Press Release

April 3, 2008

Sony debuts world's smallest & lightest Full High Definition Handycam®

TORONTO, ON – Sony today unveiled the world's smallest, slimmest, lightest camcorder* ever to feature 1920x1080 Full HD recording with crisp 5.1ch surround sound. With the Handycam® HDR-TG1, you can take your HD ‘to go' and catch every moment in High Definition. The HDR-TG1 is a stylish, pocket-sized Full HD camcorder that's small enough to carry at all times. Its ultra-compact size, elegant design and tough finish makes the HDR-TG1 ideal for any situation.

"Sony's new High Definition camcorder offers portability, style, and durability, making every day personal use a reality," said Mio Ozawa, Marketing Manager, Camcorder, Sony of Canada Ltd.

ELEGANT DESIGN & DURABLE PURE TITANIUM BODY
The HDR-TG1 is tough enough to keep up with today's active lifestyles. It's the world's first camcorder that features a body using pure titanium – a material that's 40% lighter than steel and twice as strong as aluminium. The tough titanium shell is finished with a Premium Hard Coating that protects against everyday scratches.

The camcorder's elegant, pared down lines are complemented by easy, intuitive operation via the LCD touchscreen. Record, Movie/photo mode and zoom can all be accessed via a conveniently-placed thumb lever and buttons. With ‘Quick On' mode activated, the HDR-TG1 is ready for action within seconds of flipping open the 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus touch panel.

Recording on Memory Stick PRO Duo media (4GB Memory Stick supplied) means there's no need to carry bulky tapes or discs. An optional 16GB Memory Stick records up to 5 hours 55min of full HD movies (LP mode).

INTELLIGENT SHOOTING FEATURES
Despite its tiny dimensions, the Handycam® HDR-TG1 makes no compromises on recording beautiful, detail-packed Full HD images. Sensitivity and low-noise performance are assured by the ClearVid CMOS Sensor that features Exmor™ derived from technology found in Sony professional camcorders and a™ (alpha) digital SLR cameras.

It is complemented by the powerful BIONZ image processing engine that maintains superlative image quality for video and stills shooting alike. Thanks to the speed and responsiveness of the BIONZ processor, high-resolution 4.0 megapixel still picture can be taken with photo mode, and 2.3 megapixel still pictures can even be taken during HD video recording.

Intelligent Face Detection technology automatically adjusts focus, exposure, colour balance for clear, beautifully realistic videos and still pictures of friends and family. It recognises up to 8 faces in one scene, making it easier to shoot people in different situations.

Also incorporated in the HDR-TG1 is the x.v.Color technology, which can allow video to be captured in fuller colour range expression, approximately 1.8x wider than colour space of conventional models, resulting in the reproduction of brilliant reds and blues.

Sound quality is just as important as great pictures. Dolby® Digital 5.1ch digital surround sound quality is enhanced with an automatic Zoom microphone function that focuses on foreground subjects for crisper dialogue.

ENHANCED POST-SHOOTING SOLUTIONS
For viewing, BRAVIA Sync makes it even easier to enjoy movies and still pictures on your HD television. Connect the HDR-TG1 to any BRAVIA Sync-compatible TV via HDMI cable (optional) and control playback functions with your television's remote.

For archiving, HDR-TG1 allows for quick data transfer to compatible devices such as DVD burners and recorders including Sony's VRD-MC5 DVDirect® recorder. The HDR-TG1 also integrates the "One Touch Disc burn" button for easy DVD creation using a compatible PC with the bundled software. HD video recorded on DVDs can be played back on compatible Blu-ray Disc™ devices, including Sony's Blu-ray Disc players and PlayStation® 3 video entertainment consoles. Alternatively, files can be backed up to your computer's hard drive. After transferring files to your PC, supplied Picture Motion Browser software makes it easy to organise and browse images by date in an intuitive calendar view.

Supplied accessories include portable USB and component A/V cables, Handycam Station dock, and wrist strap for easy carrying. There's also a full range of optional accessories by Sony including a specially designed carry case LCM-TGA, travel kit with battery and charger ACC-TCH5, and tripods.

HDR-TG1 will be available in May 2008 online at www.sonystyle.ca/handycam, Sony Style retail stores, and authorized dealers nationwide for an MSRP of $999.

*among 1920x1080 Full HD camcorders, as of April 2008 (Sony Research)

About Sony of Canada Ltd.
Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in High Definition.  Sony provides end-to-end solutions through products that include the market-leading Blu-ray player, BRAVIA televisions, Cyber-shot digital cameras, Handycam Camcorders, VAIO computers, broadcast cameras, IPELA security cameras and video conferencing and many more products that deliver the true entertainment experience.

Sony is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world with a portfolio that includes electronics, music, movies, games and online businesses. 

With headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in Vancouver and Montreal and distribution centres in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario, approximately 1,200 employees support a network of more than 500 authorized dealers and 79 Sony stores across Canada.

Sony Canada is proud to support the communities in which it operates through corporate sponsorships of organizations that include the Make-a-Wish Foundation Canada, the United Way and Earth Day Canada. 

For more information contact:
Sony of Canada     
Candice Hayman       
Public Relations Specialist   
(416) 718-5048     
candice_hayman@sony.ca   

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