During the summer launch that Sony had kicked off back in March, amongst the spectacles that grabbed our curious attention was their new batch of Handycam camcorders. Comprising the top of the line is the AVCHD HDD camcorder category, divided into two subgroups according to the CMOS sensor type: the Exmor R-based which consists of HDR-XR520 (240GB) and HDR-XR500 (120GB); and the Exmor-based which includes HDR-XR200 (120GB) and HDR-XR100 (80GB). To fulfil our curiosity, our friends from Sony Philippines sent us the HDR-XR200.

 

 

 

Like the rest of Sony’s current AVCHD offerings, the HDR-XR200 shows off a very masculine outline, insinuating its solid construction. 

 

 

 

Incorporating a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, the HDR-XR200 features 15x optical zoom and 180x digital zoom. As we already know, Carl Zeiss remains as one of the most respected lens brands in the world, giving us confidence that this Handycam has impeccable optics to work with. Also, seen from this angle is the built-in flash and interfaces such as HDMI Out, A/V R and USB 2.0.

 

 

 

Covering the top side are brushed metal plates that add to the Handycam’s handsome build and distinctive appeal. Conspicuous here is Sony’s Exmor logo which, in essence, differentiates the HDR-XR200 from its Exmor R-powered relatives. The Exmor R CMOS sensor makes use of back-illuminated technology, making the sensor utilize ambient light more efficiently, especially under low light conditions. In effect, the sensitivity of the camcorder is almost doubled in comparison to conventional models. Though the HDR-XR200 comes only with the Exmor CMOS sensor, this camcorder performs well even under low light situations and our night shot videos can attest to that later.

 

 

 

Held inside this area is the camcorder’s 120GB HDD. Although it looks like it adds heft to the camcorder, it actually provides a user with a complete grip on the gadget, in addition to the strap, so he or she can record videos more comfortably. Also, seen from this position are the zoom toggle, shutter button, mode switch, record button, battery and DC In.

 

 

 

Flipping open its 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD, the HDR-XR200 brings to light more buttons that allow you to do tasks such as direct-to-disc burning. For storage expandability, a Memory Stick Duo slot is provided as well.

 

 

 

On the left side of the display panel, seen is the main menu button. Along with it are the secondary zoom out (W)/zoom in (T) buttons as well as record button that bestow additional recording flexibility so you can achieve more stable videos with smoother zoom in /zoom out camera movements.

 

 

 

To take full advantage of the video recording power of the HDR-XR200, do take some time exploring and playing around with the camcorder’s array of features which is just a finger tap away for your perusal.

 

 

Before we strive ahead to examine the actual outputs, we do want to remind you that the HDR-XR200 is an AVCHD camcorder. Taking this matter into consideration, the HDR-XR200 does HD recording at 1920 x 1080i (interlaced) video resolution. Hence, you might notice combing effect on the videos that you have recorded with the HDR-XR200 once they’re viewed on an LCD monitor. Nevertheless, the combing effect can be reduced, if not totally eliminated, by watching the videos through a media player with deinterlacing capability or a higher end display. Look at these screenshots that were taken from a laptop display and a standalone desktop monitor.

 

 

 

  A laptop display showing combing effect.

 

 

 

A desktop display showing no combing effect.

 

 

Now, let us see some of the shots captured with the HDR-XR200. Be advised that these videos are best viewed in YouTube under HQ (High Quality) or HD (High Definition) mode. We stress that the quality of these videos has been diminished since uploading.

 

Beginning with videos that were captured under broad daylight, overall, we could say that everything is excellent, but we noticed that the edges are a bit blurry or rippled. We attribute this to the effect of deinterlacing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up is a test under low light situations. Positively, noise is present, but minute details are still very visible and well emphasized. This is what you will get with only an Exmor-powered Handycam. This suggests that there is something more to expect with those Exmor R-powered camcorder models.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equipped with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens with 15x optical zoom, the HDR-XR200 enables your eyes to see the details of your subject.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These videos put stress on the advantages of Face Detection and Image Stabiliser.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And here’s considerably the wildest test that the HDR-XR200 had gone through. Embarked on an ultralight airplane, we took the camcorder and flew sky high to record breathtaking sights in Pampanga. What’s worth mentioning is that throughout this affair, the camcorder had repeatedly encountered buffer overflow. This is a case in which the HDD suddenly halts because of vibration generated by the airplane’s propeller and high altitude to boot. If you are planning to record once-in-a-lifetime experiences like this with an HDD-based camcorder, we advise that you record your videos using flash memory (a Memory Stick Duo in the case of HDR-XR200) which is technically less prone to vibration. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By and large, it’s really hard for us to find anything objectionable about the Sony Handycam HDR-XR200. Weighing up its attractive construction, above average picture quality, and abundance of features, we could forgive its maker for dubbing it as a Full HD camcorder, despite the fact that it doesn’t do 1920 x 1080p (progressive) video recording in reality. Capped with a local SRP of PhP 64,999, it is one of the best HD camcorders that you could splash out on at the moment – not to mention that “It’s a Sony!”

 

  

Sony Handycam HDR-XR200’s Specifications
Image Sensor	1/5" "Exmor" CMOS Sensor With ClearVid array
Lens	Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T*
Memory	120GB Hard Disk Drive, Micro Stick Duo Slot
Interfaces	HDMI Out, A/V R and USB 2.0, DC Power Input
Dimensions / Weight	122 x 70 x 68mm / 390g