Performance

The Sony HDR-UX1 is equipped with a 1/3" CMOS sensor, the same chip found on the HDR-HC3, the HDR-SR1, and the DCR-DVD505. This chip offers 2.1 gross MP (that’s 2,100,000 pixels). In 16:9 aspect ratio, the chip produces 1.43 effective MP, and in 4:3, it produces 1.08 effective MP. This chip produced killer results in the HDR-HC3 and DCR-DVD505, some of our favorite camcorders in their respective categories. Now we have the new high definition AVCHD compression to factor into the equation. Let’s see how it did.

High Definition

At 3000 lux, the HDR-UX1 produced a familiar image. It is indeed a close relative of the HDR-HC3. The colors are strong, with an even saturation all around. This is a little more saturation than you would find in a professional camcorder, but right on par with consumer camcorders. In the consumer world, it’s often a question of finding the balance between "enough to make the image pop" and "Ow, those colors hurt my eyes." Thankfully, Sony seems to have found the balance. In terms of color reproduction, though, the HDR-UX1 is much closer to the DCR-DVD505. The overall brightness and the yellow-green portion of the spectrum seems to witness most of the difference. In the HDR-HC3, the picture is brighter overall, and the yellow is a strong canary color. In the DCR-DVD505 and the HDR-UX1, the image is slightly darker, the yellow more of a goldenrod, and the greens not quite as strong as the rest of the spectrum. The cause of this color processing is unknown.

Next is the question everyone want to know. How sharp does it look? We are happy to report that this is definitely HD-quality video, and not just HD-*sized*. The HDR-UX1 did a great job reporting fine detail. But noise is definitely an issue. There seems to have been a steady decline in Sony’s ability to control noise level since their introduction of consumer HD camcorders. The HDR-HC3 was noisier than the HDR-HC1 and now we’re sorry to say that the HDR-UX1 is noisier still, and the heavy AVCHD compression is likely the contributing factor to that increase. There was noise is everything we shot, bright light and low light, indoor and outdoor, against flat backgrounds and against detailed shots. The noise did not seem to cost the camcorder much in its fine detail rendering, but there’s no way you won’t notice it. We saw compression artifacts in the footage like blockiness and poor handling of color gradients. It's really too bad because the picture is so sharp and so well-colored, that it isn't compressed as well as it could be.This does not bode well for the first generation of AVCHD, and forced us to factor that into the score.

Against the Sony DCR-DVD505, the HDR-UX1 was much sharper, naturally. But because the DVD505 did not have so much detail, it was actually better equipped to mask the noise.

The Canon HV10 was clearly the victor over the HDR-UX1 in color performance and in compression. It had the same great color balance as the HDR-HC3, but the picture was sharper overall. With a slightly higher contrast, the object edges looked cleaner. Most importantly, though, the Canon HV10 has remarkably low noise levels. In this regard, it absolutely trumped everything that Sony had to offer. Blown up on a big screen, this is the image we would want to see.

Standard Resolution

As with all consumer HD camcorders, you can also shoot in standard definition, if you like. This allows for more shooting time per disc, and it may also alleviate some editing aggravations until a suitable AVCHD workflow is in place.

At 3000 lux in standard definition, the HDR-UX1 produced the same great image as it did in high definition – minus, of course, the definition. No, a 720 x 480 image can’t really compete with 1920 x 1080, even if the colors look the same. The image quality is about on par with the DCR-DVD505, as you might expect – both are using identical sensors and compression methods. The noise appears to be just as bad as the HDR-UX1’s HD footage, though, which knocks it down a point against the DVD505.

The JVC GZ-MG505, which runs at a similar price line (MSRP $1300), makes for a good comparison to the HDR-UX1’s standard definition footage; there is no comparison to be made with the AVCHD footage. At 3000 lux, the GZ-MG505 had drastically more saturated colors than the HDR-UX1. Taste the rainbow – those colors are pouring off the screen. The whites also tended to blow out. While we commented on liking the apparent sharpness in our review of the GZ-MG505, the HDR-UX1 beat it out in every regard.

 

{column='Video Performance' models='Sony HDR-UX1,Sony HDR-HC3,Sony DCR-DVD505,Canon HV10,JVC GZ-MG505'}

Video Resolution* (31.2)*

We tested the Sony HDR-UX1 for its video resolution by shooting a standard ISO 12233 resolution chart and running stills from that footage through Imatest imaging software. In the highest quality AVCHD format, the camcorder produced 616.4 lines of horizontal resolution and 506.1 lines of vertical resolution, yielding an approximate resolution of 311960.04.

In standard definition MPEG-2, the HDR-UX1 produced 474.7 lines of horizontal resolution and 336.6 lines of vertical resolution, yielding an approximate resolution of 159784.02.

The AVCHD resolution is right on par with other HD camcorders, fulfilling the hopes of those who wanted to see AVCHD stand up to HDV. For the full breakdown of the HDR-UX1 versus the HDR-HC3, read the Video Performance and Low Light Performance sections.

{column='Video Resolution' models='Sony HDR-UX1,Sony HDR-HC3,Sony DCR-DVD505,Canon HV10,JVC GZ-MG505'}

**Low Light Performance ***(6.5)*

Low light performance is largely dictated by the size of the imaging chip in the camcorder, or to be more precise, the size of the individual light-collecting sensors in that chip (generally, the larger the chip, the larger the sensors). The 1/3" ClearVID CMOS on the HDR-UX1 has proven to be a winner in this category; the HDR-HC3 and DCR-DVD505 both did quite well in low light.

At 60 lux, the HDR-UX1 maintained a solid performance, in that it retained a lot of color information. Noise definitely picked up, but it was high to start with. You’ll notice noise most in the mid-tones. As we said before, the noise seems to be an artifact from the AVCHD compression. It's difficult to ignore, and creates a solid grain pattern across the entire image. This could indicate a real shortcoming for AVCHD. Low light shooting is a fact of life for videographers of any level. If it can't compete with HDV in this category, it will earn a bad name quickly. Perhaps part of the issue is the relatively low data rate of the HDR-UX1 (12Mbps) versus AVCHD's potential (24Mbps). Any way you cut it, this camcorder had noise even the most casual user will take issue with.

In the Video Performance section above, we talked about how the HDR-UX1 produced duller shades of yellow and green than the HDR-HC3. That difference widened the gap in overall performance once the lights dimmed. While the HDR-HC3 managed a good saturation all around, the UX1 noticeably faded in the yellow-green area, losing vividness and subtle color distinctions. Fine detail capture and apparent sharpness, however, remained excellent.

As in bright light, the image looked very similar to the DCR-DVD505 in terms of color performance and overall brightness. But the gap between HD and SD makes for a world of difference in the apparent sharpness.

Sony managed to strike a major coup against Canon in the category of low light performance. While Canon came out ahead in bright light, the HV10 fell apart at 60 lux; it was a costly flaw in an otherwise promising camcorder. The image was just too dark, way too dark, despite having a larger imager than the ClearVID CMOS. The HDR-UX1 is clearly the winner in this category.

The standard definition results were much the same as the AVCHD. The noise looked a little more problematic here, but not too much fine detail was lost. Color performance was exactly the same. The JVC GZ-MG505 lit up like a neon bar sign at 60 lux with extremely oversaturated colors. But this is precisely what some consumers are looking for, so you can’t fault JVC (too much) for caving to customer demands. The picture was also noisy, but not quite as bad as the HDR-UX1.

At 15 lux, the HDR-UX1’s HD video definitely waned – most camcorders do, at this light level. Noise picked up enough to become a nuisance here. Because it was high definition, the noise did not obscure too much of the fine detail. You can still make out, for instance, high contrast differences like words on light background. The standard definition image did not have such luck. Color distinctions between subtle shades are all but lost. Still, we’ve seen much worse.

The HDR-HC3 did not maintain its edge at this light level, and produced essentially the same image. The DCR-DVD505 suffered bad noise, and looked to be identical to the standard definition footage of the HDR-UX1. None of them faired very well here.

All, however, managed to do a much better job with this difficult lighting environment than the Canon HV10, which was completely awash with noise. Color performance was about the same as the HDR-UX1, but overall, the Sony was a far better camcorder. Overall, the Sony HDR-UX1 did not disappoint, given our expectations for this familiar ClearVID CMOS chip. The noise was definitely a problem, but the sound beating it gave the Canon HV10 will give struggling consumers a definite nudge towards Sony.

In standard definition, the HDR-UX1 had some trouble focusing at 15 lux, a less-than-reassuring finding. This is unusual for high-end camcorders, and did not occur in any of the other camcorders mentioned here.

In summary, we were relatively pleased with the color performance and general exposure levels in low light. However, we were routinely reminded that this was AVCHD footage, and heavily compressed. The noise is really bad. The fact that it's a 1920 x 1080 image is a mixed blessing. The higher resolution helps to maintain fine detail, but those more likely to play it back on large screen HDTVs are going to see more noise than anyone.

{column='Low Light Performance' models='Sony HDR-UX1,Sony HDR-HC3,Sony DCR-DVD505,Canon HV10,JVC GZ-MG505'}

Wide Angle* (10.4)*

The HDR-UX1 produced a wide angle of 52 degrees in 16:9 and 41 degrees in 4:3, for an eleven degree difference in frame width between widescreen and standard definition mode. To record video in 4:3, the camcorder crops the sides of the image, but there is no loss in vertical picture information, while the difference in width indicates that this camcorder's CMOS sensor is a native 16:9 imager. This score is very good.

Format

Compression* (5.0)*

The HDR-UX1 has been eagerly anticipated for the compression method more than any other factor. Until a few months ago, the only consumer option for high definition was HDV, an MPEG-2 compression that recorded to MiniDV tapes. HDV was a compromise of quality and market convenience. Higher quality HD compressions were already available, but in order to effectively tap the consumer market, manufacturers needed to exploit familiar media, or risk losing the public’s interest. HDV managed to produce 1080i, about 4x the resolution of standard definition, but fit the same 60 minutes of video that you could in standard DV. It also maintained the same data rate as DV, 25Mbps, the highest data rate in consumer formats.

Then came a joint announcement from Sony and Panasonic this year. Together, they had created a new HD compression standard called AVCHD. Based on MPEG-4/H.264, the video was more densely compressed, but promised HD quality. The major benefit: AVCHD could be recorded to DVD, HDD, and flash memory – media that the public had already shown a preference for over tape. H.264 also enjoyed the approval of tech-heads, the factor most likely to adopt early and influence public opinion. It seemed that all the bases were covered for Sony and Panasonic.

The final product is not without its caveats, however. AVCHD has a maximum bit rate of 24Mbps which is very close to the HDV max bit rate of 25 Mbps. The first generation camcorders, however, would not reach that potential. The HDR-UX1 records at a max of only 12Mbps. The HDD-based HDR-SR1 has a slightly higher rate of 15Mbps, but still fails to meet the max. In that sense, we are not truly evaluating the AVCHD format, but rather its application in this particular camcorder as a first generation camcorder. Maybe this is obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. Judging by the performance differences between this and the HDR-HC3 and DCR-DVD505, the AVCHD compression is likely responsible for the noise issues, blockiness and some issues with gradients and color shifts. We did mention the noise issues, right? Let us repeat: this is a noisy camcorder. It's noisy in bright light and it's worse in low light. True, the ClearVID CMOS does a lot for overall picture quality, and Sony was right to include their top chip in this camcorder. But it wasn't enough to hide that fact that this video is highly compressed, and it shows. The compression artifacts centered around noise, but we saw some signs of blockiness along moving, contrasty edges.

AVCHD has a difficult job to do. High definition video is a lot - a lot - of information to pack in, and to do it in this small a stream is nothing short of remarkable. But artifacts seem to be the necessary price for now. Can you live with that, or do you want to wait for second-generations solutions? Frankly, the latter has a strong argument.

The HDR-UX1 has four quality settings in AVCHD. HQ+ records at 12Mbps, HQ at 9Mbps, SP at 7Mbps, and LP at 5Mbps. As you might expect, the lower the quality, the more video you can record on a disc.

Like all HD camcorders, the option is also presented for recording standard definition, in this case, MPEG-2, which has a ceiling of 8.5 – 9Mbps. There are three quality settings for SD: HQ records at 9Mbps, SP at 6Mbps, and LP at 3Mbps.

All this being said, we feel it'd be unfair to say that AVCHD is inferior to HDV at this point. MPEG4 is a more effective compression standard theoretically. And with the right chips the compression should be impressive. If we go back to the first MPEG2 DVD camcorders by Panasonic and Hitachi about six years ago, the video produced by those models had huge compressions issues. Those first DVD camcorders were virtually unusable; they couldn't take fast pans, they'd drop in random blocks of pixels, and they showed the difficulty of compressing video on the fly. Of course, since then, all the manufacturers have gotten much more efficient at compressing DVD video and we believe that the same will happen with AVCHD.

For compatibility issues, read the Editing section below.

Media* (5.0)*

Perhaps the best thing about the new AVCHD format is that it requires no new types of media. Technophobes, let me repeat that: this camcorder does not require you to find some special new kind of blank DVD that can only be found in specialty stores or online. This is not Blu-ray or HD DVD. Those two formats are currently battling it out in the home movie front. If you already own a DVD camcorder, you can almost definitely use the same media you’ve been using all along.

The Sony HDR-UX1 accepts the following disc types: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD+R DL (Dual Layer). That last disc is a relatively new format that offers about twice the capacity of traditional single-layer discs. All of these formats can be used to record AVCHD or standard definition video.

Editing* (1.0)*

Here’s the tricky part. So far, there is one and only one way to view AVCHD footage on anything but the camcorder: Sony’s in-the-box editing software (a chorus of groans rises from the audience). Yes, we know that in-the-box software is usually rudimentary at best, and malfunctioning at worst. Included in the bundle is an ACVHD player, a media import program, and the latest version of Picture Motion Browser.

In this case, we found the whole process extremely frustrating. A PC in our office that has never given us any trouble was completely unable to read the disc after installing the software. Our Macs were rendered entirely useless, as the software can only be installed on Windows machines. Finally, another PC in the office was able to pull the footage, but by that point, we were pretty frustrated with the whole process. DVD footage is often a hassle, but nothing prepared us for this little battle.

Here’s another problem. Though a number of software manufacturers have signed on for AVCHD, including Adobe, Avid, InterVideo, Nero, and Ulead, not single one of them has a product on the market to read it, nor have they given a date when said software will be released. Even Sony Vegas can’t play AVCHD yet (though Vegas 7 is due out soon). Without a workflow solution in place, even a mediocre one, AVCHD is a format trapped in its own media.

This review would have been out a whole week earlier if we hadn't run into these problems, and think about the number of resources we have on hand. What is the poor average consumer to do if they owned an HDR-UX1 right now? We have no doubt that solutions are in the works from any number of sources, but we are writing in the present. The present says: 'wait on it.'

Tour

**The Front ***(9.0)*

In several respects, the HDR-UX1 looks much like a scaled-up version of the Sony DCR-SR100 HDD camcorder introduced earlier this year. The most prominent feature on the front of the Sony HDR-UX1 is the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 10x optical zoom lens with a 30 mm filter diameter, identical to the lens on the SR100. The lens has a focal distance of 5.1 to 51 mm, and a 35mm equivalency of 41.3 to 485mm in 16:9 mode and 50.5 to 594mm in 4:3 mode. Like the DCR-SR100 and other higher-end Sonys, the lens has an automatic cover which opens when the camera is powered on. Significantly, the HDR-UX1 also has a multipurpose ring control at its front end, encircling the lens – a feature absent on the DCR-SR100. The ring is visible from the front as the silver ring around the black lens hood.

A small horizontal flash is mounted directly above the center of the lens, for use during still photo capture. Due to its placement, the in-camera flash will be covered if a lens attachment, such as a wide-angle adaptor is in use. To use the flash with a lens adaptor attached, users will need to purchase a Sony flash unit that is compatible with the Active Interface shoe on top of the camcorder. Below the lens are two sensors, for the remote control unit and the NightShot/Super NightShot recording modes. A tiny LED tally lamp is directly below the sensors. A metal wrist strap eyelet is visible at the lower left corner of the camcorder’s front. So much of the UX1's body layout is similar to the DCR-DVD505, that most of the scores run parallel. The front is almost identical.

**The Right Side ***(7.5)*

The right side of the Sony HDR-UX1 is where both the grip and DVD compartment of this camcorder are located. The wrist strap is a typical Sony design – well-padded and comfortable – with a slight downward angle from the back to the front of the camcorder’s body. Near the back of the body, above the point where the strap connects is a small port cover that conceals the headphone jack. The placement of this jack is a little problematic as its very close to the inside edge of the user’s hand when shooting hand-held. It’s likely that this placement will result in pressure on the jack that could lead to damage over time, so you should keep this in mind if you plan to monitor your sound while shooting.

 

The DVD compartment hatch occupies most of the surface area of the right side, and it opens towards the front of the camcorder on a rear hinge. The hatch opens wide enough to allow easy access for disc swapping, but I prefer top-loading models. Especially when shooting hand-held, it’s generally easier to access a DVD bay from the top, and it’s less likely that you’ll drop a disc than with a front-loading model like the HDR-UX1. Again, this is very similar to the DCR-DVD505, with the addition of the mic jack and headphone jack.

**The Back ***(6.5)*

The back of the Sony HDR-UX1 is occupied primarily by the battery slot, oriented vertically at the camcorder’s central axis. The battery pack release is on the base of the camcorder, adjacent to the battery, so it can’t be accessed when the HDR-UX1 is mounted on a tripod. Above the battery pack on the left side of the camcorder’s back is the EVF (electronic color viewfinder) with a relatively comfortable and large plastic eyepiece. The EVF does not extend, but it does tilt up to allow for better viewing angles. On the right side of the EVF is a dioptric adjustment lever that can only be accessed when it’s tilted up from the camcorder body.

Three small LED lamps are located to the right of the EVF, and indicate camcorder’s mode (camera or playback) and whether the camcorder’s battery is charging.

The Start/Stop record button is at the center right of the camcorder’s back, elevated slightly from the body of the camcorder. It’s comfortably situated for thumb activation when the camcorder is hand-held. At the top right corner, inset from the back surface of the camcorder is a standard Sony power/mode dial with positions for Off and On, and a toggle that switches between modes. Pressing the switch to the right when the camcorder is on, cycles through the camcorder’s modes. Everything is well-placed here, and we're pleased to see the MemoryStick Duo slot moved from under the viewfinder, as on the DVD505. It's a little more acccessible now in the LCD cavity.

**The Left Side ***(9.55)*

The left side of the Sony HDR-UX1 features a widescreen 3.5 inch LCD screen with 211,000 pixels. It’s a generously-sized screen similar to those on Sony’s other higher-end consumer camcorders, including the standard definition DVD-505. The LCD screen is opened by pulling a tab and the back edge of the LCD frame. On the bottom edge of the LCD frame, below the screen, are three alternate controls: from left are buttons for: record Start/Stop, zoom out, and menu home.

Several features are located inside the LCD cavity, including the MemoryStick slot, at the right side of the cavity. Above the card slot, behind a sliding protective door, is the USB port. Moving left, the on-camera playback speaker identifiable by a square mesh, and next to it is a vertical jack cover release. This slider is used to open and close a retractable port cover below the LCD cavity, and it’s a nifty feature we haven’t seen on the consumer market that’s better than the typical rubber port covers. To the left of the port cover slider is a button labeled Disp/Batt Info that is used to toggle information on the LCD on and off in camera mode, and to display detailed battery information when the camcorder is in standby mode.

Below the LCD cavity are a number of controls and the primary port cluster. Beginning from the left side is a button that provides instant access to playback mode followed by ports for AV out, Component out, and HDMI out. The DC-in port is located a the lower right corner, and is protected by its own run-of-the-mill rubber port cover. The big, sliding port cover is very cool, and prevents it from been torn off accidentally.

Along the lens barrel just behind the ring are three controls. At the top is the BLC (backlight compensation) button, labeled Back Light, and below that is a button that toggles the camcorder between manual and auto modes. Underneath that button is the NightShot on/off switch. The control ring is at the front of the camcorder, and has a rough surface that provides a sure grip.

The Top* (7.75)*

The zoom toggle on the top of the HDR-UX1 is just in front of the photo button, and has Sony’s typical rocking lever design. It’s a well-tuned control, and better than zoom toggles made by most other manufacturers. On the top of the lens barrel just to the rear of the ring is a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound microphone. Directly behind the four-channel microphone is a Sony’s proprietary Active Interface accessory shoe that accepts Sony products, including microphones, video lights and flashes. The shoe is covered by a plastic tab that snaps closely to the camcorder body.

Auto / Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (8.0)

The HDR-UX1 is a very easy camcorder to operate, with a simplified menu structure that differs from most previous Sonys. In full auto mode, the camcorder works well. Exposure and focus are reasonably accurate, though the camcorder runs into difficulty with low-contrast subjects, such as when shooting in low light, or a scene with little color variation. Zooming or panning across complex scenes can also throw off both exposure and focus, and in dynamic shooting situations, manual controls will yield better results. The camcorder’s auto white balance also struggled to produce a natural color balance in mixed lighting.

There are two automatic spot controls in the Sony HDR-UX1 menu, spot focus and spot meter. When either spot control is engaged, a white frame appears just inside the borders of the LCD frame, and by touching part of the image, you can govern what portion of the image the camcorder uses to make its adjustments. These options perform well, and the new menu structure makes them accessible relative to most Sony camcorders. Still, there’s no getting around the fact that using spot controls like these will slow you down and if you’re going to resort to menu-based controls, you may want to go with full manual mode.

The Sony HDR-UX1 also sports several preset shooting mode options that are also available in the menu. These program AE modes are designed to optimize the camcorder’s auto adjustments for specific lighting conditions, and include Spotlight, Portrait, Beach & Ski, Sunset & Moon and Landscape options. These modes can yield decent results, but they are gross adjustments that don’t allow for fine-tuning. They may over or under-compensate for the actual lighting conditions you encounter which is yet another reason to get acquainted with the HDR-UX1’s manual controls. It’s an accessible feature set that is better-implemented and more robust than on most Sony camcorders.

Overall Manual Control (7.25)

The manual controls on the HDR-UX1 are easier to use than on most Sony camcorders, which feature a touch screen-only interface. This camcorder also uses the touch screen for many manual control settings, but it has the advantage of a streamlined camera menu, a larger screen, and best of all an external multifunction ring. All this adds up to a decent suite of manual controls that surpasses most other camcorders in Sony's consumer line. The ring itself is a great device, controlling the focus, exposure,  AE shift, or WB shift.  By pressing and holding the Cam Control button near the ring, you can toggle between ring control assignments.  This means that changing the ring's function does not require a trip back to the menu, and is adds significantly to the ring's utility.  The HDR-HC1, Sony's first truly consumer HD camcorder, had a ring that controlled focus or zoom. Now with expanded abilities (but the loss of zoom control), the ring is back and better than ever.

The multifunction ring is also a great element of the HDR-UX1. With options to control focus, exposure, AE shift, and WB shift, it has most of the controls you would want close at hand. It seems a loss that you cannot use the ring for zooming, but the primary zoom toggle is great, so you might not miss it. Overall, a ring is almost always a great addition. It allows for easy manual control adjustments without having to go through the menu and interrupt the shot, or more importantly, your attention and engagement with the shot. The big 3.5' LCD screen makes this all the easier.

Both sides of the lens ring.

One big difference in this camcorder (and the HDR-SR1) is that the menu system has been completely overhauled. Rather than the enormous scrolling wheel of options that you'll find on all the other camcorders this year, Sony has tried a new tactic. The menu has decreased in depth and increased in width. What does this mean? Well, the animated gifs help illustrate the point, but in short, it means that it's faster to access controls. Options are closer to the surface. There are also two completely separate menus - the Camera menu and the Home menu, both are accessible by a single tap on icons in opposite corners of the screen.  The Camera menu is where you're more likely to find manual controls, but there is some overlap in the Home menu. The manual control, or Camera menu, is located in the lower right corner of the LCD screen represented by an icon that looks like, well, a menu. Pressing the icon brings up a tabbed navigation bar across the bottom of the screen, with six options. The first three tabs are designated by camcorder icons, labeled one, two, and three, and they encompass manual picture controls. The fourth tab is an un-numbered icon that seems to depict a screen, and provides access to fader effects, digital effects, and picture effects. The last two icons in the camera navigation menu are designated by toolboxes, and numbered one and two. Behind toolbox one are settings for recording quality and audio recording mode, and behind toolbox two are guide frame, zebra, flash level and redeye reduction settings.

*The top levels of the Camera Menu (left) and the Home Menu (right). *

We found it annoying that when you’ve engaged any of the camera menu settings and hit OK to engage the setting, the menu closes putting the camcorder in record-ready mode. If a user has taken the trouble to enter the camera menu, odds are she or he is going to make more than one adjustment – say to both exposure and white balance. Rather than structuring this menu to allow setting multiple manual controls at once, Sony forces you to press the camera menu icon in the lower right after every change. It’s analogous to being forced to leave and then re-enter a convenience store after purchasing one item. If you’ve only got one item on your shopping list, that might not be a problem – but adjusting this camcorder will likely require multiple trips back to the store.

The Home Menu contains everything else - all the advanced controls, the formatting options, the video quality controls, and so on. As we said, there is some overlap with the Camera Menu in the Home Menu's Movie Settings sub-page (are we losing you here?), but you'll be able to figure it out. All in all, it's an intuitive system and a big improvement over the old menu.

The Movie Settings sub-menu of the Menu Menu

Both the Camera Menu and Home Menu are smartly arranged. As the .gifs above show, similar features are grouped together when possible. For example, page 1 of the Camera menu has all the focus options and page 2 has all the exposure options. It's this kind of attention to detail that makes Sony so good at creating user-friendly camcorders.

Finally, there is a little mini-menu for the multifunction ring, which is accessed by pushing and holding the Cam Ctrl button on the left side of the lens barrel. Here is where you set which function you want the ring to be used for. Twisting the ring allows you to scroll through the options.

*The mini-menu for the multifuntion ring. *

 

Zoom (8.0)

The Sony HDR-UX1, like nearly all Sonys, offers two zoom controls. The primary control is a toggle located on the back right of the top, placed just so for the forefinger of your shooting hand. It’s a relatively large toggle, placed well above the body for easy back-and-forth movement – a better feel than we’ve found on most consumer Sony camcorders. Pressure sensitive, the toggle gives you about three zoom speeds. The second zoom control is a pair of buttons underneath the screen on the LCD panel. Marked "T" and "W," these non-pressure sensitive controls can only push the zoom at a slow-medium speed. You can not adjust the speed of these zoom controls something which we would have liked. It would have been nice if the zoom controller on the UX1 was bigger, it would enabled even more control and feel in line with the camcorder's other feature set.

Zoom Power/Ratio*(10.0)
*The Sony HDR-UX1 has a 10x optical zoom and a digital zoom that can be capped at 20x or 80x. These controls are found in the Home menu, Movie Settings. A 10x zoom is about what we should expect for a large imager like this. Smaller imagers in consumer camcorders allow for higher optical zooms. Frankly, the trade-off of a better image for a smaller zoom is well worth it. The ability to set the digital zoom at a 20x cap is a useful quality control.

Focus*(8.0)*

The focus is controlled in two ways, either through the touch screen menu or through the multifunction ring. You can arrive at the touch screen focus control through page 1 of the Camera menu. When engaged, a hand with an "F" in the middle appears, along with icons of a man and a mountain. You tap and hold the icons to adjust. The problem is, about half the screen is taken up by icons and the other half by graphics, so what you’re focusing on better be right in the center of the screen, or you won’t see it. We do like that the camcorder approximates where in the focal range you are: 0.1m, 0.5m, 40m, etc. It’s not a fine control, but at least it gives you some idea.

The second focus control, the ring, is less precise letting you know where you are in the focal range, but the feel is much better. Focus is the key control for high definition, because the increased resolution means focal errors become that much more obvious. Thankfully, the HDR-UX1 comes equipped with an Extended Focus. Once turned on (in the Camera menu), the Extended Focus automatically zooms in about 2x every time you engage the manual focus control. A second or two after you’ve made a change, it jumps back out to your original zoom level. The benefit: you can see the subjects more clearly to make a better focus decision without manually zooming in and out. The HDR-HC1 had a similar control except it was an external button. The HDR-HC3 dropped this feature. We’re glad to see it back.

Exposure (Aperture) (7.5)

The exposure controls are located on page 2 of the Camera menu and Home menu under Video Settings. Here you’ll find Exposure, Spot Meter, AE Shift, and Program AE. Only two of the options can properly be called manual controls. Spot Meter and Program AE controls are like controls with training wheels. The kids dig them, but adults would rather have full control. (See Automatic Control above for more details.)

Like most consumer Sonys, the exposure control is a sliding scale with plus and minus icons on each side. Tap the screen until you reach the desired exposure. The controls are presumably in EV steps, about 28 steps, but the exact increment is unknown.

The AE Shift is very similar, but has a much smaller range – only 8 steps. The relationship between AE Shift and the Exposure control is subtle and a little confusing. If you make an AE Shift adjustment, and then you engage the Exposure control, the AE Shift setting is negated. It’s also negated if you use Spot Meter. But if Exposure and Spot Meter are in auto, the AE Shift should function in tandem with any other manual control. AE Shift can be controlled from the touch screen in the Camera Menu, or selected as a function of the multifunction ring.

The exposure controls in the menu.

*Shutter Speed (0.0) *

There is no shutter speed control on the HDR-UX1. For all the manual controls they did load onto this, the first high definition DVD camcorder, Sony still skimped out on shutter control. We don’t like it, but Sony sticks pretty fiercely to their policy of withholding certain controls from consumer products in order to justify prosumer price points. Panasonic consumer camcorders all offer fully independent shutter and aperture controls, and both JVC and Canon have shutter priority modes.

White Balance (9.0)

There are two white balance controls on the HDR-UX1, same as the HDR-HC3 – both are in Page 3 of the Camera menu. The first is the standard Auto, Outdoor, Indoor presets, along with the One Push (Manual) setting. Making a manual adjustment is simple, and takes about five seconds. Some manufacturers offer more presets, but the auto control on Sonys is better than most, so you probably won’t miss them.

The second control is a White Balance Shift, a sliding scale with plus and minus icons on each side. A movement to the plus side warms the picture’s colors (increases the red and decreases the blue), and a move to the minus side cools it (increases the blue and decreases the red). You can go +/- 4 increments. The controls is a quick way to shift color without using the overkill of an Indoor or Outdoor preset. The White Balance shift can be adjusted using the touch screen in the Camera menu, or as a function of the multifunction ring.

Gain (0.0)

There is no gain control on the Sony HDR-UX1. You can find these controls on Panasonics only in the consumer camcorder realm. We really wish it had it since gain is a bit more of a problem on CMOS camcorders.

**Other Manual Control ***(5.0)*

Thankfully, Sony has come around to the understanding that people who spend over $1000 dollars on a camcorder sometimes feel entitled to a few extra controls. It’s not much of a list, but it’s certainly appreciated.

Guideframes - This control divides the screen up into a 9-part tic-tac-toe board to help you compose shots. The guideframes to do not appear on the final DVD.

Zebra - Zebra stripes are thin, constantly scrolling lines that appear in areas that are blown out – the "hot spots" where the whites are so bright that the imager can no longer read the information. You can set the zebras to appear at 70 or 100, IRE measurements that indicate how close you are to maxing out (70 is a safe, conservative setting).

Still Features

Still Features* (8.5)*

The Sony HDR-UX1 can record stills to MemoryStick Duo cards only (not to DVD). A MemoryStick card does not come included. Stills are saved in the JPEG format in four resolutions when in still mode: 2304 x 1736 (4MP), 2304 x 1296 (3MP), 1600 x 1200 (1.9MP), and 640 x 480 (0.3MP VGA). When in video mode, it is possible to take two other still resolutions – 2016 x 1134 (2.3MP widescreen) and 1512 x 1134 (1.7MP 4:3 aspect) – and have them save to MemoryStick while recording video to DVD. You can also choose a Fine or Standard quality for each still. All of these selections are made in the Camera Settings sub-section of the Home menu.

The MemoryStick Duo slot in the LCD cavity.

Switching from Still mode to Movie mode is done either by toggling the mode dial on the top of the body, or by the first page of the Home menu.

All of the manual controls available in the video mode are also available here, and are found in the same places in the Camera menu. The additional options include Flash Level (set to High, Normal, or Low) and red eye reduction. The flash is located in above the lens, and contained within the lens barrel. This is the same design found on the DCR-DVD505 and HDR-HC3.

The HDR-UX 1 does not offer a burst mode, which is just as well. This is a camcorder, and a wide array of still camera features are not needed if it does a good enough job in its primary task: video.

Still playback is found by pushing the play icon in the lower left corner of the LCD screen. The UX1 has options for PictBridge printing, creating a slide show, and deleting.

The Photo Settings sub-menu in the Home Menu

Still Resolution* (14.6)*

We tested the Sony HDR-UX1 for its still resolution by shooting a standard ISO 12233 resolution chart and running those stills through Imatest imaging software. Shooting at 1600x 1200, we found a resolution of 954288.0. Shooting at 2304 x 1728, we found a resolution of 1463706.75. Finally, the widescreen still of 2304 x 1296 gave a resolution of 645210.52.

The chart below shows that these were sharp stills, but not unprecedented.

{column='Still Resolution' models='Sony HDR-UX1,Sony HDR-HC3,Sony DCR-DVD505,Canon HV10,JVC GZ-MG505'}

Still Performance* (9.35)*

The HDR-UX1 produces fairly large stills for a camcorder, up to 4MP (2304 x 1736), but a good resolution is only a small part of the puzzle in overall still performance. There are a lot of things to consider, and camcorders simply don’t have the means to do them justice most of the time when compared to digital cameras. The HDR-UX1 is no exception to this rule. Yes, the stills are large. They look sharp, too, with crisp lines and satisfactory apparent resolution and they look very good when compared to stills of other camcorders, but the color performance is just not there when you look at a similar still from maybe a $150 digital still camera. Compared to the video, the colors just look dull. There was no pop, no vivacity, and most importantly, a lack of accuracy.

 

Sadly, the HDR-HC3 and DCR-DVD505 produced almost identical pictures. These may be great for recording continuity and record-keeping, but a dedicated still camera will serve the purpose a lot better.

The Canon HV10 was only a little better, but couldn’t seem to report a decent green. The JVC GZ-MG505 was better than all of them. It also failed to give a decent green, but every other color looked pretty good.

The conclusion: buy a still camera if you want good stills. Yes, the score is high, but that score is only relative to other camcorders, which have come such a tremendously long way in this category in the last year that scores have continued to rise. That said, great still performance from a camcorder still pales in comparison to a dedicated still camera.

{column='Still Performance' models='Sony HDR-UX1,Sony HDR-HC3,Sony DCR-DVD505,Canon HV10,JVC GZ-MG505'}

Handling and Use

Ease of Use* (7.0)*

One of Sony’s main strengths is its ability to operate in auto mode and still produce a beautiful picture. If this is your intention, have no fear. Those looking to branch out will have to contend with the new menu system, which will have beginners consulting the manual for the first week or so. The problem, as we explained earlier, is that some controls are listed in both the Home menu and Camera menu, obfuscating the distinction between them. On the whole, though, the menu system is much improved over last year's design. You get quicker access to features, and the controls are grouped together smartly.

DVD camcorders have a small snag in the ease of use that trips up many beginners. In order to play back your DVDs on anything other than the camcorder, you need to "finalize" the disc, a process that makes -/+R discs unusable thereafter (-/+RW discs can be "unfinalized" and used again). Many DVD camcorders have an external button for finalizing, just to make it easy. The HDR-UX1 places it in the Home menu, which should not be too hard to find.

Overall, the camcorder shares the same ease of use as most Sonys. There is the notable lack of an Easy button, however, a one-touch control that throws the camcorder into auto mode. Factoring that loss against the bonus of an improved menu system balanced out the Ease of Use score with other Sonys. 

Handling* (7.5)*

The Sony HDR-UX1 is larger than most consumer camcorder – a good 1/3 larger than the top MiniDV camcorder, the DCR-HC90 – which makes handling significantly different. It’s not a lightweight. If you’re used to a typical consumer camcorder, your arms may very well get tired holding this thing steady for a long shot. But the larger size is also a little refreshing. It feels solid in your hand. The large right side, with the big lip on top formed by the DVD bay, makes for a great grip. The zoom, photo shutter, mode dial, and record on/off button are all well-placed.

The new menu is certainly an improvement over the one used in every other Sony camcorder this year (except for the HDR-SR1). In essence, they’ve managed to increase the width and decrease the depth, which saves precious time scrolling through a miles-long menu. It’s not a perfect system, and has some confusing redundancies, but overall, it improves handling a great deal.

The multifunction ring is also a great element of the HDR-UX1. With options to control focus, exposure, AE shift, and WB shift, it has most of the controls you would want close at hand. It seems a loss that you cannot use the ring for zooming, but the primary zoom toggle is great, so you might not miss it. There was one big problem with the ring: you can’t make a second manual control choice – say, focus – without losing the first. Of course, you can go into the menu, but you can’t do it by the multi-function ring alone. Overall, a ring is almost always a great addition. It allows for easy manual control adjustments without having to go through the menu and interrupt the shot, or more importantly, your attention and engagement with the shot. The big 3.5' LCD screen makes this all the easier.

The HDR-UX1 doesn’t handle like a professional camcorder, but it’s among the best of the consumer camcorders we’ve seen lately.

Portability* (4.5)*

The Sony HDR-UX1 measures 76mm x 89mm x 165mm (3" x 3 5/8" x 6 1/2") and weighs 740g (1 lb. 10 oz.) with battery and disc. As mentioned above, the camcorder is larger than most consumer camcorders these days. Granted, there’s a lot of technology to pack in there, but users accustomed to digital accessories that fit in your pocket / purse will be in for a rude awakening.

The HDX-UX1 side by side with the DCR-DVD305

The HDR-UX1 dwarves the DCR-HC96.

There’s also the fact that the HDR-UX1 uses DVDs, which are probably the least portable recording media. DVDs are prone to scratches; they fall out of the jewel boxes; the jewel boxes break… etc. And considering the fact that even a dual layer disc can only hold 27 minutes of the highest quality video, you’ll probably be packing a few blanks for something as simple as a picnic. Sorry.

All in all, this is not a terribly portable device. But how many first-generation technologies are?

LCD/Viewfinder* (10.0)*

The Sony HDR-UX1 comes equipped with a 3.5" touch screen LCD (211,200 pixels), and can be tilted to extreme angles without solarizing. We have mixed feeling on the touch screen controls. Some people love it. Others, including pros, hate it, which is why Sony does not employ it in their pro models. We admit that they make for fast menu operation, but at a steep price. Constantly touching the LCD creates smears that prohibit your ability to make an accurate assessment of focal adjustments. What’s the point of having all that focus control if you can’t see the subjects? You be the judge. We prefer joysticks, and best of all, joysticks that allow for one-handed operation. However, this screen is huge, and it looks absolutely wonderful. The size makes for more effective touch screen controlling than a 2.7' screen, and those who already have a prediliction for touch screens will love it.

The color electronic viewfinder pivots up at about a 40 degree angle, but does not extend out. You’ll have to choose between the LCD or viewfinder, as both cannot operate at the same time.

Battery Life* (12.1)*

The HDR-UX1 ships with the NP-FM50 battery pack. We tested it for continuous shooting duration. Without engaging manual controls or the touch menu, we found the battery to last 121 minutes and 38 seconds (2 hours 1 minute, 38 seconds). This was a very good battery life, and could even eschew the need for a second battery for day trips.

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

f**Audio*** (7.0)*

At this camcorder’s price point, we expect decent audio options, and the HDR-UX1 delivers with both a front-mounted stereo mini microphone jack, and a headphone jack at the camcorder’s right rear. We've been incredibly disappointed as of late with Sony (and others) for their audio options. However, the same great features found on the HDR-HC1, then lost on the HDR-HC3, are back. These jacks will enable you to use virtually any self-powered microphone, offering a much wider range of audio recording options.  There is no audio level control, however, for either the built-in mic or an external mic. This certainly cuts down on the level of audio control you are given. It does not offer an audio dubbing feature, either.

In addition to the great jacks, the HDR-UX1 includes Sony’s proprietary Active Interface Shoe, a hot shoe that is compatible with a wide range of Sony accessories, including video lights and shotgun microphones.

The mic input is up front on the right side (left), and the headphone jack is towards the back right (right)

The onboard mic is a four-channel omni-directional microphone that can record sound optimized for Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound systems. While this means sound recorded with the onboard mic will fill out a surround sound system’s channels, you’re still only recording sound with a low-quality on-camera mic. When using a Sony wireless mic connected via the Active Interface Shoe, sound recorded through that mic is assigned to the center front channel. It’s a thoughtful added feature, but will only work when using a Sony wireless microphone.

We must reiterate how pleased we are that a mic input and headphone jacks come included on the HDR-UX1. Thank you, Sony.

VCR Mode* (9.5)*

The Sony HDR-UX1 has a strong set of VCR controls. To get to the playback function, tap the Play button icon in the lower left corner of the screen. For some reason, the playback mode does not contain all of the playback functions – more on that later. When in playback mode, each clip is represented by a thumbnail, 12 to a page. You can play a clip by tapping the thumb. The clip fills up the screen, and VCR control icons appear on-screen as well. You also get controls for volume and clip info (indicates stabilization on/off, auto/manual exposure, shutter speed, white balance, aperture, and gain.

The more advanced playback options are located in the Home menu, but you can’t be in playback mode to see it. For that, you have to be in the video or still menu. The options here include creating and editing playlists (only VR-formatted discs can create these, not Video-formatted discs). Finalizing, unfinalizing, formatting, and getting Disc Info are all found here, as well. Also, the Home menu contains output settings. Why these options are not found in the playback mode (at least in addition to the video mode) remains a mystery.

Getting the video out to your TV is replete with options. There is are signal outputs in the form of AV, component, and HDMI. In the camcorder’s menu, you also need to select exactly what kind of TV you have. In Home menu > Select Devices > TV connect, you can choose High Definition or 16:9 / 4:3 TV. Then (this is beautiful), you are presented with options for which type of output you are using, complete with graphical illustrations of HDMI, Component, S-Video, or AV – perfect for the newbies that have no idea what phrases like "HDMI" or "S-Video" means.

Some VCR options in the Home Menu

You can also choose, in another menu page (Home menu > Settings > Output Settings), whether you want the menus and icons to appear on the TV, and whether you want the component to output 1080i or 60i.

There are a lot of options here. This is due, in part, to the fact that HD video has added a further layer of complication to our lives. We need all of the options so we can get our camcorders to talk to our TVs and computers effectively. Perhaps in the future, many of these options will be unnecessary as settings can be detected automatically. For now, Sony seems to have done an admirable job streamlining the process.

Ports* (9.0)*

The HDR-UX1 hosts a decent complement of ports, including an HDMI out, which is vital for an HDV camcorder. By contrast, the Canon HV10 surprisingly lacks an HDMI terminal – a feature we believe will become a standard offering on HDV camcorders. In addition, there are A/V and component video outputs behind the same unique sliding port cover on the lower left side of the body. A USB 2.0 port and MemoryStick Duo slot are located in the LCD cavity. A headphone jack is on the camcorder’s rear right side, and an external microphone jack is located below the lens. The HDR-UX1 also features Sony’s proprietary Active Interface Shoe, compatible with optional Sony accessories. The DC-in port is located on the rear left side of the camcorder behind a small plastic port cover.

Ports? What ports? The UX1 helps hide your unmentionables (left). Right, the Sony Advanced Accessory Shoe.

Other Features

Widescreen/16:9 Mode* (9.0)*

The HDR-UX1 captures video in either widescreen 16:9 or 4:3 modes, which can be selected in the camcorder’s Home Menu under the Movie Settings tab. This camcorder records 16:9 video natively – there is no loss of video resolution when recording 16:9 video in either HD or SD (standard definition) modes.

Scan Rates/24p* (0.0)*

The Sony HDR-UX1 records video at the standard 60i, and does not offer alternate scan rates such as 24p.

Other Features* (6.0)
**Multifunction Ring -* The large multifunction ring is one of the best features of this camcorder. It is located at the front of the HDR-UX1 just behind the lens, has a textured gripping surface, and is almost as wide as an index finger. The ring is probably best used as a manual focus ring since that is the vital manual control, and in that capacity the ring is terrific. It is sensitive, and allows for fast and accurate focus adjustments that far surpass the non-ring manual focus controls found on most consumer camcorders.

The ring can also be assigned to other manual controls, including Exposure, AE Shift and WB (White Balance) Shift. To switch from, say, exposure, to focus, users have the choice of pressing and holding the Cam Control button near the ring itself, or using the Camera Settings menu.

*Smooth Slow Record - *Smooth Slow Record is the coolest feature on some of Sony’s newest camcorders, including the HDR-UX1, and produces slow-motion footage that can be played back almost immediately – after 12 seconds in the case of this camcorder. The camcorder does this by increasing the rate at which fields are recorded by a factor of four, from 60fps to 240fps, and can only record three seconds of footage at a time in this mode. Predictably, video shot in Smooth Slow Record mode is darker, because the amount of light recorded per field is reduced in the same manner as fast shutter speeds darken an image. As a neat party trick, or for "analyzing golf swings" as Sony advertises, it’s a nice addition to the camcorder.

*Super NightShot Infrared System - *Like many other Sonys, the HDR-UX1 includes the Super NightShot Infrared System for shooting in low or no-light environments. The system employs the NS Light, an infrared lamp on the front of the camcorder body. In NS mode, the camcorder records images illuminated by the NS light, and the resulting video has a grainy greenish monochrome appearance that mimics night vision footage.

*SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System - *The Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System is a Sony-branded EIS (electronic image stabilization) system that Sony claims to be an "advanced" version of SteadyShot. According to Sony, the HDR-UX1’s EIS performs better than previous versions of the technology and does not result in degradation of the video image. EIS systems as they are typically deployed do result in a reduction of video resolution because they use part of the recorded image as an electronic buffer, while OIS (optical image stabilization) systems retain full picture resolution.

Comparisons / Conclusion

Comparisons
Sony HDR-HC3
These camcorders are similar in terms of design, and both boast Sony’s ClearVID CMOS sensor – an impressive imager that yields excellent HD resolution, and great color. The major difference between the two camcorders in terms of performance is in their video compression with the tape-based HDR-HC3 using HDV compression, and the HDR-UX1 opting for the newer AVCHD format. While the two camcorders produce similar video, we think HDV looks better with its 25Mbps data rate vs a max of 12Mbps on this AVCHD camcorder. The UX1 produces a comparable picture – but the noise and compression artifacts are a big problem. In terms of options and features, the UX1 comes out far ahead, with a multifunction ring and a mic jack in addition to the Active Interface Shoe that the camcorders share. In the end, the UX1 comes out ahead on the basis of its better feature set – and an MSRP $100 lower than its cousin – but it’s a close call. We'd say if you want the highest video quality go with the HC3, but frankly, the video on the UX1 is certainly quite good, plus you get a camcorder with much better features and a lot more expandability. If you're spending this much on a camcorder, you should be using it to it's fullest capabilities and the UX1 will allow you to do that.

Sony DCR-DVD505
The DCR-DVD505 is Sony’s top of the line standard definition DVD camcorder, and it’s a great piece of equipment that performs just like the HDR-UX1 in standard definition mode. That’s no surprise given that fact that both camcorders are equipped with a 1/3" ClearVID CMOS sensor. The big question for users weighing the merits of these two camcorders is, how important is HD to you, and are you equipped to reap the benefits of higher resolution now? If your answer to that question is yes, and you’re willing to shell out an extra $300 for the HDR-UX1, there is really no contest. With the HDR-UX1, you’ll also get a nice multifunction ring, as well as a mic input and HDMI terminal.

Canon HV10
This year’s batch of HD consumer camcorders produces very sharp and good looking video, but these both the HDR-UX1 and Canon’s HV10 are hobbled by growing pains. The HV10 is extremely compact, and produced amazingly sharp video in good light that was hands-down superior to the noisy image produced by the Sony. Despite this strong showing in "normal lighting" the HV10’s performance flagged in low light. This notable performance difference likely stems from the fact that the two camcorders use competing compression methods. The disc-based HDR-UX1 employs AVCHD compression, and the tape-based HV10 sticks with tried and true HDV.

Other than performance, each camcorder brings significant strengths and weaknesses to the table. The HDR-UX1 has a great control ring, and separate dedicated mic and headphone jacks – both lacking on the Canon. The Sony also supplies an HDMI jack and some major ease of use benefits over the HV10. However, the HV10 is the smallest HD camcorder on the market, and packs more picture control options into its diminutive profile. Yet the Canon is a bear to handle given its awkward upright design. In the end, its tough to call a winner between these camcorders, but we can say the Sony triumphs for it's control options., mic jack, heapdhone jack and HDMI jack. Unless you specifically want something incredibly tiny, and don't care about any advanced features, you should stick with the UX1 - its worth it.

JVC GZ-MG505
JVC’s $1300 is one of the top HDD camcorders on the market, and in certain respects it has an edge over the HDR-UX1, particularly when it comes to manual controls – but in video performance there is no contest. The Sony enters the ring with a 1/3" ClearVID CMOS sensor vs the smaller 1/4.5" CCD on the GZ-MG505, and with HD capabilities, it produces much sharper video. Handling is a draw – the Sony is easy to use, has an excellent zoom toggle, and a very nice multifunction ring. JVC has a joystick, and its menu structure is nicely designed, and easier to navigate than Sony’s touch screen. Although it lacks the ring control, the Everio adds better control over gain, exposure, and shutter speed while both camcorders have a mic jack. In the end, its not really fair to compare a standard definition camcorder to a high definition camcorder. If these camcorders both shot HD video, we’d give the JVC our thumbs up based on its superior manual controls and menu design.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters *(7.0)*

Point-and-shooters are those folks who like to turn on a camcorder, press record, and let their camcorder’s electronic brain take care of the heavy lifting. If you’re someone who considers Auto mode your best friend, this camcorder is a very solid choice. It’s easy to use, and performs well in full auto mode – but for better video in decent light, you may want to consider Canon’s HV10.

Budget Consumers* (3.0)*

This is not a cheap camcorder, but only Canon’s HV10 serves up HD video for less. At $1400, the HDR-UX1 can only be considered a bargain when you compare it to prosumer camcorders that cost significantly more – such as Sony’s HVR-A1U, which sells for close to $2000 on the street.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid* (5.0)*

The HDR-UX1 is a decent Still Photo/Video Camera hybrid, especially considering its an HD camcorder. Stills max out at 2304 x 1736, or 4MP, and you can record photos to MemoryStick Duo while shooting video. It’s not a replacement for a decent digital still camera, but more than most consumer camcorders on the market, this one swings both ways with aplomb.

Gadget Freaks* (8.0)*

The HDR-UX1 is not the ideal camcorder for dedicated gadget freaks. Other than its multifunction ring and the deservedly wow-inducing Smooth Slow Record feature, it’s a camcorder that closely resembles many other Sony models including the DCR-DVD505 and the HDR-HC3. Canon’s miniscule HV10 rates higher on the coolness scale simply because it's so damn small.

Manual Control Freaks* (6.0)*

The HDR-UX1 got us excited when we saw the multifunction ring, and it's a fine control.  The Cam Control button, located near the ring on the camcorder's lens barrel adds to the efficiency of the ring by allowing users to toggle through ring functions via an external button.  All this adds up to a camcorder with manual controls that are implemented even better than on Panasonics with their joystick-based manual control interface.  While Panasonics do offer more in terms of independent manual controls, including over gain, the ring on this Sony should be even more appealing to many manual control freaks.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists* (2.0)*

Two words: AVCHD Handycam. AVCHD is not a pro format, and Handycam’s offer everything but robust professional feature sets. The HDR-UX1 is not the camcorder for you if you fall into this category.

Conclusion

The Sony HDR-UX1 is a great camcorder. Sony has finally brought to market an HD model with all the features that users demand after creating a hole when they replaced the HDR-HC3 with the HDR-HC1. The multifunction ring is great and reminds us of one of our favorite camcorders ever, the Panasonic PV-GS400. The mic jack, heapdhone jack, and HDMI port are things that really distinguish this model from other HD models (including Sony's) in the field and justify it's slightly higher price tag.

However, we know that you know the specs. The real question is how does AVCHD compare to HDV? AVCHD didn't outright disappoint us, and we can proudly say it's the first MPEG-4 camcorder that didn't look absolutely terrible. The video is sharp and the colors are great. That being said, there are some compression issues. Are the compression issues going to affect normal users and prosumers? It's unlikely. Do those compression issues probably prevent the HDR-UX1 from being used in truly professional situations like wedding and event videography? That's more likely. We think most professionals won't be comfortable with the amount of compression used. On top of that, there are HUGE workflow issues with the HDR-UX1 that aren't solved yet.  AVCHD video also requires an enormous amount of horsepower from your computer, which may set this format back even further.

What's the bottom line? The HDR-UX1 is potentially great for the prosumer who wants to get features like a large LCD screen, improved control, and more inputs and outputs that will allow them to make great videos. The HDR-UX1 is like a shrunk down Sony A1 (the prosumer HDV model) with audio control and picture control that prosumers want; and haven't seen on an affordable model under $2,000 since the Panasonic PV-GS400. What is so refreshing about it is this very fact; that Sony has bucked the 'over-simplification' trend for once and given us what we all want. We're so happy about that and all the great features of this camcorder that we want to look past the compression and editing issues. As we said (and as it has been stated to us again and again), solutions will arrive soon enough.  When you take into account all the features, and not just performance, the HDR-UX1 is the best HD value under $1,500 currently on the market .

Specs/Ratings

{{manufacturer_specs_table}}{{raw_scores_table}}