Sony DCR-SX41 Flash Camcorder w/60x Optical Zoom

5 comments

1. 

   Russell H. Carlock on December 4, 2009 at 9:07 pm

   This may be a wonderful camera for PC users; however if you use a Mac to edit your video, you should find another camcorder that is compatible. Unfortunately, Sony does not make it very clear that this model cannot be used with Macs, and since their previous models had been Mac friendly, I bought this one without checking.

2. 

   N. Wereley on December 4, 2009 at 9:38 pm

   This product is packaged as a Windows only product. Videos are in MPEG-2 format. To get the videos to play on the MAC requires jumping through several hoops and buying additional software. I cannot understand what Sony was thinking when they designed this product. It takes alot of time to convert MPEG2 formats. I had to buy a $20 MPEG2 converter from APPLE, and use public domain software (MPEG Streamclip – works great by the way). The camera itself is easy to use and takes reasonably good video in low light conditions and the audio is quite good. However, the prospect of having to convert videos to dv format for the foreseeble future just irritates me! Sony needs to package CONVENIENCE with their products as well.

3. 

   T. Kennedy on December 4, 2009 at 11:41 pm

   Not sure if I’m getting this submitted correctly since the “how do you rate it” link dids’t seem to allow for input…..But I’m giving the Sony DCR-SX40 the FIVE STARS it deserves – not just the Four Stars that ended in the preview of my review (can’t seem to change the darn thing). I’ve read a number of negative comments on other sites about picture quality being so-so, with visible purple fringing around images, blurring on zoom, and other comments referring to the camera as having “not very good quality”. Also have heard negative comments about the Sony software requiring XP users to have Service Pack 3 installed. In my brief experience thus far with this camera, none of the above are true. We just got the camera last night and used it for the first time this morning. We immediately burned what we filmed onto DVD and played it back on our TV through the DVD player. The picture was absolutely wonderful….and just in ordinary indoor lighting. The images were crisp with none of the dreaded ‘purple fringing’ in evidence. In fairness though….we did not attempt to view directly from the camera to the TV, so maybe that’s where some of the problems arise for some people. The zoom was smooth as could be, with no loss of focus. The sound recording was excellent and true-to-life. One thing I would most definitely recommend is a fluid head tripod so that panning is smooth. Our tripod panhead was a tad jerky, and it showed on the video. Haven’t tried just walking around with it to test for smoothness of filming….but then I don’t know of any camera (within this price range anyway) that won’t echo your body movements when you walk with it. As for XP Service Pack 3 being required…..well that IS what the manual seems to be saying, and even subsequent online live chat with Sony customer support was a bit confusing on that issue. But I finally called and talked to a live person who informed me that Service Pack 3 is NOT required. He was obviously correct, because I installed the PMB software that comes with the camera, and had no problems at all with the installation. Burned our first practive filming session using the ‘One Touch Disc Burn’. Could not possibly have been simpler, and it looked fantastic on our TV, which is a Samsung 56″ DLP. The footage we were filming was my magician husband performing with his flea circus (you read that correctly). So there was lots of backing away and zooming in very close to capture images of the fleas themselves. The picture was well lit, sharp, with no visible pixilation that I’ve heard people complain about. The zooming was smooth and crisp and the focus was fantastic….we’re talking filming fleas here! I did film in HQ, but will try out the other modes as well. Since we’ve had this little beauty less than 24 hours, we still have lots to experiment with, but from what we’ve seen so far, it is as much camera as we’re ever likely to need. Just one more comment before I go play with our new toy some more……one reviewer complained about the lack of a seperate manual lens cover. Having had that style on a previous camera, I can’t imagine why such a thing would be desireable…..you either end up losing it, or (if tethered to the camera) having it flip up in front of the view finder if a breeze happens by. The lens cover on the DCR-SX41 is built into the camera, is opened and shut with a simple flick of the finger, and the camera TELLS you whether the lens is covered or not. How much more convenient can it get?

4. 

   Kyle Texas on December 5, 2009 at 2:00 am

   I bought this unit from Best Buy for $299 on June 6, 2009. I have never owned a camcorder, so, I did a lot of research before buying and decided to rely on the Sony brand name. I’ve never had any issues with Sony, and, of course, Sony always works with my Macintosh computer. I’ve used it twice during the past weekend. The picture quality is very good, not great, but very good. I would assume that if you want an absolutely flawless picture that you would have to pay the extra two, three, or four hundred dollars and get an HD camcorder. I was not willing to do so given that I have never owned a camcorder before and really don’t know how much I will use it, how easy they can be to use, and how the iMovie ‘09 software functions. Right now, I’d say that this unit is a great investment. It is very easy to use and works well with iMovie. I’m very pleased. Perhaps in a year or two I will upgrade to an HD unit if warranted.

5. 

   Robert Barker on December 5, 2009 at 3:39 am

   This is the first new camcorder I’ve bought in seven years. I liked my last Sony camcorder, but the tape drive did become fouled over the years and eventually caused the demise of the camera. I am not a techie. I need simplicity with good results. I got the SX-41 a few days ago and I’m a little depressed about what I now have.

   First off, there’s no built in light on the camera. And I’ve already read complaints that it doesn’t do well in low light. My former Sony camcorder did pretty good in lower light situations. I guess the technology went backward, although I suspect it’s all about being cheap. So, now I’ll have to find some makeshift rig from some company like Sima in order to have any external light. Bummer.

   Second, the lens is no longer protected automatically. The lens cover is manual now. The LCD viewfinder does tell you if the lens is covered, but the problem is that you can leave the lens cover open after use, without knowing it. They also don’t provide a way you could install a small glass safety cover over the lens. This is a step backward.

   Third, the 60X zoom was a big selling point for me. Most of the other brand harddrive/flash camcorders seem to have a max 37X zoom. Unfortunately, the camera is so light, that it’s almost impossible to maintain image stability when you’re standing still, let alone zooming in. I have to shoot a wedding real soon and thankfully it’s outside (for better picture quality), but I’ll have to use a tripod with this handycam for stability.

   Fourth, the battery makes you feel like you’re in a race with time. The second you open the LCD viewer the battery starts ticking off minutes even before you shoot anything. And by the way, they’ve also done away with a direct viewer. The LCD screen is the only way you can see what you’re shooting, and it has to be fully open for the camcorder to turn on and remain on. So much for discreet shooting.

   Lastly, the camera strap on the side of the camcorder is way too small for an average sized man’s hand to fit through comfortably. To be fair to Sony, some of these problems don’t seem to be unique to Sony. I couldn’t find any of these new type of harddrive/flash camcorders with built in lights. All of them seem to be too light in weight for good image stabilization when shooting. But I can only judge this product. It’s definitely not as good as my tape drive camcorder from a few years back. It’s smaller, lighter, with a better optical zoom, only it’s still not as good. And it costs more.