Sony Handycam HDR-XR500V

Despite wearing a set of duds that looks like little has changed from last year's Handycam HDR-SR11 and HDR-SR12 twins, the HDR-XR520V and HDR-XR500V have had a massive overhaul of the underlying electronics and mechanicals. Like the cheaper HDR-XR200V, the 500-series cameras feature a new CMOS sensor. Dubbed Exmor R — no, we have no idea why you'd want more exes — this new sensor features back-illumination, in which the photo diode is placed above the metal wiring and transistors, the opposite of a conventional front-illuminated sensor. Sony claims that this improves low light performance; during our brief hands-on session with the camera, noise levels seemed lower, but we weren't able to verify if this was at the expense of sharpness or anything else.

Rearing its head for the first time on a consumer camcorder is Sony's in-house G lens, offering 12x optical zoom. Of more interest is an improved optical image stabilisation system, dubbed Optical Active SteadyShot in Sony speak, which is claimed to offer a 10-fold improvement. During our brief walk and shoot test, it produced unerringly smooth footage despite our best efforts to walk with an awkward gait and shaky palm. It will be interesting to see what level of image degradation is incurred for using this optional IS mode — according to reports and Sony staff, there's a slight loss of clarity at the edges in wide-angle mode and isn't really suitable for telephoto work.

A new standard inclusion is a GPS receiver, which allows for geotagging one's filmic masterpieces. The camera comes pre-installed with worldwide maps with major arterial routes, allowing you to browse your footage by location on camera. The XR520V comes fitted with a 240GB hard-disk, while the XR500V gets half that.

Downside
You can thank the rapid decline of our Pacific peso for the steep asking price of AU$2,499, a significant price increase from the AU$1,899 SR11, which it effectively replaces. Yes, you could argue that it debuts a whole host of new technology (active image stabilisation, new sensor design and GPS receiver) but this is the first time in a long while that a new high-end camcorder has offered more for, well, more.

The XR520V retains the 3.2-inch, 920k pixel touchscreen LCD from its predecessor, as well as its rather deceptive megapixel claim. The LCD cover screams "12.0 megapixels!", neatly ignoring the fact that its sensor has 6.6 million usable pixels, with the camera guessing or interpolating the rest.

Outlook
We're counting down the sleeps until the new Handycam range hits stores across Australia in March 2009, so we can give the XR500V a full run through its paces. Based on our hands-on first take, the XR520V and XR500V have the makings of more than worthy successors to SR12 and SR11, as well as the SR8/SR7 and SR1 before them. As long as you've got enough change that is.

source : http://www.cnet.com.au/sony-handycam-hdr-xr500v-339294752.htm

Sony Handycam HDR-HC3E

Well it hasn't taken Sony long to bypass all the competition and come out on top. I love this camcorder! I have no real technological abilities but I feel like an amateur film maker it's so advanced. Though maybe that's because it's a semi-professional camcorder. The picture is sharp and clear on its widescreen screen due to the High Definition. It's palm sized body is more like using a camera. I like a good macro on my camera's and this is good enough for me ! I've almost made my camera extinct! More importantly, it's easy to use despite it's quality. It's very good value for money and I'm glad I paid that little bit extra to be 100% happy with my purchase.

source : http://www.ciao.co.uk/Sony_Handycam_HDR_HC3E__Review_5605593

Canon PowerShot G9

The Canon PowerShot G9 ($499) is a high-end fixed-lens camera offering almost every feature you could imagine. It replaces the PowerShot G7, which was a disappointment compared to previous models, in this reviewer's opinion. The new G9 takes care of many of the issues that people had with the G7, with the most notable change being the addition of RAW image support. However, the rotating LCD that made the G-series famous is still nowhere to be found.

Here's the full list of what's new on the G9 compared to its predecessor:

• 12 Megapixel CCD (vs 10MP)
• 3.0" LCD display (vs 2.5", though it still doesn't rotate like on previous G-series cameras)
• RAW image format supported
• Auto ISO Shift
• In-camera redeye removal
• Improved battery life + battery level indicator on LCD

There are a few other features that I'll cover in the body of the review. So what hasn't changed? The G9 features the same 6X optical zoom lens, image stabilization system, manual controls, SVGA movie mode, and classic design of its predecessor.

Will the PowerShot G9 live up to its heritage, unlike the G7 before it? Find out now in our review!

Since the two cameras have much in common, I will be reusing portions of the PowerShot G7 review here.

What's in the Box?

The PowerShot G9 has an average bundle. Inside the box, you'll find:

• The 12.0 effective Megapixel PowerShot G9 IS camera
• 32MB MMCplus memory card
• NB-2LH rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Battery charger
• Neck strap
• USB cable
• A/V cable
• CD-ROM featuring Canon Digital Camera Solution
• 273 page camera manual (printed)

Canon includes a 32MB MMCplus memory card in the box with the camera. Odds are that this is the only time you'll ever see an MMCplus card, as they're pretty rare. Anyhow, that card will hold just five photos at the highest JPEG quality setting, so you'll want to get yourself a larger memory card, and fast. The G9 supports four types of flash memory: SD, SDHC, MMC, and MMCplus, and I'd probably stick with the first two. I'd recommend a 2GB, high speed card for best camera performance.

The G9 uses the same NB-2LH battery as the G7 before it. This small battery packs 5.3 Wh of energy, which is about average for a camera in this class. Here's how that translates into battery life:

Camera	Battery life, LCD on (CIPA standard)	Battery used
Canon PowerShot A650 IS *	500 shots	4 x 2500 mAh NiMH
Canon PowerShot A720 IS *	400 shots	2 x 2500 mAh NiMH
Canon PowerShot G7 *	220 shots	NB-2LH
Canon PowerShot G9 *	240 shots	NB-2LH
Fuji FinePix F50fd *	250 shots	NP-50
GE E1240	210 shots	GB-40
Kodak EasyShare Z1275	320 shots	2 x 2100 mAh NiMH
Nikon Coolpix P5100 *	240 shots	EN-EL5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ7 *	460 shots	2 x unknown NiMH
Pentax Optio A40 *	240 shots	D-LI68
Samsung NV20 **	200 shots	SLB-0837B
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W200 *	300 shots	NP-BG1
* Has image stabilization ** Number not obtained using the CIPA standard Battery life numbers are provided by the manufacturer source : http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_g9-review/

Nikon D 90

Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 27 August 2008 – Nikon Europe today announces another great step forward in its mid-class DX-format D-SLR range: the D90. As the world’s first D-SLR with movie function, this remarkable camera offers truly cinematic results, stunning image quality and innovative high-performance features inherited from Nikon’s new-generation DX-format flagship D300. The D90 will open new doors for photography enthusiasts of any level.

With 12.3 megapixels, the newly-designed DX-format CMOS image sensor and Nikon’s proprietary EXPEED image processing concept, the D90 is a quality-guarantee. Advanced features such as Live View, Scene Recognition, Active D-Lighting, Picture Control and an ISO sensitivity range of 200-3200 (ISO 6400 equivalent on Hi1 and ISO 100 equivalent on Lo1), allows creativity in almost any setting. And to ensure all these features are easy to use, they are packed in an ergonomic body with an intuitive operational layout.

Toru Uematsu, Senior Manager Product Planning at Nikon Europe B.V says: “The D90’s combines imaging technology inherited directly from our D300 and innovative features like Live View, D-Movie, Scene Recognition and Picture Control - once again confirming Nikon’s leadership in cutting edge imaging technology. Add its innovative, high-performance features such as the CMOS image sensor, and the extremely wide ISO sensitivity range, we are convinced that this new camera will appeal to all passionate photographers looking for the next step in creativity.”

Stunning image quality
The D90’s EXPEED technology has been optimised to realise the high-quality, high-speed image processing capability for which Nikon’s professional D-SLRs are renowned. The D90 delivers images with extraordinary detail and expanded enlargement capacity, thanks to its improved DX-format CMOS image sensor and an effective 12.3 megapixels. The ISO sensitivity ranges from 200-3200 (ISO 6400 equivalent on Hi1 and ISO 100 equivalent on Lo1) providing low-noise images that are rich in detail and offer tonal gradation beyond expectation. It also enhances the performance of other powerful features such as Live View and the new Face Detection System. To address the issue of lost detail in high-contrast lighting situations, Active D-Lighting adjusts the contrast between images’ light and dark areas by localising tone control as an image is captured. And for extra creativity, Picture Control allows you to customise the look and mood of your images by choosing from six settings, including new Portrait and Landscape modes.

A helping hand
First introduced on Nikon’s D3 and D300 flagship cameras, the D90’s Scene Recognition System uses a 420-pixel RGB sensor to analyse scene and colour information of the subject being photographed. Based on these readings, the camera optimises its focus, exposure and white balance just before the shutter is released. The D90 also recognises human faces to render up to five faces with newfound sharpness and accuracy and more natural skin tones in your images. In the camera’s 11-point AutoFocus mode, it uses the subject’s colour information to maintain a sharp focus as the subject moves in the frame.

Once you’ve got the composition you want, the D90 incorporates image-editing functions that make it easy to enhance images within the camera. There are several new retouch options: ‘Distortion Control’ adjusts lens aberration, ‘Straighten’ corrects the inclination of the image, whilst ‘Fisheye’ produces optical effects similar to that of a fisheye lens. There are also ample options for viewing and selecting the right shot, including 72-frame playback, calendar playback and histogram display for a magnified portion of the image.

Live and living
The D90 is the first mid-class D-SLR to offer a movie function, allowing you to capture creative movie clips in motion JPEG at superb quality levels. Compared to the average camcorder, the far larger image sensor on the D90 offers higher image quality, a shallow depth of field and exceptional ISO performance while recording in low-light conditions. NIKKOR’s wide range of lenses offers great variety from fisheye to wide-angle to super-telephoto, adding more scope for creativity and emotional impact to your movies. Movies can even be played on the camera with sound, thanks to its uniquely powerful speaker / microphone system.

The D90 has been designed with an eye-level pentaprism viewfinder, offering some 96% frame coverage. However, when looking through the viewfinder isn’t practical, simply press the D90’s Live View button and the 3-inch LCD with 170? viewing angle and approx. 920k-dot LCD support your Live View shooting with three contrast-detect AF modes: Face Priority, Wide Area and Normal Area. When you’re not sure which camera settings are appropriate, try the advanced scene modes like Active D-Lighting and Picture Control for beautiful, crisp images every time.

Get every shot
There are few things more annoying than a flat battery as you’re about to capture that winning shot, so Nikon has made the D90’s extremely efficient, allowing you to capture approximately 850 images on a single charge of the camera’s battery. Accurate exposures rely on precise shutter release, so the D90’s electronically timed shutter mechanism has been specifically engineered for long, accurate service and has undergone exhaustive 100,000 shutter-release cycle testing. For ever-ready shooting, the impressive 0.15-seconds start-up time, 65-millisecond shutter release time and its 4.5 fps means you won’t lose that crucial shot. And with a thumbnail display of up to 72 images, Pictmotion slideshows with soundtrack, the option of image tagging through geotags with GPS, instant online upload to ‘my Picturetown’ and HDMI-compatibility, sharing and organising your images has never been easier.

The D90 will go on sale end September and will retail at a MSRP of EURXXX.

Nikon D90 Feature Highlights

Newly designed Nikon DX-format CMOS image sensor with wide ISO sensitivity range
The D90’s 12.3 effective megapixels provides outstanding resolution, delivering images with extraordinarily defined detail. The extremely wide sensitivity range of ISO 200 to 3200 delivers incredibly low-noise throughout which can be increased to Hi 1 (ISO 6400 equivalent) and decreased to Lo 1 (ISO 100 equivalent) to expand shooting versatility. The camera also employs an Image Sensor Cleaning function that works to free image-degrading dust particles from the sensor’s optical low-pass filter.

EXPEED for smooth tones, rich colours and fine details
Nikon’s comprehensive digital image-processing EXPEED technology is optimised for the D90 to realise the high-quality, high-speed image processing capability EXPEED also contributes to the outstanding performance of other powerful features such as Live View and the new Face Detection System.

D-Movie: the world’s first D-SLR movie mode
In a world first for D-SLRs, the D90 offers a movie function, allowing you to shoot HD720p (1,280 x 720 pixels), 640 x 424 pixels or 320 x 216 pixels movies at the professional smoothness of 24 frames per second in motion JPEG format. The D90’s sensor, which is much larger than the sensor of a typical camcorder, ensures higher image quality and exceptional low-noise, high ISO sensitivity performance, even during movie shooting. Capturing creative movie clips or the drama of life’s moving moments is further enhanced by the wide selection of incredibly sharp NIKKOR interchangeable lenses that are available, from fisheye to wide-angle to super-telephoto. And Micro NIKKOR lenses bring the magic of extreme close-up imagery to movie making.

Scene Recognition System integrated with Face Detection System
The D90 precisely reads the colours and brightness information of each scene from the 420-pixel RGB sensor, and applies this to auto focus, auto exposure and auto white balance. The D90 also recognises human faces using the new Face Detection System, data which is incorporated during calculation, resulting in faces with newfound definition and accuracy as well as enabling face priority AF in Live View mode and immediate zoom into people’s faces in playback zoom.

Easy-to-use Live View mode
One press of the Live View button activates the D90’s Live View mode, delivering a bright, crisp image to the 3-in., approx. 920k-dot colour LCD and allowing comfortable shooting without looking through the viewfinder. There are three contrast-detect AF modes that let you focus on any point in the frame: Face priority AF automatically detects up to five faces and focuses on that calculated to be the closest. Wide area AF offers a large AF area suitable for handheld shooting, and normal area AF provides focus with pinpoint accuracy when using a tripod. And when Nikon VR image stabilisation lenses are in use, photographers will enjoy the benefit of a VR-smoothed image, even in Live View mode.

Picture Control System: Customize the visual style of your images
Nikon’s Picture Control System enables users to customise the look and mood of images. Six original setting options are available — Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape — for easy customisation of image preferences.

Active D-Lighting for smooth tone reproduction in high-contrast lighting
The D90’s Active D-Lighting accurately restores details in the shadows and highlighted areas, which are often lost in high-contrast lighting situations, by localizing tone control while shooting. There are four levels, including the new “Extra High.” Active D-Lighting can be used manually or set to Auto mode. It is also possible to bracket your pictures, allowing the capture of one image with Active D-Lighting and one without.

Versatile, practical 11-point AF system
Thanks to the Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module, the D90’s 11-point AF system offers fast and precise autofocus coverage across the frame with the most sensitive AF sensor operating from the centre. In addition, the D90 features versatile AF-area modes to handle most shooting situations: Single-point AF is recommended for stationary subjects, dynamic-area AF for moving subjects, auto-area AF for spontaneous shooting and 3D-tracking (11 points) AF for when you want to change the composition after focusing on your subject.

Bright pentaprism viewfinder featuring frame coverage of approx. 96%
The D90 has a precise eye-level pentaprism viewfinder with approximately 96% (centered) frame coverage and an easy-to-view 19.5 mm eyepoint (at -1.0 m-1). The built-in 16-frame superimposed grid display can be activated to assist in the creation of better-balanced compositions.

Advanced Scene Modes for superior image quality
The D90 features Advanced Scene Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports and Night Portrait. These modes not only adjust exposure and image processing, but also judge the optimum Active D-Lighting and Picture Control settings to obtain the best results. The D90 also recognises if VR (Vibration Reduction) is on or off and minimises noise even in dimly lit scenes.

Extensive palette of in-camera Retouch Menus
The D90’s designers incorporated a wide variety of image editing functions, making it easy for users to enhance images within the camera. The D90 introduces several new retouch options: Distortion Control adjusts lens aberration, Straighten corrects inclination of the image, while Fisheye produces optical effects similar to a fisheye lens. Engineered for precision and durability Accurate exposures rely on precise shutters and the D90’s electronically timed shutter mechanism was specifically engineered for long, accurate service. To ensure this, D90 shutters, assembled in D90 bodies, underwent exhaustive 100,000 shutter-release cycle testing.

Nikon D90 Other Features

• Gives you quick response, with 0.15-second start-up, 65 ms shutter release time lag and 4.5 fps continuous shooting.
• 3-in., approx. 920-k dot high-resolution LCD monitor with wide viewing angle that lets you change composition of the frame during shooting from various angles and easily confirm your image during playback.
• Built-in flash with 18mm lens coverage, Guide Number of approx. 18/59 (ISO 200, m/ft., 20°C/68°F) and Nikon’s original i-TTL flash control; works as a commander; controlling up to two groups of remote Speedlights.
• Highly efficient energy-saving design allows approx. 850 images on a single charge of the Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e. (CIPA standard, with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, with 50% of pictures taken with flash)
• Extensive playback functions offer ample options for viewing and selecting the right shot, including 72-frame playback, calendar playback and histogram display for magnified portion of the image. ? Versatile Pictmotion menu creates slideshows combining five choices of both background music and image effects.
• Compatible with HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output.
• Supports the Nikon Creative Lighting System when using the SB-900, SB-800, SB-600 Speedlight, or Wireless Close-up Speedlight System R1C1; ensures accurate exposures via i-TTL flash control.
• Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D80 (Optional, in common with the D80) gives you the choice of using one or two Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries EN-EL3e or six R6/AA-size batteries to extend battery life.
• New optional Remote Cord MC-DC2 enables shutter release and long time exposures (bulb) remotely.
• With the new optional GPS Unit GP-1, location information such as latitude, longitude, altitude and time is automatically recorded to each image’s EXIF data.
• Included Nikon ViewNX image browsing and editing software lets you organize, label and select images as well as perform RAW image editing adjustments and conversions.
• Optional Capture NX 2 photo-editing software features patented U-Point® technology and powerful tools for quick and easy photo editing including enhanced RAW (NEF) Editing.

source : http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/08082702nikond90previewed.asp

Olympus E520

Our review of the Olympus E-520 has been completed using a production-level camera. Thank you for your patience!

The E-520 ($599, body only) is the follow-up to Olympus' popular EVOLT E-510 digital SLR, which was introduced in March of 2007. The E-510 featured a 10 Megapixel CCD, sensor-shift image stabilization, dust reduction, full manual controls, and live view on its 2.5" LCD.

What's new on the E-520? Pretty much the same stuff that you'll find on its sibling, the E-420. Those items include:

• Larger, 2.7" LCD display (versus 2.5")
• Contrast detect autofocus (with select lenses) and face detection with live view
• Faster continuous shooting speeds (3.5 vs 3.0 fps)
• New vertical and horizontal panning IS modes
• Shadow Adjustment Technology brightens dark areas of your photos
• Perfect Shot Preview lets you see the effects of exposure compensation and white balance settings on your subject before you take a photo
• Built-in wireless flash control

source : http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/olympus/e520-review/

Review: Sony HDR-SR11 Handycam

By Brian Chen

uly 10, 2008 (Macworld) It's old news that Apple Inc. is lagging when it comes to making the Macintosh friendly with tapeless camcorders. Currently, only a few tapeless camcorders out there are truly Mac-compatible, and Sony Corp.'s high-definition HDR-SR11 Handycam happens to be one of them.

Easy to use, craftily designed and packed with features, the HDR-SR11 is a strong contender in the tapeless HD camcorder market -- especially because it currently doesn't have much competition. This camcorder shoots and stores high-definition video and still images on a 60GB hard drive or Memory Stick Duo or Pro Duo card. Most importantly, you can import your video seamlessly into iMovie '08 or Final Cut Pro.

On top of that, the camcorder's video looks stunning, on par with that of Canon Inc.'s Vixia HV30, our top product in the Mini DV camcorder category. There's still work to be done, but we can only hope more manufacturers work with Apple the way Sony did to get its camcorders working properly with the Mac.

Though a little bulky, the HDR-SR11 rests comfortably in your palm. The weight of the camcorder tends to lean toward the left, so it's best to hold it with two hands (left hand under the LCD, right hand on the body) to ensure stability. The zoom tab is within easy reach of your index finger. A menu wheel, which you control with your thumb, toggles between Memory Stick recording and HDD recording.

I especially liked the design of the plastic doors used all around the camcorder to protect connection ports from dust. They easily snap open and are much sturdier than the removable rubber covers found on most camcorders.

The HDR-SR11 features a very intuitive touch-screen control panel located on its LCD. Most camcorders we've tested use a joystick, which can be quick and snappy, but ever since the iPhone's release, touch-screen technology has been getting sexier and preferable. The HDR-SR11's touch-screen buttons are easy to understand, so you shouldn't need to consult the user manual to figure out how to use this camcorder.

When it's time to import your video and photos, the HDR-SR11 works exactly as it should: You simply connect the device to your Mac via USB, and iMovie '08 and Final Cut Pro will recognize the camcorder and allow you to choose the clips you wish to import. After that, all you have to do is wait for the files to transfer over and you can start editing.

In our test footage, the HDR-SR11's video at both low-light and standard-light settings looked impressive. Colors looked pleasing and accurate (though a little heavy on the blues) compared with our control objects. Upon close inspection, some motion artifacts were slightly visible, but they were negligible. For the most part, motion looked smooth. Our panel of experts gave the HDR-SR11's video quality a "very good" rating.

source : www.computerworld.com

Sony Handycam HDR-SR7

By Derek Fung on 17/07/2007

Although this review is for the Sony Handycam HDR-SR7, it is also applicable to the Sony Handycam HDR-SR8 which differs only in price, the capacity of its hard-disk and in a cosmetic detail or two. The Sony Handycam HDR-SR7 is the middle child in the family of three hard drive models replacing the highly regarded SR1.

Model Capacity Price Sensor
HDR-SR5 40GB AU$1,899 4 megapixels*
HDR-SR7 60GB AU$2,349 6.2 megapixels*
HDR-SR8 100GB AU$2,499 6.2 megapixels*
* interpolated

Design
In a retrograde step from the SR1 model it replaces, the SR7 sports a smaller 2.7-inch flip-out, touchscreen LCD -- the old model had a 3.5-inch unit. This is probably because the new model is some 20mm shorter in length and, incidentally, 110g lighter. The SR7's 83mm by 138mm by 82mm body is also within a few millimetres of the tape-based HC7 we tested earlier this year. And although the glossy jet-black body is not without its charms -- especially the sprinkling of metallic dust in its paint -- we're disappointed to see the disappearance of the ribbed metal barrel. To many it might not matter but, for us, the metal barrel made the HC7 feel like a AU$2,000-plus device.

Otherwise the design is much the same as before. Obviously the tape-drive is no longer present and a few of the input jacks have been relocated, but the main controls -- on/off, record and zoom -- are in the same easily accessed thumb and index finger positions. Sony still has the minimalist approach to buttons, which is both bad and good. Good in that it frees the body from unnecessary clutter; bad in that users are forced to flick through touchscreen menus to configure manual settings, like white balance and manual focus. The SR7's menus, like that of all Sony's recently announced high-def cameras, have been updated with slicker graphics -- it's no longer a riot of blocky text and rectangles recalling the time when CGA monitors roamed the earth. The menus still aren't perfect, however, because there's no one button for exiting out of the menu system and, rather inconsistently, some settings drop you out of the menu system after they've been changed, while others do not.

As with the HC7, there's a scroll wheel and button combo near the lens which can be assigned to a manual control, like manual focus. We still found the button too fiddly and awkward to use regularly, and quickly ignored it. The SR7 now has an electronic viewfinder which can be tilted up to about 70 degrees, which is good for those out there who prefer the viewfinder over the LCD.
2007 Sony high-def Handycams

* Hard-disk
* Memory Stick
* Tape-based (miniDV/HDV)
* Mini-DVD

Features
The SR7 boasts a more capacious 60GB hard-disk compared to its forebear's 30GB. According to Sony's claim, this should be sufficient, depending on recording quality, for between eight and 23 hours of AVCHD format high-def footage. As with previous HD Handycams there's a good selection of outputs, including composite, component and HDMI, and inputs too, like microphone and hotshoe. Composite and component cables are provided with the SR7, so it's a shame -- especially on an item ticketed at over AU$2,000 -- that you have to pay an extra AU$99 for the optional mini-HDMI cable.

A dock, however, is supplied with the SR7 which allows you to charge the camera, transfer photos and videos, review your footage on a TV screen and, via the "one touch record" button, burn your masterpieces onto DVD. Although all of this is possible without the dock (except one touch recording), it does serve as a nice way of keeping cable clutter to a minimum. If you are one of the enthusiastic few to have shelled out big bikkies for a PS3, you can hook up your SR7 via USB and either view videos directly or transfer them to the PS3's hard disk.

Other features include an optical image stabilisation, infrared shooting mode, a night light which doubles as a camera flash and smooth slow-mo recording mode -- which records three seconds of low-resolution footage and plays it back over 12 seconds. On the SR7 are two new methods for reviewing footage on the camera. With Face Index, the camera uses its face recognition smarts to produce an index of the people in each video. While with Film Roll Index, each video is previewed with a series of thumbnail snapshots taken at user-specified intervals, for example every three seconds for short clips and every few minutes for epics.

A clutch of software is included with the SR7, allowing you to transfer, burn and play back your high-def footage. This is invaluable because there still aren't many third-party media players which support the AVCHD format. However, video editing suites, like Pinnacle's latest version of Studio, are beginning to embrace the format. When burning DVDs using Sony's software -- whether in standard-def or AVCHD format -- we recommend that you do it on a nice sunny day, with a copy of the weekend newspaper in one hand and a hot cup of coffee in the other, because it's a rather slow process.

Performance
Footage we shot on the SR7 -- in passable to good light -- was impressively crisp and had excellent colour response. To be fair we expected this, as the SR7 shares its 10x zoom lens and interpolated 6.2-megapixel sensor with the HC7 we tested earlier this year. Low light performance was noticeably grainy, although still acceptable, and consequently lacked the same jump-out-of-the-screen-look-at-me sharpness. The SR7 was about the right size -- for our hands anyway -- to ensure handheld footage didn't suffer a case of the jitterbug. Casual videographers will be satisfied with the in-built 5.1-channel microphone, although those with a more serious bent should invest in an external unit.

Although the quality in standard definition is good, you really need an HD television to get the best out of the SR7. Viewing our standard busy street scene back-to-back in standard-def and then in high-def, we could fully appreciate the difference. In high definition, we could see details that were pixelated and grainy in SD, like branch and leaf detail on distant trees, as well as the writing on small street signs across the road.

There are a number of quality modes in both high-def and standard-def. With a keen eye and a few viewings, we could just spot the difference between the high-def modes; in higher compression video, there's some detail lost to artefacts and slightly more pixilation around areas of movement. The difference between recording modes in SD, though, was far more distinct with a sharp drop off in quality beyond the highest setting.

The SR7 starts up in about five seconds and has shooting priority -- so, no matter what you're doing on the camera, a press of the record button will start it recording. Photos can be taken either in the camera's photo mode or during video recording, although neither are anything spectacular -- probably equivalent to a decent point-and-shoot still camera.

Compared to the tape and mini-DVD based high-def camcorders Sony launched earlier this year, there are only a few minor detail improvements. But we feel that the addition of a high capacity hard-disk to the existing combination of high-def recording, outstanding picture quality and affordable pricing, makes the SR7 worthy of an Editors' Choice award. We'd be equally tempted by the AU$150 more expensive SR8, which sports a 100GB drive but is otherwise mechanically identical. The one caveat we'd make is that you must have a high-def home theatre set-up, namely an HD TV and a AVCHD-capable DVD player or PlayStation 3/Blu-ray player, to fully exploit either camera.

source : www.cnet.com.au

Sony Handycam HDR-SR8 Review

Reviewed by: Ellis Benton

Reviewed on: 3 July 2007

Sony is at the forefront of the high-definition revolution, with CEO Howard Stringer promising that 75 per cent of the company's hardware will be HD-compatible by the end of the year. Leading the way is the Handycam HDR-SR8, a camcorder that boasts AVC-HD recording to a gargantuan 100GB hard drive. It's available now for just under £1,000. If that's too much money, you can opt for the 60GB HDR-SR7 for around £850.

Strengths
Sony knows how to put a camcorder together. This smart black camcorder nestles into the hand like it was born there, its elegant 69mm (2.7-inch) LCD sparkling with life and key controls falling neatly to hand. Not that there are too many of these, as the touchscreen interface handles most functions -- from spot focusing to scene selection -- with aplomb. There's a quick manual wheel near the lens that can be customised to alter focus, white balance or exposure, although not full iris and shutter speed control.

You also get a superb widescreen colour viewfinder, and additional shooting controls on the LCD for flip-over self-portraits and shooting at awkward angles.

The 10x Carl Zeiss zoom lens lacks the sheer magnification of some rivals, but makes up for it with silky smooth operation, split-second focusing and crisp detail. It's also efficiently stabilised using Sony's Super SteadyShot system. Another Sony stalwart is the Super NightShot mode, allowing eerie infrared filming in total darkness.

Choose the highest XP shooting quality (a healthy 15Mbps in the 1080i format) and you'll fit an epic 13.5 hours footage on the 100GB hard drive inside. Clips can be viewed by initial frame or at various intervals, but there's no editing on board.

Full quality AVC-HD movies from its 3-megapixel CMOS sensor are simply breathtaking. Detail is confident, accurate and natural, auto exposure and white balance are utterly reliable and even the 5.1 soundtrack sounds semi-professional. Choose ‘x.v.Colour' for an expanded colour gamut that captures primary tones so luscious you'll want to lick your TV screen.

Weaknesses
The SR8 may be staggeringly impressive, but it's not quite perfect. For a start, it's not especially comfortable in low light, where the autofocus hesitates and digital noise adds unwelcome grain to recordings. The photo flash is no substitute for a decent video light, although you can at least add an external lamp via the accessory shoe.

While the SR8 can create decent enough 6-megapixel photos using interpolation, they're soft compared to its razor-sharp HD video. Bizarrely, Sony has split more advanced functions between two completely separate menus -- one in movie mode, the other accessed from the home screen.

Battery life is poor compared to the SR8's potential shooting time -- you'd need 18 batteries (typically lasting just 45 minutes each) to fill up the hard drive. A higher-capacity FH100 battery (giving 3 hours recording) costs around £109.

Finally, for a company keen to drive high definition, it's frustrating not to get even a basic HDMI cable with a £1,000 camcorder, especially since the SR8 uses a less common mini-jack connection that probably won't suit any HDMI cables you already have.

Conclusion
The advent of AVC-HD recording has given high-definition camcorders a shot in the arm. The Sony HDR-SD8 provides a simple, user-friendly introduction to HD movie-making, without sacrificing video or audio quality. Its colours are among the best we've seen from any consumer camcorder and the 100GB drive is fast, silent and capacious enough to suit even the most enthusiastic auteur. An instant HD classic.

Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Nick Hide

source : reviews.cnet.co.uk

Sony DCR-DVD403 DVD Handycam Camcorder

By Terry Sullivan

We've seen camcorders that record directly to DVDs before, but they've all left us wishing for better video quality. The new Sony DCR-DVD403 DVD Handycam Camcorder features a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens, a 2.7-inch articulating LCD, and (best of all) very good video quality. All told, it's the best one-CCD miniDVD camcorder in its price class, and it even lets you take fairly decent digital stills. And the improved sound quality (with Dolby Digital 5.1) enables you to capture a fuller sense of the surrounding environment than you get with other DVD camcorders.

source : www.pcmag.com

Sony Handycam® DCR-DVD101 Camcorder

by : dkozin's

Mini-DVD vs. MiniDV or Digital8

One Mini-DVD disc can store 1.4Gb of information, which lets you record 20 minutes in HQ (best quality) mode, 30 minutes in SP (standard quality) or 60 minutes in LP mode. The video is recorded in the same format as commercially-produced DVDs - using MPEG-2 encoding with sound being 2-channel Dolby Digital.

MiniDV or Digital8 tapes can fit 60-80 minutes of video in SP mode or 50% more in LP mode (with virtually no loss of quality). Video is recorded using DV encoding (significantly less compression and thus better quality than MPEG-2).

Both formats have pros and cons. The tapes fit more and at better recording quality, they cost less. Mini-DVD can be played back on a regular DVD player, needs no rewinding, lets you jump to the segment you want.

The DVD101 comes with one write-once Mini-DVD-R. I have seen a pack of 12 Mini-DVD-R at my local Sam's Club selling for $24 (about $2 a piece). Since I wanted to try a DVD-RW, I got a Sony Mini-DVD-RW (1x-2x speed) disc for $8.

Overall

The DVD101 features advanced multi-coated Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar optics with 10x optical zoom (43-430mm in 35mm equivalent), a 680,000-pixel 1/6-inch CCD (with 680,000pixels, out of which 340,000 are active), a 2.5-inch color LCD screen and a color viewfinder, stereo microphone, digital photo mode with 640x480 resolution, Super SteadyShot picture stabilization.

The camcorder features auto white balance or lets you perform manual white balance adjustment. Also, you can turn off the auto focus and adjust the focus manually, using the joystick on the side of the camcorder, above the LCD.

You can even make copies of your discs using a computer. You first use your computer to read the source disc, then you insert the blank disk in the camcorder and let your computer write to it. In essence, you can use your camcorder as a DVD writer. The camcorder has a fast USB 2.0 interface for computer connectivity.

There is no FireWire (i.Link) interface, just high-speed USB 2.0. You can use USB to transfer stills and video or you can finalize the DVD and put it in your computer.

The camcorder is compact and nice-looking. I am not impressed with the craftsmanship, however. Both the LCD and the disc compartment lid do not close tightly, leaving some space. It is not too big of a deal, but I would expect better in a $700 camcorder.

The controls have good tactile feel and are sturdy. The ergonomics are good.

Comparison with Sony MiniDV Camcorders

Unlike its MiniDV cousins from the Sony lineup (Sony DCR-HC20, HC30 and HC40), the DVD101 has buttons underneath the LCD screen, although they are of the cheap kind. Unlike Sony’s MiniDV camcorders, the viewfinder tilts (in HC camcorders the viewfinder only telescopes, which is not good) in addition to telescoping.

Similar to Sony MiniDV camcorders, the DVD101’s LCD has an additional Record Start/Stop button next to it as well as an LCD backlight button to turn the screen backlight on and off.

The optics and CCD sensor are similar to the ones used in Sony HC20 and HC30. The zoom rocker feels more sturdy than that on the HC30 and lets you control the zoom speed with more precision.

The DVD101 has conventional menu system, controlled by the buttons and the small shiny joystick on the side of the camcorder (unlike the HC20 and HC30, which use touch-screen control). The menus are very easy to navigate and the camcorder overall is very easy to use. I was able to use it after reading only several pages of the manual.

The camcorder comes with a remote (and battery for it), carry strap, lens cap with a string, one mini DVD-R disc, a USB cable, an A/V cable, disc with software, power adaptor and power cord, manuals.

The lens cap is pretty small and I wonder why there is no integrated lens lid instead.

I will talk more about the camcorder’s performance, but will make more comparisons with Sony MiniDV camcorders.

Performance

The camcorder comes with one mini DVD-R (write-once) disc. I have also used a, purchased separately, mini DVD-RW (rewriteable) disc. The DVD-R and DVD-RW discs can be used in the “Video” mode. In this mode, after the disc is “finalized”, you can play it on a DVD player or in a DVD-ROM drive.

The DVD-RW disc can also be used in VR mode. In this mode, you can edit your movie, create playlists, etc. VR mode is ot as compatible with DVD players as Video mode.

The camcorder comes with a Li-Ion battery that charges pretty quickly. I was able to use the camcorder after charging the battery for only 30 minutes (not a full charge, but it let me use the camcorder for more than half hour). The battery is being charged by the camera – the battery is always attached to the camera and the power adaptor plugs into the camera. You can see the battery remaining power in minutes at any time.

The fresh disc you insert has to be formatted by the camcorder first. This is annoying to someone who have used camcorders before (tapes require no formatting). The formatting is relatively quick, at least comparing to finalizing a disc though. I will get to that later.

The disc insertion and removal is a bit slow and cumbersome. You have to move the hand strap away from the disc lid, open the lid and put the disc on the spindle and push it down pretty forcefully. After the lid is closed, the disc spins up and the camcorder offers you to format it (if new) or the camcorder reads it (a pretty slow process, I estimate about 10 seconds). During this time, you cannot shoot. This is unlike tape-based camcorders, where after a couple of seconds you are ready to shoot.

After you are done with the disc and want to finalize it to be viewable on a DVD player, you have to wait for the finalization process to finish. After I recorded a couple of minutes of video and a handful of still pictures, I had to wait whole 10 minutes for my DVD-RW to finalize!

To record on the finalized disc (DVD-RW only), you can unfinalize it (took 2 minutes in my case). Or, if you don’t’ care for the contents already recorded, you can format it anew.

While the camcorder formats or finalizes the disc, you see a warning that you should avoid camcorder vibrations. This is pretty annoying.

I have to mention that if you just want to remove the disc and replace, you can do it without finalizing, but it takes several seconds for the disc to stop spinning and for the lid to open. The disc is also not very easy to remove – you lift the edge of it with your finger and have to apply as much force to it to make it snap out of the spindle that it makes the disc bend slightly.

You can select between three speeds/quality modes: HQ, SP and LP. They fit approximately 20, 30 and 60 minutes on one disc respectively. I say approximately, because it depends on the material you shoot. Static images conserve space whereas scenes with fast motion require more space and reduce the recording time.

I wasn’t able to see much difference between HQ and SP modes. The LP mode was noticeably worse.

The video quality of the recording was decent in good light, but noticeably noisy indoors, and in darker scenes. Not only did this camcorder overcompensate for the darkness by increasing the exposure, the colors seemed to be less vivid in the darker scenes as well and the noise was visible even on the LCD let alone on the computer screen. The white walls of my apartment developed yellow streaks and the yellowish lid of the jar with the tiger balm started flickering blue.

The noise was present despite the best Sony's marketing efforts (boasting about Advanced HAD CCD and such). The camcorder is rated at 5Lux at F1.7, which is much worse than my old Digital8 Sony DCR-TRV120 (1Lux at F1.6). For the record, the old Sony DCR-TRV120 had an 1/4-inch CCD with 460,000 pixels (290,000 of which were active) and produced better picture quality in dim light and, seems like, overall. I bought it more than 4 years ago for less than $600.

Now, back to the DVD101.

Pushing the “Exposure” button and moving the joystick to adjust the exposure down helps with noise and makes the image more realistic in the darkness. But to an extent.

The same was the case with digital still pictures. The camcorder can take them at 640x480 (VGA) resolution and store them on the DVD (no memory card slot is provided). The picture storage takes a couple seconds and the pictures can be included in your movie. But the picture quality is pretty bad, even for 640x480 resolution. There is the video noise mentioned above and the diagonal lines looked jagged when viewed on the computer monitor. The looked OK when viewed on my DVD player, but the sharpness was poor and there was visible overly-aggressive edge sharpening.

You can see the sample digital still pictures taken with DVD101 by me at

http://www.review-shop.com/DVD101/SonyDVD101_1.html

(you can copy and paste the address above into your browser's address bar).

The auto focus worked well and the “Focus” button let me switch to manual focus. The manual focus is not via a ring, but rather by sing the joystick. The manual focusing was fast and easy, but it was a bit too fast – it is easy to focus on “infinity”, but also easy to overshoot your focusing point overwise.

So there you have it. A famed name in optics (Carl Zeiss) and impressive numbers and technology do not good image quality make. The CCD is noisy in low light (video) and is not suitable for decent still pictures otherwise.

Also, the built-in stereo microphone picks up the slight whirring sound of the disc spinning (proud Dolby Digital inscription notwithstanding).

The LCD is great - fluid and is highly visible as is the color viewfinder. The Viewfinder has diopter adjustment. The camcorder has a tripod mount and features highly effective image stabilization.

The mode selector switch has good feel to it and requires just enough effort. The A/V/S-Video outs as well as the external microphone input are located under a lid in front of the camcorder, just above the microphone. The high-speed USB 2.0 port is in the back. There is no FireWire (i.Link) connectivity. The thinking probably was that there is no need for it as far as the USB 2.0 is present and you can use the DVD to transfer data to your computer.

Speaking of computers, you will need the supplied software (at least the USB driver). My computer recognized the camcorder as a removable DVD drive, but couldn’t read from it until the software was installed.

Bottom Line

I don’t quite understand why somebody would pick the DVD-based camcorder over the tape one. Yes, the discs look shiny and more high-tech than tape. Yes, you don’t have to rewind them and look for the segment you want. And yes, you can play them in your DVD player or DVD-ROM drive. But the mini-DVD holds only 20-30 minutes in good quality setting, the discs require formatting and finalizing and spin-up and slow-down periods are slowing you down.

In addition to general cons of the mini-DVD technology, this particular camcorder has its own flaws. Low light video noise and poor digital still performance make it a poor choice for many.

On the flipside, this camcorder is easy to use, compact, has good ergonomics and lets you produce discs immediately playable in virtually any DVD player. If you still want a DVD camcorder, mostly plan to shoot in bright light and don't care about digital stills, this camcorder may be worth getting.

source : www99.epinions.com

Sony 2 megapixel Network Handycam

Sensor	1/3.6" 2.11 megapixel
Capture pixels	• Animation: 1.08 million • Still: 1.92 million
Lens	• 10x optical zoom, F1.8 - F2.1, 'Carl Zeiss' • Video cam mode: 52 - 520 mm equiv. • Still mode: 39 - 390 mm equiv.
Filter diameter	37 mm
Focus	• Auto • Manual
White balance	• Auto • Hold • Outdoor • Indoor
Shutter speed	1/4 - 1/4000 sec
Still image capture	• VGA (640 x 480) • UXGA (1600 x 1200)
MPEG movie mode	• Standard 144 x 96 • Fine 352 x 240
Viewfinder (EVF)	180,000 pixel
LCD monitor	2.5" 210,000 pixel
Power	Sony InfoLithium (Lithium Ion)
Connectivity	• A/V • MicroMV I/O • USB • Bluetooth 1.1 (wireless)
Internet standards	• SMTP mail transmission • POP3 mail reception • HTML 3.2, Javascript and SSL • GIF, JPEG, PNG display
Video storage	MicroMV
Still image / animation storage	Memory Stick
Dimensions	98 x 76 x 136 mm
Weight (inc. batt & tape)	630 g

source : www.dpreview.com

Sony DCR-HC42 Minidv Handycam

By : Richard Baguley

Although the Sony DCR-HC42 is a lightweight in both price and heft, it's far from lightweight in quality. In our tests, we rated the $560 DCR-HC42 the second-best performer. The DCR-HC42 produced great-looking video in our tests, with smooth movement; it also captured strong, accurate colors, even under difficult lighting conditions such as indoors under fluorescent lights.

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Unfortunately, the still images the camera takes were a little disappointing--very fuzzy, with bland colors. The camcorder can record still images to a Memory Stick Pro Duo card at a maximum resolution of 1152 by 864 (about 1 megapixel); although having the option to take still images is nice, the results really aren't good for anything except showing on a TV.

The DCR-HC42 fits well in the hand and, at 14.5 ounces, it is light enough to be carried around all day. The camcorder is 2 inches thick and 4.5 inches long, a size that should just squeeze into a large pocket. While the controls sit comfortably under the fingers, we found that the 12X zoom control lacks resistance--anything more than slight pressure sets off zooming in or out very quickly; it took a deft touch to slow it down.

As with the Sony DCR-DVD403, the zoom and record controls are duplicated around the 2.7-inch wide-aspect LCD, which looked great in all but direct sunlight. Most camcorders, when shooting in 16:9 mode, display the video with black bars at the top and bottom, resulting in a smaller image; but, its wide-aspect LCD lets the HC42 use the whole screen, which means you can see the image much better.

For recharging and linking to the PC, the camcorder docks in the included Handycam Station, which is also where the USB 2.0 and FireWire ports are. This design means that you don't have to unplug everything when you take the camera with you, but it also means that you can't connect the camcorder to your PC (for transferring video or images) without that unit. And the camera fits rather loosely into the docking station. At one point, I accidentally bumped it while copying a tape onto the PC, disconnecting the camera and stopping the transfer process. However, you don't need to use the docking station to recharge the camera; you can plug the power supply directly into the camera itself.

Upshot: The HC42 is a well-priced camcorder for those who want something that won't weigh them down on a day or weekend trip.

source : www.pcworld.com/

Sony Handycam HDR-TG1 Review

For years Sanyo has been without a doubt the largest and strongest player in the Compact Digital Video Camera world, and crushed competitors generation after generation. Now after the Canon TX1, Sony is at the plate with its HDR-TG1, better know in Europe as the HDR-TG3.

A direct challenger to the Sanyo Xacti HD1000, the HDR-TG1 is also a full HD capable device (1080i), but a very expensive one. In Japan it’s twice as expensive, is the TG1 really worth it?

Handling
Similar in appearance to the Canon TX1, the Sony TG1 has a pretty rectangular design with sharp edges and a strange heaviness even though it only weighs 300g with its battery. Housed in smooth, good quality plastic or brushed aluminum, the TG1 offers a nice compromise between style and sturdiness. Thanks to its compact body this new handycam can be easily carried in the front pocket of your trousers, ready to capture anything at anytime. Once in your hand, thanks to its Stand-by mode and “Quick-On,” HD video can be taken in seconds and saved for eternity.

Video
Once you start recording video you’ll be stunned by how pictures are wonderfully shown on its little LCD. Once plugged to your full HD TV you’ll begin to wonder if you were really recording in 1080. Pictures are without a doubt beautiful, but far from what’s to be expected from a 1080 camera. They’re perfect if you save your video at 720p on your computer.

Like many other compact HD cameras, the TG1 suffers from obvious aliasing on fixed pictures with contrasted lines, or pictures with slow movements. However, these are problems you should expect with something as light and compact as the TG1.

Plus:
Compact and Stylish
Good video, once converted in 720p
Good AF even in Low Light
Great IS

Minus:
Horrible UI
Horrible Photo Mode
Needs Sony proprietary SOftware to edit video on your PC
No optional Wide angle lenses

Conclusion:
Compact, Stylish and providing good video once turned in 720p, Sony with the TG1 will definitively attract a lot of potential buyer, but unfortunately for us the TG1 is not mature yet, several UI flaws combined with poor photo quality and a poorly design companion software make us wonder why spending SO much money when the HD1000 form Sanyo offers as good as video as the TG1 for half its price (In Japan)

Source : www.digithalia.com

SONY HANDYCAM DCR-SR100E

Specification
LENS / ZOOM
CZ lens Vario Sonnar T*
Zoom Key (Lever/Button on LCD frame)
Zoom / Zoom Speed(Optical)
(w/ Lever) (During Standby) 10x, variable (0.9-24.4sec)
(w/ Lever) (During recording) 10x, variable (0.9-24.4sec)
(w/ Button on LCD frame) 10x, (5.8sec)
Digital Zoom *1 : 20 x (120x)
Selection of D. Zoom Ratio (2 steps) : (20x / 120x)(Setup)
Precision Digital Zoom *2
F 1.8-2.9
f (Focal distance) 5.1 - 51mm
In Tele Macro (Minimum focal distance) -
f (35mm conversion)(in "MOVIE" position) (16:9) *3 : 42.8 - 495mm
f (35mm conversion)(in "MOVIE" position) (4:3) : 45 - 450mm
f (35mm conversion)(in "STILL " position) (16:9) : 40.6 - 406mm
f (35mm conversion)(in "STILL " position) (4:3) : 37 - 370mm
Filter Diameter 30mm
Lens Cover (Auto)
NightShot
Super NightShot ("MOVIE" position)

CAMERA
Focus System Full range auto/Manual
Manual Focus (Panel)
Spot Focus (Touch Panel)
Auto Focus
Linear Mach AF
CCD : 1/3" (5.9mm) 2,144H
Interlace
Advanced HAD Technology
Number of pixels Gross 3310K
Number of pixels (in "MOVIE" Rec position)(16:9) Act 2057.3 K
Number of pixels (in "MOVIE" Rec position)(4:3) Act 2048 K
Number of pixels (in "STILL" Rec position)(16:9) Act 2286.1 K
Number of pixels (in "STILL" Rec position)(4:3) Act 3048 K
Minimum Illumination (w/o NightShot / w/NightShot / w/NightShot plus) 5 lux (0lux)
White Balance Auto / Outdoor / Indoor /one-push(Setup)
One-push Auto
Shutter Speed Auto / 1/4-1/4000
(Color Slow Shutter,Program AE, Super NightShot)
Auto Shutter (Setup)
Color Slow Shutter (Touch Panel)
Program AE (Setup) (Portrait, Beach & Ski, Sports Lesson, Landscape, Spotlight, Sunset & Moon)
14bit DXP
Auto Non Flicker
Exposure Control (Touch Panel)(24 steps)
Backlight Compensation (Auto/Button)
Spot Meter
Iris Control / Gain Control (Auto Only)
Review
Self Timer
Fader *6 (Touch Panel) Black, White, Overlap, Wipe
Camera Noice Reduction
6:9Wide (High Quality)
16:9 Default
Clock setting (Setup)
World Clock (Area or Country SET)
DST or Summer time
Date/Time Auto Indication
SteadyShot (""MOVIE"" position only)
(Electronic, Super SteadyShot)
SteadyShot ON/OFF (Setup)

VIEWFINDER
Color Viewfinder
Size 0.3"
Dots 123K dots
Backlight Select (Normal/Bright:Setup)

AUDIO
Dolby Digital 2ch Recording (with Optional Mic)
Dolby Digital 2ch Playback
Dolby Digital 5.1ch Recording
Dolby Digital 2ch DownMix Playback
Built-in Microphone (Stereo ElectricCondencer)4ch
Wind Position (Auto)
5.1ch Center Mic Ready(w/ Optional microphone)
Speaker
Speaker Volume Control (+)(-)(Touch Panel)
MIC Reference Level (Normal /Low)
External Surround MIC Setting (Stereo/ 4ch MIC)
Surround Monitor
Multi Sound Switch (HiFi Sound) (Bilingual Switch) (Setup)
Recorder/Player
Video Recording Format MPEG2-PS
Line-In REC
Scan (+)
Scan (-)
Step (+)
Step (-)
Next
Previous
Slow Playback
Visual Index
Selectable Number of Index (6/12)(Zoom/Setup)
Date Index
Movie Quality : HQ (Average: 9Mbps), SP (Average: 6Mbps), LP (Average: 3Mbps)
Linear Time Counter
Data Code (Rec Date/Time, Camera info)
OSD On/Off
OSD Output (Line out/LCD/VF)
TV Type Select
Playlist Edit (Add, Delete, Move)
Original Edit (Delete)
Playback Zoom (x1.1-5)(TouchPanel + Zoom Lever)

JACK
Multi AV (Video In/Out / S Video In/Out / Audio In/Out)
Remote (Stereo MiniMini)
USB Terminal (mini B/Hi-Speed)
DC IN

LCD SCREEN
Size 2.7" WIDE (16:9ratio)
Number of pixels 123,200 dots
( 560x 220)
Hybrid LCD Monitor
Touch Panel
LCD On/Off (LCD Open/close related)
Backlight On/Off (Tact - Press & Hold)
Backlight Bright Select (Normal/Bright(Setup))
Brightness Control (+)(-)(Setup)
Color Control (Setup)
Upside Down / Mirror
Opening Angle 90 deg
Turning Angle : Counter Clockwise (180 deg), Clockwise (90 deg), For Monitoring (0deg)
Anti-glare Treatment
Anti-fingerprint Treatment
EVF ON with reversed LCD (Mirror Mode)

REMOTE COMMANDER
Remote Commander : RMT-835
MOVIE/STILL" common : REC Start/Stop & Zoom
MOVIE"/"STILL"/"PLAY/EDIT" common : Cursor Key (4 directional), Enter, Display
STILL " Position : Photo
PLAY/EDIT" position : PB, Stop, Next, Prev, SCAN/SLOW, Pause, Visual Index, Data Code
Mode : DVD2
Multi-Language
Multi-Language Operation : (Menu/Warning Messages)
Default language : English

OTHERS
Charge on camcorder
One Touch DVD Burn
Start/Stop Button on LCD Frame
Zoom Button on LCD Frame
Wide Select Button
Auto Shut Off (Setup)
Remote Sensor / Remote On/Off (Setup)
Beep Sound / On/Off (Setup)
Warning Message
Front Tally / On/Off (Setup)
InfoLITHIUM system
Disc/Battery Remaining Indicator
Battery Info
Demonstration Mode (Setup)
Easy Handycam
Mass (w/o Tape, Battery, etc.) : 535g
Dimension (WxHxD) : 82 x 69 x 149 mm
Power Consumption (VF/LCD/VF+LCD) 3.7W/4.1W/4.3W
Power Requirements (AC adaptor / Battery) 8.4V/7.2V
Charge time for 1-hour shooting (Floating charge) 55min
Charge time for 1-hour shooting (w/ AC-VQP10) 36min
Accessory Shoe : Active Interface Shoe
Calibration (Setup)
Digital Picture Effects (Setup) *11 : Luminance Key & Old Movie
Picture Effects (Setup) *12 (Mosaic, Monotone, Sepia, Pastel)

STILL PICTURE
Default Recording Media : Hard Disk Drive
Recording mode : Fine (1/4) & Standard (1/10)
Recording Method : Progressive Shutter System & Frame REC
Image Size 16:9 (2016 x 1134)
Image Size 4:3 (2016 x 1512 / 1600 x 1200 / 640 x 480)
Compression JPEG
DCF Compatible
Exif2.2
PictBridge
Date / Time
Continuous file number REC
Image Delete (One/All / Date )
Image Protect (One/ Date)
Burst REC : Normal & Auto Exposure Bracketting
Review
Playback Zoom (x1.1-5)(TouchPanel + Zoom Lever)
Slide Show (Touch Panel)
Disc Tool
Format
Erase All Data (Full Format)
HDD Drop Protection
Shock Absorber
3G Sensor
Video Stream Buffering
Drop Detection Sensor ON/OFF (Setup)
Hard Disk Drive Capacity : 30 GB

source : www.kamera-digital.com