HDR-PJ30V
4.8
5
5
5
Loudly loaded with lots of bells and whistles.
Other than cell phone cams and a Sony I bought mostly for stills, this is the first cam corder I purchased since an RCA VHS (remember those?) 4 1/2 lb monster purchased 100 years ago.
This camera has all the bells and whistles that anybody but a professional photog would want. Took me awhile to decipher the Manual but then found that the printed out Handbook was much easier to familiarize myself with the camera.
Even though this particular Model has been replaced, there are still many out there, new and used. And at a price much less than the original MSRP ($849) If you can get this camera for under $450, you won't be disappointed.
March 29, 2013
Excellent Gadget
This is an excellent deal as I got it for 799 which I didn't find anywhere. I was surprised with the features of this tiny camcoder and wondered how it can fit with this many high-tech qualities. I really like the Projector feature as I can show my kid's acitivities alongwith high quality audio to my grandmother who can't come to my home. I would suggest other's on this product. At the end, I am a big fan of Sony prior to this purchase as well.
September 28, 2011
Great Features, Average Performance
The Sony Handycam HDR-PJ30V is a middling camcorder, and, while its built-in projector is a cool feature, we?re not sure if it warrants the price tag that comes with the model. The camcorder did well in most of our tests, and it really stood out in stabilization and motion, but its overall numbers weren?t able to match what we saw from the competition. Mid-range camcorders from Canon (Vixia HF M40) and Panasonic (HDC-TM90) both did better in our tests?particularly in low light?and are available at much lower costs than the PJ30V. In fact, the PJ30V is closer in price to Panasonic?s high-end model, the HDC-TM900. And if you can get a camcorder of that quality for the same price, then that puts the HDR-PJ30V in a dangerous limbo.
But there is the built-in projector. That feature, along with the ability to record Full HD video with 60p and 24p frame rates, make the HDR-PJ30V stand out from the crowd at least a little. The Panasonic HDC-TM90 can record 60p, and the Canon HF M40 can record 24p, but the Sony HDR-PJ30V is the only mid-range model of the bunch that can do both. So, if you are a lover of multiple frame rates, there is some incentive to go with the PJ30V.
While Sony did load the PJ30V with numerous frame rates, it neglected to include a variety of manual controls on the camcorder. There is no option for manual aperture or shutter speed adjustment, and most of the controls found on the camcorder are enhanced auto features. This stands in contrast to the Canon and Panasonic models, both of which give you some kind of control over shutter and aperture.
In the end, we were more impressed with the quality and performance of the Canon HF M40 and Panasonic HDC-TM90 over the Sony HDR-PJ30V. Unless you?re in love with the idea of having a projector built into your camcorder, or you?re looking for a mid-range model with the most frame rate options, the Sony HDR-PJ30V is not your best choice. It doesn?t have a good set of manual controls, and it lacks the top-notch low light performance that we?ve seen from other mid-range models this year.
For our full in-depth review, please visit CamcorderInfo.com: http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Sony-Handycam-HDR-PJ30-Camcorder-Review
July 15, 2011
I love this Sony HD --
The stabilizer is the best I have used in this generation of smaller cameras. The auto features are intuitive and do most of the best adjustments automatically. Transfer features are easy to set up and use. Video length and Battery life are very good.
June 28, 2011
