San Diego, CA—Sony unveiled a first for its Handycam camcorder line—a waterproof model that captures memories in high-quality video or high-res still photography.
The HDR-GW77V camcorder can capture Full HD video and 20.4 megapixel photos 16 feet below the water’s surface with an underwater mode that adjusts the white balance to make colors appear natural. The device is also dustproof and is said to withstand an accidental drop of five feet. The camcorder’s 3.0-inch (16:9) Xtra Fine touch-screen LCD (921K) also remains fully operational when submerged.
“As we continue to reinvent the category, we’re always looking for ways to make capturing memories hassle- and worry-free without sacrificing style,” said Hidenori Toyoda, director of the camcorder business at Sony Electronics. “This lightweight waterproof Handycam camcorder sports an innovative design and allows consumers to focus on the moment rather than fret over protecting their gadget.”
Included is Sony’s back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor, developed to improve image clarity and reduce graininess, even in low-light conditions. If needed, a built-in flash will shed light on subjects in dark areas. And for the first time, Sony introduces intelligent sweep panorama mode for still photos into its camcorders. Found in Cyber-shot cameras, this feature captures expansive landscapes or cityscapes by pressing the shutter button and panning the scene with a sweeping movement. Using face and motion detection, even people and objects that are moving will be reproduced without blur.
An extended zoom function digitally boosts the camcorder’s 10x optical zoom lens to 17x magnification, so users get even closer to the action. Other features include: 16GB of embedded memory to store four hours of video (HD LP mode); Memory Stick Pro Duo and SD/SDHC media slots; Optical SteadyShot image stabilization with active mode, which compensates for camera shake; three-way shake-canceling, which adds electronic roll stability for smoother videos; a Sony G lenses with a 29.8mm focal length for wide-angle shooting; iAuto mode, where the camcorder automatically selects the best setting for conditions from a possible 99 scene combinations; tracking focus; and event browse, which groups images and videos for easier viewing.
Also employed are a built-in GPS receiver and NAVTEQ maps. The receiver allows users to view their current location on the LCD map display, automatically geotag the shooting locations and view the geotagged content using a map index function on the camcorder or using the supplied PlayMemories Home software once downloaded to a computer.
Sony’s HDR-GW77V waterproof Handycam camcorder will be available this month for about $700. sony.com
