HD Handycams

[CKS]

Hey guys - thinking of selling a 40D to get a HD Handcam (sony range) with 10.2 meg still shots, i think it will be suit for my needs.
Does anyone have one ?
Any opinions guys?
Tell me what ya reckon...

[HoldenOn]

Im the Sales Manager of Video Cameras at Big Retail Chain Store. The Handycam range of cameras are brilliant. I purchased a Sony DCRSR300 about 18mnths ago. This camera is the highest spec camera without being High Def. It takes 6mp still shots and they are absolutely brilliant. I have just purchased a brand new Pana Lumix DMC-TZ15 still camera as its smaller and easier to take those places where a video camera isnt req'd.

The range of High Def sony's being the HDRSR10,11,12 are brilliant cameras. The SR12 has a massive 120gb hdd but it does weigh quite a bit which can be a pain if lugging around all day taking pics or vids. The SR11 is a brilliant camera with similar specs except for smaller hdd, no view finder and weighs less.

Sony have all the features such as: CMOS sensor which is energy efficient and allows for multiple tasks being undertaken like smooth slow record. This feature is for taking a golf swing for example and taking 3 seconds of footage and slowing it down to jitter free and smooth as silk 12 seconds of footage to really check out that golf swing or tennis forehand etc. The sonys also have 5.1ch sound recording, so when playing back on your 5.1ch system, it is truly surround sound. They have touch screens which are worth their weight in gold. In 5 years, I have never had a sony camera returned with any problems from the screen. The touch screen allows you to control most features without having to look to the body of the camera, it also allows spot focusing as you can touch the area of which you want the camera to focus on. As you can see, the sony's are brilliant cameras and taking still photos are brilliant with them.

I think sony are bringing out a new range of Video Cameras in or around March. There are some brilliant prices out there for the outgoing models. Yes its always great to get the latest and greatest, but as with most items in my shop, price rises are fairly imminent. Some of our home theatre systems have gone up 25% from previous RRP.

Hope that helps. Any questions then PM or post up.

Regards
Matt

PS: Just a couple of pics that I took at Powercruise 2008 with my DCRSR300 6mp Sony Vid Camera;

http://i44.tinypic.com/r298uc.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/30s7sdd.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/2jfj47k.jpg