The Sony HDR-CX220E camcorder can capture still images in 8.9MP resolution and can record Full HD (1080p) videos. This camcorder is light weight, comes with Exmor R CMOS sensor and is priced at Rs. 19,700.
CX220E Box Pack
You get a free camcorder bag and a 4GB SONY SDHC (class 4) memory card. Inside the box there is the CX220E camcorder, battery, charger, USB extension cable, HDMI cable and user manual.
Design
The Sony HDR-CX220E is light weight (178 grams). It is comfortable to hold. There is no power on /off button, just open the LCD and the camcorder will switch on. In some specific mode you can record as well as capture still images.
The record button is near the battery, easily accessible. The still camera button and the ZOOM button are on the top. The lens cover is built in, there is a slider to open / close the lens. There is built in microphone and no option to connect external mic. There is a DC in jack to charge the camcorder or you can use the built in USB cable. Other features included are HDMI out jack, multi USB terminal and grip belt that also houses the small built in USB cable (see image).
The 2.7 inch Wide LCD screen looks okay also it is not a touch screen and there are two buttons. The first one is 4 directional for navigation + press to select. The second button is the play button for viewing the images / videos. The LCD screen is not of a very good quality and I am already seeing two live pixels though very tiny and hardly noticeable when using the camera but I can see them when switching on the camcorder or with black background.
Performance
The HDR-CX220E camcorder comes with 29.8mm wide angle lens with 32X zoom. It does have the steady shot option. The auto focus is fast and really good. The still camera quality is okay but the videos are excellent, good enough in low light condition. There is no flash option.
There are different shooting modes from high quality AVCHD to MP4 formats. The videos are smoother, sharper and good even in low light environment (Low Lux) thanks to the Exmor CMOS sensor.
This Sony camcorder can track faces (face detection) and supports Dolby digital stereo. There is wind noise reduction option that reduces wind noise and also built in Mic zoom – you zoom close to the subject and the audio perspective changes accordingly.
You can switch to manual modes but it’s much simpler using the auto mode as navigation on the non-touch type screen is not that comfortable. In record mode there are different options the highest quality i.e. 1080p video – 1080p @50i on a 4GB card will record up to 21 minutes and about 1 hour 18 minutes of recording in 720p recording MP4 format. In the highest mode you cannot capture images when recording video, in lower modes you can.
Battery
The Battery NP-FV30 is 500 mAh that gives a usage time of approx 1 hour 48 minutes. The battery does drain off quickly, for better backup switch to max power saving mode and if possible switch off the beep sound. You can expect a backup time of around 1:20 to 1:30 minutes.
Sony HDR-CX220E review
Buy this only if you want to use it as a camcorder (for shooting videos), not for still photography. The still photos are okay, not so impressive. Video quality is very good. High quality takes a lot of space, so you might want to invest in high capacity storage card. Overall it is a very good Full HD camcorder for under Rs. 20,000. Sony HDR-PJ380E is another model for Rs. 38,950 it comes with a built in projector.
Sony HDR-CX220E Image Gallery
Sample images and videos
Full HD sample (Outdoor Cloudy environment)
Full HD sample (Night outdoor)