Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: HDRPJ10
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- You're paying a couple hundred extra for the projector in the otherwise frills-free Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 over its identical twin, the CX160. But if you regularly show off your vacation videos in the homes of friends and family then it's worth it.
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CNET editors' review
Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 price range: $479.00 - $644.77
- Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
- Reviewed on: 10/02/2011
- Released on: 04/15/2011
The good: The Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10's built-in projector and stereo speakers are very convenient for sharing home movies. Plus, the HD camcorder has the same wide-angle lens, built-in USB cable, and good automated performance as its projector-free siblings.
The bad: If you don't plan to use the projector, the rest of the camcorder's performance and feature set are a bit underpowered for the money.
The bottom line: You're paying a couple hundred extra for the projector in the otherwise frills-free Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 over its identical twin, the CX160. But if you regularly show off your vacation videos in the homes of friends and family then it's worth it.
When I first saw Sony's PJ series of camcorders, with their built-in projectors, I flashed back to all the times I sat waiting for certain friends of mine to hook up their various devices to the TV in order to share their vacation videos. They eventually just left the necessary cables hanging off the TV, but for a lot of people, that's a suboptimal solution. The small projector in the Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 is a far more elegant option.
Essentially the same camcorder as the Sony Handycam CX160, the HDR-PJ10 gets its usefulness quotient increased quite a bit by a pico projector. (Much of this review is based on that of the CX130/CX160.) In part because the just-OK video quality matters a lot less when you're viewing it via the projector, and I'm assuming that if you bought this model it's because you're going to be projecting rather than connecting to a TV.
In sunlight, with the subject filling the frame, the camcorder produces good-looking video that passes for full HD. But in many other circumstances, especially when there's a lot of background detail and motion such as grass or trees waving in the breeze, the low-resolution (in this case, less than the native 2.07 megapixels required for HD) sensor simply isn't up to the task of resolving all that and you'll start to see artifacts from the interpolation and video compression, despite the relatively high bit rates.
As with the CX130/CX160, the colors look pleasing and sufficiently saturated, if a bit coolly white-balanced, and while bright highlights get blown out, that's an acceptable trade-off for the price that most people probably won't mind. Moderately low-light video looks decent, albeit a bit soft and noisy, and in very dim living-room light, the camcorder trades off color for visibility and sharpness, producing usable video with a not-unpleasant graininess reminiscent of black-and-white.
While the still photos are serviceable, you probably don't want to count on the camcorder as a camera. Photos are bright and colorful, but have that smeary, processed look of a cheap digital camera because they're scaled up from the native resolution of 1.67MP to 1.9MP.
| Sony Handycam HDR-CX130/ CX160/ XR160 | Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 | Sony Handycam HDR-CX360V | Sony Handycam HDR-PJ30V/ PJ50V | Sony Handycam HDR-CX560V | |
| Sensor (effective video resolution) | 1.49 megapixels | 1.49 megapixels | 2.65 megapixels | 2.65 megapixels | 6.1 megapixels |
| 1/4-inch | 1/4-inch | 1/4-inch | 1/4-inch | 1/2.88 | |
| Lens | 30x f1.8-3.4 29.8-894mm | 30x f1.8-3.4 29.8-894mm | 12x f1.8-3.4 29.8-357.6mm | 12x f1.8-3.4 29.8-357.6mm | 10x f1.8-3.4 26.3-263mm |
| Closest focus (inches) | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Min illumination (lux) | recommended: n/a standard: 11 low light: 3 | recommended: n/a standard: 11 low light: 3 | recommended: n/a standard: 11 low light: 3 | recommended: n/a standard: 11 low light: 3 | recommended: n/a standard: 11 low light: 3 |
EVF | None | None | None | None | None |
| LCD | 3-inch 230,000 pixels | 3-inch 230,000 pixels | 3-inch 230,000 pixels | 3-inch 230,000 pixels | 3-inch 921,000 pixels |
| Primary media | 0GB/16GB internal/160GB hard drive; 1 x SDXC | 16GB internal; 1 x SDXC | 32GB internal; 1 x SDXC | 32GB internal/220GB; 1 x SDXC | 64GB internal; 1 x SDXC |
| HD recording | AVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i @ 24, 17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5Mbps | AVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5Mbps | AVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i/24p @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5Mbps | AVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i/24p @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5Mbps | AVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i/24p @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5Mbps |
| Manual shutter speed | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Manual iris | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Accessory shoe | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audio | 2 channels/2 channels/5.1 channels, mic and headphone jacks | 5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks | 5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks | 5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks | 5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks |
| Body dimensions (WHD, inches) | 2.1x2.3x4.9/ 2.1x2.3x4.9/ 2.4x2.6x5.1 | 2.4x2.6x5.1 | 2.4x2.6x5.1 | 2.4x2.6x5.1/ 2.4x2.6x5.1 | 2.5x2.8x5.4 |
| Operating weight (pounds) | 10.5/10.5/14.1 (est) | 12.9 (est) | 13.1 (est) | 13.9/15.9 (est) | 15 (est) |
| Mfr. price | $449.99/$499.99/$599.99 | $699.99 | $699.99 | $849.99/$899.99 | $999.99 |
| Ship date | March 2011/April 2011 | March 2011 | March 2011 | April 2011 | March 2011 |
The camcorder autofocuses quickly and accurately, even in dim light, though like all camcorders it occasionally chooses the wrong subject or jumps into face-detection mode when you don't want it to. Its metering and exposure decisions are mostly correct. You can always turn IA off and use touch focus or touch exposure to force it, though I rarely found the need to. If you find yourself working out in the last 90 percent of the zoom range or tend to hold the camcorder with outstretched arms, you probably want to keep the camcorder set on Active Steady Shot all the time, but overall the standard image stabilization seems to work pretty well.
The LCD is on the small side--as befits the compactness of the camcorder--and like many is hard to see in direct sunlight. It's serviceable as a touch screen; not wonderfully responsive, but there's so little to navigate that I didn't mind too much.
The most notable feature of the camcorder is, of course, the small projector built into the LCD door. It delivers enough throw and brightness for casual home viewing, and the slider on top of the door makes it easy to focus. While I would have liked the touch screen to function during projection--you have to set everything up in advance, because you have limited navigation in projection mode--it's straightforward enough to use. You don't notice the relatively low-quality video while viewing this way rather than on a big-screen TV, in part because the resolution of the projector is only 640x360 pixels. (Other specs: up to 10 lumens, 10 to 60 inches of coverage, throw about 20 inches to 10 feet.)
| Canon Vixia HF M400/M40/M41 | Panasonic HDC-TM90/SD90 | Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 | |
| Sensor (effective video resolution) | 2.07-megapixel HD CMOS Pro | 1.9-2.6-megapixel CMOS (depends on zoom) | 1.49 megapixels |
| 1/3 inch | 1/4.1 inch | 1/4 inch | |
| Lens | 10x f1.8-3.0 43.6-436mm | 21x f1.8-3.5 28-729mm (16:9) | 30x f1.8-3.4 29.8-894mm |
| Closest focus (inches) | 0.4 | n/a | 0.4 |
| Min illumination (lux) | recommended: 100 standard: 1.5 low light: 0.1 | standard: 1,400 low light: 4 Color Night View: 1 | recommended: n/a standard: 11 low light: 3 |
EVF | None/None/ 0.24-inch 260,000 dots | None | None |
| LCD | 3-inch 230,000 dots | 3-inch 230,400 dots | 3-inch 230,000 pixels |
| Primary media | 0GB/16GB/32GB internal; 2 x SDXC | 16GB/0GB flash; SDXC | 16GB internal; 1 x SDXC |
| HD recording | AVCHD: 1,080/60i @ 24, 17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 12, 7, 5Mbps (also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i) | AVCHD: 1,080/60p 28Mbps; 1,080/60i @ 17, 13, 9, 5Mbps | AVCHD: 1,080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1,080/60i @ 24,17Mbps; 1,440x1,080/60i @ 9, 5Mbps |
| Manual shutter speed | 1/6 - 1/2,000 sec | Yes | No |
| Manual iris | f1.8-f8 | Yes | No |
| Accessory shoe | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audio | 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic); mic, headphone jacks | 2 channels | 5.1 channels; mic and headphone jacks |
| Body dimensions (WHD, inches) | 2.9x2.8x5.2 | 3.1x2.3x4.4 | 2.4x2.6x5.1 |
| Operating weight (pounds) | 14.3 | 7.7 (est) | 12.9 (est) |
| Mfr. price | $649.99/$699.99/$799.99 | $599.99/$549.99 | $699.99 |
| Ship date | April 2011 | March 2011 | March 2011 |
On top of the camcorder are the mode and photo buttons, which feel too close together. The zoom switch wasn't nearly as loose on this model as on the CX130, which leads me to think there's inconsistency across the products. A tiny captive USB cable tucks into the strap and comes in handy when you're on the road.
While not fully automatic, the camcorder comes close. You have a choice of four shooting modes: movie, photo, Smooth Slow Record (3 seconds of motion played back at 25 percent speed), and Golf Shot (2 seconds of motion captured as multiple frames). The "manual" settings are white balance, spot meter/focus, and exposure compensation. But they're in the menu system and not accessible enough to be very useful. The camcorder is really intended to be used in auto, and it fares pretty well from that perspective. Its other notable feature is the relatively wide-angle lens, which starts around 30mm-equivalent.
Conclusion
Though more expensive than its projectorless siblings, if you're one of those folks who like to share their vacation vids and school graduations with everyone--and if you have the bad habit of leaving all your videos in the camcorder--the built-in projector provides a nifty way to do so, and using it is easier than hooking up to strange TVs. But if you don't think you're going to use it that way, you're better off saving money and opting for the CX130, or spending it on a better camcorder, like the Canon Vixia HF M400.
User reviews
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I Will Hug It and Pet it and Name It George!
by Normand_Mcnelly on August 31, 2011
Pros: + Images are crystal clear
+ Sound is very clear and realistic
+ Zoom button is easy
+ Touch screen menu is intuitive for capturing pictures
+ Projection feature is simply amazing
+ Battery life and video storage space included in the camera are generousCons: - Mini HDMI to HDMI cable is not furnished
Summary: I imagine most of the reviews to describe this handycam will include the term WOW, and that about says it all. Although I have not thoroughly acquainted myself with all ...
Summary: I imagine most of the reviews to describe this handycam will include the term WOW, and that about says it all. Although I have not thoroughly acquainted myself with all the bells and whistles, I can start with the simplicity of the setup, ease of use, and quality of video, sound and projection.
*** P.S. If you will buy this camcorder I suggest you have compare prices before you decide at: www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004H8FN8A?ie=UTF8&ref_=dp_olp_new_map&condition=new#?ie=UTF8&tag=***************&********=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957
In terms of simplicity, everything is self explanatory and there's no need to spend time running through the manual to start capturing high quality pictures and home video's and playing them back. I simply plugged in the battery, flipped open the viewer, ran through the setup which took less than 2 minutes with an easy to follow touch screen and it was already on standby ready for recording. The location of the record button is perfectly placed so you can reach it easily, but not accidentally press it everytime you move. The zoom button is also easy and the quality extremely impressive capturing images a half an acre away in my back yard. All of the functions and plugs are easily identifiable and the touch screen menu is intuitive for capturing pictures, movies and high speed action in slow motion.
In terms of the quality, it is everything you would expect and more from a Sony product. The amount of actual light required to capture bright clear images is simply inexplicable. I have plantation shutters in my home and as I walked through the room with the shutters closed, it was as if my whole room was lit with bright light. The images are crystal clear, and the projection feature is simply amazing. The brighter the movie or image dictates how large the projection can be. If it's an extremely well lit image, then projection is easily over 100", but if it's a low light image, then you're looking at a projection of around 40" for it to be seen clearly. There's also an easy slide trigger to help with the focus. Lastly the sound is very clear and realistic, capturing dog barks from a distance.
Overall, I couldn't be more impressed with this product. I've only had it for a few days and haven't tested the export features, but there's built in memory as well as an additional slot for capturing more images and videos, a USB cable for downloading, and a remote control for setting up the camera and either activating it from a distance or playing back in projection mode. Of course, like all new toys, the one thing this product hasn't stood is the test of time or customer service experience if something should go wrong. Be assured that if I run across any experiences that are beyond the norm through wear and tear in the first year, I will make an update to this review. If there's no update, then assume that there have been no issues. For now, all I can say is this handycam is outstanding. You will need to buy a carrying case with this product since it doesn't come with one, but other than that, if you're looking for a camera/camcorder that is ready to go when you open the box, this is it.
Updated on Aug 31, 201112 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Just got this camera 2 weeks ago. So far, amazing.
by pleshdawg on April 9, 2011
Pros: great picture, great sound, projector rocks
Cons: have to open the panel to operate. I am sure its cuts weight and cost to not have a viewfinder, but this has been annoying at times.
Summary: Great camera for what we paid. I LOVE the projector. Works like the inFocus viewers I use for my job. No real complaints. The video quality and sound is incredible ...
Summary: Great camera for what we paid. I LOVE the projector. Works like the inFocus viewers I use for my job. No real complaints. The video quality and sound is incredible when playing on our home systems. We watched a 1 hr video on one of our walls with the projector 10'x10'... AMAZING!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Love it ,I bought it from http://www.ubuysell.ca
by matchmate100 on December 25, 2011
Pros: battery life, quality, night quality recording,
Cons: none , just a bit wide
Summary: 100% recommended and will buy again.
great product, very good quality , battery hours is the great, chirps picture. I bought it from http://www.ubuysell.ca <a href= "http://...Summary: 100% recommended and will buy again.
great product, very good quality , battery hours is the great, chirps picture. I bought it from http://www.ubuysell.ca <a href= "http://www.ubuysell.ca">auction site</a> -
WOW, I'll call mine George and pet it too
by wally_the_gadget_guru on September 27, 2011
Pros: Too many to list. Easy to use, great features, great image quality.
Cons: Darn it, it doesn't play with my MAC as well as I would like. What is with all these funky files I don't need. Just give me the MPEG4 without all this clutter.
Summary: Great for all those times you want to do most everything on a camcorder and then show everyone what you shot that same night.
Summary: Great for all those times you want to do most everything on a camcorder and then show everyone what you shot that same night.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: HDRPJ10
- Description: Share your memories virtually anywhere using the HDR-PJ10 Handycam camcorder’s built-in, high-contrast projector. This mobile theatre can project up to a 60" (diag.) image on any flat surface, and with powerful stereo speakers, you’ll hear all the action. Record your 1920x1080/60p Full HD video for film-like videos.
General
- Product Type Camcorder - 1080p with Projector
- Enclosure Color Black
- Camcorder Sensor Resolution 4.2 megapixels
- Effective Video Resolution 1.49 megapixels
- Digital Zoom 350 x
- Effective Photo Resolution 1.49 megapixels
- Camcorder Interpolated Photo Resolution 3.3 megapixels
- Camcorder Media Type Flash card
- Optical Sensor Size 1/4"
- Optical Sensor Type CMOS
- Min Illumination 3 lux
- Analog video format NTSC
- Digital Video Format MPEG-2,
AVCHD - Image Stabilizer Optical (Steady Shot with Active Mode)
- Digital Scene Transition White fader,
Black fader - Image Processor BIONZ
- Min Shutter Speed 1/8 sec
- Max Shutter Speed 1/10000 sec
- Shooting modes Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs Snow,
Beach,
Twilight portrait,
Twilight mode,
Sunset,
Spotlight,
Fireworks,
Sunrise,
Portrait mode,
Landscape - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Outdoor,
Indoor - Exposure Modes Program,
Automatic - Image Recording Format JPEG
- Widescreen Video Capture Yes
- AV Interfaces S-Video,
HDMI,
Composite video/audio Lens System
- Type 30 x x Zoom lens - 2.1 mm - 63 mm - F/1.8-3.4
- Lens aperture F/1.8-3.4
- Features Built-in lens shield
- Optical zoom 30 x
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Min focal length 2.1 mm
- Max focal length 63 mm
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Filter Size 30 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 29.8 - 894 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual,
Automatic - Min Focus Range 0.4 in
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Self Timer Delay 10 sec
- Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
- Additional Features Intelligent AUTO (iAUTO),
24p Cinema Mode,
Backlight compensation,
x.v.Color technology,
Smile Detection technology,
Date/time stamp,
Dolby Digital 5.1 channel recording,
Exif Print support,
Golf Shot function,
USB charging,
Face detection,
Auto power save,
Digital noise reduction,
Touch-screen control,
Dynamic Range Optimizer,
Built-in stereo speakers,
Takes photos while movie recording,
USB 2.0 compatibility - Remote control Remote control - Infrared
- Software Drivers & Utilities,
Sony Picture Motion Browser - Included Accessories Component video / audio cable,
USB cable,
Power adapter,
IR remote control,
Audio / video cable Display
- Type 3 in LCD display
Built-in Projector
- Max Image Brightness 10 lumens
- Max Image Size 59.8 in
- Resolution nHD - 640 x 360
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Composite video/audio output,
1 x Hi-Speed USB,
1 x Component video output,
1 x HDMI output,
1 x S-Video output,
1 x Microphone,
1 x Headphones,
1 x Remote control - Memory Card Slot SD card,
Memory Stick PRO Duo card Microphone
- Microphone Features Wind noise reduction,
Zoom Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
Memory / Storage
- Media type Flash card
- Supported Memory Cards SD Memory Card
- Internal Storage 16 GB Flash
- Included Memory Card 16 GB
- Image Storage JPEG 2122 x 1584,
JPEG 2122 x 1188,
JPEG 1600 x 1200,
JPEG 640 x 480 - Video Capture AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 28Mbps,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 24Mbps,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 17Mbps,
AVCHD - 1440 x 1080 - 9Mbps,
AVCHD - 1440 x 1080 - 5Mbps,
MPEG-2 - 720 x 480 - 9Mbps System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows XP SP3,
MS Windows 7,
MS Windows Vista - Peripheral Devices USB port,
CD-ROM drive Battery
- Supported Battery Sony NP-FV50
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Audio Input
- Audio input type Microphone
- Microphone type Built-in
- Microphone Operation Mode Surround
Viewfinder / Display
- Display Features Rotating
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Parts - 1 year,
Limited warranty - Labor - 90 days Physical Characteristics
- Width 2.3 in
- Depth 5 in
- Height 2.6 in
- Weight 10.9 oz
Accessories
- KATA D-Light Capsule-185 DL - protective case for camcorder (35033783)129.99 - 160.26
- Canon CA 950 - Power adapter + battery charger (33615515)164.99
- Canon MA 300 - camcorder microphone adapter (30121346)174.49 - 174.95
- Porta-Brace Rain Slicker RS-HVX200 rain cover (33614228)181.41
- Sony LCS VCC - soft case for camcorder (33351258)139.00 - 249.99
- Sony SPK CXB - marine case for camcorder (34580865)199.00 - 216.49
- Hoodman EX KIT PRO LCD screen hood loupe (34409067)159.95
- KATA D-Light Capsule-183 DL - protective case for camcorder (35033782)149.89
- KATA PRO Video Collection CC-195 HDV Case - case for camcorder (34565096)135.00 - 145.87
- Novoflex BALSON-AK - lens hood (31060082)148.50
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Sony
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
