Sony announces the HDR-GW77V, a rugged Handycam

As far as Handycams go, they are not really linked with the notion that they can be rugged and are meant for the outdoorsy adventurous folk of the world. People with interests in mountain climbing, water sports and other adventure sports would usually have to contend with a rugged point and shoot camera or a housing that will allow a camera to be used underwater while video recording. It appears that Sony has taken these concerns into consideration and has announced the HDR-G77V Handycam.

A rugged camcorder

As per a report by CNET, the HDR-G77V will first be unveiled in Japan by the end of May and may later make its worldwide debut before the year ends. This Handycam is compact in size but appearances should not be deceiving as it can go down to 16-feet underwater for as long as an hour, fall from a height of 5 feet and come out on top as well as have dust proof properties. The report goes on to state, “As for imaging specifics, the engineers at Sony packed a lot into a very little device, with buzz-worthy features such as 20.4-megapixel resolution, full 1080p (60fps) video capture up to 28Mbps, and 10x optical zoom. Other notable features in the tiny shooter (1.2-inch width and 4.15-inch height) include a pop-out 3-inch touch screen, 16GB internal storage (with option to expand via SDHC or Memory Stick Micro), panoramic photos, and a built-in GPS chip for geotagging photos.”

As of now there is no information available on when this rugged Handycam will be available across the globe or at what price it will be sold at. However, in Japan it retails at 70,000 YEN which roughly translates to approximately 45,737. However, the price may not be the same when in launches in India due to the constant fluctuation of currency rates.

In a video from a Japanese blog, AV Watch, they demonstrate the drop test of this camera and how it can still function flawlessly after that. You can check out the video below.

Let us know your reactions on this unique Handycam in the comments below.