Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

This is a top notch, feature filled impressive camcorder.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Nothing could be better than this

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Purchased this product primarily for home use. I found the camera itself to be fairly easy to get up and running, video & audio quality are good, price at Abe's was the best I found after extensive research on this Sony model. Only major complaint I have was with the view/edit software that came with the unit. It said it would support a Vista Business 32bit operating system, but when I attempted to load it the program crashed my computer. I was able to recover the computer after some effort and contacted Sony for assistance. They pointed me at two software programs I had to download & install sequentially. Took some time to do, but software did load OK. There are a couple of features in the software that still don't work, but they are not essential to downloading and working with video or pictures being pulled off the camcorder's internal hard drive.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

I bought this Sony HDR-XR500v camera and I have taken this camera to my LAS Vegas trip. The Photo and Video quality is amazing. I have taken photo of Startsophere building and came out with excellent quality. Also I have taken video of Bellagio Fountains and MOVING STATUES AT CAESARS PALACE and the Video quality is superb. It is definetly a professional camera. As I am able to take rich photo 12mp and HD video, I no need to have seperate camera for photo. There is no major difference between HDR-XR500v and HDR-XR520v except the hard disk size(120 GB and 240gb repectiviely). Photo and video lovers: You can buy this camera with confidentabesofmaine [...] I will buy again

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Excellent product and amazing lens. The sound could be better but the video quality is top notch. I would recommend putting a filter on the lens to protect it when filming.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Start with the best and get a great price from Abes. This XR500 just seemed to meet my needs.
It has a large screen at 2 3/4" wide, but with this camera I can pull out the eye-level viewfinder, and the camera is activated. The viewfinder is very useful in glare situations, and no reading glasses are needed! It is also nice to not bother people behind you when filming in a performance situation with those bright screens.
This camera has fade. I still love to fade in from black when I start a new location. It takes a few steps to set up fade, and you can't set up both fade-in and fade-out at the same time. So I just fade-in, do stops & starts, and then at the next location I fade-in again.
I tend to narrate while I film, and the sound is excellent from my speaking voice while filming.
The Manual Focus knob was a pleasant surprise. It is on the front just below the left side of the lens. You push the center button, and turn the textured knob around it to focus. A new display icon pops on the screen with a readout from .1 meter to infinity as you manually focus. You do have to push the button again to return to auto focus.
I am very satisfied with image quality. The sharpness, clarity, and color rendition seems very lifelike. Sunsets are spectacular with no sun distortion or flare. Everything I film now is just so obvious High Definition.
No regrets with this purchase!

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Great Night time recording. Handles Vibrations well. Could have been better with AuxilaryBattery Charging Facility

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

upgraded to this camcorder 2 days before Disney trip and really impressed with the video quality.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

The camcorder is great and the price was unbeatable - can't say anything about that. [...]

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Its handy. Has a lot af good features. Very good in low light situations. The only thing that I dont like to much is that to turn it off requieres to close the view finder and/or the monitor. Also, if you shoot HD be ready to get a blu ray player and writer or you are condemed to SD that is very good anyways. I intend to give it a lot of use and enjoy it in every oportunity.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

I use the camera mostly for capturing various family events. I have been a photography enthusiast, now i am a video buff.

Everyone including me liked slow motion feature, large HDD capacity, excellent video quality of this camera. Geo tagging is a luxury which most users do not need including me.

I am sure prices of this camera will come down in future, but for now its expensive compared to rest of the HD camera category. But if you drill down to specific features like HDD capacity or features like slow motion then there is only one camera, thats this one. Canon HF Vixia was another camera that was in my mind while buying, I am proud and happy that i made a good choice after researching a lot.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

this comcorder in good in taping the aricraft and ballons, It is light, durable (with an extra FH70 batter, used more than 6 hours), the night pictures are exellent (see the attached picture, it is taken in night but like like in dawn).

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

It's so good!

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

I love it

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

The picture quality is good, but can improve on their battery life

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

I am very pleased with this purchase. I got a good price from Abes,[...] and the camcorder takes great pictures. I am using it with a Sony 52XBR6 Hi-def TV and am thrilled with the results. Thanks Abes!

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

I haven't tried to transfer the recorded data to the computer for advanced editing yet, but have loved the camera itself. Extremely easy to use and unbelievably clear picture. [...]

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

This camcorder is so steady it's almost like being on a tripod all of the time. In fact, there is a noticable lag when you start to pan. We bought it for a China trip. I am anxious to see the results in a couple weeks.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

This camcorder is amazing. it has great image quality and excellent low light senstivity. I love it!

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Awesome little creature.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

great camera to shoot home movies and everything else. Great video quality and lots of features. Recommend this camcorder to everyone on the market for one.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

video enthuist.Wide angle is super

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Very easy to operate, do not require through knowledge or experience to record and create professional look videos.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

This camera works awesome right out of the box. Honestly the only bad thing about this camera is the limited available options to edit video with it. The software that comes with the camera is really good for watching, and converting video to other formats. However to do any editing the mt2s files are too much for almost all the software programs I have tried thus far.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

[...] Before I purchase this handycam I had a thorough search and review and I compared it theoritically mainly to HF S10...I had to choose between the two.Things I noticed in reviews:1.Both shot in HD but all reviews say that the picture of the HF S10 is superior to the HDR-XR500V...But still the Sony picture is great though the colors sometimes look as if they are bleeding....A plus to HF S102.All say that the picture quality at night is great and superior..A plus to HDR-XR500V.3.I had a trip to Niagara Falls last year and I took so many nice HD movies but I never watched them because all of them are shaky and make you tired....This handycam has the best steady shot and stabilization system...A plus to HDR-XR500V.4.Manual controls are more in the HF S10...A plus to HF S10....BUTTT put in your mind when you take a quick shot to your child you don't have time to play with manual controls and will rely mainly on the automatic controls...SO this thing will matter the prfessionals only who will use more advance camcorders...So actually it's not important.5.Many other pluses over the HF S10...Like view finder which you will appreciate if you are in the bright sun...You will need to use it..A plus to HDR-XR500V....... Touch screen...GPS...Solid build....and overall it's Sony.Now ,I have it for about a month and still reading reviews...I did not regret and I use it for taking movies for my 2 years old daughter who will never stay still...What I want to say is that the picture quality is great(TV:Samsung LN46A650)...but I think the HF S10 is better ..On the other hand you will be amazed with the stabilization system...It's incridible ..you run while you are taking movies and the picture is stable....The sound is great...The low light picture has no noise...the slide show with songs is amazing and my doughter loves it...Who cares about manual controls that I realy don't understand...My advice :If you are professinal and will shot always with a tripold go for the HF S10,because if you will not use a tripold you will not watch any of your movies.They will be shaky and will make you tired..But if you will ever shot with your bare hands like your kids or if you are at picnic, go for the Sony..You will never regret...Excellent picture and amazing image stabilization system...You will not believe how much it's effiecient. The picture is from a zoo.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Ihave this camera for 3 days now...I spent a very long time trying to chose between it the other HF(:))...The thing i noticed about it is that it records in 16Mbps...where the other one records in 24Mbps and 30Mbps...Which every body id blaming Sony for...And claiming that the picture quality is less...I think this is true despite the great picture that you get from it...It realy gives you great picture which is enough for me,but you don't feel the warmth of high definition...The second thing reviews mentioned is the lack of enough controls compared to the VIXIA...This is absolutely not correct...It has alot of manual controls that some of them is not mentioned even by Sony in its manual....And the manual dial is great...And if you are taking a movie you will rely on the automatic settings most of the time.
The steady shot is great...perfect...Because you don't want to see shaky picture that makes you bored and tired....The LCD is perfect...The smile shutter is great and great and I mean it...The night reacording and low light is amazing..Guys this camera is almost perfect if it records in faster Mbps...I wish to hear an answer from Sony why thay did not make it in faster Mbps.....BUT despite that I think it overcome and beats all other high end camcorders....
For the price...You get high quality product...So you have to pay.....
If I can I will talk abouth the manual controls later on.
Last thing...I don't think any camcorder will beat this camera.,and the reason I give it for is I wish Sony will give a firmware that allows adjusting the saturation and contrast of colors.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

This camera takes amazing HD video (I keep it set at its highest-quality setting) indoors and out. Easy to use, easy to review videos. Lightweight and ergonomically designed.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Camera is great. Have to charge battery while attached to camcorder. Purchased an external charger for $59 and connection lugs broke during first use.

Comments about Sony HDR-XR500V 120GB High Definition Camcorder:

Wedding and corparate video.