Don't buy the new Sony Handycam HDR-HC3 built for golf

I can give a review of the new Sony Handycam HDR-HC3. I'm sad to say I purchased it. I purchased it for the High Definition video features and the slow smooth cam feature that enables you to take 240 frames per second video to give a super slow motion. Normal video is 25 frames per second.

This video camera has been produced in part for people wanting to video sport with the major focus being golf.

Here are the video's it produces with the slow smooth cam feature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUyFkeYAgVE
Above is the three seconds after the button is pressed option" video - you don't have time to prepare!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hefvQMvtDsg
Above is the "three seconds before the button is pressed option" video - by the time you press the button the three seconds have moved forward the the swing is over!

The only time it works is when someone else can press the button.

The smooth slow motion also only works in high light unlike normal operation.

This is a major stuff up by the sony product development team. If you are a PGA pro taking video of students then it will work for you. If you are a private user wanting to use it youself then give it the big miss.

The light apatiture issue is on all camaras, so the more frames per second taken, less light gets in. This is not anything SONY or any other camara maker can do about it.

The 2 person job video issue is...they should of had a delay beep/light flash...something. That you are right about.

Try this, since you probably still have the camara: Put the remote in your teeth with a tooth on the record button (maybe wrap the remote in plastic "so you get get spit all over it" (sorry, a Steve Martin quote). Lift your head to the camara, bite and swing...

I would like to see the results of your swing please...so get someone to operate it at the least.

__________________
I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

Greg - that is what ive been thinking but the remote button needs to point at the camera but as you guessed its at the top of the remote. I would need to do a little linda lovelace. I'll see how it goes. I will also try and get some better light as these were shot with the sun just above the horizon.

no problems there
i cant afford one!

What a great picture ...lol

Not entirely true. They may not want to do anything about it.

The companies can increase the diameter of the lens so that more light is focused (this is what they do for telescopes, bigger the telescope the fainter the light you can see). Unfortuneately people want a camera they can fit in their back pocket (so to speak) and don't want a big bulky lens on the front, so light aperture will continue to be a problem.