Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder

The make and model of the camcorder are going to be very important when choosing a camcorder.

Generally it is best to stick to a familiar name, a manufacturer that has been in the business for a while and that you know you can trust, like JVC, Samsung, and Fujifilm.

Of course one of the most important steps in finding the right digital camcorder is finding one with all of the features that you are looking for. Maybe you want to focus on optical zoom, or maybe a larger sized screen is what matters to you.

Figure out what you are mainly going to be using the camcorder for, and then decide on the features that are very important to you.

Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder

It is a good idea to get a digital camcorder that can also take still shots too as this makes it so much more convenient to take both video and stills at the same event.

Otherwise, you would have to carry along both a digital camera and a digital camcorder at the same time and switch back and forth.

Getting a camcorder that allows you to take still digital shots eliminates this hassle. Often the camcorder will even have a built-in flash for low light camera situations too.

Most often the digital pictures are saved onto a removable media card that you can use to upload them to your computer and print them out later on.

Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder

Of course one of the most important steps in finding the right digital camcorder is finding one with all of the features that you are looking for.

Maybe you want to focus on optical zoom, or maybe a larger sized screen is what matters to you.

Figure out what you are mainly going to be using the camcorder for, and then decide on the features from here.

There are a few other options to consider, if a digital camcorder uses a rechargeable batteries, if the digital camcorder has a standard flash memory, and if the menus are easy to understand.

If you travel a lot, you may want a digital camcorder that is lightweight and compact.

Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder

This review is from: Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder (Blue) (Electronics)

After a lot of searching and comparing I decided to purchase the sony handycam dcr-sr68. I was starting a documentary business and did not have a lot of money to get going, so cost was a factor. I am extremely happy with the quality of video I get from this lightweight camcorder. Highlights: very lightweight, cost effective, incredible 60x zoom, great battery life (recorded over 4 hours and the battery was still going strong), very easy to use with the touchscreen, takes still photos that are good (not great) quality, easy to use touchscreen, software that comes with it makes it easy to convert the files to wmv files and you can burn directly to a dvd in one touch, internal memory is amazing-80gb internal and you can also add a media card. I recorded 4 hours and didnt even use half of the space. Downfalls: recording sound outdoors is not so good. You can hear yourself well, but others not so well. Indoors it is great. Overall, very happy!

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This review is from: Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder (Red) (Electronics)

I couldn't believe Sony came out with a large hard drive camcorder, a zoom capability beyond my expectation and the famous Carl Zeiss lens. My only disappointment was unavailabile extra batteries. I like to have two on hand, especially when an electrical outlet is not nearby.

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This review is from: Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder (Blue) (Electronics)

I was trying to decide between this and the ZI8 camcorders. The ZI8 was cheaper and HD but didn't offer as much. I was able to try out both of them at a local store and was very dissatisfied with the ZI8 so ended up getting this one. I couldn't be happier. The only thing this one doesn't offer is HD, which is a shame, but for the price it's a great little camcorder. It may be a little hard to use for guys with large hands but it's not that bad once you get used to it. Great quality, great zoom, built in light and zoom mic, multiple shooting modes. The software that came with it doesn't work, and from what I've read I'm not the only one that has had trouble with it. There are plenty of free programs online that do work however and do a much better job anyway so it's not a problem.

Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder

You need to understand the zoom feature ,and how it works, so you get what you need when you buy.

There two kinds of zooms used on digital camcorders, the optical zoom and the digital zoom. An optical zoom refers to the lens capability itself and zooms in on a subject before it is digitally recorded.

Digital zoom basically blows up the scene in a digital format. The problem with digital zoom is that when you zoom in on a subject the video becomes pixilated and blocky with little squares giving the video a blurred and distorted look.

Sony DCR-SR68 80GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder

So try to rely on the optical zoom as much as possible for most shots, and choosing a camera that has at least a 10z optical zoom should work fine.