By: Tariq Bamadhaj (Senior Editor)

Update: June 15, 2010 10:30PM ET:  This contest is now officially closed. Congratulations to Mark L. of El Paso, TX for winning this awesome prize. Mark, you have been chosen based on the rules. We have sent out an email your way to further verify your identity. After which, you are required to contact us ASAP with all validating information. You have approximately one week to contact us. We have taken very careful steps to keep your private information secure, so we expect all winners to excercise honesty & promptness. Breaking any of the rules will result in a disqualification and as such, another winner will be chosen at random. A big thank you to our friends at Sony for this great prize!

With everything going HD in the digital world, from televisions to phones, it was only a matter of time before we saw consumer camcorders shoot videos in crystal clear quality. One such camcorder that I had the opportunity to try out was the Sony Handycam HDR XR500V. With Sony and their great designs, I was rather surprised to see just how bulky this handycam but I soon came to realized just what contributed to its size.

Tech Specs

The XR500V packs a 120GB HDD which allows for over 14 hours of shooting at the highest quality. More than any tape or disc or even flash based models out there. If that was not enough, you have the option of expanding it with a Memory Stick Pro Duo that can add up to an additional 32GB of storage. With so much storage, this handycam is definitely a great model to take with you on your next family vacation. Or for that upcoming spring break.

The camera weighs in at 20oz and is enclosed in a 2.9x3x5.5” body in a very sexy black and gray finish. While it won’t fit into your pocket like a Flip or other smaller sized camcorders, it does pack a GPS receiver that allows you to tag your media and view them by location later on. The 12 megapixel camera lets you capture still moments with up to 12x optical zoom while the Exmor R sensor developed by Sony allows for great picture quality in low noise.

With so much going for the Sony Handycam HDR XR500V, it’s also priced higher than many consumer models out there. Just slashed to $899 from $1299, you’ll probably still think that you could get a cheaper camcorder elsewhere. However, I urge you to read this review before you let price be the sole factor in your decision.

What’s In The Box

Sony’s been kind enough to provide you with all you need to get started, from the AC adaptor and battery pack to a wireless remote commander that allows you to shoot yourself from a distance. You also get a CD-ROM with Sony’s Picture Motion Browser and handbook in PDF format, on top of the printed manuals and fliers. When it comes to cables, you’re covered with component A/V, regular (the white, red and yellow) as well as USB cables, which is all you need to hook up to your computer or TV.

Sadly, no HDMI cables were included. Then again, they never do come standard with any camcorder purchase. The camcorder uses standard HDMI though, so you could get one for cheap. However, I do wish that a cover or case for the handycam was included, even if it were a simple soft cloth. The last thing you’ll want is to get some scratches on that really nice body of the XR500V (and it is a very nice body indeed)

Tour

Those that have seen and handled the handycam have expressed its beautiful design. Words like ‘sexy’ and ‘solid’ were commonly heard from friends and family whom I showed this to and I’m sure you’ll agree. The front of the HR500V sports a powerful flash for those low light moments and a Sony Lens G for the device which claims better media quality. Just to the bottom right of it you have a manual knob that lets you adjust specific functions such as focus, when needed and on the left is the window to receive remote commands.

Opening up the lovely 3.2” touch screen (it also rotates 180 degrees) on the side provides you with a host of settings. What’s great about this is that you’re not bombarded with so many buttons that you think you’re flying a 747, but enough to make on-the-fly adjustments to the most used settings such as turning GPS on or off and choosing your low light shooting mode: Standard, Low Lux or NightShot. With NightShot, you can shoot subjects in almost complete darkness but why anybody would want to capture a video that’s viewed through night vision goggles is anybody’s guess. Just know that you do have such a “Paris Hilton” option with the XR500V.

Over at the back, you have your usual battery compartment, a button that lets you toggle between shooting a video or taking a photo and another to toggle between starting and stopping recordings. Just below that is the cover to your charging port.

Moving to the right is where your HDD is housed. Covers for your mic and earphone port are on the left while sliding the cover on the right exposes the A/V R, standard USB and HDMI port. The lack of a Firewire port may be a concern for some but with more and more modern computers not sporting it, it seemed wise of Sony to not include it as well. With all those connection options, I was able to hook up the handycam to my computer, external monitor and HDTV, thanks to the supplied cables in the box.

Glancing over at the top, you have your standard 5.1 channel surround microphone, a hot shoe covered by a sliding panel just next to it, and a pull out viewfinder which came in really useful on those bright sunny days when the touch screen panel seemed washed out. The usual wide/tele zoom switch is also there, just beside the dedicated camera button that allows you to snap a picture while in video mode or shooting one.

I was really happy with the design of the handycam, especially the way Sony handled port covers. No longer do you have to worry about dust entering your rarely used ports or fumble with covers when you remove them. They’re nicely attached next to their respective ports and slide over to cover them elegantly when not in use.

User Experience

What I really like about the XR500V is the user-friendliness of the device. It was so easy to use that I could pass it to a friend or family member and they would know how to use it. Flipping open the screen or pulling out the viewfinder turns the camera on and you’re ready to go. Navigating the touch screen is just as easy but to be honest, the factory settings worked right out of the box. In case that is too much for you, there’s also that Easy button that takes care of all that for you.

The GPS feature is more of a novelty for me. It’s a bare version of the NAVTEQ maps so don’t bother using it to find your way around a foreign city or finding the nearest hotel. It’s main (and I guess only) purpose to show your location on a map. While the GPS does work, it does take a considerably long time for the handycam to get my initial location. It could be the cloud cover or that I was not in a large open space (though there were not many tall trees around) or it could even be GPS receiver that Sony uses. However, Sony countered this with the ability to let you set your location manually. Once your photos and videos are geotagged, you can go back and view them by location, on top of the usual sort by date/time. Didn’t I say it was user-friendly?

The videos I shot are really crisp and clear and moving from a standard camcorder that used mini-DVs, I could easily tell the difference. Subjects came into focus really quickly and that SteadyShot technology that Sony packed into it really helped when I was cold and shivering. I’m no professional cameraman as many would tell you but with that HDR500V, everyone thought that the videos they were seeing were taken by one.

Camera-wise, I found it to be a mixed experience. That’s not to say that it takes bad pictures, just that I feel it could have been better. Then again, what videocam does better at pictures than video (and vice-versa?)  The flash was really bright and while that may help in really low light conditions, it was better to shoot without it whenever there is sufficient ambient light. You could tell that there is some minimal noise in the photographs it took.  There were also times I felt that a dedicated digital camera would have done a better job. However, out in the open, on a clear day, my pictures came out fabulous and since I use my handycam more outdoors than indoors, the camera issue was not a big one for me.

What I do like about the camera are the features that it comes with, namely Face and Smile detection. The latter allows for the handycam to automatically capture a photograph when the subject is smiling which means you no longer have to be alert for the right moment while the former ensures that your human subjects are properly composed for the shot. It really makes taking photos a lot easier and if you’ve never used a camera with Smile detection technology before, you’re going to love it, especially more so when you have kids.

What I Like

• Very beautiful design.
• Built-in GPS allows for geo-tagging media.
• Package comes with necessary cables and remote control.
• Takes really great videos.
• 120GB HDD allows for over 14 hours of video recording.
• Simple to use, yet comes with many advance features like NightShot as well.
• Great battery life.

What Could Be Improved

• Addition of a soft cloth case or cover would be nice.
• So would the addition of an HDMI cable.
• Device is larger and bulkier than many camcorders out there.
• Support for SDHC memory cards would be great.
• Picture taking not as great as a mid-range standalone digital camera.
• Picture Motion Browser (PMB) software could be more user-friendly.

Reality Grade

Whether this is your first handycam or you’re getting one to replace an aging camcorder, the Sony HDR XR500V is definitely worth considering. You may be paying more for it than other models out there but you do get more out of it as well. Most people would argue that Sony focuses more on style than functionality. And while there is no denying the sheer beauty of the Sony camcorder, I believe the features are all there as well. With HD becoming the standard on many media fronts, getting a camcorder that shoots in HD would definitely be a worthy investment.

Product Specs

• Brand: Sony
• Model: HDR XR500V
• MSRP: $1299.99 $899.99

By: Nate Nelson (Contributing Writer)

NOTE: March 12, 2010: The contest is now closed. Thank you to all who followed and commented on the review. After the random drawing, we would like to congratulate Anne C. of Harrisburg, PA (who commented and followed us on Twitter and Facebook) for winning the Cybershot TX1. Anne, your super cool new Cybershot will be mailed to you immediately. To those who didn’t win, don’t fret. Every review is a giveaway! So if you’re following us, you’ll be the first to know. Our deepest thanks once again to our loyal followers.

NOTE March 4, 2010:  The TX1 is one of the sexiest things I’ve seen in a while. I remember how excited I got when these came in. If you want to win your very own $350 Sony Cybershot TX1, all you have to do is enter your hot little email in our subsciption box on the top right hand side of this page. Be sure to go back into your email and verify, then come back here and spit a hot rant down below as to “what you like about this camera.” It’s that simple. We will be picking one very lucky winner on March 12, 2010. It pays to subscribe to our e-newsletter because we give away a lot of stuff here at MRT, where almost every smokin review is a hot giveaway! ~Jenna Gonzalez (Editor In Chief)

I am excited to offer this review of the Sony Cyber-shot Digital Camera TX1 – a sleek, advanced little point-and-shoot with full on touchscreen and a list of fancy features.  However, in the spirit of full disclosure, I feel it is important to make a distinction between being an expert and being an enthusiast.

I mention this because I would not want anyone to read this for an expert analysis of the camera.  In other words, I will not be discussing things like “white balance” (unless the subject happens to be: “What on earth is white balance?”).  I know those things are important, especially to skilled practitioners, but this review is about “Real Tech for Real People,” just like the MyRealityTech banner reads.Like many of you, I’m just another average guy looking for a camera that works well for me.

With that out of the way, on with this enthusiast’s review:

Unboxing

So-called “unboxing videos” are popular not because of the information or insight they provide, but because they remind us of a very exciting moment in the life of a gadget owner. It is that instant where you crack the seal on a new bit of technology and gaze for the first time at your new toy.

Lifting the lid on the Sony DSC-TX1 was a sublime experience in that respect. On top were the manuals written in several different languages, an installation CD for computer software, and another few miscellaneous warranty cards and ignored papers. I set these aside without paying them much attention, as my business was below the next flap.

In the bottom compartment I found the Sony DSC-TX1 waiting. The battery was already charged and installed so I could begin shooting right away. [NOTE: This is not how the DSC-TX1 comes normally, but was done by the kindness of our own Ms. Jenna Gonzalez, who sent me the review unit.] In the box was the charger, a power cord, a wrist strap with attached stylus for the touch screen, and a USB/AV multi-connector cable.

I figured out the basic navigation after a minute or two of puzzling (who needs instruction manuals?). I held the camera at arm’s length to take a self-portrait, and managed to half-blind myself with the red-eye wink and the flash. Not the most auspicious start, but I did not care. I was playing with a new electronic toy and I was more concerned with having fun with it!

Initial Impressions

The Sony DSC-TX1 is the size and shape of a digital point-and-shoot camera. That is the most sensible way to describe it, at any rate. There may be fractions of difference in size and weight from the majority of similar cameras on the market, but the DSC-TX1 is within the standard dimensions. It is small enough to tuck comfortably into a pocket, in other words.

The camera settings are accessed through a touch screen on the back, so the entire rear panel is a three-inch screen covered in hardened glass for better durability. The DSC-TX1 comes in four different color schemes: blue, pink, gray, and silver. The model Jenna sent was the gadget-standard silver (She likes silver things,) although I would consider a different color if I were purchasing it.

The list of features for the camera is large, to the point of being intimidating. Among the highlights: a back-illuminated “Exmor-R” sensor, which allows the camera to take great pictures in low light. A Sweep Panorama Mode that automatically stitches together landscape sized photos taken with an arm sweep. The ability to take up to 10 pictures per second at full 10.2 megapixel resolution. On top of it all is the powerful iAuto mode, which senses proper settings for images and takes the thinking out of picture taking.

Sliding the front cover down activates the camera by turning on the power and opening the shutter. There is an on/off button by the shutter trigger, which will also power up the camera, but is less entertaining (important to some people). On the other side of the trigger is a rocker button, which operates a Carl Zeiss lens with a 4x optical zoom. Is that good? I certainly thought so.

Test Drive

The automatic recognition features of the Sony DSC-TX1 first jump out. The camera’s iAuto mode transitions seamlessly, so moving from low light, to macro, to natural light, to bright fluorescent lights does not require navigating the menu to find the best setting. More advanced photographers who want to choose their own settings can turn off the iAuto mode, but casual users will appreciate it. For me at least, sometimes it’s more fun being less “automatic.”

Menu options for the Sony DSC-TX1 can be accessed with the touch screen, which responds to either fingers or the stylus connected to the wrist strap. Navigating the menu was not as intuitive as with other point-and-shoot cameras, and I eventually had to resort to the instruction manual to figure out a few of the details. However, I got the eventual hang of it once I got more acquainted to it.

Taking a picture with most new digital cameras happens in two stages: push the shutter trigger halfway until the camera focuses, then push the button all the way in and hope that you hold it still long enough for multiple red-eye flashes. Although I appreciate the technology that eliminates red-eye, and I am always glad that my subjects do not end up looking like minions of Satan in the finished product, I also end up taking a few blurry pictures of headless people as I get used to the sequence of flashes.

Now for the iAuto feature: I gotta say the Sony DSC-TX1 gave me even more problems than usual with that because of the iAuto feature. Sometimes the camera would have a second or two worth of red-eye flashes, sometimes it would take pictures right away, and sometimes it would not take at all, but try to focus some more. More experience with the DSC-TX1 would help, but it was sometimes frustrating without a good understanding of the system. Like I said before, the more experienced photographers may want to turn this feature off.

I took several dozen pictures as I went along, using the default programming. After a while I noticed the image size, which was using the eye-goggling 10 megapixel setting. Although most memory cards have sufficient space for hundreds of these monstrous photos, they are not email (or even computer storage) friendly and I felt a bit foolish for not changing it at the beginning. The lesson learned was to check image sizes first, unless you plan on major enlargements. Megapixels are an indication of size, and not quality, which comes from the lenses and the sensors.

A final item of note is the Smile Shutter technology, which is really just a novelty when compared to the complex algorithms and sophisticated image processes that are the foundation of the Sony DSC-TX1. However, most people’s eyes will glaze over when you mention the BIONZ image processor or the optical SteadyShot image stabilization. But show them that the camera automatically takes a picture of you when it sees you smile, and you have a captive audience.

It is very simple: when activated, Smile Shutter technology snaps a picture every time the camera recognizes a smile. I have no idea how it works, although I would guess it is related to the face recognition and motion recognition programming. It should not be so amazing to me (after all, we are talking about an image captured through a physical lens that is instantaneously translated into row after row of 1s and 0s stored on a microscopic silicon sheet in specific patterns, which can then be viewed and sent around the world in an instant, which is pretty amazing when you think about it), but it is. The Smile Shutter is also a fantastic party trick and a great icebreaker, although I have learned through experimentation that it does not work on dogs, as exhibited here with my baby Sasha. Then again, I’ve come to the conclusion that no software would ever be able to handle how cute she is!

Likes and Dislikes

What I liked:

• iAuto mode is great for casual photographers 
• Twilight/low light setting takes amazing pictures with very little light
• Many high-end features including face recognition and Smile Shutter
• The camera is undeniably sleek & sexy. Easily one of the best looking, higher-end point & shoot cameras out today.

What I disliked:

• Menu navigation can be unintuitive
• Rapid setting switching in iAuto mode can be problematic
• Cost may be prohibitive for some ($349.99 MSRP)

Reality Grade

The Sony DSC-TX1 is available through their website for $349, which is a bit more than I would consider for a point-and-shoot. It is a high-end camera, though with image technology, one would expect to find in more expensive single lens reflex models. Aside from the standard Sony sexiness that will certainly appeal tp the fashion-conscious crowd, the iMode and Twilight features are the highlights of the DSC-TX1, which make it a great option for travelers and casual photographers who want to upgrade their current models. So what do you think?

Make sure to follow me on twitter  @nathanmcduck  for more updates on this and future giveaways!