The HVR-Z7U (handheld) and HVR-S270U (shoulder-mount) camcorders are designed for documentaries, electronic news
gathering, independent production, music videos and Web streaming applications
and use Sony’s 1/3-inch 3 ClearVid CMOS Sensor system, enhanced by Exmor
technology. The new technologies allow the camcorders to perform better in
low-light conditions, with sensitivity of 1.5 lux.
Users can attach different lenses thanks to the cameras’
universal standard 1/3-inch bayonet mount mechanism. Each camcorder comes
standard with a 12x Carl Zeiss lens for HD video, with a Vario-Sonnar T coating
to reduce reflections. A specially designed 8x wide-angle lens is also
available as an option.
The camcorders offer 1080, 24p and 30p native progressive
recording. The progressive HDV streams can be output from an i.LINK interface
and used for progressive editing with compatible NLE software. The cameras can
switch between 1080p, 1080i in the HDV format, DVCAM, and DV recording, and can
down-convert material from HD to SD, and output the video signals through its
i.LINK interface and other SD output connectors.
Hybrid recording capabilities allows the units to attach a
provided memory-recording unit to both cameras. This unit captures the
HDV1080i, DVCAM, or DV stream output from the camcorder and can record
HDV/DVCAM/DV files to a standard CompactFlash memory card, while users are
simultaneously recording to tape.
Sony also introduced the HVR-M35U record and playback deck,
which has a 60i/50i switchable function, and supports HDV1080i
(60i/50i/24p/30p/25p) and DVCAM/DV (60i/50i).
Pricing is 10,500 for the HVR-S270U camcorder, $6.850 for
the HVR-Z7U camcorder, and $5,540 for the HVR-M35U deck.