Summer may be over for most people in the United States, but Sony’s new camcorders aims to encourage users everywhere to continue recording their adventures. The company has announced two new camcorders today: One action cam geared toward those who like to rough it out in the wild, and a music video recorder for the more creative type.
The Sony HDR-AS30V Action Cam is a slim-bodied camcorder that comes with a 170-degree wide angle Zeiss lens, Exmor R CMOS for low light performance, Wi-Fi/NFC capabilities, and a GPS to track your videos wherever life takes you. The camera is able to take 12-megapixel photos, 1080/60p HD videos, and can even go underwater with a special waterproof case. Despite the additional case, it’s still slim enough to attach to the side of your face or on a helmet for a first-person view of your adventures. With battery, it weights a mere three ounces.
One neat feature of the AS30V is the PlayMemories button, which allows users to look back at their video and access GPS and speed information. For roadsters, this means tracking just how fast you traveled from one distance to another. PlayMemories also boast a dual-view feature that uses two camcorder angles and merging the clips into one footage for a more in-depth view. Like all Action Cams before it, the HDR-AS30V comes with SteadyShot technology to stabilize shaky images – panoramic or otherwise. The Sony AS30V Action Cam will be available later this month for $300. Sony also announced an optional companion accessory, a waterproof wristwatch-style Live-View Remote (price TBD) that lets you operate the camera remotely via Wi-Fi. A LCD on the remote lets you view what the camera is shooting.
For those a bit less outdoorsy, the Sony HDR-MV1 Music Video Recorder might be more your speed. The focus on this camera is not only on just picture quality – although it comes with a solid 16-megapixel, 120-degree wide angle Zeiss lens. The HDR-MV1’s built-in microphone also records high quality sound complete with complete 120-degree X-Y stereo mic coverage. Users can plug in their own microphone with a specifically-designed input if desired. “Ideal for band rehearsals, practice sessions and live gigs, Sony’s new camcorder records CD-quality audio in uncompressed Linear PCM or internet-ready AAC,” Sony says.
Like the Action Cam, the HDR-MV1 comes with Wi-Fi and NFC for easy over-the-air sharing. The product won’t be available until December, however, but if you’re interested, you’ll want to set aside $300 for this camcorder.
