Camera and Camcorder AVCHD Video Converter

Sony’s HDR-CX100 is a high definition camcorder that captures 1920 x 1080 video in the AVCHD format to 8GB of internal flash memory or an optional Memory Stick Pro DUO memory card. It’s a lower priced entry in the HD flash camcorder category, coming in at $599.

Technical specifications for the CX100 can be found here. Video samples recorded with the CX100 can be found here. Please note that YouTube typically compresses video which reduces its quality.

Sony HDR-CX100 At a Glance

The Good: High quality video, touch screen display, nice feature set.

The Bad: Heavier than many flash camcorders, manual lens cover.

The CX100 records 1920 x 1080 video at a maximum bit rate of 16Mbps via a 1/5-inch, 2-megapixel CMOS sensor. The CX100 reproduces colors accurately and sharply and performs well in low light environments. Although Sony did not include its NightShot infrared mode, and there is no video light, there is a scene mode for low light shooting.

Occasionally, in bright environments I noticed the highlights were blown out, but overall users should be happy with the quality produced by the CX100. Keep in mind, at 16Mbps, it’s not the highest quality supported by the AVCHD format.

On the still photo side, the camcorder can shoot 2-megapixel stills during video recording or 4-megapixels using interpolation. Outdoors, the CX100 focuses quickly and the still photos looked crisp and color accurate. The performance ebbs somewhat indoors. It’s not the best dual-use product, but far from the worst.

Convert CX100 AVCHD .mts files to other format

Design

The CX100 has a rather boxy appearance which isn’t terribly thrilling to behold but is easy enough to handle and shoot with. It is, however, bulkier than many flash memory-based camcorders at 11 oz. with battery.

The camcorder offers an array of controls inside the LCD screen for playback, DVD burning, power, display and for activating the “easy” mode. On the exterior, Sony kept it to a simple record, photo and zoom.

On the style side, it’s available in silver, black or red. The only real knock on the design is the lens cover. It has one, which is great, but it’s manual, which isn’t.

Speaking of the lens, the CX100 packs a nice 10x optical zoom (see it in action here) with the company’s SteadyShot stabilization. It works quite well, as this video shot in a bouncing horse and buggy demonstrates.

Features

The CX100 has a nice assortment of features. On the video side, you’ll find face detection, manual focus, exposure and white balance adjustements and several scene modes including auto, twilight, candle, sunrise & sunset, fireworks, landscape, portrait, spotlight, beach, and snow. Manual focusing is done via the camcorder’s touch-screen LCD, which can get a little clumsy.

If you’re intimidated by the more advanced controls, the CX100 incorporates Sony’s “Easy Handycam” mode, which helpfully limits the features you can access and simplifies the menu.

On the still photo side, Sony included its Smile Shutter – a nice feature which will automatically snap a picture when your subject is smiling. You can also access manual focusing and exposure controls as well in photo mode.

Menu

The menu is accessed through a responsive 2.7-inch touch screen LCD. Sony makes good use of this touch-screen with its spot-focusing feature, which lets you designate a focus point by touching it on the display.

The CX100’s user-interface is less intuitive than it should be. You have to dig around a bit to find what you want. Although once you familiarize yourself with it, it’s easy enough to master.

The CX100 comes with 8GB of internal flash memory, enough to store nearly an hour of video at the highest quality setting. You can boost capacity by purchasing a Memory Stick PRO Duo memory card.

Thanks in part to its use of flash memory, the CX100 has a very fast start-up, springing to life the instant you open the LCD screen.

Flash in a Flash

Sony’s Handycam CX100 is an able flash memory camcorder that delivers high quality video and an attractive feature set. It’s a bulkier and boxier than other flash camcorders on the market, but is very responsive and starts up rapidly. Overall a good value at the price.