Sony's 2008 Handycams are flash
Sony's rejigged 2008 camcorder line-up has more cameras than are in attendance for a Paris "oops I've slipped over, how silly of me" Hilton event. We give you a run down of each new model to help you sort the wheat from the chaff.
Sony's rejigged 2008 camcorder line-up has more cameras than are in attendance for a Paris "oops I've slipped over, how silly of me" Hilton event. We give you a run down of each new model to help you sort the wheat from the chaff.
Lower prices, check. More features, check. But that's to be expected at any tech launch nowadays. The big news at Sony's launch -- and every camcorder launch this year -- is flash memory. Not just flash only models, but the ability to record video to flash on cameras using hard disk and DVD media; previously flash memory cards were only used to store still images.
High definition hard-disk/flash hybrids
As before there are three cameras in the high-def hard-disk line: one lower spec model, the SR10, and two full cream units, the SR11 and SR12, which differ only in hard-disk capacity. The latter two top-shelf models also feature a big 3.2-inch flip-out touchscreen LCD.
Tape and Memory Stick
The only new cameras in Sony's '08 line-up that can't record to flash memory are the tape models, the bargain basement HC52 and the high-def HC9. Alongside them is the tall and narrow, Memory Stick only TG1, whose Canon HV10-like looks mean certain desirable features have been sacrificed.
HDR-SR10 | HDR-SR11 | HDR-SR12 | |
Price | AU$1,499 | AU$1,999 | AU$2,199 |
Memory Stick | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hard disk | 40GB | 60GB | 120GB |
Sensor type | 5.1mm CMOS | 8.1mm CMOS | 8.1mm CMOS |
Sensor resolution | 2.4-megapixel | 5.6-megapixel | 5.6-megapixel |
Zoom | 15x | 12x | 12x |
Image stabilisation | Optical | Optical | Optical |
LCD size | 2.7-inch | 3.2-inch | 3.2-inch |
Nightshot | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Microhpone jack | - | Yes | Yes |
Headphone jack | - | Yes | Yes |
Hotshoe | Yes | Yes | Yes |
HDMI | - | Mini | Mini |
Zoom mic | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sound | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
DVD/flash hybrids
All of this season's new DVD camcorders from Sony are capable of recording to both DVD or flash memory, with the ability to burn discs from footage stored in flash. Both the high-definition UX20 and the standard-def DVD810 have 8GB of internal memory and a Memory Stick slot, while the entry-level DVD610 only has the latter.
DCR-HC52 | HDR-HC9 | HDR-TG1 | |
Price | AU$399 | AU$1,699 | AU$1,599 |
Definition | Standard | High | High |
Recording medium | miniDV | HDV | Memory Stick |
Sensor type | 4.2mm CCD | 8.8mm CMOS | 5.1mm CMOS |
Sensor resolution | 0.8-megapixel | 3.2-megapixel | 2.4-megapixel |
Zoom | 40x | 10x | 10x |
Image stabilisation | Electronic | Optical | Electronic |
LCD size | 2.5-inch | 2.7-inch | 2.7-inch |
Nightshot | Yes | Yes | - |
Microhpone jack | - | Yes | - |
Headphone jack | - | Yes | - |
Hotshoe | - | Yes | - |
HDMI | - | Mini | Mini |
Zoom mic | - | Yes | Yes |
Sound | Stereo | 5.1 | 5.1 |
Standard-def hard-disk/flash hybrids
Five new standard-def hard-disk hybrids; that sounds confusing at first but the entry-level SR45 and SR46 are the same except for hard-disk capacity, as are the mid-level SR65 and SR85.
DCR-DVD610 | DCR-DVD810 | HDR-UX20 | |
Price | AU$499 | AU$699 | AU$1,599 |
Definition | Standard | Standard | High |
Memory Stick | Yes | Yes | Yes |
DVD | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Internal memory | - | 8GB | 8GB |
Sensor type | 3.2mm CCD | 4.2mm CCD | 5.1mm CMOS |
Sensor resolution | 0.8-megapixel | 1.1-megapixel | 2.4-megapixel |
Zoom | 40x | 25x | 15x |
Image stabilisation | Electronic | Electronic | Optical |
LCD size | 2.7-inch | 2.7-inch | 2.7-inch |
Nightshot | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Microhpone jack | - | - | - |
Headphone jack | - | - | - |
Hotshoe | - | Yes | Yes |
HDMI | - | - | Mini |
Zoom mic | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sound | Stereo | 5.1 | 5.1 |
DCR-SR45 | DCR-SR46 | DCR-SR65 | DCR-SR85 | DCR-SR220 | |
Price | AU$799 | AU$899 | AU$999 | AU$1,149 | AU$1,399 |
Memory Stick | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hard disk | 30GB | 40GB | 40GB | 60GB | 60GB |
Sensor type | 3.2mm CCD | 3.2mm CCD | 4.2mm CCD | 4.2mm CCD | 5.1mm CMOS |
Sensor resolution | 0.8-megapixel | 0.8-megapixel | 1.1-megapixel | 1.1-megapixel | 2.4-megapixel |
Zoom | 40x | 40x | 25x | 25x | 15x |
Image stabilisation | Electronic | Electronic | Electronic | Electronic | Optical |
LCD size | 2.7-inch | 2.7-inch | 2.7-inch | 2.7-inch | 2.7-inch |
Nightshot | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Microhpone jack | - | - | - | - | - |
Headphone jack | - | - | - | - | - |
Hotshoe | - | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
HDMI | - | - | - | - | - |
Zoom mic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Sound | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | 5.1 |