Sony Handycam HDR-CX240 is an entry level camcorder from Sony. It packs 9.2M/2.1M back-illuminated Exmor R™ CMOS Sensor, Zeiss® Vario-Tessar Lens with 29.8mm Wide Angle, 54x Clear Image Zoom, SteadyShot® E-Active and 50p/60p Recording. This camcorder is capable to take video in Full HD 1080p resolution and 0.2 megapixels still image recording.
This camcorder looks smart and stylish, but noticeably plastic. 5-10 years ago I couldn’t imagine buying a Sony Handycam for the price of $169 (AUD, around US$137). I guess technology has changed a lot. Even this camcorder still carry similar design language as the “old” camcorders, it feels significantly lighter. It seems that the internal components are actually much smaller than the unit’s size, and they simply put it in such case to allow comfortable handling by our hands.
The controls of CX-240 are located in spots we can easily reach while holding the Handycam. On top of the device, we can adjust the zoom level and take still images. At the back side near our thumb, there is one button to start and stop video recording. The built-in display can be opened, flipped, adjusted to our comfortable view. There are 4 direction control which also work as select button to operate the menu, along with a dedicated button to toggle between showing recording results and taking new videos. The display does NOT allow touch control. To my personal taste, navigating the menu is a bit awkward because I need to do multiple steps just to go back the previous screen. Not the best user interface design, but still usable and somehow forgivable thanks to its good price.
As usual, we can choose some picture effects. We can also choose between 4 movie quality options and 4 still image photos resolutions (in 16:9 or 4:3 ratio). It’s probably worth to mention that choosing the highest movie quality will prevent us from taking still images while recording video.
CX-240 does not have internal memory. So we need to put either micro-SD card or Memory Stick Micro. According to Sony, it can take up to 64 GB memory cards. I use 64 GB micro-SD, so I can’t check whether using micro-SD card with higher capacity will cause problems or not.
There is a micro-HDMI port on the camcorder. This allows us to connect it directly to our TV and see the videos/photos. As a nice bonus, Sony micro-HDMI to HDMI cable is included in the box, along with wall charger and USB extension cable.
Now, why would anyone needs a dedicated camcorder in the era of all-in-one devices? Most modern smartphones can record good video now, with high-end smartphones generally have the capability to record 1080p video. DLSR cameras, or even simple pocket cameras have the feature to record videos, too. Then why should we get a camcorder, let alone an entry level such as this one? There is no right or wrong answer for this question. It all depends on individual needs and taste.
For me, I like the handling of dedicated camcorder. It feels better for me to hold, compared to taking video using smartphones or digital cameras. Perhaps it’s just the conventional side of me. I also like that I can take still images (photos) while recording video, a nice extra that I can’t do using smartphones. Finally, camcorder allows me to use the device while plugged into wall charger, so I can take movies for longer duration than what the battery will allow.
During the first few minutes of testing, I realised that when I leave this unit idle for a while (turned on but not recording any video), it will turn off automatically. Probably good for battery saver, but there is no button I can press to turn it on again without having to close the display and re-open it. A little bit annoying as I have to do it few times while writing this review. Hopefully it won’t be too much of a problem in actual usage.
In the end, the most important factor of a camcorder is video quality. I have tested recording few short videos and played them in desktop computer. As long as we kept our expectations realistic, the videos look nice. Definitely not professional-level video, but more than enough for casual users who need camcorder for family events, vacations or other everyday needs.
How do you turn it on?