My initial impression of the Sony HDR-CX560V wasn't satisfying. Upon opening the factory sealed Sony Handycam box I was met with a small, plastic, piano black camcorder. Funny how it looked so much heftier on websites. Coming from the line of Sony MiniDV camcorders I've shot on for over a decade this lightweight contraption I held in my hands looked & felt more like a toy than a high end Sony Handycam. Perhaps it was a mistake to sell off one of my older MiniDV camcorders in favor of this new flash-based model. Maybe I had let consumer marketing mislead me about the new line of HD camcorders. At least that's what I thought...before using it.
For anyone even somewhat interested in camcorders & video editing software it's inevitable to catch wind of the ongoing battle against flash memory & MiniDV. Since its arrival in 1995 the DV format has proven itself reliable among both novices & professionals in the video scene. Although long rumored to capture video in an uncompressed format, MiniDV is actually compressed using DCT compression. This is a lossy compression algorithm a la MPEG-2 at a bit rate of 35 Mbit/s. That 35 Mbit/s is comprised of about 25 Mbit/s for video, 1.5 Mbit/s for audio and 8.5 Mbit/s for error correction. This still makes for a very powerful master copy which proves very convenient in post production editing. This combined with the dependability of a sixteen year track record makes MiniDV quite the heavyweight.
Taking all this into consideration it's important to note that Sony no longer develops MiniDV Handycam camcorders. Perhaps this subtle hint is an early warning sign for the potential fate of MiniDV technology altogether? Regardless, the argument at this point in time is compression issues with flash-memory camcorders. Are the bitrates as high as MiniDV? How many Mbit/s do they use? Are the AVCHD files as hard to work with in editing as reported? Well, let's take one thing at a time.
Flash-based camcorders have made a quantum leap from where they were just a few short years ago. I think we can all agree DVD & HDD camcorders were a bad idea, fading from the scene almost completely. However flash-memory camcorders have not only stuck around, they've evolved considerably. One doesn't have to look far to witness what is quickly becoming an electronic epidemic. Flash-based camcorders are everywhere & spreading. The technology is in iPods, smartphones, pocket camcorders, racing cams and even key chains. But popularity doesn't always mean better quality. In all honesty it often times just means hype. This is not the case with the Sony HDR-CX560V, however. After getting past the overall plastic feel of the unit I was impressed with it's performance.
No, the Mbit/s on this model aren't as high as MiniDV. As mentioned earlier MiniDV uses a total of 35 Mbit/s 25 of which are dedicated to video. The HDR-CX560V uses a maximum of 28mbps on the 60p setting. After shooting an hour long sunset (see attached video) on this recording level I accumulated an AVCHD file of just under 12GB. For those wondering the MiniDV footage I've used over the years would be anywhere between 10 to 15GBs per hour upon uploading to my computer. As you can see the Sony HDR-CX560V is literally neck & neck with MiniDV footage in terms of megabytes. Quite impressive. Even after the footage was rendered three times & sped up to compensate for time the video still looks decent (as demonstrated in the attached video).
It should be noted, however, AVCHD files recorded at 60p have no real output source other than viewing on a PC. At the current time Blu-Ray & even AVCHD discs themselves don't support the 1080 60p files. What does this mean in plain English? Basically if you're planning on burning a Blu-Ray disc with 60p files you'll have to render them down first. Using Sony Vegas Pro 10 I have no trouble importing these files then rendering them onto Blu-Ray in 60i. I then save the original 60p file to an external hard drive for an optimal master copy. Of course the CX560V gives you the option to shoot in several different modes. These include:
FX Mode: Approx. 24Mbps (1920x1080)
FH Mode: Approx. 17Mbps (1920x1080)
HQ Mode: Approx. 9Mbps 1440x1080)
LP Mode: Approx. 5Mbps (1440x1080)
STD HQ Mode: 9Mbps (720x480)
The Sony HDR-CX560V also gives you the option of shooting in 24p (to replicate film) with a 1920x1080 pixel ratio. I've played with this option a little but don't personally care for it. To me the finished product simply has a slo-mo effect, not really a film-like effect. However, this is a personal preference, others may disagree & enjoy using it. Recording time on internal 64GB memory is as follows:
PS Mode: 5 Hours & 15 Minutes
FX Mode: 6 Hours & 10 Minutes
FH Mode: 8 Hours & 25 Minutes
HQ Mode: 11 Hours & 20 Minutes
LP Mode: 21 Hours & 30 Minutes
STD Mode: 14 Hours & 25 Minutes
Picture quality is very decent. Keep in mind I'm burning to Blu-Ray discs so the picture quality is expected to look good. For what it's worth my final cuts on Blu-Ray look twice as sharp as anything I've shot on standard definition MiniDV & rendered to DVD...but again, this is to be expected. I'm still quite a fan of the HDV files that other HD MiniDV camcorders produce and understand why serious editors wouldn't want to stray from that medium. The AVCHD generated by the CX560V files seem bulky in comparison, not so much in file size but in overall horsepower to run them. I'm running a quad CPU with a dedicated graphics card so it's not so much a problem on my end but is something I wanted fellow consumers to be aware of.
Battery life is decent when using the NP-FV100 battery (sold separately; of course) and is right on par with the estimated life expectancy on the package (roughly 6 to 8 hours depending on how you`re shooting). The unit comes supplied with a NP-FV50 which might give you an hour of recording time if used sparingly. I've found it's more convenient to use this battery as a backup. Shooting primarily on the NP-FV100 & keeping the fully charged FV50 in my bag for those "just in case" moments while on the road. It's always struck me as unfair when companies skimp on their included camcorder batters, but I suppose by now we all now the routine. Getting a new camcorder? Add a battery that actually runs the unit to the list of mandatory accessories.
There has been a lot of praise over the USB transfer system on the HDR-CX560V as opposed to traditional firewire (realtime) uploads. Simply drag & drop the files from your camcorder to your PC without having to play back the entire shoot. Well, that works well in theory, but the only problem is when transferring AVCHD files (especially the ones shot in 60p) it will literally take just as long to transfer on the 2.0 USB system as it would during a playback firewire upload. Case in point, the hour of footage I mentioned earlier took one hour to transfer from the CX560V to my computer.
The most common complaint about this unit is the lack of manual controls that can be used together & the unresponsive touchscreen. Being able to control only one element of exposure at a time might be frustrating to some who like to be at the wheel fulltime. One review mentioned "if you set the shutter speed to 1/60 you loose all other control. It is possible to set the shutter speed and then assign AE shift to the control dial which gives some control, but the camera decides what to do with gain and iris." Something to keep in mind. *see update at bottom
In regards to the touch screen, (which is 3.0') I personally haven't found it any more difficult to use than any other of the Sony touchscreen camcorders I've used in the past. Sometimes it takes one or two extra presses to get a response, could just be me not pressing hard enough the first time though.
The Sony CX560V is capable of taking still pictures of up to 12.3 mega pixels, although it's not a feature I use at all & is designed to be expanded with (I believe) up to 32GB of internal flash card memory. This feature is accessible with both SD cards & Sony Memory Sticks. It also has a GPS feature (which seems unnecessary to me) allowing you to view a map of where certain scenes were filmed on the unit's 3.0' LCD screen.
Equipped with a Sony Wide Angle G-Lens the CX560V has a superb range for capturing true widescreen footage. Finding a lens hood to accommodate it is a different story though. Don't be fooled into purchasing a lens hood advertising compatibility with the CX560V unless you read the reviews thoroughly. A lot of websites will list a 37mm hood as universally compatible with any 37mm lens camcorders. Translation: the lens hood ring will mount to the 37mm lens but because of the wide angle captured by the CX570V the hood will be visible around the edges of the shot.
Shooting in low light settings has often been bothersome for me. The HDR-CX560V has a 1/2.88" (6.2mm) Back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS Sensor for just this problem. Videos result in twice as much clarity as I'm used to with my old DCR-HC48 in dim atmospheres. Also if shooting in the dark the unit comes with a night shot infrared system, which means footage will have a green tint but at least it's there if you need it. Of course what Handycam would be complete without the image stabilizer which is also included, on this model, to reduce shaky video.
Overall I'm very pleased with the Sony HDR-CX560V. Converting to Flash from MiniDV was a cautious step for me, but from what I've seen the technology is only trailing by a nose. Although I'm still holding onto my Sony HDR-HC9 for reassurance (or paranoia) the CX560V has really impressed me with what it can accomplish.
Some specs of interest:
Scene Modes:
Auto
Twilight
Twilight Portrait (Photo Mode only)
Sunrise & Sunset
Fireworks
Landscape
Portrait
Spotlight
Beach
Snow
Convenience Features:
Quick On (Powered On By LCD)
Auto Lens Cover
Red Eye Reduction
Cinema Tone (To Deepen Color & Recreate Film-Like Color Tones)
10x Optical Zoom (14x Extended Zoom)
120x Digital Zoom
Wind Noise Reduction
What's included in the box? Here you go:
Rechargeable Battery Pack (NP-FV50)
Component A/V Cable
CD-ROM (with Handycam Application Software)
AC Adaptor
A/V Connecting Cable
Remote Control (RMT-835 with Battery)
Power Cord
USB Connection Support Cable
Operating Guide
*Update: (04/19/2012) It has been mentioned on other websites & consumer reviews that holding down the center button inside the focus ring for two seconds will allow the user to select which manual setting they want to change. For example: hold the center button down for two seconds then select your IRIS value, hold it down for another two seconds and you should see the message "IRIS control set". Press & hold the center button down for an additional two seconds to select whichever other setting you want to set.
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