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Published on February 09, 2007
Quick Camcorder Reviews: Sony DCR-HC36
by Michael PerlmanPublished on February 09, 2007
In a world of rapidly burgeoning technology, the Sony DCR-HC36 ($400 MSRP) opts for the safe route. The HC36 and Sony’s entry-level HC26 share numerous core elements such as a standard 1/6” CCD chip, touch screen menu, limited manual controls, and budget construction. The only difference between the HC36 and the HC26 is a remote and the ability to capture stills at 640x480, which aren’t enticing upgrades by any means. With the notable improvements going to the HC36’s big brother, the HC46, the HC36 is left in a pretty tight spot.
With a standard 1/6” CCD sputtering out 680K gross pixels, the Sony DCR-HC36 produces an image that is identical to the entry-level HC26, which means a no-frills, grainy picture even in bright light. At 3000 lux (bright light) the color balance on the HC36 is relatively even, but the colors offered are not vivid or exciting. While the Canon Elura 100 produces a sharper image with heightened greens and yellows, the DCR-HC36 displays a significant amount of noise and decreased dynamic range.
In a low light environment, the HC36 lost a great deal of color information and luminance, however white areas and dark lettering withstood the darker light. In the lowest light, fine grain noise was heightened. The Elura 100, boasting a 1/5” chip, and the Panasonic PV-GS39 offer better color differentiation, but overall the HC36 was acceptable for its class. For $400, you get what you pay for.
Although the DCR-HC36 produces a mediocre video performance, it is very simple to use. With a big Easy button on the side, the camcorder can be navigated in full automatic mode with a simplified touch screen menu. The most vexing attribute of the touch screen is the accumulation of smudges from natural skin oils that make it difficult to see a clear image. The compact design of the HC36 fits comfortably around a hand, but is cheaply constructed and would most likely not survive an inadvertent drop to the ground.
The HC36 has more refined automatic controls than its competition. It has an excellent auto focus, numerous Program AE modes, and an optional auto shutter function that aids shooting in bright light. The HC36 also has Spot Focus, which divides the LCD into a grid and allows you to touch the area that needs intended sharpening.
If you want manual control, look into any Panasonic or upper-end JVCs and Canons, seeing as how Sony’s primary focus is ease of use. You won’t find many manual controls on the HC36. Focus, exposure, and white balance are operated through the touch screen, but there is no exposure, shutter speed, white balance, or gain.
The Sony DCR-HC36 uses standard 6.35 mm MiniDV tape, which is a higher quality than that of an 8.5 Mbps rate DVD camcorder. On the left side of the HC36 is a slot for a Memory Stick PRO Duo that stores still images.
For point-and-shooters or budget camcorder enthusiasts, the Sony DCR-HC36 is not the best option within its price range. If you want a camcorder that gives you an average video performance, tolerable low light performance, stellar ease of use, severely limited manual controls, and a flimsy construction, then the Sony DCR-HC36 is the choice for you. At $400 you might as well save $50 and spring for the HC26. It would be wise to shop around and compare your options such as the Canon Elura 100, especially in this price range.
| Sony DCR-HC36 - THE BOTTOM LINE Rating: 175.17 |
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| Likes |
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-Easy to use |
| Dislikes |
|
-Poor video quality |
Sony DCR-HC36 Compared to the...
| Canon Elura 100 Rating: 218.30 |
Panasonic PV-GS39 Rating: 206.78 |
JVC GR-D395 Rating: 193.12 |
Sony DCR-HC46 Rating: 183.67 |
Sony DCR-HC26 Rating: 169.72 |
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| Better | Better | Better | Better | Better |
| -Better -Video Performance -Video Resolution -Overall Manual Control -Focus -Exposure -Shutter Speed -Still Features -Still Resolution -Still Perfomance -Low Light Performance -Audio -Battery -Widescreen -Jacks / Ports / Plugs -Other Features -Value |
-Better -Video Performance -Video Resolution -Overall Manual Control -Focus -Exposure -Shutter Speed -Still Features -Still Resolution -Still Perfomance -Low Light Performance -Audio -Battery -Widescreen -Jacks / Ports / Plugs -Other Features -Value |
-Better -Video Resolution -Overall Manual Control -Exposure -Shutter Speed -Gain -VCR Mode -Low Light Performance -Zoom Ratio -Audio -Portability -Battery -Widescreen -Other Features -Value |
-Better -Video Performance -Video Resolution -Still Features -Still Resolution -Still Perfomance -Battery -Widescreen -Value |
-Video Resolution -Battery -Value |
| Equal | Equal | Equal | ||
| -Gain -Other Manual Control -VCR Mode -Zoom Ratio -Handling -Portability -Compression -Media -Editing -24P/Scan Rates |
-Gain -Other Manual Control -VCR Mode -Zoom Ratio -Handling -Portability -Compression -Media -Editing -24P/Scan Rates |
-Focus -Other Manual Control -Wide Angle -Compression -Media -Editing -24P/Scan Rates -Jacks / Ports / Plugs |
-Automatic Control -Overall Manual Control -Zoom -Focus -Exposure -Shutter Speed -Gain -Other Manual Control -Ease Of Use -VCR Mode -LCD / Viewfinder -Audio -Handling -Portability -Compression -Media -Editing -24P/Scan Rates -Jacks / Ports / Plugs -Other Features |
-Video Performance -Automatic Control -Overall Manual Control -Zoom -Focus -Exposure -Shutter Speed -Shutter Speed -Gain -Other Manual Control -Ease Of Use -VCR Mode -Low Light Performance -Zoom Ratio -LCD / Viewfinder -Audio -Handling -Portability -Compression -Media -Editing -Widescreen -24P/Scan Rates -Jacks / Ports / Plugs -Other Features |
| Worse | Worse | Worse | ||
| -Automatic Control -Zoom -White Balance -Ease Of Use -Wide Angle -LCD / Viewfinder |
-Automatic Control -Zoom -White Balance -Ease Of Use -Wide Angle -LCD / Viewfinder |
-Video Performance -Automatic Control -Zoom -White Balance -Ease Of Use -Still Features -Still Resolution -Still Perfomance -LCD / Viewfinder -Handling |
-Low Light Performance -Zoom Ratio -Wide Angle |
-Still Features -Still Resolution -Still Perfomance -Wide Angle |
| Area | Weight | Raw | Adj. | Poss. |
| Video Performance | 4.00 | 5.10 | 20.40 | 20.00 |
| Front | 0.20 | 8.90 | 1.78 | 2.00 |
| Right | 0.30 | 8.75 | 2.63 | 3.00 |
| Back | 0.25 | 7.00 | 1.75 | 2.50 |
| Left | 0.20 | 6.00 | 1.20 | 2.00 |
| Top | 0.15 | 6.00 | 0.90 | 1.50 |
| Automatic Control | 0.50 | 9.50 | 4.75 | 5.00 |
| Overall Manual Control | 0.60 | 3.00 | 1.80 | 6.00 |
| Zoom | 0.75 | 8.00 | 6.00 | 7.50 |
| Focus | 0.70 | 4.00 | 2.80 | 7.00 |
| Exposure | 0.65 | 4.00 | 2.60 | 6.50 |
| Shutter Speed | 0.60 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.00 |
| White Balance | 0.55 | 7.50 | 4.13 | 5.50 |
| Gain | 0.50 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.00 |
| Still Perfomance | 1.20 | 3.50 | 4.20 | 12.00 |
| VCR Mode | 0.30 | 6.00 | 1.80 | 3.00 |
| Low Light Performance | 4.00 | 3.00 | 12.00 | 20.00 |
| LCD / Viewfinder | 0.60 | 9.30 | 5.58 | 6.00 |
| Audio | 1.00 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 10.00 |
| Handling | 1.25 | 7.00 | 8.75 | 12.50 |
| Jacks / Ports / Plugs | 0.80 | 4.50 | 3.60 | 8.00 |
| Other Features | 0.70 | 4.00 | 2.80 | 7.00 |
| Value | 1.25 | 2.00 | 2.50 | 12.50 |
| Total (weighted) | 94.46 | 170.50 |