Sony HDR-GW77: waterproof, dustproof, shockproof small HD camcorder - Page 17

you can record with lcd screen closed but facing outside.

i love my gw77.... i hope next upgrade comes with wifi

That's good then. Thanks.

An Update.

I was fortunate to find a store in the UK that had both the GW55 and the RX100 as display models, I took with me a Micro SD card for the GW55 and an Standard size SD card for the RX 100.

Using the SD cards in store I set both Camera's to "Auto" and set the resolution on both Movie and Stilsl to maximum resolution. I shot around 15mins in total on both camera's in movie mode and fired off around 40 shots (jpg) on each camera.


After getting home i reviewd both cards, now i would'nt even class myself as an amature, but unless im missing something here the RX 100 blows the GW55 clean out the water in both movie's and Stilll's. I was expected the stills to be obviously better, but the movie footage is unbelievable, its like watching the HD channel on my TV, the difference really is night and day, im so glad i had chance to review both these models before making my purchase.

What i do like about the GW55 though is the LED display seems better/clearer and the camera itself is easier to hold, but in terms of image quality to my eyes the RX100 is a better all rounder, others may however disagree.

Cheers.............

Hi Mark,

Both camera's were shooting in AVCHD 1080 50 Progressive, the file formats from both SD cards where .mts file extensions and played back on splash lite on my 19" TFT PC Screen.

All settings were set to Automatic only, as i wanted this to be a comparative test i.e. apples for apples. No post processing has been applied.

Something must have been set quite different then to produce such different results. Unfortuantly the store is a few hours away by car so it's unlikely i will be able to repeat the tests.

All i can say is that the picture quality from the stills and movie quality from the RX100 was extremely good, based on Auto settings and was enough for me to say yep thats what i want.

I bought an RX 100 because I wanted to develop my skills with creative digital still photo processing without buying a bulky DSLR. Specifically, I wanted to study Lightroom and Photoshop Elements, including black and white. I use the camerat for video too and like the results a lot. I don't look for, nor do I see the measured aberrations that the lens and sensor combinations are reported to induce in video that it takes. The most critical revue of the RX100 is at a German website called slashcam.de. Most other users and reviewers don't seem to know that the lens is "flawed" for video.

If you are buying a video camera, I think there may be better choices. If you are trying to buy a pocket sized top quality stills cameras that can do video as it's second job, I think the RX100 is a good choice.

Bill

When i get a chance i will setup an account on Vimeo and post some video from each camera, as you have a GW77 yourself you'll know whether or not the images are comparable against yours, obviously no editing involed, straight from the camera.

If for some reason i had the setting on the GW55 set to 1080 50i instead of "P" - how much of a difference could that have made?

I initialy wanted the versatility of the GW 55 for video but somehow iv come across all the rave reviews from the internet on the RX100 and have kind of convinced myself in to the RX100 for both video and stills.

I initially wanted the small size portability of the GW55, but do not require the waterproof functionality or the GPS function, what has also tipped me towards the RX100 is the larger sencor for low lux shooting which has always been a problem for taking video's and stills, and for most of my requirment is likely to be shot in side.

In the months I've owned the RX100 I've read a lot of rave revues. Most come from owners of DSLRs that are surprised when they find they can take decent photos with a pocket camera. Where video is mentioned, it is usually apparent they are newbies at video and anything that appears bright on their TVs impresses them.

Do not buy the RX100 if your primary purpose is shooting video. Among the reasons are that the image stabilization is comparatively weak and the audio recording capability is minimal at best.

Do buy the RX100 if your primary purpose is photography.

Bill

Well, I took the plunge guys. Amazon has the GW77 on sale for $549.00 in the color black right now. SonyStyle matched Amazon's price, along with a free case designed for the GW77, so I purchased one from Sony.

I can't wait to receive this little dynamo. I'll be sure to post some videos when I get a chance and let you know what I think of the cam. Not that we haven't seen enough videos from Mark already demonstrating the GW77's great video, but more is better.

Congratulations! Look forward to seeing your work.

Pun intended?

Be careful it's not mistaken for a gun...not kidding.

Thanks brunerww, yes indeed I really wanted this cam for a while now as some here may know. It will be great for my underwater video, filming in the rain, and other harsh filming environments, like the beach. I won't have to worry about sand getting into the camera if it's windy on the beach, like it usually is.

I have come back to my camera bag on the beach after a long walk or swim only to find it engulfed, sometimes practically buried in sand because of the tremendous winds experienced there.

I have been using a Kodak Playsport Zx3 for all my water related video in the past, so the upgrade to the GW77 is going to be HUGE. I'm really looking forward to having a big articulating lcd display, as it's going to make my framing so much easier than the Playsport.

With it's super sharp video quality, great stabilization, and pretty good manual controls it all adds up to the GW77 being a great cam for me. It should compliment my TM900 perfectly, as it's video color's and sharpness are very close to the TM900's. That is, until I upgrade the TM900...



I actually considered getting the blue Mark. Not realizing that Amazon only offers the black version for a additional $50.00 off compared to blue and white (I wonder why this is)?, Sony offered me any color that I wish for the same price as Amazon's black version price.

They did not have the blue version in stock for immediate shipment, so I thought black would be fine. I do like the blue though. It was a hard decesion once they offerd me any color that I wish.


ehh..I never thought of that xfws. Maybe I should have gotten blue or white? I will make sure I don't use my real pistol grip when shooting video with it. I expect to use my left hand as well to hold the lcd while filming for better stabilization anyway. If anyone perceives me as holding a gun, I can always pull out my real one and show them the difference.

Have you actually heard or seen of anyone who thought one of these pistol grip cams might be a firearm?

There were some reports from Xacti pistol grip camera owners from a few years ago that this was a concern. I'm thinking more about the present-day craziness with the mass shootings and people on edge. You know, what if you were in a mall pointing the camera at a relative and someone from a distance or with poor vision notifies a cop of "someone with a gun".

I agree I think the black camera looks the best. Maybe it depends on where you live or the circumstances.
I don't mean to be overly alarming, I guess just be aware of it.

Hi
For anyone who has the gw77 can you tell me what sort of life you're getting from the battery please? I need to gauge how many extra batteries to buy if I'm out all day.

Interesting. I'm actually glad you mentioned this xfws, otherwise I never would have thought of the possibility. With all the attention given to firearms these days I'll will keep it in mind while filming.

Fedex delivering my GW77 today. 3 days since ordering..not bad.



I would plan (2) battery's for every hour of filming if I was you. 30-40 minutes per battery. Depends on cam options used.
Edited by tingham - 2/23/13 at 10:57am

I received my GW77. I was surprised by it's small size and weight. I had no hands on experience with one before since no retailer located where I live carries it. It's going to take me a little time to get use to it's form factor and controls, but I see no problems with that after I get use to them.

The stabilization I'm seeing on this little cam is really good. Mark, when you said it's better than the TM900 you were not exaggerating. I uploaded a video to vimeo to demonstrate the stabilization I am seeing with this cam.

It's just a video of my fathers dog but it shows what this little guy can do. The video looks like a picture frame for goodness sake, that's how good the stabilization is. I am sitting on the couch with the cam in my right hand and my left hand holding the lcd lightly for extra stability. So this is handheld. Incredible for such a small unit.

The video is as sharp as a tack as well! It looks great on the big screen, almost as good as my TM900.

I have to do some more testing of the unit and also some underwater testing, but so far it looks pretty good.

I'm having a issue with the zoom indicator bar not showing where the 17x extended zoom threshold is, so I'm going to have to do some research on that.

https://vimeo.com/60295690

tingham..the quality looks excellent. I don't see any noise you typically get from camcorders under those dim indoor lighting conditions.

I like the dog @0:49: "wait...is that Chopin?"

I had partially opened one of the room curtains to let a little light in, but it was what I would consider a lower light scene. It did do well for the most part.

In the last seen where Chelsea is "chopin" the focus struggled for a little before locking on. If I would have used the "touch focus" feature on the cam in that scene it most likely would have locked on quicker, but I did not.

Any kind of animal she see's thru the window and she's a "chopin"...lol. Golden's, for the most part, are pretty excitable and very energetic dogs..especially when they are young.. She needs a grooming and my 83 yr. old father won't do that himself. Come spring he will take her to the groomers.

Thanks

Tingham,

You brought tears to my eyes. Your "Golden" has the same goofy smile my Yellow Lab had. My wife was laughing too.

Bill

I wanted to buy this camera for while but did not want to pay $600-700 for it, even though I am sure it is worth it.

I noticed today that a blue one at Amazon Warehouse deals was selling for $347. Amazon was advertising it in Like New condition and comes with a 30 day return. I have had great experience with used items from Amazon warehouse and I thought at this price I could not pass it up, so i bought it. Others colors in similar condition are selling for close to $500. Is the blue really that ugly to warrant $150 price reduction compared to the black and silver?

Once I do receive the camcorder, what should I look for and test to make sure everything is working fine?

It's interesting when we see facial expressions that remind us of past loved ones Bill. For me, it's good to see images that bring back those memories. It reminds me of how much those images really meant to me. I'm happy that my video reminded you of yours. I'm sorry it brought tears to your eyes though, but sometimes that's a good thing...at least for me. I'm glad your wife got a chuckle out of it as well.



I was at a local pub and they had an open mic night so I rambled over to where they were playing and shot some video with my GW77. This video is strictly for sound, as this pub was super low light. The GW77 did ok, but it was really dark.

Mark posted a Mariachi band sound video scene but I thought some would like to hear how the GW77 does recording a live band performing. I had the volume set to low on the cam. It does very well for sound. There is no distortion or clipping. It recorded every instrument they way it sounded that night. I'm pretty happy with how the GW77 handles sound in all scenarios.

btw....Bestbuy has the Sony NP-FG1 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack on sale until Saturday for $19.99 if anyone needs them. In-store only though. I picked up two.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+InfoLITHIUM+G+Rechargeable+Lithium-Ion+Battery/8695263.p?id=1198888219123&skuId=8695263&ci_src=11138&ci_sku=8695263&AID=10597222&PID=3793426&SID=skim1307X517919Xeb638f0be3de22974d610617641df470&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2FSony%2B-%2BInfoLITHIUM%2BG%2BRechargeable%2BLithium-Ion%2BBattery%2F8695263.p%3Fid%3D1198888219123%26skuId%3D8695263%26ci_src%3D11138%26ci_sku%3D8695263&ref=39&CJPID=3793426&loc=01



Select 1080P

Edited by tingham - 3/7/13 at 1:50pm

That's a great deal. Nothing wrong with blue imo. People will take you less seriously as you shoot high quality video with the blue. They won't even care. They'll think its some kind of toy..lol. Just be sure you test out all of it's features in the next 30 days to make sure everything is working correctly. Also remember that you get no warranty on warehouse deals.

Got some snow and rain yesterday. I went to my neighbors to feed and check on their chickens while they are away on vacation. Of course I took the GW77 along. Snow or rain does not matter to the GW77.

Those chickens were hungry or something. They kept pecking at me once I got into thier enclosure. One even kinda jumped a little and bit my hand..it did not hurt.

I was worried about the GW77 being in such close proximity to them at one point. One came up and was about ready to peck the lens but I pulled it away just in time.

I think I might have eaten the little bugger if he cracked the protective glass on the cam. Here is a short video clip of my excursion.

What kind or brand of external memory cards are most you folks using on the GW77v?

Does it have to be rated at a certain speed to work properly?

Any recommendations?

I use sandisk class 10.

i use the pny class 10

note: don't remove the memory card when transferring video files to computer. cause if plug in memory card to gw77 wrong way. will give memory not found error.