ProductCritic: Sony HDR-HC3 Reviews

Camcorderinfo.com (93)

What allows us to love this solidly built tiny camcorder, which has gorgeous video performance at incredibly high resolution, great low light performance, and other nice features, is the fact that it has a big sister which provides the manual control we need. The HC3 is going for a target market, losing many features in the process, and certainly has some design flaws. But you can’t accuse Sony of not giving you the option for these controls—you’ll just have to spend $700 more to get them on the pro A1.

T3 (90)

Sony has worked a surgical miracle here, slicing out expensive features from the HC1 but barely grazing its performance. The result is a streamlined Hi-Def powerhouse that could be the last camcorder you ever need buy.

Urban Semiotic (88)

The Sony Handycam HDR-HC3 is an outstanding HD camera for creating gorgeous video and still images.

EasyCamcorders.com (88)

The HDR-HC3 is a fine camcorder in its own right, but the competition should make you think twice.

HomeTheatreHiFi (85)

With HD video camcorders like the Sony HC3 available at consumer-friendly prices, there is no reason to video tape your family adventures in the “old” NTSC or PAL formats any more. It is time to upgrade, and the HC3 is a great little camera.

PC Authority (83)

This makes the HC3 a winner, despite its lack of manual controls. It’s clearly aimed at the consumer wanting to capture great footage of family events and holidays, and for that purpose it’s superb. The more serious hobbyist should still snap up the HC1 while stocks last for its more professional features, or go for the semi-pro HVR-A1E, which has the same CMOS with even more bells and whistles.

PC World (81)

Sony’s latest camcorder will let you record your next home movie in high definition without breaking the bank. The $1300 HDR-HC3 is the least-expensive HD camcorder we’ve seen so far, but despite its reasonable price tag, Sony didn’t skimp on quality or features.

PC Mag (80)

Sony’s HDR-HC3 sets the bar very high, letting consumers film home movies in stunning HD quality.

Good Gear Guide (80)

A great entry to the camcorder market that’s perfect for those with HD televisions.

CNET (76)

Though significantly cheaper than Sony’s previous consumer HD camcorder, the Sony Handycam HDR-HC3 still offers superb HD video quality.