mechtopia
Sony DCR-HC90 and the sony accessory connector
Welcome to my web page about the sony accessory connector on the DCRHC90, which sony call the "Active Interface Shoe". I intend to update it as I get more information about it, and what accessories are available.
Many of sony's new products have ditched many external connectors for a new kind of accessory hot shoe. This web page contains information about the shoe on the sony HC-90, which may also apply to other models.
One of the main criticisms made of this shoe is that it is a proprietary sony standard. Sony has also removed standard connectors from their cameras so that people have to use the acessory shoe. Sadly, sony don't supply accessories for this shoe that allow the user to connect standard devices, such as microphones.
There are a number of accessories that are available:
- ECMHQP1 / ECM-HQP1 - Surround sound microphone
- ECMHGZ1 / ECM-HGZ1 - Gun zoom microphone
- HVLHFL1 / HVL-HFL1 - Video flash light
- HVLHL1 / HVL-HL1 - Video light
The connector (camera)
On the HC90, the accessory shoe is concealed beneath a rotating flap. There is a plastic cover that slides back to reveal a row of connectors.
The connector (accessory)
I have an ECM-HGZ1 gun zoom microphone. It's about as long as the camera, and sits about an inch and a half (4cm or so) from the accesory shoe.
The mic has three settings, off (equivalent to removing it) zoom(mixes camera mic with gun mic in proportion to the zoom of the camera) and gun(camera mic disabled)
I'm currently hunting for a microphone wind shield for this gun mic. I've bought a cheap normal windshield for this microphone. It's around a pound from maplin, here in the UK. It doesn't cover the entire length of the microphone, so I'm still hunting for a gun mic shield. I guess I'll probably find one on the net at som point.
I believe that this shoe is also used on these models:
- DCR-DVD203
- DCR-DVD403
- DCR-DVD92
- DCR-HC42e
- DCR-HC42
- DCR-HC90e
- DCR-HC90
- DCR-PC1000
- DCR-PC55/B
- DCR-PC55/R
- DCR-PC55/S
- DCR-PC55/W
Stop Press!
Sony ECM-HW1 wireless mic
As soon as I found out about these, I bought one.
Pictures and a review will be coming soon. Suffice to say that it is bluetooth based, although the two
units are tied together (you can't use another bluetooth device with it) the mic module is the size of a
small MP3 player (it'd have been lovely to have a microphone jack on the mic module- grrrr).
There's also a monitor jack on the reciever module, so you can listen to what the module is transmitting.
Miscellaneous pictures of the sony dcr-hc90e
Alternatives
These camcorders have a microphone jack, and are vagely in the same price band, although you'll have to check the specifications to see how well they suit your requirements
- Panasonic PV-GS150
- Panasonic PV-GS250
- Panasonic PV-GS400
- Sony DCR-HC85
- Sony DCR-PC350
Other Stuff
If you're filming by the sea, or in a dusty environment, I'd reccomend getting a 30mm filter for the front. I bought one from my local Jessops. it's sold as a UV filter, but as normal glass filters UV, I can't imagine this makes much of a difference. It cost about 6 pounds.
Front PagePosted at 01:00AM Jan 01, 2009 by ohp in General | Comments[0]