Sony Handycam DCR-SR62 30 GB Camcorder - Gray

This is a great video camera, it feels light, compact, neatly put together, and there should be no doubt about it, its a Sony product - they are all like this! However, I couldn't tell why this camera was better than DCR-SR40, or DCR-SR42 - which are at most $200 cheaper. So I had to call Sony Sales to have them explain to me that this camera DCR-SR62 has a VIDEO resolution which is 3 times better than DCR-SR42. If you go to the Sony website you find that DCR-SR62 offers 670K Pixels, while DCR-SR42 offers only 260K Pixels. This pixel increase made the decision clear for me since I didnt care about the decreased Zoom for DCR-SR62 (25X and not 40X as DCR-SR42).

A few other things to consider:
This camera is so easy to use - it doesnt need the EASY Button feature that it offers (except for the fact that the Easy Button is the only way that I was able to get the Image Stabilization Feature).

The camera doesn't bring its own case, or light - you would need to buy those, and cost around $40 for each.

Finally, there probably is another camera (JVC, Panasonic)out there that offers the same basic features as this camera, 30gb, stabilization, battery time etc. Since you are buying the camera on Amazon and don't get to try the camera features, you should make your decision upon the video resolution they offer. Look for Actual Video resolution information in the company's websites or call the company's sales department. The range of resolution for this price should be somewhere between 300-700K, 700 being the best resolution.

This is highly portable. You cannot beat the size, it is like carrying a picture camera. If you buy one of the larger batteries you can record non stop for about 12hrs in low def. mode. You can actually store about 20hrs of video. The larger battery charges in about 1hr and it is ready to go again. The video quality is not the best, but it is not bad either. Once you have the software set up in your computer, the upload to the computer takes about a couple of minutes depending on how much video you have. It is a lot faster than the capturing of Hi-8 and DVD camcorders. The software is really easy to use and to the point. The nightshot plus function is awesome in low light situations. This little camera is one of the best in low light settings for a hardrive camera. The only way that you can get a better video quality in low light setups in a harddrive camcorder is to buy the high definition camcorder that cost over a thousand dollars. For the price it is really nice. Also, you will never need to buy extra media for your camcorder, you don't have to worry if you are going to be able to find the media on vacation.Even when other media will go out of stile, such as HI-8 and eventually DVD, your memories are in digital format. In the future you will have no trouble tranferring all of your videos from digital format in your computer to blu-ray or HP's high definition disks. If you plan to be gone on vacation for a several weeks you could easily fit 20 hrs of video into your camcorder, forget about taking 5-10 extra accessories. Did I mention that it is next to weightless?

I purchased this camera to take on a vacation trip to Disney World. The size and weight of this camera made it so easy to carry with me every day! The camera did very well with low light conditions and has great sound when played back. Since it only has a screen and no viewfinder it is sometimes hard to see outside. (Maybe Sony will offer a detachable viewfinder soon !!) I also purchased the Sony VRD MC3 stand-alone DVD recorder. It was so simple to attach the camera and push one button to burn the movies to DVD !! I took nine dvd's of video on our vacation and it was wonderful. The only drawback is the stock battery that came with the camera. It does not offer very long use (about an hour) and you should consider a battery upgrade, but they are expensive ($70 to $180)and they seem a little pricey to me.
Overall, I am glad that I got this camera. I plan to use it a lot in the future. The VRD-MC3 recorder will also burn dvd's from other sources (VCR tapes, I-Link digital recorders.) so I can convert all of my old 8mm tapes and VCR tapes to dvd !!!

I think the camera is worth the money. If you need a camera that is not bulky or heavy and has good usability This is it. 30GB is more than enough for looong trips. ***Keep in mind if you have a big flat TV and HD and all that, you might be use to look at a better quality picture than what you will get with this camera. The fact that the screen is big like a 42" it requires higher resolution to get a better image. Still good though.

I bought the Hadycam three weeks ago and was immediately impressed with the number of features available on this inexpensive camcorder. It has a 1M-pixel camera, video camera, and 30gb Hard Drive. The size is perfect for carrying, and the battery has a pretty good lifespan. I recommend the phone if you're on a budget. Its Exellent A+++++++++++++++

Just get it! You be happy you did! The best cam there is! ;-)
I have owned this camera and others and nothing else can stand close to the sound and picture quality. Not to mention how easy it is to use. This Cam is worth twice the retail price! Shhh... Don't tell Sony That! lol Have a Great Day!