Sony Offers New Lightweight HD Camcorders

Sony's latest lightweight Handycam the HDR-CX7 is, as they claim, the world's smallest and lightest AVCHD hi-definition Handycam. Weighing in at around 15 ounces with the battery, it could be. It uses an 8-GB Memory Stick PRO Duo media card (LP mode) for external memory so you can record approximately 3 hours of HD 1080 video. But the card is not included in the package.

Another model is the HDR-SR7 AVCHD high-definition camcorder that's available with 60 GB of internal memory that can store up to 22 hours of HD 1080 video. The HDR-SR5 model has a 40 GB hard drive and can store approximately 15 hours of footage. Both models are equipped with Sony's HDD Smart Protection system for preventing any Loss of data.

Sony's new Handycams have 2.7-inch, high-resolution; Clear Photo LCD Plus displays. These models use Sony's integrated face index technology that allows you to find particular scenes by recognizing familiar faces. There’s also an option of finding scenes by using the film roll button. This will display multiple scenes within a file in a thumbnail format. For PC browsing you use the software that's provided—Picture Motion Browser (designed to find files by searching for voices, colors and faces). They are compatible with Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition 7.0e software update, as well as Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition software.

The new models also use Sony's ClearVid CMOS sensor technology, that helps reduce digital noise and increase sensitivity. Only the HDR-CX7 and HDR-SR7 models use Sony's 3-megapixel sensor for full HD 1080 video and 6-megapixel digital still photos. They even incorporate the Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization. The HDR-SR5 model is equipped with a 2-megapixel sensor and produces a 4-megapixel photo. Additionally, all models benefit from Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T optics.

Sony's x.v.Color technology, allows the camcorders to reproduce a much wider data range of colors. They support the AVCHD camcorder-recording format based on the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec. They also help provide a better audio experience with the built-in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound recording.

The camcorders are also supplied with Handycam Stations that include a One Touch Disc Burn button for DVD creation using a PC. The stations also feature HD component output to a compatible HDTV set when the camcorders are cradled.

High-definition content recorded on standard DVDs can be played back on compatible Blu-ray Disc devices, PS3 computer entertainment system and standard DVD drives on compatible PCs with the models' bundled software. The next-generation Sony DVDirect recorder will also be compatible with these camcorders for HD video transfer to standard, 5 1/4-inch DVDs. The HDR-CX7 unit's Memory Stick PRO Duo or Memory Stick PRO HG media cards, featuring high data transfer rates, can also be played back directly on compatible PCs and PS3 by system software update scheduled in summer 2007.

The camcorders will ship in June in the US for about Rs. 45,000 ($1,100) for the HDR-SR5 model, Rs. 50,000 ($1,200) for the HDR-CX7 and Rs. 57,300 ($1,400) for the HDR-SR7.