The DCR-SX83 was Sony's last ever high-end standard definition Handycam. I purchased one in October 2010, thinking it would be a significant improvement over my Canon FS200, but it wasn't. The SX83's "Exmor R" CMOS image sensor does provide a crisp, clear image and good low light sensitivity. But even when using manual white balance, its colors always came out looking "cold" and artificially saturated. The Canon has a noticeably warmer color temperature and the colors are not exaggerated. The SX83 also lacks a built-in LED light (or Nightshot), an important feature to me.
And in terms of audio, the SX83 was a major disappointment. Despite its expensive price (around $350 new), it lacks external microphone and headphone jacks, and the built-in microphone is hissy, tinny, lacking in stereo separation, and picks up lots of noise from the optical zoom and autofocus motor.
I used the SX83 for a few videos on my main channel last Fall, and then returned it to Amazon.com a few weeks later. I now have a Sony DCR-SX65 as my secondary camcorder, which has only mediocre image quality (noticeably worse than the Canon FS200) and the same audio problems as the SX83, but has superior image stabilization and low light sensitivity, and includes a built-in LED light.
