Sony HDR-HC3E or Sony HDR-HC1E?

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Thu May 11, 2006 3:44 am

Sony HDR-HC3E specifications is here :
http://www.sony-asia.com/handycam/hc3/s ... tions.html

Sony HDR-HC1E specifications is here:
http://www.sony-asia.com/hc1/specifications.html

slimdog55 · Post by **slimdog55** » Thu May 11, 2006 5:52 am

The HDR-HC3 is the more consumer of the 2. Go for the HDR-HC1. That's what I have. The HC1 has a mic out jack, (so you could get external microphones) the HC3 does not have one. The video quality of the HC1 is also much better. Go for the HC1. It could probably be found much cheaper too.

Check this forum out. It'll answer most of your questions.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?f=99

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Fri May 12, 2006 3:22 am

ok. Thanks .
Btw, the HC1 doesnt have a case to go underwater but the HC3 does. And, the price for HC1 is SG$2999(approx US$1900) and price for HC3 is SG$2699(Approx US$1710)

slimdog55 · Post by **slimdog55** » Fri May 12, 2006 3:49 am

I just checked the prices of the 2, they are both very close to $1,400. Well, actually, the HC1 is discontinued in the U.S. If it's the HC3 you want, go ahead. It's just if you want external audio, you're gonna have to get a DAT recorder, then sync it up in post. I'm sure there's a underwater case for the HC1 out there somewhere.

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Fri May 12, 2006 8:59 am

hmmm.. OK for video quality, which is the best?

redlightoncamera · Post by **redlightoncamera** » Fri May 12, 2006 11:13 am

I like the second

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Sat May 13, 2006 2:03 am

second is HC1E?

aaronv2 · Post by **aaronv2** » Sat May 13, 2006 3:56 am

I have the HC1E and it is a really cool camera... Professional and powerful. The only problem I have is the HDV format. When you film something with alot of movment or a shot with alot of parallax there are motion artifacts that ruin the shot if im tracking it or even trying to stabalize it.

The HC3 has a new method of recording HDV where it effectivley records 2 seconds onto 4 seconds of tape. Not only is this sweet for slow motion but the fact that it records first then transfers to tape means that the picture would be much more stable instead of weird perspective shifts or stretching

pdj · Post by **pdj** » Sun May 14, 2006 12:50 am

I own the HC1 and cant recommend it enough! The HC3 has been dumbed down compared to the HC1. Trust me on this one, the HC1 is the superior one of the two

slimdog55 · Post by **slimdog55** » Sun May 14, 2006 1:00 am

I'm with pdj on this one, get the HDR-HC1. You will not be disappointed. It's just the best camcorder ever for the price! The quality is just amazing! When you see the quality, you'll be speechless.

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Mon May 15, 2006 10:30 am

Ok. I called sony Singapore to ask about HC1 and guess what? They told me they are discontinuing HC1!!!
WTF? But i saw this offer, someone selling it at SG$2000(US$1250) for the HC1. So should i get it or get HC3?

aaronv2 · Post by **aaronv2** » Mon May 15, 2006 1:47 pm

go for the HC3 it uses a 1/3Ã¢â‚¬

slimdog55 · Post by **slimdog55** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:16 pm

Go ahead and get the HC3. But when you want to attach external mics, good luck. You're going to have to get a DAT recorder and manually sync up the audio in post. (This is what you need a clapboard for.) The HC3 doesn't even have a headphone jack. (My Sony Hi8 from 5 years ago even has a headphone jack.)

Audio is a very important part of the movie. This is why you NEED a mic jack. You should always get you audio NOT using the mic that's on the camcorder.

I'm telling you, get the HDR-HC1. That slow motion feature on the HC3 doesn't really look good. The HC3 is even smaller then the HC1.

Please check out this forum.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?f=99

Read a lot of the previous pages. You will find some really helpful info there.

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:37 pm

Well, I had a chance to play around with the HC3 today, my friend just got one as a grad gift. Now, yes there are things about it that I don't like from a film-making standpoint, namely that lack of a mic-in jack, and the fact that you can't adjust more than one manual control at a time, but the picture is beautiful. You can not describe it until you have seen it displayed on a 16x9 HDTV. It is simply incomperable. And the slow motion feature: Sh*t-Hot.

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Tue May 16, 2006 2:23 am

I need a mic jack and HC3 doesnt have it. But since HC1 is discontinued, does that means after warranty, you will not be able to get the parts on your camcorder?

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Tue May 16, 2006 6:43 pm

It's not necessarily true that the HC3 doesn't have a mic-jack, it does have Sony's new hot shoe mount on the top. For now this means you can only use Sony mics with it, but apparently adapters are in the works, possible even an XLR attachment.

slimdog55 · Post by **slimdog55** » Tue May 16, 2006 10:43 pm

Even if they make an adapter, would you want your audio going through the hot shoe, or a jack made specifically for audio?

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Tue May 16, 2006 11:23 pm

It is essentially the same thing, it's just metal to metal contact in the right places. I can assume the quality would be on par with a 3.5mm jack, if not better.

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Thu May 18, 2006 9:54 am

Jack would be better but if it is night shot and you need video light, the hot shoe can only fit one (either mic or light)

UFProductions · Post by **UFProductions** » Thu May 18, 2006 4:04 pm

Eh, putting a light on your camera isn't the best solution anyway, unless it's a documentry type sitch. In fact, if its all the same I would look into recording your audio separatly anyway. All it takes is a laptop (easy if you've already got one, cheap as it is; doesn't have to be anything fancy.) Then it's just a mic, and maybe a cheap sound control if you really need it. Besides synching problems it allows for a lot more freedom when editing.

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Fri May 19, 2006 1:08 pm

oh ok. so choose HC3?

pdj · Post by **pdj** » Sat May 20, 2006 8:45 am

The price alone is a clear indicator that the HC3 is a 'dumbed down' version...itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s much cheaper. And this isnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t from me, this is from Sony Central reason being the HC1 didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t do as well as expected. It was targeted at the consumer market and wasnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t accepted due to the high price...lets not go into the specifics of manual control of the cam, mic jack etc.. HC1 is the clear winner.

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:45 am

Yeah. But i couldn't find a hc1e anywhere in my country. So i got a hc3 instead.

Magic-Man · Post by **Magic-Man** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:41 pm

ooo i am just about to buy one of these cameras. Either the HC3 or a canon xm1. I do love that slow mo feature as it isn't artificially done on some program, it is TRUE slo mo. Do you decrease the frame rate on the camera? Which one do ya think is better? The HC3 or the Canon xm1? NBA, what do you think of your hc3?

Nba185 · Post by **Nba185** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:27 am

I like it. Canon xm1 isn't HD but HC3 is HD. HC3 doesn't have a mic jack but has a hot shoe.