At $1800 or thereabouts, the Sony HDR-CX700 is not the most inexpensive camcorder around, but it is rather a splendid one. Most of my pet hates have been addressed in its design, it looks the part with its handsome supplied lens hood and it can even have the battery charged via computer if the adaptor is not handy.

Storage is to either Memory Stick or SD card, and additionally, there is 96GB on board too, giving ample room to save HD footage in MPEG AVCHD/H.264 format or if you wish, SD footage at MPEG2-PS.

12.3 Mp stills are also part of the package.

A 26.3mm wide angle Sony G lens coupled to a ½.88 Exmor R CMOS and BIONZ image processor make up the engine room.

Audio is collected by an onboard Dolby 5.1 mic system which can be switched to stereo and if required, an external mic (a Rode video mic worked particularly well here) can also be added via a sliding port on the right hand side which also contains a headphone and AVI out socket. DC in is sensibly just behind the lens assembly.

Under the 3” flip out LCD, another flap reveals  the SD/Memory Stick and USB ports, and a mini-HDMI port. And this is one of the better LCDs in bright sunshine I have to say.

On/off, nightshot and play buttons are placed under the LCD as well.

As usual of course, all cables are supplied barring the HDMI one. Why? Why?

But by far the most important button is the Big One in front of the lens and dubbed the ‘manual’ dial. The Manual Dial can have assigned to it Focus, Exposure, IRIS, Shutter Speed, AE Shift or White Balance. Pushing the dial once takes the camcorder from auto mode to manual mode, and then rotating the dial will change the value of the parameter set. Pushing it again will send the camcorder back to auto mode at which point, another setting, say shutter speed from focus, can be applied.

This gives the best of both worlds; fully auto beginners are able to gradually change to using manual features and those who are “always manual’ exponents have a dial to play with. It’s not quite as good as a full focus ring, but not far off.

All other controls are via touch screen. Sadly. But that is a personal thing I know, and the only area ‘cept the lack of HDMI cable or supplied SD Card / Memory Stick in which this camera lets me down.

There is a proper viewfinder though – hallelujah – although it doesn’t tilt. All the expected image wizardry is there too such as Face Detection, Smile Shutter, Intelligent Auto,, Smooth Rec Slo Mo and so on. Golf Shot makes an appearance here as it did in the HDR –PJ10E. Must try that out next I am golfing.

There’s another ‘new’ setting too called D-Range Optimiser. Although it sounds like something that Tariq would use in ‘Spooks’, it is said it ‘adjusts for favourable exposure and contrast best suited for the environment and the individuals in the picture. When posing against a highly contrasted background, the Bionz Processor corrects for exposure and contrast levels and allows for better backlight compensation and white colour expression’.

I have to say that Sony has pared back on the manual a tad. Sony manuals used to be really meaty affairs (although bolstered by also usually being multi-language; my TRV10E manual was also in Russian!) The manual for the CX700VE is quite thin however with most of it taken up with setting up and trouble shooting. Very little is given to the operation of the camera itself and the various modes. I suppose being the type of beast it is, Sony are expecting more camcorder savvy people to be buying this model than rank beginners.

There is a lot to like about this camcorder. Fir the enthusiast is has all the bells and whistles; for the professional it could act as a back-up unit quite nicely. A beginner might be a little overawed by all the facilities available, and the lacking manual would exacerbate that. Perseverance would be rewarded though.

Footnote: It was only aftera further play with this camera I noticed there are two versions. If yours has an "E" on the end of ther model number, it also has GPS built in. The reference in the manual is not immediately obvious, and your only indication is a tiny, tiny logo on the flip out screen! Easy to miss.

By David Hague

David is the owner and publisher of AusCam Online. He has a background in media dating back to 1979 when he first got involved with photojournalism in motorsport, and went from there into technology via a 5 year stint with Tandy Computers. Following that, he ran a software distribution company on the Gold Coast and was one of the first to recognise the potential of Microsoft Windows.

Moving back to WA, David wrote scripts for Computer Television for video training for the just released Windows and Office 95 among others, and was then lured to Sydney to create web sites for the newly commercial Internet in 1995, building hundreds of sites under contract to OzEmail including Coates Hire, Hertz Queensland, John Williamson, the NSW Board of Studies and many, many more.

He went back into full time journalism as the Managing Editor for Channel 7's 'Gadget Guy', Peter Blasina's publications VideoCamera and Pixelmag, before starting Australasian Camcorder magazine when these publications were shelved. He lives at Sydney's Avalon Beaches nearly on the ocean front with dog Budweiser and in his spare time is a nut for motor sport, road safety, fishing, science fiction - especially Dr Who - and technology.

David can be contacted via david@auscamonline.com