need to read the manual to start shooting. Takes great video and easy to download onto a computer. This is the perfect camera for a family wanting to take video of the kids.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great little camcorder
Comment: I wanted a simple little camcorder, so of course I first got a JVC HA camcorder. I tried it and found it difficult to deal with the big files, and if you are not a super model they leave you looking a little unflattering. Seriously, do I need anyone seeing that mole?
So.. When I looked for a standard def cam, I decided on this one after playing around with several other makes. I liked the simple controls and size. The batteries last a long long time, and with an 8gb SD card, I can take videos FOREVER it seems, even in HQ mode (Recommended). AND THANK YOU FOR SD SUPPORT SONY! Finally Sony is joining the rest of western civilization in this regard. I can not comment on Sony's software because I use something else.
Optics: Best I have found in this size range.
Video quality: Exactly what you can expect for SD (which I perfer).
Battery live: Great.
Size/Weight: Great (not much bigger then a Flip)
Software: N/A
After Playing with several different makes/models (8 in all) I found the DCR-SX44 to be the best for my needs. This DOES come with a USB cable and everything else you need.
Hope this helps.
P.S. I am generally a Cannon guy, but they really do not do as well with their camcorders.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent Camcorder
Comment: I bought this camcorder with one thing in mind which I'll get to in a moment. This camcorder has a 60X Zoom feature which will capture a person's license plate from a block away: Very amazing!! The only issue is my own, when viewing or recording at a distance, one needs a pretty steady hand. I guess I'll need a tripod for this. On YouTube there's a lot of demonstrations of other camcorders in this class of Sony camcorders. I bought this camcorder primarily because of its "power" and secondly because of the price. I'm an ongoing victim of gang stalking and recommend this camcorder for anyone in the same situation as me and wants to document and provide evidence of the harassment associated with this issue!! I carry this camcorder wherever I go, and it's the size of a can of coca-cola!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Tiny and capable
Comment: I have owned this camera for but a few days, certainly haven't become familiar with EVERY feature. I still own a Sony DCR-TRV840 (a digital 8mm tape based camera) and this DCR-SX44 will eventually replace the TRV840.
As a technical consumer, I always review any default settings for devices I purchase; I immediately set the recording mode to highest quality.
Pros: Small size (barely larger than 2 of the old TRV840s 8MM tapes in their storage cases), touch screen menuing system (minimal buttons on the camera), 60x zoom is optical (much more zoom is available if digital zoom is enabled - at the expense of image resolution), several optional battery capacities, a lot of features to suit novice videographers (spot metering options, face detection, slow shutter for low light recording, white balance, telephoto or Macro modes, guideframes (1/3rd rules), 'Zoom microphone' enable, 16:9 or 4:3 recording mode, self timer, media format, view/delete/protect images, more). One added feature: a Reset button, in case you go too far using those menus!
Cons: Cannot take a snapshot WHILE recording (my old TRV840 could do that), small still photo size (640x480, = VGA, VGA sized digital photos were a breakthrough back in the late 1990s), any USB connection requires LCD display to be opened (cannot use USB with the LCD closed), user option buttons are flush with surface of the case and are impossible to determine by feel (for turning on the recording light, playback, backlight, disc burn), small size camcorder forces a small sized LCD display, cannot add a carrying strap - no loops for straps, support for cards larger than 32 GB is not guaranteed (32 GB SDHC support is guaranteed (I'm quoting the manual - the Sony user manual uses the term GB, not GiB)), unusual connector on the camera for A/V outputs (lose the supplied A/V cable and you need to contact Sony for replacement - try doing that in 5 years), pricey batteries if going for larger capacity than stock battery.
All in all, for under $250, this is a good family camera, offering room for experimentation, with direct to flash recording capability.
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