Sony HDR-FX7 1080i HDV Camcorder

HDR-FX7_v2_med.jpgSony has achieved another electronic milestone with the creation of the Sony HDR-FX7 1080i HDV camcorder. Like the models before it, the HDR-FX7 can record standard definition DV video and 1080i HDV on miniDV tapes. This is the first high-definition camera to feature Three-Chip ClearVID Sensor Technology.

So what does that mean? In short, it means higher resolution, greater light sensitivity, and more accurate color reproduction. It means that you can use its three sensors to film 6 seconds, and then play them back clearly in slow motion for 24 seconds. You can also take 1.2 megapixel stills while shooting video at the very same time.

All that is pretty impressive, and that is just the beginning. The Sony InfoLithium L Series battery’s STAMINA technology allows up to eight hours of continuous recording time. The camera is also more compact, easy-to-use, and forty percent smaller than Sony’s other HDV models. At three pounds, it is also twenty percent lighter than Sony’s previous HDV models.

Not only that, the Sony HDR-FX7 features a high-resolution viewfinder, as well as a 3.5-inch LCD viewing screen. Clear Photo Plus LCD technology will give the clearest shots available today, and a low dispersion lens glass to reduce color distortion. Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization helps to keep your video and still shots as non-shaky as possible.

It also has a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens that gives a 20x optical zoom range in 16:9 widescreen mode. Even greater magnification can be achieved with a digital extender function that can bring a 30x optical zoom.

Manual controls for shooting include zoom, focus, shutter speed, white balance, iris, and gain. Editing footage is made simple with an HDMI interface and non-linear editing software.

Preorders for the Sony HDR-FX7 should be available very soon, and it should hit the market in October 2006. The expected price should run about $3,500.

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