Wide-screen LCD with touch-screen controls; accessory shoe; impressive still-camera quality; very good standard-light video quality.
Mediocre low-light performance; dock required for video and image transfers.
The Sony DCR-HC96 Handycam is a MiniDV camcorder that performs well and provides impressive still-image quality. Nice features like a touch-screen LCD and an accessory shoe make it more attractive, but camcorders with better low-light video quality are...
Great video and stills quality, simple to use, Handycam station (some will love it)
Manual controls are awkward to operate, Handycam station (some will hate it)
If youre looking for a user-friendly MiniDV camcorder with excellent low-light performance, give Sonys DCR-HC96 serious consideration. This update of the DCR-HC90 sits atop Sonys MiniDV line. It retains its predecessors optical suite, including th...
LCD quality could be better
Confusing onscreen menus
Poor placement of the mode dial
No tape, card or Firewire cable supplied
I have no problem recommending the DCR-HC96 for the vast majority people who will use it for what most home video-making folks do—recording vacations, birthdays, babies, kids—the things camcorders are purchased for. Video quality is very accur...
Easy mode is great for the beginner
Top loading tape compartment
Placement of white balance controls within a labrynithian menu structure
Touch screen interface has a mere 123K pixel count and becomes smudged easily
No mic input
Proprietary hot shoe demands consumers only purchase Sony brand products that
are ab...
The DCR-HC96 represents the best of this years Sony consumer MiniDV camcorders(aside from the high definition HDR-HC3), replacing the HC90. Once again, Sony has produced great video quality in an easy to use package. At $800 (MSRP), the HC96 is defini...
Poor battery life; cumbersome menus poorly matched with the small touch-screen LCD.
Excellent video quality, a broad feature set, and decent photos make the Sony Handycam DCR-HC96 an excellent choice for those seeking a compact MiniDV camcorder. Navigating the small touch screen may encourage you to stick with its automatic features, ...
Abstract: Like the DCR-HC90, the HC96 is quite proficient at attaining accurate focus on extremely close subjects; however, when zoom levels are adjusted the camcorder has a tendency to breathe, or fluctuate focal depth in an attempt to ascertain the proper foca...
Poor battery life, Cumbersome menus poorly matched with the small touch-screen LCD
Excellent video quality, a broad feature set, and decent photos make the Sony Handycam DCR-HC96 an excellent choice for those seeking a compact MiniDV camcorder. Navigating the small touch screen may encourage you to stick with its automatic features,...
The Sony DCR-HC96 performs well and provides impressive still-image quality. Nice features such as a touchscreen LCD and an accessory shoe make it more attractive, but camcorders with better low-light video quality are available for less. James Galbra...
Poor battery life; cumbersome menus poorly matched with the small touch-screen LCD
Excellent video quality, a broad feature set and decent photos make the Sony Handycam DCR-HC96 an excellent choice for those seeking a compact MiniDV camcorder. Navigating the small touch screen may encourage you to stick with its automatic features, ...
