San Diego — Sony announced today that it will ship a 3-CCD MiniDV camcorder, the DCR-HC1000, next month with an estimated retail price of $1,700.
The HC1000 features the company’s three-chip, 1-megapixel Advanced HADprogressive-scan CCD technology and will be the first 3-CCD camcorder with Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* optics, according to Sony.
The unit will also sport a new grip that can swivel forward 90 degrees.
Other features of the HC1000 include a 12x optical/150x digital zoom, zoom ring, zebra pattern, spotlight compensation, spot focus, i.LINK(IEEE 1394) DV interface and Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization.
The model’s 2.5-inch SwivelScreen Hybrid LCD screen features a touch-panel menu system with bit-map technology and a stop/start record button on the frame. The unit can record audio in PCM Digital Stereo in 12- or 16-bit audio modes. The 16-bit mode offers stereo sound, while the 12-bit audio dub mode records digital video in two stereo tracks for the addition of background music or voice-over to the video.
The HC1000 can capture still images at resolutions of up to 1,152 by 864 to Memory Stick PRO Duo flash memory cards.
The unit also features Sony’s proprietary InfoLithium Battery with AccuPower System that indicates the remaining minutes of battery life on the LCD or viewfinder display, allowing users to keep a constant reading of remaining battery power.
