Technology has long evolved from the days of VHS playback devices where almost a whole hour of video could be recorded on a single tape to a point today where most people carry a video camera integrated into their phones. In an environment like modern day time, a strictly digital only era, sharing videos, pictures, and other multimedia is easier than ever before with both Youtube and Facebook among other social networking sites.
However, there comes a point where the limitations of a smartphone’s recording capacities become apparent and needs to be upgraded to the next level. Sony’s HDR CX230 camcorder, alongside its little cousin the CX220, are the latest in handheld video recording. These digital cameras are the perfect tool for an aspiring movie maker, avid sport aficionado, or the simple sociable person who wants to share landmark events in their life.
For the average person with a smartphone, such as Apple’s iPhone or any other similar product on the market, purchasing a dedicated video camera will never be necessary. The video qualities on most phones people have is fairly respectable and videos can be directly uploaded to the internet straight from the phone. Despite all this convenience, for other people wishing to take on more involved video projects, the CX220 and the CX230 give a great deal of power and really cool features other multipurpose devices cannot offer.
The first thing to consider when purchasing any product of any kind, regardless of its purpose, is to consider the price. The CX220 retails for $250 MSRP while the CX230 retails for $280 MSRP, though it may be found cheaper if ordered online. This price may seem a little outrageous to some people, but given that a smartphone costs several hundred dollars and many consumers buy those, these video cameras are well worth the money. The biggest attraction of the CX200 series cameras is that they record in high-definition 1080p. While a video recorded on a smartphone may look like it has great picture quality played on the phone itself, when the video is transferred to the internet it loses some of the crispness. These cameras solve that problem by providing sharp and clear images for maximum viewing pleasure.
The other big benefit of buying a CX200 series camera over other video cameras is their small size. The camera itself is no bigger than the size of a hand and is only a couple of ounces. This camera is extremely portable, fits into a small sized bag, and is really easy to take on the go. Even though the camera may be tiny, it is jam packed full of high-tech features. These include a 32x digital zoom, the ability to take photos while recording video, and Steadyshot video correcting technology. Steadyshot removes slight shaking from the vibrations of just holding the camera in the hands, meaning one does not have to haul around a big, clunky tripod around to get the best shots. The only difference between the CX220 and the CX230 is that the CX230 has 8 GB of internal memory, so for the most part the CX230 will never need to use an external SD memory card, sold separately. Both of these cameras are compatible with PlayMemories software, downloaded online from the Sony website, which takes files from the camera and uploads them to make available for sharing. The whole process of recording footage and then streaming it online is intuitive to use and quick to pick up.
Overall, the CX230 camera is a great purchase for anyone looking to record lengthy events which are not easily done on a smaller device. The price might seem like a high barrier, but the camera itself will last for a long time and serve the role of historian over many life experiences.