-
Introduction
-
01.Product Tour
-
02.Colour & Noise Performance
-
03.Motion & Sharpness Performance
-
04.Low Light Performance
-
05.Compression & Media
-
06.Manual Controls
-
07.Still Features
-
08.Handling & Use
-
09.Playback & Connectivity
-
10.Audio & Other Features
-
11.Panasonic HDC-TM700 Comparison
-
12.Canon HF S21 Comparison
-
13.JVC GZ-HM1 Comparison
-
14.Conclusion
-
15.Specs and Ratings
-
16.Comments
Sony HDR-CX550VE
This review is organized into 16 parts
Next: Part 1
Product Tour
Introduction
Sony's flagship 2010 model, the HDR-CX550V, is a larger camcorder than its predecessor, but it is loaded with a wide angle lens, new manual controls, and stronger performance. With a £1100 price tag, the CX550 is also one of the cheaper high-end models on the market. More...
| Section | The Good | The Bad |
| Product Tour | Lens captures video at a very wide angle. | Lens only has a 10x optical zoom |
| Colour & Noise Performance | Low noise levels in bright light | Colour accuracy wasn't great; no colour modes or adjustment options |
| Motion & Sharpness Performance | Motion video had minimal artefacting | No alternate frame rates for recording HD video; video wasn't as sharp as the competition. |
| Low Light Performance | Good noise levels in low light | Low light sensitivity was poor |
| Compression & Media | 64GB internal flash memory; SD/SDHC and Memory Stick compatibility; standard definition recording option | Editing software doesn't work on Macs; memory card slot is on bottom of camcorder |
| Manual Controls | New manual shutter speed and aperture control | No manual gain control and no manual colour controls |
| Still Features | Built-in flash; smile shutter feature works well | Still photos had high noise levels |
| Handling & Use | The control dial and large LCD are great features. | Menu navigation can be tricky |
| Playback & Connectivity | External mic and headphone jack; all ports are well protected | Certain ports use proprietary connections (AV-out and accessory shoe). |
| Audio & Other Features | GPS, slow motion modes, and Nightshot can all be very useful. | No manual audio level control |
| Sony HDR-CX550V Comparisons | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Panasonic HDC-TM700 | Canon HF S21 | JVC GZ-HM1 |
Shop for the Sony HDR-CX550VE
Latest News & Reviews
-
29-Apr-2011
Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D Camcorder Review
With the HDC-SDT750, Panasonic is bringing 3D videography to the masses. It is definetly not cheap, but it is still comparable in cost to other flagship models. Read More...
-
10-Mar-2011
Kodak Playsport Zx3 Camcorder Review
The Playsport Zx3 is an exciting ultracompact camcorder from Kodak that combines a Full HD recording capability with a body that is waterproof up to 3 meters. The camcorder’s durable construction, and did surprisingly well in our video testing. Read More...
Top Rated Camcorders
-
1Panasonic HDC-SDT750
With the HDC-SDT750, Panasonic is bringing 3D videography to the masses. It is definetly not cheap, but it is still comparable in cost to other flagship models. Read full 17-part review
TypeConsumer -
£764.952Panasonic HDC-TM700
As the update to Panasonic's 300-series, the expectations for the Panasonic HDC-TM700 are high.. Read full 16-part review
£764.95TypeConsumer -
3Canon Legria HF G10
With the Legria HF G10, Canon's latest flagship camcorder, the company decided to use a completely different image sensor with a smaller amount of pixels. If you check out the results from our performance testing, you'll quickly see the change paid off—particularly in low light situations. Read full 16-part review
TypeConsumer -
4JVC Everio GZ-HM1
Other than a new silver paint job, JVC's newest flagship model, the Everio GZ-HM1, looks exactly like its predecessor, the GZ-HM400. JVC's biggest alteration comes in the form of a back-illuminated CMOS sensor that did wonders in improving the low light performance of this new model. Read full 16-part review
TypeConsumer -
£966.505Canon Legria HF S21
Canon's new flagship model, the HF S21, has a lot of exciting new features and controls. Its 64GB of internal flash memory, two SD/SDHC memory card slots, and the touchscreen LCD make the HF S21 one of the most appealing camcorders of 2010. Read full 17-part review
£966.50TypeConsumer
