Customer Ratings & Reviews

This is a great camera and has everything to get the job done. The USB cable to connect it to the computer is conveniently built in, so you never have to search for it. Built in 16GB can give you 3 hrs. of "back up" space. All the plug-in slots are neatly tucked away behind sleak, flip open covers. The touch screen is easy to navigate and responsive. Sony, to me, has always been known to build quality products and this is no exception. Overall, if I had to buy it again, I would. Hi-def picture quality up to 1080p, great sound, and the ability to add a mic. I don't know about adding a light. However, the only things it lacks, in my opinion, is night vision and effects, such as, sepia, black & white, "ol' timey" type stuff. The ability to do a time lapse would be nice as well. 10 years ago my room mate had a top of the line Sony camera that had these options, but over the years they may have felt these were unneccesary, or could be done with editing software. Also, a remote and view finder, to save the battery life, would be welcome features.

First of all this Camera is amazing. I am a student in high school and bought it for my video production class, and it has saved my skin multiple times. The quality of the picture is crisp, and doesn't lose a hint of detail if you transfer the files to your computer. Also if you use video editing tools from movie maker to after effects it works wonders. I got quite a deal on it, but the price is exceptional to the prices of some of the other brands of camcorders. The button layout is easy to use, and i would bet even the most unknowledgable of a user could use it with ease. The zoom and aspect ratio are also very great for the product. The only problems you can have with this product are the ones you go out of your way to put it through. Such as the reason mine no longer works and i lament not extending my warranty. I put it through feet of water, dropped it on hikes, and well tested it further than it probably should have been. This is also why i can attest for the strength this amazing camera holds. If you don't have the money to buy one wait for a deal on the best buy website, it saves you so much.

Being on a budget and wanting to get a HD camera leaves you with few choices. This one was on sale, otherwise I considered the CX190 or CX210, but they have a smaller image chip, so I thought this may take better videos. It takes great vidoes actually, and the microphones are very sensitive, they pick up sound from a long way and good quality sound. I record some concerts and the sound is jsut a little lacking in bass, but I got an external mic for $90 and it sounds perfect now. It is a great value for what you get, very sharp with good lighting, in dim lighting the HD can get just a little grainy, but not bad, I am not disappointed. That's the difference between $400 and $1000 (or more# camera. It's not fair to compare this to a $1000+ camera, or the way HD looks on TV with expensive Hollywood cameras, #but with good lighting it's close# but if you're only willing to pay $400 then you probably would be happy with this, and remember, you get what you pay for. If you want time lapse, lots of features, and perfect picture in dark situations, you'll have to pay more. To alleviate any download problems, just get a SD card and when you want to download the video, take the card out of the camera and plug it into the computer, walah!, no problems and faster download speed! and you don't have to use any Sony software. #And you can't give the camera a low score just because it isn't MAC compatable, nor because the computer you're working with has trouble making a DVD., as stated by another reviewer) As with any HD camcorder, you will have to buy editing software to manipulate the videos the way you want to. Standard battery lasts about two hours, I got a larger battery that goes five hours, makes the camera more useable. Overall I'm very happy with the camera for what I paid

I needed a new Camcorder and ended up with this model. Has more features than I expected. Great picture quality, great video stabilizing, great sound, great battery. Excellant for the price.

nice product, easy to use, GREAT VIDEO, sony quality is excellent

The camcorder did all that I expected from it. I haven't used it much to date, but am expecting to change that this summer. I was pleasantly surprised that It will take video with the touch screen rotated 180 degrees and placed against the body. This means that it can be used as an action recorder.

I'm a grad student working on my thesis. For my thesis I needed to get a video camera to record my research. I really was not looking to spend a lot of money on a camera. I went to Best Buy where I usually buy all of my electronics and had someone help me pick out a camera. First the salesman wanted to sell me the SONY HDR-CX150, but there were none in stock and I needed the camera that day, so I purchased the next camera up, which was the HDR-CX160. First of all, I get home and go to look at my new camera which had already been opened, then as I turn it on I realize, this camera had already been purchased, used and returned. I called Best Buy immediately and was only given $40 back for it having been an open box item. Well I began recording my research and I went to transfer my recordings to a DVD. I have a MAC notebook - FYI this camera is not compatible with any MAC computer; would have been beneficial to know that before purchasing it. Luckily, my husband's laptop is a SONY. So I hook the camera up to his computer transfer the videos to his computer and go to burn them to a DVD, I wasted 4 blank DVDs trying to get the files to transfer. Finally I make one successful DVD then go to transfer a second recording to a DVD. I go about it the exact same way as I did the successful DVD, and when I try to burn the DVD the computer tells me the files are corrupted. I have wasted several hours over the past few days trying to deal with this camera. It is not worth it to me to have something that is supposed to be such an easy product to deal with, yet it cannot do what it's supposed to. I would rather have an old camcorder that you actually put a video tape in, at least then I'd know I would get the video footage I need. But the fact that this camera is not compatible with MAC computers is beyond me. Almost everyone I know uses a MAC and not a PC. For this to be an up to date electronic and it's not compatible with other electronics is beside me. I'm very frustrated and will most likely never buy another SONY product.

I got this camera back in October for my birthday because I wanted it for my daughters wedding in July. I only used it 2 or 3 times and went to use it yesterday and it was not working. It didn't work regardless if it had a fully charged battery (i have 2) or even if it was plugged in. It kept turning off by itself after a few seconds. I reset it, contacted technical support and after all the aggregation, had to send it back to Sony. It cost $35.00 plus shipping of another $15.00. I insisted on buying only Sony, but after this experience, I will never ever purchase another Sony product again. Its total NONSENSE that after spending over $400.00 for it, it has now cost me another $50.00 and not to mention the fact that I won't now have it for my daughters bridal shower in a few weeks. I am so angry, so whatever you do, DON'T BUY SONY!!! PS I ALSO POSTED THIS REVIEW UNDER THE INCORRECT ITEM, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS THE "Sony HDR-CX260" I had the 160.