Sony HDV Handycam - HDR-FX1000 camcorder

Series highlights: Film-like progressive scan, CinemaTone Gamma™ and CinemaTone Color™, three ClearVid™ CMOS Sensors, 29.5mm wide-angle to 590mm telephoto G-Lens, 20X optical zoom, superior low-light shooting

With the HDR-FX1000 Handycam® camcorder, more adept consumer videographers gain access to cinematic features, including 24P scanning and advanced color settings for around $3,200. With the HVR-Z5U camcorder, professionals will appreciate its native 24P recording and other professional features—all for less than $5,000—as well as tapeless recording capability through an optional CompactFlash™ adapter.

“The HDR-FX1000 is appealing to the amateur videographer shooting weddings or the aspiring cinematographer,” said Kelly Davis, director of camcorder marketing at Sony Electronics. “The combination of film-like movie quality and advanced color settings makes it possible for prosumers to achieve the deep cinematic look they crave at a reasonable price.”

The HDR-FX1000 uses three of Sony’s ClearVid™ 1/3-inch CMOS sensor chips, which are designed to provide high sensitivity, deep resolution, high-speed reading, low noise and a wider dynamic range. The CMOS sensors capture full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, resulting in better picture quality when recorded onto miniDV tape in the HDV format (1440 pixels x 1080 lines). Each of the three sensors is dedicated to one color—red, blue and green—for natural, more accurate color reproduction.

With a 45-degree rotated pixel layout, the ClearVid CMOS sensor system offers outstanding pixel surface area while maintaining high resolution. The Exmor™ technology features a unique column-parallel analog-to-digital conversion technique and dual noise canceling, resulting in digital signals with extremely low noise. The technologies combine to allow the new camcorders to perform significantly better in low-light environments with sensitivity of 1.5 lux.

The camera also uses Sony’s XtraFine LCD™ (3.2-inch, 921,000 dots) and XtraFine electronic viewfinder (0.45-inch, 1,227,000 dots) for high-resolution and high-contrast images with remarkable color reproduction.

The HDR-FX1000 is Sony’s first Handycam camcorder to feature progressive scan at 1080/24p and 30p, giving video productions a film-like look. Using a two to three pull down, the 24P scanned image is converted to 60i for easy editing with user’s existing software applications. CinemaTone Gamma™ and CinemaTone Color™ settings complement the 24P capabilities to create a rich dreamlike picture processing while three built-in neural density filters provide exceptional light control even in extremely bright environments.

Equipped with a refined level of optical performance, the HDR-FX1000 is the the first camcorder to have a Sony G lens with a 29.5mm wide-end viewing angle, extra-low dispersion glass and 20x optical zoom. The fixed lens is optimized to perfectly complement the cameras’ advanced image sensor and image-processing technology.

The HDR-FX1000 model enables prosumers to define their own manual settings for iris, gain, white balance, shutter speed and focus for increased creativity and control. Use of any of the three manual rings for adjustments to zoom, focus and iris provides even more flexibility.

The HDR-FX1000 camcorder will be available in early November at authorized dealers nationwide, Sony Style® retail stores and online through www.sonystyle.com.

Sony High Definition MiniDV (HDV) Handycam® Camcorder