The Sony HDR-HC5, a high definition camcorder using the tape-based HDV format, is a key model in the company’s lineup. While the HDR-HC7 ($1,299 MSRP) is the flagship HD camcorder, the HC5 is priced at $999, just below that magical $1,000 point at which consumers can still credibly consider the purchase. A casual glance through the big-box store Sunday circulars points to the fact that camcorders priced over $1,000 rarely get play. Even compared to the HC7, the HC5 is one of the best HD camcorders on the market. While it lacks the bells and whistles that make other Sony HD models more alluring, the performance is outstanding.

The incorporation of x.v.Color technology is also new to the HD Handycam camcorder line. Based on the new international xvYCC color standard, Sony x.v.Color supports a much wider data range of colors compared to the conventional sRGB standard. According to the National Physical Laboratory in the U.K., this wider range is closer to colors that the human eye can recognize. “x.v.Color-compatible camcorders and displays will have a huge impact on home moviemaking,” said Linda Vuolo, director of camcorder products at Sony Electronics. “They will bring exquisite color reproduction to your home movies like you’ve never seen before.”

Although the handycam supports up to 80x optical zoom, digital zoom is limited to 10x, which may be a little short for some viewers. This is fairly standard with MiniDV cameras. Video quality dropped noticeably at high zoom levels, which is of course to be expected, however the high resolution of the camera made this less critical, and footage shot in full, 80x zoom was still watchable. Unfortunately the shake at this level of zoom makes getting a steady picture difficult without a tripod. Audio quality was good, and the camera’s inbuilt microphone was powerful enough to pick up sound at over ten metres quite easily.

The HC5E is a little more bulky than several other models, due to its MiniDV format, but nevertheless rests comfortably in the hand, and at approximately 1kg with tape and battery, it isn’t too heavy. Button layout is standard and the on-screen menu is very well laid out, with customisation options allowing users to set up their own “quick menu”. The touch screen works well, with big buttons and words; we didn’t find ourselves having to squint too much to see what we were selecting.