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| (Credit: Sony) |
Sony announced two compact digital cameras with full 1920 x 1080-pixel HD movie modes. The Cyber-shot HX5V and TX7 can shoot 10-megapixel still images and include TransferJet technology to wirelessly beam images to computers and other enabled devices.
HD video is the recent craze in digital cameras, so it’s no surprise that these cameras are including it. However, most other cameras include only 1280 x 720-pixel HD video that records at 30 frames per second. The Sony Cyber-shot HX5V and TX7 record full-resolution at 60i in 17Mbps; they are the first compact cameras to do so. The only other digital cameras to include 1920 x 1080-pixel HD video are in the Canon EOS lineup and cost thousands of dollars.
Sony’s Cyber-shot digital cameras can also record videos in the MP4 format – up to 1440 x 1080 pixels at 30 fps and 12Mbps – to make the clips easier to share online. When the videos are burned to disc, they can be played on most Blu-ray Disc players, Sony PlayStation 3 systems, and Blu-ray compatible PCs.
The two digital cameras have Sony’s TransferJet technology that allows users to beam up to 10 images at a time between two enabled devices that are lined up within an inch of each other. This allows the HX5V and TX7 to transfer files to the Sony VAIO F-series notebooks simply by placing the cameras on the lower left corner of the notebook. For this technology to work, though, a TransferJet Memory Stick card is required – even though the cameras are compatible with the more standardized SD/SDHC cards. The card costs $100 and is available this month. Next month, a TransferJet USB station will be available for $150; it will plug into computers and other devices to accept files from the cameras.
The two Cyber-shots have impressive still imaging features as well. Both have a high dynamic range mode that combines the details from highlights and shadows from two separate images into a single file. They also come with face detection, a host of scene modes, and intelligent “sweep panorama technology” that automatically detects faces and motion and adjusts the stitching of the images to look more natural.
The intelligent sweep panorama technology is new to the Sony Cyber-shot lineup, but some of the other features on the two cameras are shared by previous models. The Sony WX1 also has a 10-megapixel backlit image sensor that has superior low light performance, according to the company, and powers the 10 fps full-resolution burst mode included on the WX1 and the two new models.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V has a 10x optical zoom lens with a very wide 25-250mm focal length. It still keeps a compact profile and has a 3-inch LCD screen to flaunt on its back. The HX5V will retail for $350 in March. The new camera is the first still camera to include GPS + Compass technology; the camera saves the location where pictures were taken and can sync to Google Earth to show a bird’s-eye view later. The GPS can also update the camera’s internal clock automatically. The HX5V digital camera still sits in the high-zoom category of the Cyber-shots, but it is much more compact. The HX1 is its closest relative with its 10 fps burst, 3-inch LCD, and backlit sensor, but it has 9.1 megapixels and a much bigger 20x optical zoom lens.
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| (Credit: Sony) |
The Sony TX7 has a smaller 4x, 25-100mm optical zoom lens, but a larger 3.5-inch LCD touch screen with high 921,000-pixel resolution. The TX7 is compatible with Sony’s Party-shot “automatic photographer” station that swivels cameras around and takes pictures at parties when faces are detected. The TX7 is definitely the slimmer and sexier camera; it will be available in silver, blue, and red while the HX5V is available only in black. The TX7 will sell for $400 next month. The TX7 follows the TX1 with the same sensor, 10 fps burst, and 4x lens but updated sweep panorama technology and a half-inch larger 3.5-inch touch screen among improvements.
“Adding to the outstanding low-light performance and impressive Sweep Panorama feature, we are providing high-quality movies with full HD video, stereo sound recording when capturing movies on the go and an in-camera HDR solution for capturing high-contrast scenery,” said Kelly Davis, director of the digital imaging business at Sony Electronics, in the Jan. 6 press release. “Sony can provide these solutions because of its expertise with other imaging products including Handycam camcorders and alpha DSLR cameras. Our goal is not only to make it easy for consumers to get the best shot – still or video – but also to have the best sharing experience.”
