Sony Handycam DCR-SR82
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: DCR-SR82
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CNET Editor rating:
Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 12 reviews
- More product information:
- Product brief
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Description:
- No more switching tapes or rewinding means more time for shooting. Welcome to life with the DCR-SR82 Handycam camcorder. With a 60GB hard disk drive, you can store up to 40 hours of video (LP) in amazing resolution with the 1 megapixel CCD. An industry leading Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens captures incomparable detail and the 2.7" Wide Touch Panel ... Read more
Where to buy
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as of 07/06/2009 |
Product brief
Intro: The Sony Handycam DCR-SR82 is a hard disk drive-based, home-movie camcorder.Compared to other home-movie camcorders on the market, it is expensive at around $830.It ships with Sony picture motion browser software.
Noteworthy Features: Has a 25x optical zoom, which is more powerful than some similarly priced camcorders.Offers manual focus control, whereas many camcorders have only auto-focus.This product weighs just 14.3 ounces without battery and media, which is quite light.
Weaker Features: None noted, given available product data.
Suitability: A home-movie camcorder, suited for family use.
Value: Overall, this camcorder's features are in line with its price.
Suggestions: For more help selecting the right digital camcorder, visit CNET Reviews' buying guide.
User reviews
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Let's Get Realistic
by The Realistic Reviewer on May 16, 2007
Pros: Two words: HARD DRIVE
Cons: Come on, it's a HARD DRIVE!!!
Summary: The Idea of a Hard Drive camcorder makes me drool. I couldn't even begin to tell you how much time I've spent downloading video from a tape camcorder ...
Summary: The Idea of a Hard Drive camcorder makes me drool. I couldn't even begin to tell you how much time I've spent downloading video from a tape camcorder through a firewire (IEEE 1394) cable wishing I had spent that time editing instead. With a hard drive, it's literally copy and paste: no more sitting and waiting for the video to stream in! An hour's worth of video transfers in literally 5 minutes.
REgardless of that type of media it takes, we need to be realistic about our expectations from it. I've compiled a list of things you should and should not expect from the camcorder:
1. It WILL NOT take a good digital still picture. It's a camcorder. It is designed for video. It's like a car that can brew coffee- it's a car first and a coffee machine second.
2. It is small, very small. This means that you will lose a lot of the features of large cameras: ie. big lenses, 0 lux, huge zooms etc. Don't expect it to do what no small camcorder can: it's a hard drive, not magic.
3. You can in fact add a microphone using Sony's hotshoe located on the top of the camera. Yes, you have to buy the microphone from Sony, but oh well, at least you can do it.
4. There's no use comparing it to a camcorder that costs $100 more. To some peopl (like me) $100 is a lot of money. If you don't want to spend it, this camera is still a great camera. So, just like buying the 3 series BMW, you'll be happy either way. Surely you'd like the 6 series better, but why waste your money if you're satisfied with a great product?
There's probably more, but I'm out of time. Hopefully this helped you out. My mission: keep people from buying mini DVD camcorders... they're terrible.17 out of 18 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Very Nice Handycam
by wpetko on June 12, 2007
Pros: Optical Zoom, very Light and small, lot of recording time, battery life is great, easy to use menu system and very easy to put on DVD's
Cons: Focus is a little slow, no view finder
Summary: I have gone through my share of camcorders and by far this is the best one. No more tape or mini dvd's. It does about 30+ hours in best ...
Summary: I have gone through my share of camcorders and by far this is the best one. No more tape or mini dvd's. It does about 30+ hours in best quality (which is way more than you need on a trip). Picture taking is lacking with this, but I did not buy this to take pictures. Software was easy to install and use (I have 2 HP computers and a Dell Laptop and it works fine for me). Though the focus is a little slow when zooming in and out, over all its a great camcorder. I have Sony DCR dvd403 and a Sony HI8, but got sick of changing tapes and mini dvd's. Also a pain to combine all it on one dvd.
7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not one of Sony's Best, O.K. quality
by rdtshaw on December 25, 2007
Pros: Hard disk recording, small, light weight, nice interface and feel. Good battery life
Cons: Poor video quality, mic is way too vulnerable to wind noise. no onboard usb port; requires square shaped dock to download.
Summary: I got this Sony camcorder at Costco and it will be going back.
First impression:
Nice look and feel. Fits in the hand nice, easy access to all controls. The ...Summary: I got this Sony camcorder at Costco and it will be going back.
First impression:
Nice look and feel. Fits in the hand nice, easy access to all controls. The LCD panel is very sharp and easy to see in the daylight. The touchscreen controls are okay, not in love, but not hating it. The battery life is very good for a hdd based machine. I expected worse there. Little quality control issue though, it has 5 dead "red" pixels in the panel, not acceptable for this class of camcorder. It should never have left the factory like that, they were there the moment I turned it on. No biggie, I can get it fixed, Costco and all, but still... The unit has no onboard USB port to download videos. No problem at home, nice glossy piano black dock I can leave on my desk, charges as well. But when you what to go on a trip it is yet another think to take and while it's not huge, it has a larger footprint than the camcorder itself and it does not smoothly side into a pocket, it has uneven square edges that catch on things. I already carry a laptop and all that goes with that, a Nikon D200 with a couple lenses and now this. I would rather be able to just pull it out, whip out that rather universal USB cable and quickly download my videos on the fly. Not a deal breaker, but kinda thoughless from an engineering stand point.
That all being said, I got it out, did some shooting with it and like giddy kid, plugged it in to download. (Note: it downloads VERY quickly, definately uses up the available usb bandwidth) When I clicked play, I was not very giddy. It is fuzzy, with jaggies all over the place. The image stabilization is horrible, the slightest movement and you can see it trying to conteract it, and not in a good way. The focus speed is painfully slow, not what I expected at all. A little slow is fine from a consumer unit, but this is really bad. At the resolution it is recording at it should at least be smooth. My 3yr old panasonic Mini-DV looked better on the pc after the time consuming task of downloading via firewire. The sound is clear and flatout wonderful indoors, but the littlest bit of a breeze, no joking, a breeze, makes a horrible low tone that drives the sub on my pc speakers nuts. I understand if it's windy, you need a wind proof cover on a real mic, but this was unacceptable for next to no wind. Now I do not have unreasonable expectations: I don't expect this to take fantastic stills, but why bother making it a feature when my blackberry takes better photos, and they're not very good either. I don't expect HiDef out of this, but I have many other videos on my PC that are standard definition/resolution that look much much better. On my 42" ED Plasma, it was even worse. I was just dissapointed with this camcorder considering the price and brand. I've had sony's in the past for cheaper that I though did an equal or better job. And also, no saying, "at least it's a hdd camcorder, what do you expect?" I do not think there should be any less quality in the video especially since it's a camcorder; it's main reason for being. All in all not worth the price, not recommended. My camcorder shopping begins again.. *sigh*
Quicknote: I'm not a Sony hater, quite the opposite. I don't often do online reviews, but this was a major dissapointment, and while I can return it to costco no problem within 90 days, alot of places want a 15-20% restocking fee if they even take it back at all. I could have dealt with many other shortcomings, but if this video doesn't look good, why bother. I hope this helped anyone looking at this model. Thanks to everyone else that takes the time to write reviews, I use them all the time and it has saved me grief on many occasions.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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really just so so
by last angel on April 12, 2007
Pros: the look, feel, touch screen, computer interface
Cons: slow to focus, mediocre mic, digital stills, expensive accessories
Summary: this is like having a 3 series bmw when you really want the 6 series. for the price, you might as well upgrade to the high def model. granted hard ...
Summary: this is like having a 3 series bmw when you really want the 6 series. for the price, you might as well upgrade to the high def model. granted hard disk blows tape and cd out of the water, but this camera struggles (as many do) with the zoom and focus. it does not do well in low light environments. the touch screen is awesome, but again, you get that and way more for $2-300 more. also, if you are not using a sony computer.. forget about ths prduct. i struggled on two computers (HP), before i finally put the program on my Sony Vaio and it worked like a charm. Last con... the mic is weak and there is no option to add a boom. it's fancy fashion piece.
7 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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One great camcorder!
by amundsonc on June 4, 2007
Pros: Lightweight, great picture
Cons: price, no light
Summary: I love my new camcorder! It is easy to use, ultra light, and can go forever. I was originally turned off by the price, but I got a great deal ...
Summary: I love my new camcorder! It is easy to use, ultra light, and can go forever. I was originally turned off by the price, but I got a great deal and how can you pass on 60GB!
I would recommend this to anyone.3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Could be great if only...
by SkimanRick on February 25, 2008
Pros: Size, weight, video quality
Cons: Included SW, documentation
Summary: I've had this camera since Aug '07 now and one of the primary reasons I bought it was to make a skiing video of me and my ski buddies. ...
Summary: I've had this camera since Aug '07 now and one of the primary reasons I bought it was to make a skiing video of me and my ski buddies. While the camera has worked well for the basic activity of shooting video and watching it afterwards, the included software (SW) is archaic at best and the very poor documentation is useless after the first time or two you use it. There is little or no support or other resources for guiding the user with the SW. Other than performing an inventory of your entire hard drive (on your computer)and displaying the thumbnails the SW does very little. The included USB tray used for connecting to your computer does NOT charge the battery while connected. Huh?? This is 2008 isn't it? So make sure you have a full charge on the battery before uploading your weekend videos because the camera will shut down mid-process.
The snap-open covers for the various ports and jacks are made of very brittle plastic that I doubt will survive the first year of use. The one that covers the video-out jack to your t.v. for viewing is not only flimsy but is actually in the way of connecting the cable forcing me to cring in fear it will break off when the cable is pushed in or pulled out.
The power on/off switch must have been after thought. Some engineer must have realized after designing this camera that people would probably need a way to turn it off and on. "Let's stick it here" he probably thought. The detent wears out quickly so you can't feel the "click" pretty soon and have to wonder if it turned off. Depending on what case you buy for it, the camera will also power on very easily while in the case. Then you pull your camera out to shoot some video and the battery is dead. I'm no engineer, but I could have designed a better on/off switch.
Accesories other than the overpriced batteries are very difficult to find even at the most loyal Sony retail outlets. A carrying case is vital to the care and life of the camera, yet Sony thinks you should pony up $50 for $2 worth of neoprene because, you know, it's Sony.
The camera SW also does not come with everything you need to just play the video files in Windows Media Player. There are Codec's necessary to play correctly and searching on the internet yielded little, with no resolution. I'm unable to get the sound and video synced together so the sound plays ahead of the video when I use WMP.
In my opinion, this COULD be a great product however it is crippled by poor SW, very poor documentation (don't even bother loading the worthless PDF included on the CD), and a lack of distribution of their accessories. I happen to work for a very large distributor of Sony products including this camera, and I couldn't even get any help through my business channels. Had I known all this before buying the camera, I wouldn't have. If you don't mind plunking down another $100+ for some SW that actually does something usefull, then you'll like this camera. When you figure out how to make the settings like fade in/out stick even after turning the camera off and back on again, please let me know. I'm still researching where those tips reside. Likely in the basement vaults at Sony in Japan somewhere.
I gave this camera a rating of 2. I would have easily given it an 8 or better if the SW actually did something usefull, and the documentation helped. This camera has great capabilities. Unleashing those capabilities is another daunting task altogether.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Alot of Features in a Small Package, Good Video Quality
by kruegmeister on March 5, 2008
Pros: Big Hard Disk, 25x Optical Zoom, Touch Screen
Cons: Don't Expect Spectacular Still Pictures. It's a Video Camera.
Summary: I bought the SR42 1st, Which is Lower Resolution and the WideScreen Features are Not as Good. So I upgraded to the SR82 (The SR62 is the Same as the ...
Summary: I bought the SR42 1st, Which is Lower Resolution and the WideScreen Features are Not as Good. So I upgraded to the SR82 (The SR62 is the Same as the 82 but only 30 Gig). The SR42 isn't bad, you get alot of features for the price, if you can live with less than perfect video quality.
The Video on the SR42 was just slightly worse than my 10 Year Old Sony Tape HandyCam. I was using a 50" TV in my comparisons. So I got the sr82. The Video Resolution Upgrade is much better on the 62 and 82 models.
The Other thing I notice is the sr42 did not handle the Widescreen the Same way. When I recorded with the sr82 the Picture filled my Widescreen TV whereas the sr42 did not since 4:3 put Black Bars on the Side and 16:9 had bars on the Top and Bottom. It seems as if the sr42 is 4:3 Native and the Widescreen Mode was 2.35 to 1 Aspect Ratio which I did not Like for Home Videos. The sr62 and sr82 are Native 16:9 Widescreen. They can Also do 4:3 as well.
The ActiveShoe Interface allows for adding InfraRed or Microphone or Lighting Attachments.
The Touch Screen is Nice and Works well. It Rotates 270 degrees. So you can Flip it 180 degrees one way and fold it back towards the camera for doing playback or when connecting to the Computer.
I did notice that the Camera Defaults to SP Mode and Not HQ. So the Highest Resolution is not the default. Just a Heads up.
The Battery gets you at least an hour of Recording. There are Larger Capacity Batteries Available.
I use this Camera in 2 Difficult Recording Situations.
1) Recording my Band. Usually from Far away. Music Really Loud. Varying Lighting Conditions (Stage Lights). It works well but you must use Manual Focus.
2) Video Taping my Sons Hockey Team. Hockey Rinks are tough to get Still Pictures in as well. Subjects are moving Fast but Flash cannot be used due to the Glass along the boards. The Netting also plays havoc with Auto Focus. The Sony also worked well in this situation. I got good video using Auto, Snow and Sports Settings. I think the Auto may be the best except when the Metal Halide Lighting is too low in certain rinks it can cause varied brightness in the video.
Overall a great Camera at the Price. Cameras $100 more are probably better. But you get what you pay for. Decide How much you want to Pay and get the Best Camera in that Range. This one Seemed to be the Best one in my Range. Plus I have always had good luck with Sony Products Lasting for 10+ years. Something I cannot say for just about every other brand I have tried. How much did I save when another camera was $50 cheaper but I have to replace it in 4 years...1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Really good camcorder, but not the best
by afacuna on January 18, 2008
Pros: Easy to use, easy to download, big zoom
Cons: Low light performance really so-so
Summary: I bought this camcorder when it just came out (about $750), and overall I'm still happy with it, even though I paid a lot more than what you'd ...
Summary: I bought this camcorder when it just came out (about $750), and overall I'm still happy with it, even though I paid a lot more than what you'd pay today. The camcorder is easy to use, and downloading videos to my Windows PC is aldo very easy. Still photo resolution is not that good, but to be honest, I have a digital camera for that, and it takes better pictures than any camcorder out there does. Plus it has a flash, which the camcorder doesn't have. The zoom lens is a big plus.
My only gripe about this camera is the ability to shoot in low light conditions. Focusing when using the zoom becomes more difficult, and you experience loss of color, even in what you would consider well-lit areas at night.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Poor Quality and Support
by grech01 on December 2, 2008
Pros: Small and lightweight to use. Quality of video was good.
Cons: Price, Price and overall quality. Sent in for repairs after 16 months because the record button failed to work. Only recorded about 4 hours of video in its life. Camcorder was returned unrepaired as corrosion was the cause.
Summary: At over $800 this camcorder was cared for well. It was kept on the supplied charging cradle and when taken to use always carried in tight Sony Camera bag. If ...
Summary: At over $800 this camcorder was cared for well. It was kept on the supplied charging cradle and when taken to use always carried in tight Sony Camera bag. If corrosion could take place in this item then their must be a terible design flaw. In any case I would never buy another Sony product. The customer support that I have found with this Camcorder, 2 PS/2's and a PSP has been horrible. If you seriously consider any high end Sony products buy extended warranties from a reputible 3rd party.
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outstanding bang for your buck
by lordstanley on April 9, 2008
Pros: depth of feild very sharp in movment
Cons: yes i know its not a camera but bumping up the mega pixel would have been nice
Summary: when you first take a hold of this unit you cant help but feel it belongs in the palm of your hand.
It realy feels like a 50 year old ...Summary: when you first take a hold of this unit you cant help but feel it belongs in the palm of your hand.
It realy feels like a 50 year old marriage with regards to ergonomics of said unit.
I recently went to whistler and thought i would try somthing i always wanted to do.
i place a small towel on my dashboard of my truck and put the camcorder on top and started driving down the sea to sky hwy,it was amazing the footage shot very very little shaking from the camcorder looked like somthing out of the movies.
the crispness of the video was more then i thought it could be, battery life was better then i thought when using it efficiently.
night shooting was a joy at the centre of whistler village the lens on it really pulled in all kinds of light.
all in all thanks you sony for once again leading the industry.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: DCR-SR82
- Description: No more switching tapes or rewinding means more time for shooting. Welcome to life with the DCR-SR82 Handycam camcorder. With a 60GB hard disk drive, you can store up to 40 hours of video (LP) in amazing resolution with the 1 megapixel CCD. An industry leading Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens captures incomparable detail and the 2.7" Wide Touch Panel Hybrid LCD Display gives you total control over what you've shot. Then, easily transfer and share your videos by simply connecting the DCR-SR82 to the included Handycam Station and burn a disc with a single click. So, step into the next generation of video and start capturing more memories.
General
- Product Type Camcorder
- Digital Zoom 2000 x
- Total Pixels 1 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/6"
- Optical Sensor Type Advanced HAD CCD
- Min Illumination 0 lux
- Digital Video Format MPEG-2
- Special Effects Sepia, Pastel, Monotone, Old Movie
- Image Stabilizer Electronic (Super Steady Shot)
- Digital Scene Transition Black fader, White fader
- Min Shutter Speed 1/60 sec
- Max Shutter Speed 1/4000 sec
- Shooting Modes Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs Snow, Beach, Candle, Sunset, Sunrise, Fireworks, Landscape, Spotlight, Portrait mode, Sports lesson, Twilight mode
- White Balance Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Indoor, Outdoor
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Widescreen Video Capture Yes
Main Features
- Camcorder Effective Still Resolution 1 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Still Image Format JPEG
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
Memory / Storage
- Digital Storage Media Hard disk drive - Built-in - 60 GB
- Image Storage 1152 x 864
- Media Type Hard disk drive
- Recording Speed HQ, LP, SP
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 2.5 mm - 62.5 mm - F/1.8-3.2
- Focal Length 2.5 mm - 62.5 mm
- Lens Aperture F/1.8-3.2
- Optical Zoom 25 x
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Min focal length 2.5 mm
- Max focal length 62.5 mm
- Lens Manufacturer Carl Zeiss
- Filter Size 30 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual, Automatic
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
- Digital Still Camera Function Yes
- Additional Features PictBridge support, Accessories hot shoe, Touch-screen control, USB 2.0 compatibility, Progressive shutter system, Analog to digital conversion with pass through
- Remote control Remote control - Infrared
- Software Sony Picture Motion Browser
- Included Accessories Docking station
Display
- Type LCD display - LCD passive matrix - 2.7 in - Color
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1, 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output, 1 x Microphone, 1 x Remote control, 1
- Expansion Slot(s) 1, Memory Stick Duo
Audio Input
- Audio input type Microphone
- Microphone type Built-in
- Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows XP, MS Windows 2000
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1, 1 x USB cable, A/V cable
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Battery type - Lithium ion
Battery
- Supported Battery Sony NP-FH40
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Labor - 90 days, Limited warranty - Parts - 1 year
Viewfinder / Display
- Display Form Factor Rotating
- Display Format 123,000 pixels
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
Physical Characteristics
- Width 2.9 in
- Depth 4.5 in
- Height 2.8 in
- Weight 14.3 oz
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Sony
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.sonystyle.com
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
