Hi
Have stumbled across this forum and hope someone may be able to help me. After trawling around the internet i have pretty much settled on a Sony DCR-HC35.
I'm a complete novice and only want it for home movies of my 10 month old son and family stuff.
I want a good quality picture, to be able to edit on my computer and reasonably simple to use.
Does anyone have any knowledge of this camera - is it any good and can anyone suggest anything else.

Thanks

Hi Boo

I am a newbie.

I have brought a Sony DCR-HC35 a few weeks ago and I must say that I am very pleased with it. I got it in a sale for £219 here in the UK.

I have'nt found too much reviews on this cam , I think its new. I made the mistake a few months ago of buying the JVC GR -D340, don't get me wrong in outside natural daylight the JVC is beautiful , great colour and sharp images and for £179 I thought it was a decent price.

I read about it in Digital Video magazine they gave it editors choice in the Best Budget Cams section, the other good think about the JVC GR-D340 is the battery life which is over one hour and a half.

The only problem is when recording indoors , the focus is'nt brillant and when I transfer through a firewire through my I link on my DVD recorder I noticed the colour slowly changes . Its starts of good then about half hour later the colours go kind of blue tinge. (It may be that i brought a faulty cam)

The sony DCR HC-35 is much much better the colours are more natural and they don't change plus the focus is a lot better , in Easy Mode its great to.

Its also fairly decent in low light and indoors I was well pleased.

The battery life is fairly decent but you will need to buy another one for back up.

Let me know how you are getting on

dave

The Sony DCR-HC35 is a good starterscam which will not dissapoint you. One great feature it has the dv-in and out meaning beside capturing your film through firewire to you pc you can send a completely edited film from your pc back to the camera's minidv tape for back up.

Hi Noa
Its good to meet you.
Thanks for that as I am fairly new to Camrecorders myself I have never used the editing to computor features , I do want to learn . I have a freind who may be able to help me.

At present I use a firewire linked to my Sony DVD Recorder called, I Link.

Which works great.

I use to get Which Camrecorder Magazine which is now incorparated with Digital Video magazine , though I have'nt read a proper review on the HC-35 yet , I did read an old review of the Sony DCR HC19 which the editor gave a real thunbs up too saying it was a quality cam , i don't think they do the HC19's now.

Over a year ago i use to have another mini DV camrecorder and that was a Canon MV 830 and this one was terrible in low light . Lots of grain, plus when focusing indoors it tends to hunt before properly focusing on a subject.

dave