Sony HDR-CX230/B High Definition Handycam Camcorder with 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

I find this camera to be a great upgrade from my older camera from a few years ago. This camera works a lot better in lower light settings. This camera does in fact record in full 1080p 60fps videos, and the quality of them in normal lighting is pretty great. What I found to be an amazing surprise is that I took this camera for a test run while in a car going 50mph, I recorded and took pictures. Those pictures I took WHILE going 50mph in a car were amazingly clear, almost as though I was standing still and took the picture right there. I was pleasantly surprised compared to my older camera where it can't even take a clear shot unless you stand perfectly still. My ONLY problem with this camera is that in lower light indoor settings (usually when there are both dark and light objects in the same section the camera is pointed to, while it being in low light), there are these particles that show up in the video that make the video look slightly grainy. Don't get me wrong, it's still much better than my previous camera, which in the same lighting would look like I was taking 240p video even if I had it set to 720p 60fps or 1080p 30fps. But no matter what setting this camera is at, it still beats it, so I can deal with these grainy looking particles, especially when they only pop up in really low indoor lighting settings, and especially for the cost of this camera. Overall, this camera is VERY MUCH worth it for the price compared to other camera around the same price point.

Recently I had my Kodak Play Touch camera stolen, and I was about to buy another when I saw this camera priced at only one-thirty last week and decided to go with it instead. The day after I purchased it, the price went up one hundred more! So whether it was a fluke in pricing or just my lucky day, the price I paid does have a bearing on how I view this product, thus reflected in my star rating. If I'd paid more, I think I would drop the rating a star. Let me explain. This HD Sony Handycam is a great size and very lightweight. It has 8GB of internal storage, with room for an additional 64GB more via a SDHC card. It provides HD playback via HDMI and can take video and stills. Controls are fairly intuitive, and easy to use and the included Operating Guide is pretty good for helping you to get started quickly using this camcorder. Hooking it up to your HDTV or PC is easy and allows you to view and transfer files without much fuss. This camcorder is also capable of creating a standard definition disc via a (not included) AV cable to a (not included) disc recorder. HD images can be saved to an external drive without installing any software by using a VMC-UAM2 cable (not included). The body feels a bit cheap, and the toggling of a joystick-type navigation system to change modes and set menus was a disappointment. This camera will need to be handled with care, more so than expected. In the box: (2) Operating Guides (English and Spanish) (1) HDR-CX230/B HD Handycam Camcorder - non projection type (1) USB connection support cable (female to male) (1) Rechargeable battery pack (1) HDMI cable 3' **NO AC ADAPTER IS INCLUDED WITH THIS PRODUCT** NOTE: Only with the following models do you get an AC adapter and power cord - HDR-CX280/CX280E/CX290/CX290E/PJ220/PJ220E/PJ230/PJ230E. PROS: + Carl Zeiss lens + Lightweight: 6.2 ounces + Small size: 4.6 x 2.1 x 2.2 inches, fits in the palm of my hand. + Easy to change the battery; slides off an on the the back of the camcorder. + Flip out screen is easy to see and adjust; 2.7" wide Clear Photo LCD display (230K). + HD video quality is very good. 1920x1080 Full HD 60p with 8.9MP Exmor R CMOS Sensor + Easy to transfer files to PC. + Additional storage is easy to access at the bottom of the camera. + Tripod ready. + 8GB internal memory; up to 3hr 10min recording on flash memory, ready to go after initial charging without need for memory card purchase. + Built in USB cable stores into handle; smart design. + Up to 32x zoom; 27x Optical / 32x Extended Zoom. + SteadyShot image stabilization reduces blur + AVCHD or MP4 format video for highest quality or easy transfer and sharing. + Direct copy to external hard drive without need for PC. + Takes up to 8.9MP still images, which look great! + Flip out viewer will rotate to the front so that you can take video of yourself and see what is being videoed. CONS: - Body feels a bit cheap. - AC adapter NOT included. - Built in USB cord is extremely short (requiring an extension for any PC other than a laptop) and vulnerable to breakage at the end connected to the camera due to its location. - Navigation menu is via a button that acts like a joystick, enabling the user to toggle to settings. Much less durable than touch or even push button navigation. - No port for an external microphone. Built in sound is good, but it would be nice to have the option for more. - Attempting to charge via a USB port on a powered hub, didn't work. I had to use a AC adapter with a USB port to charge the device (not included). - Built in cable is USB 2.0, not the faster USB 3.0 standard. - Sony indicates during setup that you need to download and install their software via the Internet to use this product, but it's not needed. - Must go through the menu (several steps) to view video that was just shot, versus one touch of a button to view as on most digital cameras. Bottom line: If I'd paid more, I'd probably be looking for more - including an AC adapter. Because I purchased this item at such a low price, I'm quite satisfied with it for capturing school plays, doing video reviews and home movies. It does take very good HD video, I just wish the build quality and navigation were a bit more updated.

I bought one for my son as a gift and I liked it so much I bought another for myself. I am a pro videographer and used to cameras with a lot of features. This lacks many features I am used to --like mic inputs, headphone jack, focus ring etc etc.....but it does have some nice built in features like stabilization , zoom mic and others. For quick and dirty shooting it is great. The image in full light is outstanding. In low light it starts to struggle a little, but it is a relatively tiny lens so that is expected. Still, I used two of these along with a professional camera at a kids play and edited the three cameras together. While it was not a perfect match, it was acceptable enough for what it was. I was impressed at how well these little cameras did! Full HD and easier to use than my Flipcam. I knew that if it has Sony's name on it, it is quality. Great job Sony! Only gripe is that it does not come with an AC adapter, I had to buy one separately on Amazon.

I've had this camera for a while now, and it's been great. A bang for the buck, for sure. Great quality, and has held up to a lot of use. A "no-brainer" on the value scale. But I was prompted to write this review this long after my purchase, for a mfg/customer support reason... this just hardly ever happens, so wanted to share. The camera worked great out of the box, and we were using it a lot, but after about 2 months, the battery (a Sony battery that comes with the camera) wasn't holding a charge anymore. It seemed to happen quickly - it was fine, then one day, it wasn't. Called Amazon to see if I had any options, as this was clearly out the 30 day return/exchange window, but was only 2 months old! They said they probably could help, but I'd need to first pursue a claim with the manufacturer (Sony) ,and if there were no satisfaction there, to come back to them. Which is great - Amazon, doing more than they have to do - but this was really just a bad luck thing on my part. And I figured that pursuing a claim with Sony was a lost cause, did go through the motion of filing the claim, wrote it off mentally, and just bought a replacement battery (which I'd probably have done anyway) and called it STILL the best deal of the year, it was still so inexpensive. So, no worries, and done. Then received a brand new Sony V70 (much higher capacity battery vs. the one that comes with the camera) battery in the mail the other day. Wow! Shocked, and very pleased. So not only is the product itself well worth the price, but the combination of Amazon and Sony behind it, is really worth noting.

I only am giving 1 star because I have had such a hassle trying to get this product. I am almost going to give up. I waited for a while to get the Sony HDR-CX230 from Amazon, since it had the lowest price, and Amazon usually has great customer service. When I first went to order it, after having it in my cart for a few days it was no longer available from Amazon, so I called customer service and found out it would be available again in a week. Since that meant it would be ready for Christmas I waited. Once it was available again, I purchased it, I paid $195, and by the time I got my package, the price dropped to $129 (I say my package instead of the camcorder, because when I opened the shipping box there was a box for a CX220 not a CX230, so I didn't bother opening it). I called Amazon and they said they would send a replacement, and have UPS pick up the return. That was days ago, and UPS still hasn't come to pick up the package so I can be refunded. Amazon's customer service was good to an extent, I know that they don't have control over UPS, and they did say they would refund me the difference since the price dropped. I will write an update to my review after I get the replacement and have a chance to test it out. It is just unfortunate because I needed a camcorder immediately, and usually with Amazon, since I am a prime member, I don't have to worry about delays. I would hate to have to pay more and buy it from Sony or somewhere else, but it looks like it might be coming to that..

PROS: When I bought this camera I was surprised at how many features it had. It could zoom extremely far, it could be attached to a external display, the screen rotates, full manual control of focus, exposure, Iris, and shutter speed. It records in both XAVC and AVCHD, at 60 FPS. The battery can be removed if using a Sony power brick(comes in box) so that it can be recording for a indefinite amount of time. The camera records very well in low light because it has a back-light CMOS CONS: Video quality is okay, but I would expect something a little better at this price range. This camera has a very small sensor (1/5.8 inch in comparison Iphone 6 has a 1/3 inch sensor), about the size of a smartphone camera, and because of this, many videos have a little grain to them. If you are looking for a camera with less grain, for about the same price, I would go with the WX-350 it has a much bigger sensor. Also, the manual lens cover is pretty stupid.

It is quite handy and nice for what it is. Certainly Sony makes better camcorders but they cost a lot more too. In dim light this camcorder sometimes has problems focussing quickly. The battery ran out after a couple of hours of intermittent usage during our Disneyland trip. Not having a viewfinder means that each time the camcorder is being used, the LED screen has to be on, and this I believe uses up more 'juice' than with my older Sony camcorder which has a viewfinder. Besides, in sunlight it is sometimes not easy to see the picture on the LED screen. I do like the fact that this camcorder has built-in memory as well as an option to use an SD card. I purchased this because it is small and can be taken everywhere, which is not something I can do easily with my larger camcorder. I also do not like going through menus, and prefer separate controls, but those kind of luxuries are now only available in the high end camcorders.

Got at a great price. Over $100.00 less than Best Buy. I was shopping on Saturday before Christmas at Best Buy, Walmart and Target were sold out, and wanted over $100.00 more. I ordered for $128.00, and it was delivered before Christmas. I noticed the price jumped back up, but still a nice camcorder. Battery has to be charged on unit w/built in usb cable, no way to charge on wall plug unless you buy a separate charger and/or battery. Photos are ok, very light camcorder, but can't beet for the price.