Sony HDR-GW66VE - Reviews

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25.8.2013

I've used many camcorders and cameras over the last 20 years and always found Sony to have the edge over all the other brands I've used. Today, looking for a new dedicated camcorder to replace my still cameras, I decided on another Sony. Initially I came close to ordering the GW55VE model - then spotted this gem, the later Sony GW66VE model which can film in MP4 format meaning file sizes are more manageable, don't clog up my computer hard drive and use less computer memory for editing. I am pleased to say that, having tested it for the last 3 weeks, I made the right choice.It's a small, compact camera, no larger than most of my still cameras, but it offers a lot. Start-up is fast,the menus intuitive (I still haven't needed to read any of the printed manual supplied) and the touch-screen is highly responsive. The best feature is the lens which is a superb quality producing crisp, bright, clear shots with none of the common faults found on cheaper lenses such as purple fringing in high-contrast areas, distortion, pixelation.... Focusing is fast with touch-focus to select the subject and the Auto-i mode always provides perfect focus, colour and white balance every time whether filming is indoor, outdoor and whatever the weather conditions. Although there are a multitude of scene modes and some manual settings, the Auto-i mode is so good that I've seldom strayed from this - and I speak as a photographer/videographer who almost always seeks to over-ride automatic settings! Sony has produced a winner with this and I doubt many users will ever feed any need to switch off the Auto setting. This also makes it the perfect camcorder choice for a complete beginner who doesn't want to know about the technicalities of exposure, focus, depth of field etc. The camcorder does it all for you - and does it very well indeed.Despite its otherwise perfection (no exaggeration there!), I have a few minor niggles. First of all, the best feature of this camcorder is its outstanding lens yet there isn't so much as a rubber cap to protect it from scratches. Nor is the lens even inset slightly as on many other cameras. Instead, it remains highly vulnerable. Also, the body doesn't feel as rugged or anywhere near as tough as other shockproof cameras, such as Panasonic's enviable FT range. Although it's supposed to withstand a drop, I really would not want to chance it. In terms of usability, I find the start/stop recording button a little stiff and directly beneath it, the `photo' button is very much stiffer, requires quite a firm press and even then there is no guarantee that it has captured the shot. Hence it is slow to take still photos via this method. Luckily, the controls are also on the touchscreen so if you have two hands available then this will enable very smooth shooting of both still shots and video along with smooth zooming.Pros- Outstanding quality lens- Perfect exposure. colour and white balance- Crisp still photos- Auto-i mode produces crisp clear shots every time (no need to change settings between shots)- No shake when using active steady shot- Almost instant start-up- Near-instant focusing- Waterproof (fully-tested)- Very little searching on video- Quality Dolby sound- Completely reliable and trustworthy for filming unrepeatable events- 10x optical zoom (on video only) can be increased to 17x if steady shot is disabled (tripod will be necessary)- GPS using real `proper' maps (with roads, rivers, sea etc shown)- Very good low-light filming (but no video light) and still shots- Excellent battery life- Cheap non-Sony branded batteries available- MP4 video for smaller, manageable file sizesCons- Plastic body - not a ruggedised camera- Have to remove from tripod to change battery or memory card- No video light for filming- No lens cap - big flaw (I hope you read this, Sony...)- Photo button is a little stiff so my move camera slightly while taking a pic, especially while filming- Mic picks up some wind noise even with wind reduction filter active- Takes time to switch between modes, ie video - photo - sweep panorama...- Although still camera is first-rate it is slower to use and has fewer features than a dedicated camera- Camera-photo mode lacks some usual camera features eg burst modeAlthough there is a crossover between cameras and camcorders today with many being able to perform both roles admirably, they are biased towards being either a camera or a camcorder. The Sony GW66VE is a definite camcorder which can also take photos and probably won't replace a conventional still camera for keen amateur photographers. Other similar cameras, such as the Panasonic FT range, are cameras which can take video. Neither is perfect at both roles.I was torn between this Sony GW66VE and the new Panasonic FT5 (I already have the FT3) but having used both I can confidently say that if you are looking for a still-camera to take occasional videos then buy the Panasonic FT3 or FT5 (which also records in MP4) but if you're looking for a brilliant, high-spec, top-performing camcorder with an outstanding lens and still-photos are a lower priority, then the choice has to be this wonderful, highly-recommended Sony GW66VE.