CMOS sensors previously found only in DSLR cameras are finding their to point-and-shoot cameras. Sony hopes CMOS point-and-shoot cameras will appeal to photographers who also want to carry a compact, high performance digital still camera. The 10.2 mega-pixel WX1 camera has a 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus display and measures just 3 9/16 x 2 1/16 x 2 5/32 inches.

The Cyber-shot WX1 camera features a Sony G lens with an extraordinary wide angle 24-120mm 5x optical zoom. Sony G lenses are used in top of the line digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and advanced pro-sumer HD Camcorders. The f/2.4 aperture lens gathers twice as much light as typical point-and-shoot camera lenses, allowing you to shoot indoors or in low light without flash with less noise.

When shooting in Program Auto Mode, selectable ISO settings include: Auto, 160, 200, 400, 800, 1600, and high-sensitivity 3200. The Cyber-shot WX1 can capture ten 10.2 megapixel resolution images at up to 10fps with its mechanical shutter.

Optical SteadyShot image stabilization uses a built-in gyro sensor to detect camera shake and automatically shifts the lens to help prevent blur without sacrificing image quality.

Sweep Panorama mode lets you capture wide landscapes (185 and 256-degree). Using the high-speed “Exmor R” CMOS sensor, the cameras shoot continuously while you sweep across the scene. The BIONZ imaging processor automatically stitches the pictures together to create panoramic photos.

The Cyber-shot WX1 records HD movies in 720p high definition MPEG4 format for large-screen home movie playback. It can record up to 29 minutes (or up to 2 GB) per movie in 720p format.

The Cyber-shot WX1 is priced at $349.99 (MSRP) and is available at Amazon USA.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1/B 10MP “Exmor R” CMOS Digital Camera with 5x Optical Steady Shot Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD (Black)
Price: USD 249.99

25 suppliers – prices from USD 210.00

Sony is adding high-definition movie recording to its digital camera line starting with the Cyber-shot® DSC-T500 model. The 10MP DSC-T500 features wide and full-screen 720p movie recording at 30fps in fine, standard and VGA recording modes. This resolution is three times higher than standard-definition movies. The movie function is based on the MPEG4 AVC/H.264 codec for video compression and stereo audio. Benefits of the format include high-quality video as well as small file sizes that are easy to download, upload and share.

The DSC-T500 can continuously record a video clip up to 10 minutes in length. It can hold hours of clips by expanding the camera’s capacity with a Memory Stick® media card (sold separately). Memory Stick® media is now available in capacities up to 16GB. It also features a dual photo and video capture mode. Simply press the photo button while in movie mode and capture up to three photos with no recording interruption.

Features

• 10.1-megapixel effective recording
• 5X optical zoom (2X digital/10X total zoom)
• Optical SteadyShot® image stabilization
• 3-1/2″ touchscreen LCD with anti-reflective coating
• 35mm equivalent lens focal length: 33-165mm
• highest JPEG resolution: 3648 x 2736
• high sensitivity mode (ISO 3200) for low-light shooting without flash
• face detection controls focus, exposure, and color for detailed portraits
• 16:9 widescreen high resolution photo mode
• 9 scene selection modes including Beach, Landscape, and Twilight Portrait
• stereo microphone/speaker
• 720p high-definition movie mode with audio (1280 x 720 at 30 frames per second)
• 9-point autofocus for shooting multiple or off-center subjects
• macro mode
• burst mode takes up to 100 consecutive rapid-fire photos
• variable ISO (film speed equivalent) settings
• in-camera slide show with music playback
• 4MB built-in flash memory holds 1 photo at top resolution
• high-speed USB interface
• compatible with Memory Stick® Duo and Memory Stick® PRO Duo™ media
• compatible with PictBridge-enabled printers
• Dimensions: 4″W x 2-1/2″H x 15/16″D
• weight (with battery): 6.4 oz.

The DSC-T500 camera integrates a wide (16:9), 3.5-inch (measured diagonally), transflective, touch panel LCD screen for easy navigation, framing and viewing in strong light conditions. It has a Carl Zeiss® 5x optical zoom lens with a wide field of view (33 – 165mm, 35mm equivalency). It incorporates Optical SteadyShot image stabilization and high sensitivity settings up to ISO3200 helps combat blur and facilitate flash-free shooting for natural-exposed photos. The DSC-T500 also incorporates face detection technology, an intelligent function that automatically detects up to eight faces in the camera frame and adjusts focus, exposure and flash.

What’s in the box?

• Cyber-shot® DSC-T500
• rechargeable InfoLithium® battery (NP-BD1)
• battery charger (BC-CSD)
• audio/video and USB multi-connector cables
• wrist strap
• software CD-ROM

Price and Availability

The Cyber-shot® DSC-T500 can be found at camera retailers in the USA for about $350.

Sony has replaced the HDR-CX7 with the new HDR-CX12, an HD camcorder that captures full 1920 x 1080 HD video in the AVCHD format to MemoryStick Duo cards. New on a camcorder is Sony’s Smile Shutter technology, brought over from its still camera line, which allows for video recording while simultaneously capturing still photos when subjects smile.

In addition to the Smile technology, the camcorder (2.8″ x 5.3″ x 2.8″) is about the size of a can of soda. It’s roughly the same size as its primary competitor, the Canon VIXIA HF100. On the plus side for Sony, Canon does not provide an SDHC card with of the VIXIA HF100, while the Sony HDR-CX12 ships with a 4GB MemoryStick PRO Duo card.

The HDR-CX12 features a 12x Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T Lens coupled to a 1/3.13-inch CMOS sensor with a gross pixel count of 5,660,000. Besides full 1920 x 1080 HD video, the HDR-CX12 is capable of taking a 10.2MP still image. Both the new Exmor sensor and Bionz processing technology are included.

The HDR-CX12 also includes a multi-function dial located on the front for controlling exposure, white balance, and other functions. The AVCHD bitrate remains slightly lower than the industry average, with a peak speed of 16Mbps. The Canon VIXIA HF100 records at 17Mbps.

A full set of specifications can be found on the SonyStyle site.

What’s in the box

• HDR-CX12 Camcorder
• Memory Stick PRO Duo 4GB
• Wireless Remote Commander (RMT-835)
• InfoLITHIUM battery (NP-FH60)
• CD-ROM (“Picture Motion Browser” for Microsoft Windows, Handycam Handbook)
• Handycam Station
• AC Adaptor (AC-L200)
• Power cord
• USB Cable
• A/V connecting cable
• Component A/V Cable

Price and Availability

The Sony HDR-CX12 will be available in early August for a price of $900 (MSRP). It can be pre-ordered ordered from Amazon.com. See the link below.

In the UK, see the Sony HDR-CX11 (link below).

Sony’s Digital Field Guide for the Alpha DSLR-A700 is now available at retail outlets.

According to the press release: “The Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide is filled with everything you need to know in order to take amazing photographs using your Sony Alpha A700 digital SLR camera. This full-color portable guide walks you through the essential controls, features, and functions of the A700 using step-by-step instructions and full-color images of each menu screen.

This robust guide not only shows you how to adjust white balance, autofocus, exposure, and choose lenses, it also teaches you when and why you should adjust each of these key settings. The Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Field Guide goes beyond camera settings to offer you a refresher guide to the principles of digital photography, covering the essentials of lighting, composition, and exposure. Filled with amazing examples, this book also presents a variety of tips and tricks to capturing portraits, candids, sports, travel, macro photography, and much more.”

The author is Alan Hess a professional freelance photographer. Alan specializes in concert and event photography, but has also done commercial photography for everything from a guitar manufacturer’s brochure to a women’s workout wear catalog. He is also a key contributor to the Lexar Pro Photography Web site.

Sony has just introduced the Model HDR-TG1 camcorder. It is a full-featured camcorder that can record 1920 x 1080 HD video and 4MP digital photos directly to Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo or PRO Duo Mark2 media cards. Its size (1.3″ wide by 4.7″ tall by 2.5″deep) and full recording capability makes it the world’s smallest full HD camcorder.

The HDR-TG1 is equipped with a high-quality Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® 10x optical zoom lens and 2MP ClearVid CMOS sensor with Exmor-derived technology, engineered to minimize picture noise. Sony’s BIONZ processing engine also features noise reduction capabilities in addition to fast processing speeds. This engine powers the model’s dynamic range optimization feature, which automatically adjusts under or over-exposed areas in a picture.

The HDR-TG1’s premium hard coating and titanium body makes it resistant to scratches and highly desirable to fashion-conscious consumers. It also incorporates face detection technology for both video and still images, a technology shared with select Sony Cyber-shot® digital cameras. The HDR-TG1 can identify up to eight faces in the camcorder’s 2.7″ touch panel LCD screen, and automatically adjust focus, exposure, color control for natural-looking skin tones.

The HDR-TG1 features switchable HD/SD Format Recording Record and play back both High Definition (HD)4 and Standard Definition (SD) video. It ships with a 4GB PRO Duo Mark2 media card.

Sony is capitalizing on the growing trend towards video-sharing with the new, easy-to-use NSC-GC1 camcorder. The Sony NSC-GC1 shoots video in MPEG-4 with selectable picture qualities ranging from QVGA/15 fps to VGA/30 fps — viewable on televisions.

The NSC-GC1 pre-formats videos for popular web-sharing sites such as YouTube eliminating the need to download/convert or manipulate the footage beforehand. Users can easily “tag” or select videos and photos they want to upload with “sharemark” button. Pre-loaded with PMB Portable software automatically runs when the device is connected to a compatible PC via the supplied USB cable, and will recognize the “tagged” videos and photos.

The NSC-GC1 is ultra-sleek and stylish weighing in at a mere five ounces and its only 1 3/16-inch wide by 4 1/8-inch tall and 2 1/4-inches deep. It can record about five hours of web-ready video footage on a Memory Stick PRO Duo media card when recording with the default settings on a 2GB card.

Features

• Simple-to-use, ultra-portable camcorder
• 2.4-inch color swivel LCD screen
• Built-in battery and flash
• Captures still photos at resolutions up to 5MP
• Shoots web-ready MPEG4 footage in QVGA or VGA
• Converts to webcam with bundled driver software
• PMB Portable software allows for direct publishing to video-sharing websites

What’s in the Box

Sony NSC-GC1 camcorder, power adapter/in-camera charger, AV cable, USB cable, shoulder strap, CD-ROM (Picture Motion Browser).

Price and Availability

The Sony NSC-GC1 will be available in September 2007 for $299.99 (US MSRP).

Sony NSC-GC1 MPEG-4 Net Sharing Video and 5MP Camera

US $15.00 (4 Bids) End Date: Saturday Jul-31-2010 19:39:14 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

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Sony has just announced three new state-of-the-art camcorders that can record full HD 1080 video on Memory Stick media or hard disk drives.

The new Handycam HDR-CX7 is the world's smallest and lightest AVCHD high-definition camcorder. It can record nearly three hours of full HD 1080 video on an 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duoâ„¢ media card (LP mode). Weighing just 15 ounces with the supplied battery, it provides ultra-portability as well as a crash-proof recording system, instant archiving to Memory Stick PRO Duoâ„¢ media (sold separately), and connection to a PC via USB for editing and back-up.

The new Handycam HDR-SR7 AVCHD camcorder can record more than 22 hours of full HD 1080 video on its built-in 60GB hard disk drive, while the HDR-SR5 model's 40GB hard drive can hold more than 15 hours of footage (LP modes). In addition to long recording times, these two models offer compactness and Sony's HDD Smart Protectionâ„¢ system to safeguard against data loss as well as easy connection to PCs via USB.

All three models incorporate Sony's ClearVid™ CMOS sensor technology for stunning detail and clarity. Combined with the Enhanced Imaging Processor™ technology, these models deliver the advantages of high resolution, high sensitivity with low noise, and virtually smear-free pictures. Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® T* optics insure perfect contrast and true-to-life color saturation.

The HDR-CX7 and HDR-SR7 models utilize Sony's 3MP sensor for full HD 1080 video and 6MP digital still photos. They are also equipped with Super SteadyShot® optical image stabilization (OIS) to produce smooth video results, as well as virtually blur-free photos. The HDR-SR5 integrates a 2MP sensor for full HD 1080 video and produces a 4MP still photo. The HDR-SR5 uses electronic image stabilization (EIS) to correct for shaking.

The HDR-SR5, HDR-CX7 and HDR-SR7 camcorders will ship in June for $1,100, $1,200 and $1,400 – respectively (US MSRP). Optional accessories will also be available. You can pre-order online at www.sonystyle.com/handycam or Amazon.com (see links below).

In conjunction with the PMA07, Sony has introduced the 6MP Cyber-shot® DSC-G1 digital camera. The G1 model is Sony's first digital camera with the ability to send photos wirelessly to other Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-enabled devices, such as another camera or a PC. “This is a step towards realizing a platform for networked photo communication," said Phil Lubell, director of marketing for digital cameras at Sony Electronics. The camera-to-camera wireless capability makes it possible for up to four camera users to send each other photos in real time. With a DLNA-compatible PC, storing and sharing photos becomes simplified through wireless image transfer from the camera to the PC.

This new DSC-G1 also features a distinctive design and a Carl Zeiss® 3x optical zoom lens is wrapped in an elegant metal body. The lens cover slides across, instead of down as with previous models. The 3.5-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 921,000 pixels. That's four times higher than the average compact digital camera and all previous Sony Cyber-shot models. In addition, the new camera has a built-in slide show with music function that makes sharing photos directly on the camera easier and more enjoyable.

DSC-G1 has 2GB of internal memory allowing the camera to become a virtual photo album as it can store up to 7,500 VGA-quality photos or 600 6MP photos. If additional storage is needed, the camera’s capacity can be expanded with an optional Memory Stick Duo â„¢ media card or Memory Stick PRO Duo â„¢ card, now available in capacities up to 8GB.

In addition to storage capacity, the camera incorporates an auto image management system with sophisticated search functions. You can organize photos by events, such as vacations or birthdays, and retrieve them later by keywords or labels. It's also possible to select an image and search for other photos with the same face, same color, or a similar composition.

Price and availability:

The DSC-G1 digital camera will be available in April for a price of $600 (US MSRP). Other accessories including lenses, filters, batteries, travel chargers, sports packs and cases will be available also.

Sony has introduced two lightweight, portable photo printers with built-in carrying handles and the ability to print pictures in less than a minute. The DPP-FP90 and DPP-FP70 PictureStation photo printers also offer extensive editing capabilities with a one-button print process and simple set-up for operation. The DPP-FP90 printer has a 3.6-inch LCD screen that tilts and adjusts for easy viewing. The DPP-FP70 model features a 2.5-inch built-in non-adjustable screen. Both photo printers offer the Auto Touch-up feature that corrects common picture problems like exposure, focus and red-eye.

All PictureStation photo printers use dye-sublimation technology that ensures a continuous color tone for each print. Prints are sealed with SuperCoat 2 laminate, a durable coating that protects photos from fading and makes them resistant to water, heat and fingerprints.

Both printers are compatible with most PictBridge-enabled cameras. Optimized for Sony’s Cyber-shot and Alpha D-SLR cameras, each printer can access the MakerNotes in the picture files created from Sony digital still cameras and use this data to create the best print based on the settings used when the photo was taken. Direct printing is also possible from a Memory Stick, USB flash memory device or connected USB hard disk drive.

Main Features

• Extra-large 3.6-inch tilt screen (DPP-FP90 only)
• Dye-sublimation technology
• PictBridge direct-printing capability
• CF card, SD, card, and Memory Stick slots
• BIONZ processor for super-fast, high-resolution printing
• Sony TruFast technology delivers 4 x 6″ print in 45 sec
• Face Detection and one-touch correction of red-eye, backlight/contrast and soft focus

An Auto Touch-up button corrects the exposure of a face if it is over- or under-exposed without affecting the exposure of the background. This same button also gives users the ability to sharpen out-of-focus images by creating several simulations of camera lens movement, checking the contrast of each simulation and then selecting the best simulated image to improve the original photo for printing.

New in these two printers is the superimpose mode that personalizes photos by superimposing a special message. You can select from pre-set phrases, such as “happy birthday”, “thank you” and “congratulations”. You can also customize the color and placement of the superimposed text by using the cursor buttons on the printers. Additionally, a ‘filter feature’ on both printers offers six options for modifying digital images before printing. The cross filter can make the lights in a photo more dramatic, while the partial color filter lets you highlight the subject of a photo in full color and remove color in other areas of the print.

Pricing and Availability

The Sony DPP-FP90 and DPP-FP70 printers will be available in late March for a price of $200 and $150, respectively (US MSRP). The SVM- F40P, SVM-F80P and the SVM-F120P print packs are available for about $20, $30 and $35, respectively.

Together with the Cyber-shot DSC-W200 Sony has announced two additional HD-ready Cyber-shot cameras. The Cyber-shot W90 has 8.1MP, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar® 3x optical zoom lens and a large 2.5 inch LCD screen. The W90 has a stylish metal finish and comes in both silver and black. The Cyber-shot W80 has 7.2MP resolution, a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lens, and a large 2.5 inch LCD screen. The Cyber-shot W80 is available in four colors - silver, black, white and pink.

Both cameras feature full HD quality connectivity. Images can be viewed at the highest possible quality on any BRAVIA television or HD-ready display which is ideal for integrating full 1080 HD photo-viewing into a home theater¹.

Pricing and Availability

The Cyber-shot W90 and Cyber-shot W80 will be available in March for $300 and $250, respectively (US MSRP).

The optional VMC-MHC1 cable plugs directly into the W90 and W80 allowing for Full HD playback. Other optional accessories include a range of high quality genuine leather cases in a variety of colors to match your camera and personality. Also available is a spare Lithium Ion rechargeable battery (NP-BG1), and a Marine Pack for use up to 40m underwater (MPK-WB).