7 January 2010 18:15 GMT / By Dan Sung
Sony has littered the floor of CES 2010 with 15 Handycams for consumers to pick through. The enormous addition to the range consists of five HDD recording models and 10 which store footage onto internal flash memory and both SD and Sony Memory sticks as well.
The premium models are the CX550V, XR550V, CX350V, XR350V and CX305 - all of which hold the top end G-glass Sony lens for wide-angle, high quality shooting with around twice the field of view of previous Handycams . They also feature Sony's incredibly successful 3-way stabilisation technology we've seen in previous models and it's also present on the more mid-range of the remaining 10 Handycams too.
Each has quicker AF than ever before, plus intelligent auto modes and higher bit-rate recording up to 24Mbps. All the work is taken care of by the Exmor R CMOS sensors and BIONZ processors as used in all high-end Sony imaging products. There's face recognition, stills shooting at up to 12-megapixel resolution and even a Golf Shot mode which will analyse your swing in slow motion.
Optical zoom is anywhere between 10x and 25x depending on your choice and, if you wish, you can also purchase an additional lens for up to 60x without having to go digital. What Sony seems to be saying with the announcement is that it's your call. Whatever combination you're after, the company now stocks - whether that's with a 240GB HDD or just a little flash. All models will be out this spring.
Five tips for photographing snow Exposure, contrast, light, kit and point of view
Nikon D800 pictures and hands-on Full frame camera in the flesh
Nikon D700 vs Nikon D800 New and improved?
