HDRCX405 HD Video Recording Handycam Camcorder (black)

I've given this five stars because I really do think this is a dandy little camera, but it wasn't the right purchase for me, and I gave it away to a friend for an early Christmas present. I think you should know: 1. This is a very small camera. It is not the size of a Coke can, think more the size of a little V-8 can. It is entirely plastic and it weighs practically nothing at all. Really, it weighs less than my television remote. That can be good or bad. You can shove it into the pocket of a jacket and forget you are even carrying it, so it's always with you. Like a TV remote, you can probably drop it without damaging it because it has so little mass. But, if you have unusually large hands, like mine, or arthritis, like me, or your hands have become insensitive through age or manual labor, also like mine, you may have trouble picking it up or holding onto it. I can only get three fingers of my hand through the strap up to the middle knuckle, and that is with the strap adjusted all the way out, as loose as it will go. The menu button, a four-way rocker with an "enter" or "OK" button in the center is about the diameter of a garden pea. Not only will my big thumbs not operate this button, but the switch that changes from "video" to "playback" is directly below the rocker switch, and my thumb covers them both and I end up pushing both at the same time. If you leave this sitting on a restaurant table, you may not even notice that it is no longer in your pocket, because it only weighs a few ounces. 2. If I am reading the display correctly, a 64GB micro SD will hold 7+ hours worth of video. The batteries last about 2 hours and a dead flat battery will take the better part of 3 hours to recharge. Get the Powerextra 2 pack replacement Sony NP-BX1, also sold on Amazon. It has two extra batteries, and a charger that you can charge from a wall socket or from a car 12v outlet. I can testify that it charges faster than the wall charger that comes with the camera, and if you are at an all day event you will need those extra batteries. This is a very nice camcorder. It has an excellent lens, the digital zoom is just spectacular. It will take still pictures as well, even while you are making a video. I gave it to a gal who is very small, has small hands, and can text on a mini keyboard cell phone with both thumbs. She navigates menus within menus like it was second nature. She loves it. It just wasn't made for a fella like me.

Sony - HDRCX405 HD Video Recording Handycam Camcorder (black) I ordered this Sony CamCorder on August 8, 2020, and I am just now getting around to reviewing it. But, I'm very happy to review it because I have intentionally taken very good care of this camera, and it has served me well for 6 years and counting. When I bought it, I paid $246.24 in August, 2002, but today the same product lists on Amazon for $816.90. There is so much to love about this camcorder. (1) the perfect camera for my content creation hobby; (2) 30x Optical Zoom Lens; (3) Optical SteadyShot stabilization; (4) Lightweight and compact; (5) Super Easy to use; (6) Built-in USB cable; (7) Classic black design; (8) Auto highlight video creator; and finally (9) Practical. (1) Since I do audio/video content creation, this camcorder's Full HD 1080p/60p recording captures crisp, professional-quality footage (2) ZEISS Lens with 30x Optical Zoom – A trusted glass lens that brings the action closer camera without losing clarity — great for recording events, presentations, or workshops (3) Keeps footage smooth even when I'm moving, ideal for my active lifestyle (4) At just over 1 lb, it's easy to carry to my workspaces and public speaking events (5) Customers consistently rate it highly for ease of use, which is great whether you're a beginner or experienced creator (6) Hassle-free file transfers to my laptop for easy editing and sharing (7) It perfectly matches my love for black accessories perfectly Auto highlight video creator – Automatically assembles the best clips into a shareable MP4 — great for presentations and client work It's a practical, capable camcorder that fits my content creation needs as well as my appreciation for easy-care, functional gear!

My application uses two HDMI cameras to feed a live video switcher (Cerevo Livewedge). I purchased both the Cannon HF R700 and the Sony HDCRX 405 to compare and evaluate. I ended up returning the Sony and getting a second Cannon HF R700 instead. The Cannon is a bit more expensive, but slightly better built and better matched to my application. If you are using the camera as a normal portable Camcorder, the Sony is a bit less expensive and would probably work for you. See below for details. While both the Sony and the Cannon can be operated to produce a live feed via the HDMI output port, there are numerous advantages to the Cannon. First, the Cannon can be operated without the battery being present using the supplied AC adapter. The Sony can be powered via an extension USB cable plugged into the supplied USB brink, but the battery must always be present. In my environment I wanted to be able to just turn the power on and off using a plug strip that turns all the video equipment on and off. When the power to the Sony was turned off, the camera continued to run on battery power. To turn it off you needed to unplug the HDMI cable and close the fold out screen. There is no power switch on the Sony. Second, the Sony micro HDMI connector on the camera was very flimsy. If I moved the camera slightly with the HDMI cable connected, the video would often drop out and come back as the cable was wiggled. Finally the Sony has a slightly inferior picture quality when compared to the Cannon. This is more noticeable in low light conditions. (Nether camera does very well in low light, but the Sony does have a bit more noise.) The Sony does have one advantage. It has an optical zoom of 60x, whereas the Cannon optical zoom is only 32x. When zoomed all the way in the Sony is slightly closer to the subject and when zoomed all the way out it has a somewhat wider field of view. This may be an important advantage for some users. Both cameras have the ability to turn off any automatic power saving (so you can keep it running when on external power). Both have the ability to turn off the on-scree-display for the HDMI output port, but the Sony hides this feature by calling it "HDMI Control" instead of the obvious "On-Screen-Display". The Cannon is slightly heavier and feels a bit more substantial. Both cameras have reasonable optical image stabilization, though when zoomed all the way in, neither is quite up to the task.

Was about to buy an very expensive camcorder until I heard about this one. It's exactly what I needed as someone who doesn't need all the super fancy things and at a decent price. It is really beginner friendly. If you can work on a phone camera, you can work this camcorder really easily. What was most important to me was the zoom and keeping the integrity of the quality while zoomed in. I just really want to film nature and birds. I don't really need super high quality as it's just a hobby. It zooms in a lot better than my galaxy S21 phone, so that was good enough for me. I also love the size of it, very portable and light. It fits in my jacket pocket. The length of the whole camcorder is shorter than the length of my galaxy S21 phone. I have small hands, so the controls were easy for me to navigate through. It maybe harder for people with larger hands. And as someone who gets overwhelmed with too many options, I really like how there's minimal number of switches and buttons. - There's 1 button to easily start/stop recording. - 1 button to press for photos (even during recording you can take pictures with this button) - The zoom switch next to the photo button on the top of the camcorder. - There's also a switch you can manually flip to close or open the lens cover. I like that this is a manual feature. There's comfort knowing I know for sure I won't capture something accidently when I have the lens cover on. - To turn it off and on, you simply need to open and close the screen flap like a flip phone. It's only bad if you are afraid to waste battery to access the HDMI port and micro SD card slot. You have to open the screen to access it. - Then there's only two controls on the screen itself. Not in a touch screen way but on the left of the screen there is one analog stick to move and make selection. To make the selection, you just press down on the analog stick. Underneath the analog stick is a button to access the menu/playback. I do not like touch screens so I really like this simple navigational tool right next to it. Oh and you can flip the screen around 180 degrees so you can do vlogs. Lastly, it has a built in USB cord (connected to the handle strap) to easily transfer files and charge the battery (with an included adaptor). You can adjust the strap, it's Velcro, and there's a loop you can add a lanyard to it if you wanted. The battery is removable. It comes with one battery. I recommend getting an extra battery and charger so you can save time on charging and have a back up. The possible deal breaker is that it doesn't allow you to input an external mic, but it has a pretty good built in mic. I haven't tested it in noisy areas yet. Sound quality isn't super important to me so I've been fine with it's built in mic. Also, it talks about an app or program for desktop to download to use with your camcorder. It has been discontinued since Feb. 2024 so that sucks. It's not required to access/transfer files though. I just wondered if it made looking at your files easier. You have to go through lots of folders to find your stuff. But at the same time, that is similar to finding your files when you plug in your phone to your computer (android & PC). Overall, I love this camera. Simple features for a simple man, with pretty good picture quality.

Put the camera on a tripod to shoot steady, non shaking video. Simply push the wide angle or telephoto button while filming to change what you capture. Much easier than spreading your fingers on a phone during videos to get closer. The Sony camcorder most likely will still be able to get closer videos when the phone distance has maxed out. Order two micro SD cards right away. Order a second batter right away too. Now you are set to tackle any concert, play, dance competition, etc of your family and friends. Plus this camera is so small and light, it fits in your pocket easily. I love that I can capture multiple modes of video at the same time…the best quality video plus 720p videos. I use freeware VLC Media Player to play my videos. Plus that software can convert your high quality .MTS files to 1080p or 720p mp4 videos, if you want. I have a PC, but VLC Media Player works on Macs too. The camera gets a bit warm when filming continuously over 30 minutes, but it still captures beautiful video. The audio is decent too. Highly recommend.

I've been a long time user of Sony Handycams and I was excited to upgrade a new camera. Sony's video quality has always been something I'm impressed with. I've stuck with them for about 17 years now. First off, I was surprised at how light the camcorder is. It doesn't feel heavy at all, sometimes people associate lightness with it being cheap in quality. In my opinion, it still feels pretty solid. I also like that I'm able to charge from the USB cable that's tucked away in to the strap. Nice unexpected feature! I love that Sony has switched from proprietary memory cards to Micro SD cards. These come so cheap nowadays that you can get a 32gb micro SD card that can handle a couple of hours of HD video. I still am rating the CX405 with 5 stars because for the price and quality that you get, it's fantastic. I wish the CX405 could have some apps like slow motion or any of the others that you can get with the Sony Nex cameras. But for simple point and record needs with solid HD video recording, this is a great little camera! My purposes are simple, I need a camcorder that's light, takes good quality video with good sound. The CX405 does a good job at this. I won't be shooting the next big Hollywood blockbuster with the camcorder (unless it's like a sequel to The Blair Witch Project). But it will capture my travel trips and family events just fine. I've had a number of Handycam cameras for my amateur needs. Sony has always done a great job on making tough, unassuming camcorders. I've put all of them through the wringer and with some of them being 15+ years old, they still work today! My only reasons for upgrading is that the technology continually improves. Great little camera that won't break your budget.

I bought this camera because I, like a few hundred thousand (maybe up to million, now) people on the internet decided they wanted to vlog on youtube. There's some cons that are a little challenging, but it's really more of a learning curve than a "con". The camera films in multiple formats, or rather it saves your video in two formats simultaneously. The first, traditional mp4, which is not a really high quality. The second, which can be one of two options with multiple frame rates selected, is the AVCHD or the XAVCS HD format. The latter format gives you 1080p/30fps OR 60fps. The software that's recommended to manage, which isn't too bad, so Play Memories. You can clip videos together, but forget any additional editing. For that, use OpenShot Video Editor - it's free and can handle the super HD format that's unique to this camera & others in it's quality range. I wish someone had told me that when I was asking questions at the store and I'm glad my Google-Fu is strong. Another hit against it, which I'm not removing a star from currently, is that there's no external mic option/input. If my youtube channel takes off, I'll probably be upgrading to a camera that has the input. The video it shoots is really great, and the depth with the XAVCS-HD is very noticeable compared to mp4!! I highly recommend this camera and will edit this as my experience with this camera increases. If you're looking for a good camera to start on YouTube or take great home videos that put you right there in the action, you got it. PS: If you're into vlogging, get the Sony VCTAMP1 Monopod for Action Cam (Black) or something comparable - the angle will be wonderful!

Got this camera as an inexpensive way to start making videos of different types as a hobby. I've had it for about four or so months now and I've mainly recorded one-take, long videos of me doing book/film reviews and generally just talking like that, and this camera is no problem if that's all you do. I had noticed that if I wanted to record more than one videos in one session, the camera didn't like to save the extra videos, sometimes claiming not enough space on the sd card when there's more than enough room, I even tested three different sd cards, 2 of them 1 tb one 100 gb. All had the same problem. So I found when recording a half hour to an hour video, I had to export the videos onto my computer and then delete them from the sd card before recording more. Inconvenient but for simple videos like that, I can live with it. The problem comes when I try to record videos with multiple short shots. This camera will not allow it. Trying to record nature/landscapes, events, etc. You can record a 5 second clip, wait for the camera to finalize the video, then try to record a second 5 second clip and you're already having problems. Sometimes in the middle of the recording it will claim that either data is corrupted or that it can't load media, or sometimes some different message will pop up, and it will scrap the video you're recording. Sometimes, it even deletes the video you recorded before it, even if you confirmed it had saved and watched the playback of it before recording the next video. Taking out the battery and putting it back in sometimes prevents this issue, sometimes after doing so it just won't recognize there's an sd card inserted even after taking out the sd card and putting it back in a few times, or putting in a new one. Like I said, it's not the sd card because I've tried three different ones and keep running into the same issues. Two of the sd cards are of the same brand but the third is a different brand. Using this camera is needlessly frustrating and it glitches. I didn't notice the glitches the first month or so of use, but after using the camera enough I've seen it do some stupid stuff here and there. Sometimes the interface (like the menu buttons, battery level symbol, etc) will disappear and that usually means it's going to start not letting you record or do anything. Sometimes after hitting the record button to end a recording, it will keep recording for a bit before stopping. Sometimes this just means your video is a little longer than intended and there's a nice video bit of you asking the camera if it's going to stop recording. Other times, you'll find the video just didn't save. The zooming function is usually pretty smooth but sometimes it has a delay that's annoying. Actually, a lot of times there's a delay. When you can actually keep a video, the picture quality is decent. But getting there is like pulling teeth a lot of times. Even for a lower price than other cameras, this product is not worth it. Even as a beginner camera. In fact, probably especially as a beginner camera I would not recommend this. You won't be able to learn to how film if the device is fighting you every step of the way and only giving you problems. This is a bad product. I am going to start looking for a new camera to replace it. I feel like I wasted my money getting this. But I guess once I get a camera that actually functions as it's supposed to this one will just be a spare for very desperate times. I've used much older Sony camera models way in the past and never had these kinds of problems, goes to show that companies like Sony just make things cheaper and cheaper, not even caring about making quality products.

i am a vlogger making lot of youtube videos. only small difficulty is there is no external mic option. even the inbuilt mic have super sound quality. and low light performance little down, if you increase room light it can resolve. but i am sure after i got this camera i taken around 60 youtube videos with super clarity with this camera. in this price this kind of camera is very good . i am not going to buy an expensive camera this is ok for me another couple of years as welll as the battery life and zooming quality is very very good. if you need to do vlogging this is the best camera

Très bonne caméra elle va très bien les images sont sensationnel je l’aime beaucoup

Eventhough this is an model, it's features meets my needs and budget. If it had a touch screen it would have been swell.

Produto de excelente qualidade na imagem, precisa fazer a configuração para a qualidade máxima de imagem na máquina, chegou antes do prazo, o produto é original.

The camera is not top of the range but it will do the job for most people. The picture is very good.