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- 15-hour recording time on its internal 120 GB hard drive
- Superb HD video
- Especially smooth zoom function
- NightShot light for shooting in the dark
- Expensive
- Short battery life -- 40 to 90 minutes in tests
An extremely high memory capacity -- nearly 15 hours of the highest-quality video – gives the HDR-SR12 lots of recording flexibility. And reviewers' praise of this camcorder goes on and on: top-notch HD video, excellent audio, razor-sharp still photos and fun features including a NightShot mode. However, the long recording memory is offset by a short battery life of about 40 minutes per charge in testing. The Canon HD camcorder records to tapes, which are easy to edit, but each tape can only hold about an hour of top-quality video.
CamcorderInfo.com has by far the most comprehensive review of the HDR-SR12 and rates the camcorder against dozens of others. Although the reviews at Videomaker.com and DigitalTrends.com aren't comparative, they are stringent and detailed. ConsumerReports.org's test is equally rigorous, but you have to be a subscriber to read about it. User reviews at Amazon.com bolster experts' findings, and they reveal a few flaws.
| Sony HDR-SR12 10.2MP 120GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom | |
(58 reviews) |
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| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  6,904 store reviews | In Stock. FREE SHIPPING, Ships same day if ordered by 5:00pm EST (Mon-Thur), Sony Authorized Dealer! | $1,039.95 | See It |
 |  1,218 store reviews | In Stock. Earn 2% eBay Bucks on qualifying purchases! Backed by eBay Buyer Protection Program. Terms and Conditions apply. | $1,039.95 | See It |
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CamcorderInfo.com's thorough review evaluates every aspect of the Sony HDR-SR12, comparing it with several of its peers. Overall, it's judged the best hard-drive camcorder, but it's expensive and has some handling quirks.
Review: Sony HDR-SR12 Camcorder Review, David Kender, March 31, 2008
2. Videomaker.comDetails/Subscribe
Videomaker's reviews are critical and well done, but cameras are not compared with each other, nor is an objective rating system used. However, the Sony HDR-SR12 (along with its variant, the SR11) gets Videomaker's highest praise.
Review: Camcorder Review: Sony HDR-SR12 Camcorder, Greg Robinson, June 2008
Although editors at DigitalTrends.com don't review as many camcorders as others, reviews are easy to read and provide plenty of details. Camcorders are not directly compared with one another, but they do receive numerical scores. The Sony HDR-SR12 is one of three current HD camcorders that meet Editors' Choice standards.
Review: Sony HDR-SR12 Review, David Elrich, May 22, 2008
4. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
ConsumerReports.org's individual review of the Sony HDR-SR12 is brief, but it does give the camcorder a rating in five major areas, including picture quality and ease of use.
Review: Sony HDR-SR12, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, July 2008
5. Amazon.com
Consumers have posted over 50 reviews for the Sony HDR-SR12 at Amazon.com, almost unanimously positive. Reviews do include criticism, however. For example, several owners say they don't like the editing software that comes bundled with it.
Review: Sony HDR-SR12 Camcorder, Contributors to Amazon.com
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