Sony HDR-SR12 / SR12E

alaTest has collected and analyzed 355 reviews from magazines and websites. Reviewers really like the build quality and color. The memory and design are also appreciated. Many are critical about the control panel and zoom.

portability, design, memory, color, build quality

battery, features, zoom, control panel

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Camcorders the Sony HDR-SR12 / SR12E is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 88/100 = Very good quality.

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Review analysis

(Based on 355 reviews)

Expert Reviews  

User Reviews  

Review Ratings

  (52% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews   (32% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews   (6% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews   (1% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews   (8% of reviews)
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Features

Portability
  Show positive (35%)Show negative (18%)(Show all)
Battery
  Show positive (15%)Show negative (19%)(Show all)
Design
  Show positive (64%)None yet(Show all)
Memory
  Show positive (19%)Show negative (4%)(Show all)
Build quality
  Show positive (42%)Show negative (21%)(Show all)
Color
  Show positive (38%)Show negative (13%)(Show all)
Connectivity
  Show positive (19%)Show negative (8%)(Show all)
Viewfinder
  Show positive (32%)None yet(Show all)
Features
  None yetShow negative (43%)(Show all)
Usability
  Show positive (71%)Show negative (2%)(Show all)
More features

Showing 309 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 309 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (62)

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Sony Handycam HDR-SR12

 

The Sony Handycam HDR-SR12's big differentiator is its built-in 120GB hard drive, which holds more than 14 hours of video at its highest quality setting. Both the image quality and the storage capacity are impressive, but unless you need to record...

Huge storage capacity ; Excellent video quality

High price tag ; Records only 60i video

The Handycam HDR-SR12 can record over a dozen hours of great-looking AVCHD video onto its 120GB hard drive, but it comes at a hefty price.

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Sony HD Camcorder Is a Gift From the Video Gods

 

The world of amateur video cameras has become like some sort of nauseating spin on the Zipper. On one end of the spectrum there are the ever-shrinking,

Excellent AVCHD video quality got better this time around. Extra-wide 3.2-inch touchscreen LCD is a big bonus. Outstanding sound quality

Massive internal hard drive makes it somewhat chunky and a bit of a load to carry. The Easy button should be bigger and easier to find. And it should be red. Yeah, red and all glow-y

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EDITORS' CHOICE

Expert review by:

Sony HDR-SR12

 

The popularity of hard disk drive standard definition and high-def camcorders continues to climb. Nothing beats the storage capability of a HDD video maker—just think, you can record hour after hour of baby giggles, if that's your thing (and new...

Full HD 1920 x 1080 120GB AVCHD HDD Camcorder

Expensive; weak low-light performance

The Sony Handycam HDR-SR12 is a slightly mixed bag with the ledger heavily weighted to the positive.

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Expert review by:

Sony Handycam HDR-SR12

 

I used to think that hard-drive models would take over the camcorder market as miniDV slowly faded into the horizon. I've since changed my tune after using flash-based models, especially those that include some onboard memory. However, if you shoot a...

Excellent video and performance; impressive still photos for a camcorder; adequate manual controls; nice CAM CTL dial; docking station included.

No wind filter; doesn't include mini HDMI cable.

Sony's Handycam HDR-SR11 and SR12 60GB hard-drive-based AVCHD camcorders deliver top notch performance and image quality.

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Expert review by:

Sony HDR-SR12 HD

 

As with most of Sony's products, you will pay a bit extra for the features, high performance and quality that one has come to expect from Sony. But the price is not that much different from the competition, so the HDR-SR12 is still a good value for...

Full HD (1920 X 1280) recording at 16Mbps5.6 MP video, 10.2 MP still image resolution3.2 in LCD touchscreenBuilt-in face recognition technology120GB hard drive with hybrid recording

The Sony HDR-SR12 is Sony's highest-end high definition hard drive camcorde

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Expert review by:

Sony HDR-SR12 Review

 

The Sony HDR-SR12 is perfect for any video and photo lover. Find out what the HDR-SR12 comes equipped with in the video, photograph, and features categories.

The Sony HDR-SR12 is an impressive camcorder, although it may not be the best option in its price range. Try it before you buy it to make sure this camcorder suits you best. With all the features that this camera includes, though, this is a solid...

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Expert review by:

Sony HDR-SR12

 

The noteworthy performance Sony HDR-SR12 is largely due to the new 1/3.13-inch ClearVID CMOS sensor featuring Exmor technology and the new Bionz processor. These technologies have been in use on some of Sony's professional camcorders and its DSLR...

For all the great intentions with which we buy camcorders, most people rely on Auto mode most of the time rather than getting bogged down with manual controls. Sony has never slouched in this category, offering excellent automatic responses to changes...

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Expert review by:

Sony HDR-SR12 Camcorder Review

 

The Sony HDR-SR12 ($1,399 MSRP) is the company's third generation AVCHD camcorder recording to hard disk drive (HDD). The SR12 features a new CMOS sensor and DSP touted by Sony to be the best yet, along with a huge 120GB capacity. It is joined by the...

The Sony HDR-SR11 and HDR-SR12 (identical in all things but 60GB and 120GB HDDs, respectively) are great camcorders. This third generation of AVCHD camcorders, including the Canon HF10 and Panasonic HDC-SD9, are finally shedding the poor reputation of...

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Expert review by:

Sony HDR-SR12 First Impressions Camcorder Review

 

The Sony HDR-SR12 is Sony's highest end high definition hard drive (HDD) camcorder for 2008. It has an incredible capacity of 120GB. The step-down HDR-SR11 is identical in all respects save the smaller, 60GB HDD. That increased storage takes on new...

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Expert review by:

Sony Handycam HDR-SR12 Camcorder - HardwareZone.com

 

If it's quality and storage space you're looking for, Sony's new flagship AVCHD offering is the very zenith of their current technology.

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Product Specifications

Take command and get creative with Sony's HDR-SR12 HDD Handycam camcorder. Capture your memories in HD and relive them years from now in exceptional detail, color and sound. Boasting an impressive 120GB built-in Hard Disk Drive, the HDR-SR12 lets you record up to 48 hours of high definition digital video while its professional grade Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar Lens ensures stunning image quality with 12x optical/24x digital zoom, bringing the action closer to you. Capture both video and still digital imagery at the same time without switching modes with its Dual Record Mode function and eliminate blurring from unsteady hands with the Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization system. Expressing a fuller color range than conventional models, HDR-SR12 makes watching home videos more life-like and colorful. With the HDR-SR12 Handycam camcorder in hand, recording life in HD just got more interesting.

Audio Input

Microphone Operation Mode:Surround
Microphone Technology:Electret condenser
Type:Microphone

Battery

Battery Form Factor:Manufacturer specific
Manufacturer Battery Name:Sony NP-FH60

Camcorder Features

High Definition Video Support:1080i
Low Lux / Night Mode: Yes
Widescreen Video Capture: Yes

Camera Flash

Red Eye Reduction: Yes
Type:Built-in flash

Digital Storage Media

Type:Hard disk drive

Dimensions & Weight

Depth:5.4in
Height:3in
Weight:1.2lbs
Width:3.3in

Display (Projector)

Diagonal Size:3.2in
Diagonal Size (metric):8.1cm
Display Form Factor:Rotating
Technology:TFT active matrix
Type:LCD display

Exposure Parameters

Shooting Programs:Beach / Candle / Fireworks / Landscape / Portrait mode / Snow / Spotlight / Sunrise / Sunset / Twilight mode / Twilight portrait

Header

Manufacturer:Sony
Model:HDR-SR12/HDR-SR12E
Packaged Quantity:1
Product Line:Sony Handycam

Lens System

Lens Aperture:F/1.8-3.1
Max Focal Length:58.8mm
Min Focal Length:4.9mm
Optical Zoom:12
Type:Zoom lens

Optical Sensor

Camcorder Effective Still Resolution:5.08Megapixel
Camcorder Effective Video Resolution:3.81Mpix
Camcorder Sensor Resolution:5.66Mpix
Optical Sensor Size:1/3.1"
Optical Sensor Size (metric):8.2 mm ( 1/3.1 ) / 8.2 mm ( 1/3.1" )
Optical Sensor Type:ClearVid CMOS
Sensor Qty:1CMOS

Optical System

Built-in Optical Image Stabilizer: Yes
Image Stabilizer:Optical (Super Steady Shot)

Video Input

Analog Video Format:NTSC/PAL
Digital Scene Transition:Black fader / White fader
Digital Video Format:AVCHD / MPEG-2
Digital Zoom:150
Face Detection: Yes
Media Type:Flash card / Hard disk drive/Hard disk drive
Shooting Modes:Digital photo mode
Special Effects:Monotone / Old Movie / Pastel / Sepia
Still Image Format:JPEG
Type:Camcorder

Viewfinder

Image Aspect Ratio (camcorders):16:9
Viewfinder Color Support:Color
Viewfinder Type:Electronic
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