Press Release

TORONTO - Dedicated video enthusiasts can enjoy absolute creative control over capturing pristine HDV 1080i images on HDV tape with the new Handycam® HDR-FX1000.

Drawing on nearly 30 years of Sony heritage in developing high-performance broadcast cameras, the FX1000 teams superb ergonomics and reliability with best-ever HDV picture quality.

"The HDR-FX1000 is appealing to the amateur videographer shooting weddings on the weekend or the aspiring cinematographer," said Mio Ozawa, manager of camcorder marketing, Sony of Canada Ltd. "The combination of film-like movie quality and advanced colour settings makes it possible for prosumers to achieve the deep cinematic look they crave at an affordable price."

Advanced manual features and latest-generation Sony imaging innovation give videographers an unprecedented palette of artistic options at a price that's within reach of dedicated amateurs.

At the heart of the FX1000 is a 1/3 type 3 ClearVid CMOS Sensor with a large cell size that offers superiour sensitivity and dynamic range. Exmor™ derived technology further improves imaging performance in low-light and high contrast scenes, reducing image noise for professional-quality results.

Developed specially for the FX1000, a new Sony G Lens™ delivers exceptional optical performance, allowing video enthusiasts to express their full creative vision. This sophisticated lens features a unique Sony optical design concept and quality control. Moreover, it's optimized to complement the advanced image sensor and image-processing technology, thus expanding your shooting possibilities.

An extended wide-angle performance of 29.5mm (35mm equivalent) dramatically extends compositional options for dynamic landscapes and indoor shooting where distance to the sbject is limited. The 20x optical zoom range can be boosted digitally by a factor of approximately 1.5x for powerful close-ups with the Digital Extender.

Two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements reduce chromatic aberrations caused by differences in light refraction to minimize colour fringing. The advanced 10-group, 15-element lens structure also features compound aspheric lenses for crisp, clear images even when shooting at high zoom ratios.

Complementing the high sensitivity of the 3 ClearVid CMOS Sensor, the light-gathering power of the G series lens delivers an exceptional low-light sensitivity of 1.5 lux (at 1/25 fixed shutter speed with auto iris and auto gain). Video and stills shooting in available light is enhanced further by Optical SteadyShot image stabilization for clearer results when you're shooting handheld.

New to Handycam®, 24P progressive scanning mode captures lush, cinematic HD images as an alternative to interlaced (60i) recording. Using a two to three pull down, the 24P scanned image is converted to 60i for easy editing with user's existing software applications. CinemaTone Gamma™ and CinemaTone Color™ settings complement the 24P capabilities to create a rich dreamlike picture processing.

The FX1000 camera uses Sony's XtraFine LCD™ (3.2-inch, 921,000 dots) and XtraFine electronic viewfinder (0.45-inch, 1,227,000 dots) for high-resolution and high-contrast images with remarkable colour reproduction.

Augmenting its remarkable imaging performance, the FX1000 provides video enthusiasts with manual user adjustment over a wide range of functions. Independent zoom and focus rings are joined by a new iris ring for precise, intuitive manual control over your composition. Selectable exposure/iris control allows precise adjustment of the amount of light entering the lens: by adjusting Exposure Brightness the image is adjusted in accordance with the Iris and Gain settings while shutter speed remains locked. In addition, shutter speed and gain are both separately adjustable.

Dedicated controls are provided for gain, white balance and shutter speed. There's also a focus switch for quick, positive mode selection and three switchable ND filters.

Adding to the extensive line of compatible accessories is the new VCL HG0872X high-grade wide conversion lens that provides an effective focal length of 23.6mm. Also available is the SH L32W LCD hood, which gives improved visibility of the 3.2-type LCD in bright shooting conditions. The new LCS-VCC is a high-capacity soft carry case with plenty of accessory space.

Pricing and Availability
The Handycam® HDR-FX1000 HDV camcorder will be available in November at authorized dealers, Sony Style® retail locations, and at sonystyle.ca for about $3999.99.


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 Disc™ players, 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 80 Sony Style retail locations 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® Canada, the United Way of Canada and Earth Day Canada.

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