Sony DSR250 Review Camcorder
Published by Digital Video Camera / Camcorder Review Staff February 19th, 2006 in Sony, Camcorder Reviews
DVCAM 1/3″ Digital Camcorder CCD DVCAMâ„¢ Camcorder with standard DV recording capability. Basic package includes DSR-250 Camcorder, RMT-811 Remote Commander, Directional monaural microphone (ECM-NV1), DXF-801 viewfinder, Lens Hood, Lens.
3 CCD DVCAM Camcorder
DVCAM and Standard DV Recording
LCD and high resolution B+W viewfinder
SuperSteadyShot and One Touch Infinite Control
12 Zoom lens, up to 48x Digital Zoom
2 lux Minimum Illumination
Auto Tracing White Balance
i Link input and output
Wide screen Capable
XLR Audio Inputs
Presettable Time Code, Rec Run and Free Run
Programmable User Bits
JPEG Still Image Recording
Up to 270 Minutes of recording capability
ABCDV compares the Sony DSR250 Camcorder with the JVC DV500 Camcorder and writes - “Really, they’re two different types of cameras. The Sony is a DVCAM in a professional configuration that brings up some of the “pro-sumer” features, while the JVC is strictly a manual camera with a professional removable lens. I am not wild about the electronic lens on the 250; however, it is sharp and does what it’s supposed to. That electronic lens does have a few nice features. For example, it has the auto iris button, just like professional lenses: you can zoom in to, say a person’s face, hit the auto iris button, let the camera get the aperture it wants, then release the button and you’re back in manual and can adjust up or down as needed. And, it has the same feature for focus… zoom in, hit the auto focus button and let the camera snap into focus, then release the button and you’re in manual. I find that a quicker way to focus than turning the ring, because, like all those electronic lenses, it requires more turning than normal. And, even though it doesn’t give you f-stop marks on the lens, you can read f-stops in the viewfinder. You can also read time code in the viewfinder, which is really handy for calling out numbers to the script person. And, it lets you read both audio channels in the viewfinder too. Also, the Sony has the 801 series viewfinder, the same hi-res one that’s on the DSR300 and DSR500. I had trouble with the JVC viewfinder and if I bought that camera would have to spend more money on the better viewfinder.”
DVInfo has a review of the Sony DSR250 Camcorder and writes - “Since I’m not used to electronic type cameras, ie., with a lot of things in the menu, it was a bit awkward for me at first, but by now I know where to find things in the menu. Because of the menu-accessed items, it’s still time consuming to turn on and off the color bars and the steady-shot, but not a big problem. Keep in mind that I’m comparing this camera to my BVW300. Those who have used other menu-driven cameras probably would love the way things are set up in the DSR250.
Overall it was a major leap for me to use a camera of this nature on a major shoot for a big client, but everyone is very pleased with the results. I did chicken out on a few of the wide panoramic shots and covered myself with the Betacam, though after looking at the footage, the DSR250 stuff is perfectly acceptable. In terms of in-cab lighting, we used one 200 watt HMI for key and two of the 10-inch Kino-Flo’s for fill, along with reflectors and an Omni with 100 watt DC bulb and dichroic. The camera handled the contrasts very well.
I do have a documentary planned and perhaps a feature short hopefully for the upcoming year, and I will probably shoot most of the footage for at least the documentary with the DSR250. My previous feature, “Shades of Gray,” was shot mostly 16mm and Betacam SP, but that’s because it was started about 5 years ago. Today it would all be DVCAM, no questions asked.”
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