IN THE BAG YOU GET

Remote Commander® Remote Control (RMT-835)

Multi A/V Cable (Stereo)

Power Adapter/In-Camera Charger (AC-L200)

Handycam Station™ cradle (DRCA-C200)

InfoLITHIUM® Rechargeable Battery (NP-FH60)

Component Video Cable

USB Cable

Product Profile

IT REALLY DOSEN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS HI-DEF HANDYCAM, PERFECT CONDITION.

 

HDR-SR12 120GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder

Model number: HDR-SR12

1920x1080 Recording

Record stunning, incredibly detailed video footage in the clarity of 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution.

BIONZ™ Image Processor

The advanced Sony BIONZ™ Image Processor uses hardware-based Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuitry that improves camera response time, screens out noise before RAW data conversion, handles Dynamic Range Optimization processing, and prolongs battery life.

Dual Record

While recording video in High Definition you have the ability to capture still images directly to Memory Stick Duo™ media (sold separately).

Built-in zoom microphone with 5.1ch recording

Featuring Dolby® Ditigal 5.1 Creator, the built-in zoom microphone focuses audio recording on your subjects in sync with the camera’s zoom lens, helping memories ring true with clear dialogue and crisp, discrete sounds.

Tele Macro Function

Images shot in the Tele Macro Mode help your subject stand out by properly focusing the subject while leaving the background unfocussed. The Tele Macro Mode is useful for shooting close-up shots, especially when you need to prevent the camcorder from casting a shadow on the subject.

Active Interface Shoe

Sony’s proprietary hot shoe makes it easy to use Intelligent Accessories, such as external lights and microphones, by providing power and on/off capability directly from the camcorder.

InfoLITHIUM® Battery with AccuPower™ Meter System

Unlike NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) batteries, Sony's rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries are not subjected to a life shortening "Memory Effect," so you’re free to charge the battery at any time. Additionally, Sony's exclusive AccuPower™ meter displays the battery time remaining in minutes, in either the viewfinder or on the LCD screen.

Built-in Intelligent Flash

For added clarity and detail when taking pictures in low-light situations, the built-in flash improves pictures and reduces shadows.

5 Megapixel ClearVid™ CMOS Sensor (with Exmor™ Technology) and BIONZ™ Image Processor

Sony's newly designed CMOS image sensor delivers bright, vivid, and spectacularly detailed 5 megapixel (effective) video footage, as well as 10.2 megapixel still images -- all with prolonged battery life. Exmor™ technology captures images with high resolution and high sensitivity. In addition, the advanced Sony BIONZ™ image processor improves camera response time and screens out noise so the signal from each pixel is as pure as possible.

Hybrid Recording to Hard Disk Drive or Memory Stick® Media

Hybrid recording technology delivers a new level of flexibility for transferring your video footage and digital photos from the camcorder to compatible viewing devices. Record to the camcorder’s internal hard disk drive, or choose instead to record to removable Memory Stick Duo™ media or Memory Stick PRO Duo™ media. You can even select from various dubbing functions to easily copy video or still images from the hard disk drive to Memory Stick media -- without using a PC. Images recorded or transferred to Memory Stick media can then be played directly on a PS3 or PC to share your memories with friends and family.

3.2" Wide¹ (16:9) Touch Panel XtraFine LCD™ Display (921K pixels)

The 3.2" Wide¹ (16:9) XtraFine™ LCD screen displays sharp, bright, photo-quality images, letting you compose and share video and still images more easily -- even outdoors. With nearly 1 megapixel (921K pixels) resolution and a wide viewing angle, the XtraFine LCD™ screen is like having a high-resolution video and photo viewer built into your camcorder.

Dynamic Range Optimizer

Powered by the exclusive Sony’s BIONZ™ high-speed processing engine, D-Range Optimization preserves image data in bright highlights, such as suppressing “whiteout” in skies. When shooting in backlit settings, D-Range Optimization reveals more detail in shadows, preventing “blackout.” As a result, the captured image appears as natural as the original scene.

Professional Quality Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T Lens

Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T lenses use highly advanced optics to deliver vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation, and perfect renditions of subtle tones. The additional T coating further reduces unwanted glare and flare for increased contrast and color.

USB 2.0 Interface⁶

The USB 2.0 interface⁶ provides an easy way to connect yourcamcorderto a PC for fast transfer of video and still images for editing.

Battery Information

At the touch of a button, battery information is displayed on the LCD screen when charging and when the camcorder is turned off. When using the LCD screen or viewfinder, the display will show how much the battery is charged -- in 10% increments -- and the recordable time left.

Date Index Function

Search recorded content by shooting date to quickly and easily find a specific scene.

Face Detection for Video Footage and Digital Still Photos

Made possible by the BIONZ™ image processing engine, Face Detection technology recognizes up to 8 faces anywhere in the frame and automatically controls focus, exposure, and color to help capture smiling faces brightly and clearly. Face Detection also helps make skin tones look natural without affecting other colors in the image.

Exmor™ Imaging Sensor

Exmor™ technology captures video and still photo images with high resolution, high sensitivity, and exceptional detail. Advanced on-sensor A/D conversion yields rich tonal reproduction with high signal-to-noise ratio.

12X Optical / 150X Digital Zoom

The optical zoom helps to bring the action close up from far away. In addition, Digital Zoom Interpolation means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zoom.

Dolby® Digital 5.1ch Recording

Record in Dolby Digital 5.1ch surround sound with the camcorder’s built-in microphone. Recording in 5.1 channel surround sound allows you to experience your home movies with active sounds coming from all directions, so you can enjoy your personal home movies the way you experienced them while recording.

Switchable HD/SD Format Recording

Record and play back both High Definition (HD)⁴ and Standard Definition (SD) video.

HDMI™ Connection with BRAVIA® Sync™ (CEC) Technology

HDMI™ connectivity provides a simple, high-quality video and audio connection, with the ability to transmit HD video and 5.1 channel audio directly from the camcorder to compatible HDTVs via a single cable. With BRAVIA® Sync™ (CEC) technology, the HDMI connection also delivers the ability to control both the camcorder and HDTV using a single BRAVIA TV remote.

Stamina® Battery Power Management System

When using the Sony InfoLITHIUM® Battery, the Stamina® Battery Power Management System helps the camcorder prolong battery life for extra long continuous recording times from a single charge.7

Easy Handycam Button

Using a camcorder can be intimidating for some people. With a press of the Easy Handycam Button, most of the advanced features of the camcorder are "locked out," letting you focus only the buttons essential for recording

Product Specifications

Convenience Features

Multiple Language Display : Yes

BRAVIA® Sync™ : Yes

Hardware

Assignable Dial : Yes

Light/Flash : Yes

Manual / Auto Lens Cover : Auto

Media Card slot : Memory Stick PRO Duo™ Media

S/S & Zoom button on LCD : Yes

Power

Battery Type : InfoLITHIUM® with AccuPower™ Meter System (NP-FH60)

Power Requirements : 7.2V (battery pack); 8.4V (AC Adaptor)

Power Consumption (in Operation) : 4.5W/4.8W/4.9W

Video

Format : HD: MPEG4 AVC/H.264 SD: MPEG2

Video Signal : NTSC color, EIA standards

Audio

Audio Format : Dolby® Digital 5.1

Microphone : Built-in Zoom Microphone

Display

LCD Screen : 3.2" wide1 touch panel Xtra Fine LCD™ display (921k pixels)

Viewfinder : Color Wide 16:9 (123K Pixels)

Inputs and Outputs

Audio/Video Remote Terminal : Yes

Analog Audio/Video Output(s) : Included (via A/V Remote Terminal)

Digital Audio/Video Output(s) : Yes (via USB)

USB Port(s) : Hi-speed (2.0 compliant)

Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Output(s) : Included (via A/V Remote Terminal)

HDMI™ Connection Output(s) : Yes (mini)

Headphone Jack : Yes

Microphone Input : Yes

S-Video Output(s) : Available via A/V Remote (cable not included)

Active Interface Shoe : Yes

Service and Warranty Information

Limited Warranty Term : Limited Warranty --- 1 Year Parts; 90 Days Labor

Video Features

PhotoTV HD : Yes

Convenience

Face Detection : Yes

Image Stabilization : O.I.S.

Low Light Capability : S-NS

Dynamic Range Optimizer : Yes

Quick On : Yes

x.v.Color™ : Yes

Removable Flash Media Compatibility : Tested to support up to 8GB media capacity; does not support high speed transfer function; does not support Access Control security function.

Dual Record : Yes

Face Index : Yes

Film Roll Index : Yes

Still Image Mode(s) : JPEG

Digital Picture Effect(s) : Old Movie

Hybrid : Yes

Fader Effect(s) : Black, White

Hybrid Plus : N/A

Picture Effect(s) : Sepia, Monotone, Pastel

Exposure : Touch Panel

Scene Mode(s) : Auto, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Candle, Sunrise & Sunset, Fireworks, Landscape, Portrait (Soft Portrait), Spotlight, Beach, Snow

USB Streaming : N/A

Dubbing Button : Yes (Camera body & Handycam Station)

Photo Capture from Movie : Yes

PictBridge Compatible : Yes

Easy Operation : Yes

Slide Show Mode : Yes

Accessory Shoe : Yes (Active Interface Shoe)

White Balance : 5 lux(Auto Slow Shutter ON, 1/30 Shutter Speed)

General

Imaging Device : 1/3" ClearVid™ CMOS sensor (with Exmor™ technology)

Processor : BIONZ™ image processo

Pixel Gross : 5660K

Video Actual : 2860K Pixels (4:3), 3810K Pixels (16:9)

Video Resolution : 1920 x 1080

Still Actual : 5080K Pixels (4:3), 3810K Pixels (16:9)

Still Picture Resolution : 10.2 megapixel

Recording Media : 120GB9 Non-Removable Hard Disk Drive, Memory Stick Duo™ Media, Memory Stick PRO Duo™ Media

Recording and Playback Times : High Definition: FH = 14 hours 50 min. HQ = 29 hours and 40 min. SP = 36 LP = 48 hours Standard Definition: HQ = 29 hours and 40 min. SP = 44 hours LP = 84 hours and 20 min.When using 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duo™ Media (sold separately): High Definition: FH = up to 55 min., HQ = up to 115 min. SP = up to 140 min., LP = up to 180 min. Standard Definition: HQ = up to 115 min., SP = up to 170 min., LP = up to 5 hours 25 min.

Optics/Lens

Lens Type : Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T

35mm Equivalent : 49 - 588mm (4:3 Camera Mode),40 - 480mm (16:9 Camera Mode)

Aperture : F1.8-3.1

Digital Zoom : 150x

Filter Diameter : 37mm

Focal Distance : 4.9 - 58.8mm

Focus : Full range auto / Manual

Progressive Shutter Mode : Yes

Shutter Speed : Auto, 1/30 - 1/250 (Scene Selection Mode)

Minimum Illumination : 5 lux (Auto Slow Shutter ON, 1/30 Shutter Speed)

Optical Zoom : 12x

Weights and Measurements

Weight (Approx.) : 1 lb 6oz (650g) with Battery

Dimensions (Approx.) : 3 3/8 x 3 x 5 1/2 inch (83x76x138mm)

Support

Find related product support and help in Sony eSupport

Owner's Manual

 

Rated 4.3 out of 5 stars

Sony Handycam HDR-SR12

By Derek Fung | May 20, 2008 | 39

www.cnet.com

Review

 

9.1
CNET Rating 

Depending on how you look at it, following up on what we regard as the best consumer high-def camcorder yet is either a task of Herculean proportions or a lay down misère. Thankfully for Sony's engineers it was more of the latter than the former. Replacing last year's highly regarded SR7 and SR8 twins are the — wait for it — Handycam HDR-SR11 and SR12. Hard-disk capacity is the only technical difference between the two; the SR11 has 60GB, while the SR12 boasts 120GB.

Design
Thanks to the grey and black colour scheme, not to mention the ribbed metal lens barrel, the SR11/SR12 twins are one classy pair. However, only the keenest would be able to pick out the differences that mark out these units from their predecessors. As the dimensions, shape and weight have only changed a little, the top of the line Sony range can be held steadily in the hand — either with the LCD out or looking through the tiltable viewfinder — for long periods of time; for those who are interested, the SR11/SR12 measures 83mm wide, 138mm deep and 76mm high, and weighs 560g.

There are a host of detailed improvements including covers for external inputs and outputs, as well as the hotshoe, power and headphone jack, which slide from open to closed and back again with well defined precision. The standard battery pack now no longer protrudes out of the back of the camera like an ugly grey boil. Additionally, the zoom toggle and photo shoot button, sitting at the rear on the top side of the camera, are now angled ever so slightly up towards the user.

More noticeable, and appreciated, is the rejigged manual control switch. Sited as before on the bottom left of the lens barrel, it has been transformed from a difficult to use scroll wheel into a delightful-to-touch metallic dial with a button in the centre. Initially set to control manual focus, it can be configured for easy manual control of exposure, auto exposure shift or white balance shift.

The flipout LCD touchscreen has grown from 2.7 to 3.2 inches. In tandem with the increased pixel count — now 1920x480 — the new screen had little angels popping up on our shoulder singing "Joy to the World". As before, all settings are accessed via menus on the LCD screen. This allows for a cleaner external design with fewer buttons; however, you do have to stab at the screen a few times to tinker with settings from exposure to X.V. Colour. Also, those of us who prefer shooting with the electronic viewfinder are forced to flip the LCD out whenever a tweak is desired. Thankfully you can start and stop recording in all menu screens, except when in playback mode.

As before, the menu system is split into two halves, with camera/video settings — such as focus, macro, exposure, AE shift, white balance, zoom microphone and recording quality setting — residing under one menu, while other less accessed settings — like zebra, guidelines, red-eye reduction, SD or HD recording, face detection, etc. — are under the Home menu. Once you've learnt the system settings aren't too hard to find, but if you're new and searching for settings in a hurry you'd better have the Advanced Hair number handy from all the hair pulling you'll be doing.

Features
Other notable new features, apart from the increased hard-disk capacity, include the 12x zoom lens (up from 10x), face detection and the ability to record video straight onto removable media — naturally, being a Sony device, that means Memory Stick Pro Duo. Movies and images can also be copied from the hard disk to Memory Stick from within the camera.

Making their return are Face Index and Film Roll Index. Face Index, which is more easily accessed from within the playback menu, uses the camera's face detection to generate a clickable index of people within each clip. While with Film Roll Index, each clip is previewed by a series of thumbnail snapshots taken at user-specified intervals, for example every three seconds for short clips and every few minutes for epics. Slow motion recording, which reduces playback speed by a third, is again present. However the resolution is still poor and Sony has yet to find a way of letting us record more than four seconds of footage.

As with most Sony camcorders there's an "easy mode" button that increases on-screen button size and takes away most manual settings; it's great if you're lending the camera to technophobes, but nigh on useless day-to-day. Rounding out the spec sheet are optical image stabilisation, hot shoe, headphone and microphone jacks, shooting priority, infrared night shooting and a night light cum camera flash.

The supplied dock allows you to charge the camera, transfer photos and videos, review your footage on a TV screen and, via the "one touch record" button, burn the next 2001: A Space Odyssey onto DVD. All of this (except the one-touch record function) is also possible without the dock, it does however prove to be a nice way of reducing cable clutter.

Performance
Sony has upgraded the CMOS sensor from 3.2 megapixels to 5.6 megapixels. The prominent 10.2-megapixel branding on the camera refers to the interpolated resolution of the camera's still images — naughty, Sony, naughty. Marketing indiscretion aside, at maximum video quality (16Mbps 1920x1080i) pictures were superb. In good light, footage we shot was detailed and crisp with only the slightest hint of artefacting; colour response was good too. Low light response is slightly better than in last year's models, with less apparent graininess; focus, though, is still frequently lost when subjects move around.

According to Sony, the SR12's 120GB hard-disk is good for 880 minutes of hi-def footage. Sharpness decreases and artefacts become more noticeable as you step down through the quality settings; at the lowest level (5Mbps 1440x1080), 2,880 minutes of footage can be crammed onto the SR12. Unless you're prepping to be a contestant on the Amazing Race, though, there's no real need to. There's also the option of recording in standard-def, but that's best left alone unless you're scratching around with your last precious gigabyte.

In all likelihood you'll run out of juice well before you run short of bytes. With the standard battery only good for about 90 minutes of recording time, we think that most SR11/SR12 buyers will have to invest in extra batteries. For a pound of flesh, Sony does offer long-lasting batteries, as well as an external battery charger. Once you add in a mini-HDMI cable, you could be looking at an additional AU$300 to AU$400 of spending.

Conclusion
It's definitely a case of gentle evolution but with the SR11/SR12 offering slightly more for slightly less, that's no bad thing. If you've already got an SR7/SR8 in the kitbag you needn't worry about obsolescence, but for those wanting to make the jump into high-def video recording, either the SR11 or SR12 is the camera to get. The usual caveats apply though: you must have a high-def television, plenty of processing power and storage on your computer, and, last but not least, plenty of time to edit your footage

Price

·         AU$2,199.00

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The Good

·         Great image quality

·         Vast storage capacity

·         Big, crisp LCD screen

·         Easy to hand hold for extended periods

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The Bad

·         Battery only good for 90 minutes

·         Touchscreen menus require familiarity

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Quick Specs

Camera

·         LCD screen size : 3.2 inch

·         Storage format : Hard Disk, Flash Memory

·         Optical Zoom : 12 x

General

·         Weight : 560 g

Image Capture

·         Image stabilisation : Optical