CNET Editor's rating: 8.0 out of 10
Reviewed by
Philip Ryan
Review date: 04/10/08
The good: Excellent video and performance; impressive still photos for a camcorder; adequate manual controls; nice CAM CTL dial; docking station included.
The bad: No wind filter; doesn't include mini HDMI cable.
The bottom line: Sony's 60GB hard-drive-based AVCHD camcorder delivers top notch performance and image quality.
I used to think that hard-drive models would take over the camcorder market as miniDV slowly faded into the horizon. I've since changed my tune after using flash-based models, especially those that include some onboard memory. However, if you shoot a lot of video--or just don't bother to back it up very often--then a hard-drive model probably makes sense for you, at least until the flash-based camcorders start to include more onboard memory or the price of flash memory cards declines. Sony's Handycam HDR-SR11 is among the cream of the hard-drive AVCHD crop right now, and the same is true for its sister, the HDR-SR12, since the only difference between them is the size of their respective hard drives. The SR11 sports a 60GB drive, while the SR12 packs 120GB into its attractive HD-recording body.
That body design is quite nice, though it does have some quirks and comes across as chunky compared with most flash-based models. It's about the same size as a miniDV camcorder, thanks to its hard drive. Plus, that drive gives you a nice grip, while some flash camcorders have awkwardly designed grips. Sony placed the controls well, however, you will have to use the 3.2-inch touch screen to get to some important functions, which can be an annoying way to use a camcorder. The large size of the screen helps a bit compared with some other Sony models, but the screen is still fingerprint prone. The fingerprints can be distracting when recording, and if you try to change a setting while shooting, you'll likely end up jostling the camcorder while you make the change. Thankfully, Sony included a small button up front, below the lens, for backlight compensation, so you won't have to hit the menus for that.
Just above that button is the CAM CTL dial. It has a button on the front of it that lets you activate manual focus, exposure compensation, white balance shift, or shutter speed, though you can only assign one such function to the wheel at any given time. This wouldn't be the end of the world, but you have to dig pretty deep into the menu to assign something to the wheel. Sony didn't call the menu item CAM CTL, instead it called it Dial Setting. True, it's the only dial on the camcorder, but if you're going to label it the CAM CTL on the body, you should be consistent in the menu. My other main gripe about the body design is that Sony used a mini HDMI connector (Type C) instead of a normal-size connector. The mini cables are harder to find and more expensive. With a camcorder this size, Sony could have found room for a full-size connector. I did like the doors that cover the various connectors though. The doors are plastic and have nifty hinges and slides to get them out of the way while using the jacks. I was worried that the headphone or mic-in jacks might not have enough room, but after trying several headphones with various size connectors, I was impressed that all fit amply. An Active Interface Shoe (Sony's proprietary hot shoe) sits atop the camcorder so you can add one of Sony's microphones or video lights.
In a most welcome step up from last year's SR7, the SR11 offers full 1,920x1080 HD capture, thanks to its maximum 16-megabit-per-second AVCHD recording mode. The other three AVCHD recording modes record at 1,440x1,080 resolution, like last year's models. At the top AVCHD quality level, you can fit up to 7 hours and 10 minutes of video on the camcorder's 60GB hard drive. If you bring the quality level down to the minimum HD setting of 5Mb per second, you can fit up to 22 hours, 50 minutes of video. Stepping down to standard definition, you can record up to 14 hours, 40 minutes of video at the highest quality setting and up to 41 hours, 50 minutes at the lowest-quality setting. The NP-FH60 lithium ion battery gives you up to 90 minutes of continuous recording time, according to Sony, though you should expect more in the range of 40 minutes to 50 minutes during regular use when recording to the hard drive.
High-resolution video capture demands a high quality lens and Sony didn't skimp. Sony included a 12x optical Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* f/1.8-3.1 zoom lens. It covers a 35mm equivalent range of 40-480mm in 16:9 mode, or 49-588mm in 4:3 mode. The lens focuses its light onto a 5-megapixel sensor that uses 2.86MP to capture 4:3 video, 3.81MP to capture 16:9 video, 5.08MP for 4:3 stills, and 3.81MP for 16:9 stills. The camera can interpolate the stills up to 10.2MP.
Video from the HDR-SR11 is quite impressive. Colors are very accurate and images are quite sharp. The camera's white balance does a nice job of keeping color casts out of your video in most lighting situations, and the SR11 is quick to adjust to changes in lighting types and levels when in the appropriate auto modes. Autofocus also locks very quickly, and the optical image stabilization is effective across the entire zoom range. Autofocus slows in low light, but it was still able to lock, even in very low light situations. I enjoyed using the CAM CTL dial for manual focus--it's much nicer than using the touch screen. The built-in microphone does a good job of capturing audio and can be set to zoom along with the lens. You can also notch the recording level down to low if you're in a setting with particularly loud sound. It's not quite as nice as some higher-end camcorders that let you adjust audio levels in multiple steps, but it's better than nothing, and appropriate for this level of camcorder.
Sony added face detection this year. The HDR-SR11 is fairly quick to notice faces and uses them to set exposure and focus. I tried it in a tricky situation, a diner, and it did a great job of locking on my friend's face and stuck with her when she moved around in the frame and kept the exposure correct for her face. Sony continues to include x.v.Color (their name for the xvYCC color space), though we have yet to see any appreciable difference, despite using the camcorder with the appropriate Sony TVs. The remote control included with the SR11 will likely make more of a positive difference than x.v.Color if you plan to attach the camcorder to your TV to view footage.
If you plan to watch, or edit your video on a computer, you should check out Lori Grunin's blog post on the subject of AVCHD and editing software. Sony includes its Picture Motion software with the SR11, but it would be much better off including Vegas Movie Studio Platinum with a camcorder of this price. Picture Motion lets you view your footage, but it can only make extremely basic modifications.
There's a whole lot to like about the Handycam HDR-SR11. It captures beautiful video as well as very nice stills, for a camcorder. If you're in the market for a hard-drive-based high-definition camcorder, you won't go wrong with this Sony. If 60GB isn't enough for you, the HDR-SR12 offers a 120GB drive and is the same as the SR11 in all other respects.
Intro:
The Sony Handycam HDR-SR11 is a hard disk drive-based, prosumer camcorder.Compared to other prosumer camcorders on the market, it is midpriced at around $1,110.It ships with Sony picture motion browser software.
Noteworthy Features:
Has a 3.2-inch viewscreen, which is somewhat larger than some similarly priced camcorders.Also, this camcorder has optical (Super steady shot) stabilization, which is more favorable than some similarly priced camcorders.(While many camcorders have electronic image stabilization, optical stabilization generally produces superior results.)Supports manual focus, which helps savvy users to tape in hard-to-focus situations.This product weighs just 19.2 ounces without battery and media, which is very light.
Weaker Features:
None noted, given available product data.
Suitability:
A prosumer camcorder, suited for semi-professional videography.
Value:
Overall, this camcorder's features are in line with its price.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great quality video and Digital Stills 10.2 Megapixel.
I have had a mini DV for a number of years and this is light years better. I cannot believe ...
I have had a mini DV for a number of years and this is light years better. I cannot believe the ease of use and the easy conversion to a standard def. DVD. I will be getting a blue ray player because this camcorder is unbelievable for the amateur family videographer. I was very nervous about the price, but now that I have used it I am so happy with the performance. No more tapes and mini DVD's sitting around! Love the camera.
Read more
by Longhorn923 (see profile) -
March 13, 2008
11 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Wonderful Camera! Highly recommend!
Spectacular camera! Replacing 10 yr. old Sony MiniDV camera that finally took a dive. Placed this on backorder after researching ...
Spectacular camera! Replacing 10 yr. old Sony MiniDV camera that finally took a dive. Placed this on backorder after researching HD camcorders for months. Recently took a trip to Branson Missouri and was amazed with picture quality. Went to a tobyMac concert took pictures. Great quality at 10.2 MP, easy to use even my wife can navigate which was important to the purchase. The ease of operation is amazing between movie and picture with a simple thumb move on the control. Patience has paid off - if you have more patience than me, you might wait for a slight price drop, which I am sure will happen in the months to come.
The Pros: Hard drive has a lot of space even with HD. 60GB is a lot. 120 on the SR12 is nice, but I have already taped hours on the 60GB with plenty of space. If you are one to procrastinate on transferring data, 120 might be the way to go. I went ahead and bought the 4GB Pro Duo card in lieu of the HDMI cable. Money spent either way and it's easy to transfer the pictures or video to the Duo and put into the PS3. Conversion is simple and unbelievable. You can convert to standard DVD which is nice to play in the car for the kids to watch on long trips since it's not AVCHD compatible. However, you can create both standard DVD-Video or the HD AVCHD which plays on PS3's or Blu-Ray players and transfer to a DVD. The camera fits perfect in my hands, almost the size of a larger digital camera. The touch screen took a little getting use too, but once you start navigating it becomes easier. The engineers got it right for the consumer on this one! Hot shoe available for an external flash. The "quick on" feature so you don't continuously turn on and off, but save battery power. 5.1 Dolby Digital! Face detection! Slightly time consuming on conversion to DVD, but well worth the wait. You can format picture size between 4:3 to 16:9. The features are endless and spot on for people to learn quickly at ease.
The Cons: the proprietary software (Sony needs to expand a little in this category with options on menus, etc.). The price, obviously ahead of the game on technology you will pay premium. HDMI cable not provided, but the card is nice. I was told by Sony tech support when researching cameras this was a 1080p and it is not. Windy situations picks up sound when taping, needs a wind filter. Be cautious at loud concerts, the microphone is sensitive and I was at a loud Christian concert where it sounds baffled. Could be I was 5 rows from the front stage though! Battery life is short on the battery provided, however, I'm a believer to have an extra one handy and the NP-FH70 is a good purchase that lasted much longer than I expected - 145 minutes or so
Overall, the SR11 is an excellent choice for HD fanatics! I'm addicted and only owned it for a short period of time. Friends are in awe of the picture quality and envious! Although, my goal was to replace an old camera that failed on me. This purchase by far was worth the money. The conversion to DVD was so easy, but be patient. The quality from HD to Dolby Digital and still pictures is phenomenal. I keep telling myself to not purchase Sony for several reasons and experience over the years (i.e., tech support, repair-terrible), but I end back with the purchase because of the cutting technology in the product.
Read more
by robpkw (see profile) -
March 22, 2008
10 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Outstanding HD video and photo quality with excellent sound for most situations
After having many different Canon Camcorders, I finally bought my first Sony because of it's clearly superior HD imagery ...
After having many different Canon Camcorders, I finally bought my first Sony because of it's clearly superior HD imagery and excellent still images. The lens on this camera is outstanding. The sound pick up is also excellent without an external microphone. While a wind filter is desirable if it detracts from the current quality sound, I can live without it.
I usually use the viewfinder and not the LCD screen for shooting my videos and the lack of an exension to the viewfinder when using it with even the small battery is an inconvenience and more difficult with a large capacity battery.
Sony should definitely provide a shoulder/neck strap with this and every camcorder. I often carry my camcorder with a DSLR or point and shoot still camera. In fact, I'm using a Canon neck srap with this camera as I could not find a suitable one for sale.
I'm very concerned about the low level altitude restriction of only 3000 meters (9800 feet) since I routinely shoot video and photos in Colorado above that level. They also have a narrow 50-86 degree farenheit temperature recommendation. If, in fact, operation outside of these ranges is not possible I will rank this camera much lower. We spent January in South America and Antarctica and my Canon cameras worked fine at temperatures down to 10 degrees F. The Canon stated operating conditions are 32-104 F and no limitation noted on altitude. Canon also provides a Full printed manual and not just a softward .pdf download.
I dislike the SONY touch screen and much prefer using a joy stick and not having to open the LCD display for practically all actions; however, I'm getting used to this limitation. The one touch knob control on front of camera is useful for fine tuning the focus (or any other single function you may desire). My wife likes the "Easy" record function provided and we took great video and photos on our first weekend with the camera at a zoo and on the beach
I loaded the Sony software but don't use any of it as I find my existing Photo Organizers and ULead Video Studio 11.5 software to be superior.
DO NOT but an HDMI cable for this camera at BEST BUY unless you want to waste your mony. You can get one for $10 on line that works fine as opposed to the Best Buy over $100 offering.
Read more
by Double Eagle (see profile) -
May 5, 2008
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great Camcorder
This is a great camcorder. If I were to go back and choose another I would get the SR12 due ...
This is a great camcorder. If I were to go back and choose another I would get the SR12 due to its larger hard drive. This thing is fun and easy to use and captures excelent video quality. Also if you wanted you can upgrade the lense for $100.00. They make a wide angle and a telephoto lense. I like the fact that this records directly to a hard drive it makes it much easier to edit. But you need a powerful computer to edit this format. My desktop is about 2 years old and kind of struggles in editing this format, I use my Alienware laptop for editing and it does great. The software that comes with camcordr is easy to use but not much you can do with it therefore I use Pinnacle Ultimate and its great. I guess that the jist of it, great product.
Read more
by MushroomStamper (see profile) -
March 26, 2008
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent The Best So Far
I did a lot of research before buying this camcorder and I believe if you want an HDD AVCHD this ...
I did a lot of research before buying this camcorder and I believe if you want an HDD AVCHD this is the way to go, no better video quality in this format right now. Be aware though, if you move this camera to fast from side to side you will get blurring indoors and out regarless of lighting conditions. Mini DV, while on the way out, still exhibits best video characterists but AVCHD is catching up.
Read more
by tvarc (see profile) -
May 14, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Best consumer camcorder available today
I came from the frame of mind that I couldn't deal with mini DV tapes anymore and have been ...
I came from the frame of mind that I couldn't deal with mini DV tapes anymore and have been eyeing AVCHD camcorders for about 9mos now. I was going to Sony SR7 but I thought I should wait. And, a glad thing that I did -- this camcorder is stunning. It's easy to use -- my wife was up and shooting without any directions. Transfer of files (atleast for Mac users) is a snap (YOU NEED AN INTEL MAC THOUGH.)
It's like watching home movie footage in hi-def. It's mind-blowing, full 1920x1080 (1080i) videos. Just need to hire a director to help me with car chases and explosions...
Buy it from a place with a liberal return policy in case it's not to your liking.
Also, one thing to note, what's up with the video reviewer? This is such an exciting product and Sir Sleepy is reviewing it, and even incorrectly. He was talking about Face Detection and hit another key (I think focus).
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Almost like being there, it's that real!
If I had a top of the line desktop computer, with top of the line video software, and wanted a ...
If I had a top of the line desktop computer, with top of the line video software, and wanted a top of the line camcorder, I think this would be my pick, or the SR12. It takes some reading, and some practice, but within a few hours you would be looking like a professional camera person.
Read more
by TexasJoe1962 (see profile) -
June 26, 2008
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Very Happy With Choice
I was interested in getting a semi-pro camcorder for producing a presentation and web video, and I had settled on ...
I was interested in getting a semi-pro camcorder for producing a presentation and web video, and I had settled on the Sony HVR-A1U, which is has a single CMOS sensor and records in the HDV format on Mini DV cassettes. I liked it because it had XLR mic inputs with phantom power to attach high quality condenser microphones. However, I had really grown weary of the workflow with MiniDV tapes. Not knowing what is on them, winding and rewinding, the time it takes to capture, and the HVR-A1U is bottom loading so you have to take it off the tripod to load it.
So when I saw the HDR-SR11 with a hard drive, I was very attracted to it. I know that the AVCHD is not quite as good as HDV (more compression=lower image quality, requires more powerful hardware to edit, etc), but this camera has a higher data rate than previous AVCHD camcorders (similar to the Canon HF-10) and had pretty good reviews for image quality.
After using this for awhile, it will be very difficult to go back to a tape workflow. It is a joy to manage your shots on this camera compared to working with MiniDV. Each clip has a thumbnail, and it's all sorted by date (Try finding anything on a tape). And transferring to computer is much faster than capture is with MiniDV.
I fixed the microphone problem by purchasing a Beachtek DXA-6 box, which allows connection of XLR condenser mics which require phantom power. I hooked up my AKG Perception 220 condenser mic and the sound is now insanely great. (this camera does have a decent built-in mic, but you really can't compare)
I already have Sony Vegas 7 Pro, which handles AVCHD, but my current system, relatively powerful (3.4GHZ Hyperthreaded Pentium, 3GB Ram, 2 drive Raid), which is a couple of years old, can't really play it smoothly. But I have been able to successfully do some editing.
I bought the NP-FH100 battery, and the camera is telling me I've got 6 hours of recording time! I haven't yet had time to test this out to see if it's true.
The image quality is indeed very good, certainly more than adequate for what I will be using it for.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Awesome Camcorder
I bought the SR12 model and really love it. I'm not one to post my opinion but I'm ...
I bought the SR12 model and really love it. I'm not one to post my opinion but I'm blown away at the quality and ease of use. The face detection is ok. In a large crowd with varying depths i.e. church choir, the face detection constantly adjusts the focus on people's faces. I was interested in only one person but that person would focus in and out, so I turned it off. I brought the camera on vacation and showed diifferent types of video on a 52 inch 1080p LCD. The videos I showed included kids playing on the beach, people surfing, sporting events, indoors and out. Every guy there was sold and said they are going to buy one as soon as they get home. They couldn't believe that such a little camera could produce such an amazing image. I also like the software that comes with the unit. It's easy to use and a nice addition to the video editing software I use. Thanks Sony!!
Read more
by meat1971 (see profile) -
June 10, 2008
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great First time Camcorder.
Its a great camera. It saves time because there uploading is fast and easy. But be ready to buy an ...
Its a great camera. It saves time because there uploading is fast and easy. But be ready to buy an external hard drive and blank DVD's. It's good practice to burn what you have recorded, otherwise you will find 500Gig of your hard drive space go fast. If you buy this, its a good idea to invest in the battery early. Stills are good but I like my the quality in my old Nikon Coolpix 5700. I especially like the feature where you can take stills while taking shooting vids. Face detection works very well. I also like the hybrid Memory card-Hard Drive design. Excellent camera! 60Gig is enough for me because I upload immediately after each event. It might matter though when you are traveling for an extended period. In that case invest on the sr12. The doors are well thought of. Sliding the Ai shoe door and lifting the eyepiece up while the Ai door is open shows attention to the design. Oh, one big drawback... when shooting using the power chord, don't just pull it out. You need to pause the camera and shut it off first then unplug the power. It doesn't let you switch to battery power while shooting or in standby.
Read more
by jesslorenzo (see profile) -
May 29, 2008
JPEG 3680 x 2760,
JPEG 640 x 480,
JPEG 3680 x 2070
Media Type
Hard disk drive
Recording Speed
LP,
HQ,
SP
Camera Flash
Effective Flash Range
1 ft - 8 ft
Lens System
Type
Zoom lens - 4.9 mm - 58.8 mm - F/1.8-3.1
Focal Length
4.9 mm - 58.8 mm
Lens Aperture
F/1.8-3.1
Optical Zoom
12 x
Lens system type
Zoom lens
Min focal length
4.9 mm
Max focal length
58.8 mm
Auto Focus
TTL contrast detection
Lens Manufacturer
Carl Zeiss
Filter Size
37 mm
Focus Adjustment
Automatic,
Manual
Zoom Adjustment
Motorized drive
Additional Features
Low Lux / Night Mode
Yes
Digital Still Camera Function
Yes
Additional Features
Takes photos while movie recording,
Built-in speaker,
USB 2.0 compatibility,
Touch-screen control,
Backlight compensation,
Face detection,
Dolby Digital 5.1 channel recording,
Progressive scanning,
Dynamic Range Optimizer,
Progressive shutter system,
PictBridge support
Remote control
Remote control - Infrared
Software
Sony Picture Motion Browser,
Drivers & Utilities
Included Accessories
Docking station
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Type
Electronic
Image Aspect Ratio (camcorders)
16:9
Display
Type
LCD display - TFT active matrix - 3.2 in - Color
Microphone
Type
Microphone - Built-in
Microphone Features
Zoom
Connections
Connector Type
1 x Component video output,
1 x HDMI output,
1 x Composite video/audio output,
1 x S-Video output,
1 x USB
Hide
Watch product review video
Show