Need help deciding which camcorder to buy?

Jerry K wrote on 2/2/2015, 6:32 PM

I'm looking to buy one of these Sony camcorders and need help deciding which one.

Sony model HDR-CX330 2014 camcorder vs the replacement model HDR-CX440 2015. These two camcorders are basically the same except for a few changes. I need help deciding which one to buy.

Here's my spin on the 2014 model HDR-CX330.
Battery 180 minutes vs CX440 115 minutes. Also the CX330 has a option of a larger capacity battery. The CX440 no option being the battery is internal, the CX330 is external.

Here's my spin on the HDR-CX440.

Both camcorders have a 26.8mm Wide-Angle G Len 30x Optical Zoom but the CX330 has a Sony lens, the CX440 has a Carl Zeiss lens.
The CX440 records XAVC S, AVCHD and MP4.
The CX330 only records AVCHD and MP4.
CX440 has 8GB Internal memory. The CX330 no internal memory.

My observation.

CX440 has XAVC S at 50Mbps. Is it that much better? Will it choke Vegas Pro 13 playback more the AVCHD 28Mbps? I have no idea.

CX330 has a longer battery record time and a option of a larger capacity battery which is nice.

Lens? Will the Carl Zeiss lens be any sharper then the Sony lens?

What's your spin on this?

Jerry K.

Comments

PeterDuke wrote on 2/3/2015, 1:20 AM

One thing that turned me off the cheaper cameras is that they didn't have a view finder. In bright sunlight it is a must have in my opinion.

Richard Jones wrote on 2/3/2015, 4:24 AM

I'm with you on that one Peter. The view finder is essential, a must have.'

Richard

Jerry K wrote on 2/3/2015, 10:58 AM

I agree 100% a view finder is nice to have and if I could buy a Sony low end camcorder with one I would. I own two pro camcorders with view finders and know how important they are out side.

This camcorder for my wife for shooting grandchildren and family and needs to be small and light weight. My wife for years have been using her iPad and iPhone for filming and lacks wide angle and a zoom lens. The Sony camcorder will meet that requirement plus give her articulating screen.

As far as low light shooting I have owned many home consumer camcorders Sony & Canon through the years and they have all been a waste of money for indoor shooting until now. I borrowed my son's Sony HDR-CX330 this past Christmas and even though the CMOS sensor is very small the video quality indoor with descent lighting was very good. Out door video quality was excellent with no blow out in the high lights. The gamma and black level was very good and on money on 90% of the clips.

Keep in mine these low end Sony camcorders use Sony BIONZ X image processing engine, which faithfully reproduces textures and details in real time, as seen by the naked eye. the BONZ X image processing engine is the same engine Sony uses in there more expensive high end cameras and camcorders.

Just go on YouTube and search HDR-CX240 or CX330 and see for your self.

Jerry K.

Lovelight wrote on 2/3/2015, 11:27 AM

Vegas 12 handles 50m xavcs well. I haven't tried multicam editing so be aware.
The CX 900 is a great cam on sale today at bhphoto for $1200. I imagine the models above with 1 inch sensor to be phenomenal.

xberk wrote on 2/3/2015, 11:37 AM

If this is for your wife, I'd go for the longer battery life as the most important thing. No battery. No video.

Lovelight wrote on 2/3/2015, 12:16 PM

Sony a6000 & 5t are great, but battery life is average.