Sony HDR-CX12 AVCHD camcorder captures smiles and scowls for $900

Sony just outed its newest HD camcorder dubbed the HDR-CX12. We're looking at 1,920 x 1,080 AVCHD video from a 10 megapixel ClearVid 1/3.13-inch CMOS sensor, BIONZ image processing, image stabilized Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T 12 optical zoon lens, a 2.7-inch LCD, 5.1 surround sound mic, and Memory Stick PRO Duo (4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark2) in the box) storage. It's not the world's smallest, but it's only the size of a soda can, AKA, pop can for you mid-westerners. This camcorder also packs Sony's Smile Shutter tech which automatically throws the shutter (even when in standby) when your subject smiles... or grimaces at having to stand around taking yet another family photo. Smiles can even be prioritized by children or adults. $900 starting tomorrow or early August for brick-n-mortarers.

Update: Another glamor shot and now video of Smile Shutter working on the Japanese CX12 posted after the break.

[Via Akihabara News]

[McBUNT @ Jun 19th 2008 1:17AM]

Thomas, I like what you did, I do! But I know that Eugenia Loli-Queru isn't going to be happy until he/she(?) see's a CMOS sensor size on that article. (http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/18/panasonics-hdc-sd100-and-hdc-hs100-avchd-camcorders-now-with-e/#comments) Now am I going to have to find out, or are you going to climb back into the press release do the dirty work?

[Thomas Ricker @ Jun 19th 2008 1:41AM]

True, found it on Japanese release. Post updated.

Thomas

[McBUNT @ Jun 19th 2008 1:50AM]

Fantastic. You've delivered, and so has Sony.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 19th 2008 2:04AM]

Ahh, are you sure that is correct? Sounds more like you found the previous version (hdr-cx7). I would have thought this used the s700 sensor, which is 12mp and.. don't know the size.

Also you fail to mention the most important points in these camcorder posts. For example this Sony now has a little manual focus dial and the Panasonic has a manual focus ring. And the Panasonic has a viewfinder.... Oh and you need to mention the bitrate of AVCHD.. as those obsessed with camcorders want to know this stuff.

[McBUNT @ Jun 19th 2008 2:10AM]

Bob, I personally couldn't give a toss about this camcorder, or any camcorder. I only asked the one thing a 'camcorder obsessor' seemed concerned with yesterday, and that was sensor size. You have dethroned me, and I now open my wound to your phallus.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 19th 2008 2:12AM]

Actually, Thomas is right.. it is 10mp. Dam it :( I want a bigger sensor.

[Eugenia Loli-Queru @ Jun 19th 2008 4:41AM]

I already know the sensor size, it's 1/3.1", which is not an improvement over the HV Canon series. On the positive side, this has a knob for manual focus, but on the negative one it doesn't do 1080/24p or even 1080/30p, like the consumer Canon and some Panasonic cameras do.

I do music video clips for rock bands in the Bay Area, so I need the filmic look as much as possible, but for cheap, as I don't charge these bands. As I wrote before here on Engadget, I am not a prosumer. I am just a serious hobbyist, and currently there is nothing for my kind. I am willing to pay up to $2000 for such a camera (which is a hybrid between a consumer and a low-end prosumer one), but I am still waiting for this to arrive.

[neofolklore @ Jun 19th 2008 7:50AM]

hey Captain Loli

aren't you that same gal on that one video editing forum. I know it. And you have the same avatar. she is a videophile too somewhere in CA.

[Eugenia Loli-Queru @ Jun 19th 2008 2:46PM]

I am indeed so, plus an ex-editor in chief for OSNews.com, writing tech reviews.

[McBUNT @ Jun 19th 2008 1:35AM]

clak, I hope the definition of better in this sense is smaller size. Further clarification could be required here.

[imacmatt09 @ Jun 19th 2008 1:38AM]

Naw FLip as to be related to Apple or he wouldn't say it.

[Jiffy @ Jun 19th 2008 1:53AM]

I'd prefer the panasonic just because of the best in class OIS

[McBUNT @ Jun 19th 2008 1:58AM]

But our backgrounds are going to be soo out of focus you won't see the shake! I have to question Optical stabilization, there must be some drawback. And if there isn't, I'm going to use feminist theory to prove it does.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 19th 2008 2:08AM]

You don't know what OIS scores this one will get though.

[Jiffy @ Jun 19th 2008 2:19AM]

true. but thus far I have not seen any camera in this class to beat a panasonic in those tests. one drawback i see here are expensive MSPD cards (for shooting past an hour) 16gb for $150 (or more) as opposed to an SD 16gb at around $60 or less. But I like how they included a focus (and iris?) ring.

[McBUNT @ Jun 19th 2008 2:21AM]

Jiffy, the ring is a joke! They are never mechanical, and this one will probably have a continuous rotation anyway.

[Jiffy @ Jun 19th 2008 3:01AM]

better than nothing! :p
I believe only the fujinon lenses are mechanical..
and any electronically controlled focus/zoom/iris rings are going to be continuous. can't ask too much from a consumer mini cam..

[BobTurbo @ Jun 19th 2008 3:28AM]

I don't know which one to get yet. At least we have lots of pretty good choices now. I might get a flip as well for carrying around more often. I used to have a Sony and it treated me well, so I might be biased towards this one. But Panasonic make excellent stuff as well.

[ryan09 @ Jun 19th 2008 1:55AM]

Actually, in the Wisconsin we say soda. So its not all mid-westerners.

[Jon @ Jun 19th 2008 2:26AM]

From St. Louis, and it's soda not pop, but a guy from school (he's from Omaha says pop).

[Yamikotai @ Jun 19th 2008 2:58AM]

By mid-westerners I imagine he meant the mid-west world, i.e. far east US and europe (and geographically west africa, but I don't think that really counts...).

[WarMouse @ Jun 19th 2008 3:17AM]

The midwest is usually centered around Chicago. Midwest dialects don't necessary take on a traditional Chicago tone, but areas like lower michigan, ohio, indiana, illinois, etc are part of the midwest. It can vary when you get really far north (Wisconsin, Upper Peninsula) or farther south (St. Louis).

I'm from Michigan, currently live in Chicago, and it's pop.

Soda can be used to distinguish certain types, as in cream soda, orange soda, Italian sodas---more specialty flavors. Pop usually makes me think of a can, though if I want something to drink, I can just generally say pop, if I don't know what kind it will be.

And anyone who says Coke for everything is an idiot.

[McBUNT @ Jun 19th 2008 3:20AM]

Nah nah nah. It's soft drink or Coke.

[Nohone @ Jun 19th 2008 4:00AM]

A map that I have found useful:

http://tastyresearch.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/popvssodamap.png

[Jeff @ Jun 19th 2008 7:20AM]

Wow. Nice map. I didn't realize we were so divided in WI.

[neofolklore @ Jun 19th 2008 7:48AM]

Jesus.

[Jesus @ Jun 19th 2008 8:39AM]

This better be important!

[farfisa @ Jun 19th 2008 9:55AM]

Nice one, Jesus!

We say 'pop' in Canada too. I always thought it was 'pop' up here and 'soda' down there. No idea it was so regional.

[marty.com.au @ Jun 19th 2008 2:03AM]

does it have multiple face detection at the same time, ie - hang on one is not smiling - - ok they are BOTH smiling - click!
if so, how may faces can these things detect at once? (sorry if itys a silly question!)

[BobTurbo @ Jun 19th 2008 2:05AM]

Errr a700 sorry.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 19th 2008 2:08AM]

You would be better off with pancakes and hookers.

[indeed @ Jun 19th 2008 3:26AM]

you said enough Clak. Why would you compare a flip to this?

[Justin @ Jun 19th 2008 4:27AM]

640x480, 2x digital zoom? Why on earth would anyone want this? In the days of HD why would you buy less than SD quality? You sir bring a bad name to mac lovers.

[Guns'N'Bozos @ Jun 19th 2008 4:40AM]

Sort of makes you wonder if that "smile detector" works with folks who naturally smile without showing their teeth.

[DrSextel @ Jun 19th 2008 7:32AM]

I am from the North-Western part of PA (a couple hours north or Pittsburgh and we say pop. I never even heard Pepsi or Pop being called soda until I moved to Washington, DC. Now I liv in NC and everyone here calls it soda as well.

[CromwellD @ Jun 19th 2008 7:34AM]

I am originally from North-Western PA (a couple of hours north of Pittsburgh) and we called it pop. I never heard the word soda until I moved to Washington, DC. I live in NC now and they say soda down here as well.

[�COM-4 @ Jun 19th 2008 9:19PM]

Canon's new VIXIA HF10 is better.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 21st 2008 5:03AM]

No, the HF10 is not better.

[COM-4 @ Jun 21st 2008 7:29AM]

When it comes to consumer level HD movie capture quality Canons are better. Anyone who owns a HV20 knows this. Nothing from SONY in the same price range provide better movie quality. If you think the SONYs are better, point me to a professional review that says SONY's offering is better than Canon's old HV20.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 22nd 2008 7:34AM]

The HV20 is a bloody tape camcorder, we are talking about flash memory HF10 vs CX12 here.

The CX12s Exmor CMOS technology does some seriously good work in low light. The colours, contrast, exposure, white balance, and most importantly, the noise, sucks on the HF10 in low light. Looking at those resized charts at 15lux on ccinfo does not give you the real difference at low light.

The CX12 also offers face detection, which is a very useful feature, as are slow motion and better still images.

And the reviews on the internet are hardly useful. The only way you can judge the cameras is by testing them out yourself side-by-side in real life or by looking through all the videos posted on the internet. There you will see that the colours, white balance, and noise-reduction are much better on the Sony.

[COM-4 @ Jun 22nd 2008 1:45PM]

"The HV20 is a bloody tape camcorder, we are talking about flash memory HF10 vs CX12 here."

That's irrelevent. The point is Canon's HDV beat SONY's HDV in video quality, I guess the truth hurts for the SONY fanboys. I think It's safe to say AVCHD vs AVCHD, the Canon will likely come out on top too.

"The CX12s Exmor CMOS technology does some seriously good work in low light. The colours, contrast, exposure, white balance, and most importantly, the noise, sucks on the HF10 in low light. Looking at those resized charts at 15lux on ccinfo does not give you the real difference at low light."

SONY's Exmor CMOS technology doesn't seem to be any better than Canon's proven imaging technology. According to dpreview, the Alpha A700 didn't do any better in lowlight than the Canon EOS 40D. In fact the images in lowlight have too much NR and as a result smudges out fine detail. What's worse, it seems like you cannot disable some of the NR since it's an integral part of the Exmor CMOS sensor.

"The CX12 also offers face detection, which is a very useful feature, as are slow motion and better still images"

Smile detection is a gimick. I buy a HD camcorder for video quality, not gimmicks.

"And the reviews on the internet are hardly useful. The only way you can judge the cameras is by testing them out yourself side-by-side in real life or by looking through all the videos posted on the internet. There you will see that the colours, white balance, and noise-reduction are much better on the Sony."

Actually the reviews are very useful especially when it's from a place like ccinfo where they do camcorders for a living. Same with dpreview for digital still cameras. Only fanboys buy camcorders from blind brand loyalty based on useless gimmicks and marketing buzzwords. Also most people don't have the money or luxury to buy multiple cameras to try them out before deciding so they need to rely on professional reviews whether it's from a magazine or online.

[COM-4 @ Jun 22nd 2008 2:51PM]

One more thing, this HDR-CX12 is more like SONY's own attempt to fix their own HDR-CX7's crappy lowlight performance.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 23rd 2008 1:10AM]

"That's irrelevent. The point is Canon's HDV beat SONY's HDV in video quality, I guess the truth hurts for the SONY fanboys."

Seriously, that is rather childish. I will leave you to enjoy your Sony vs Canon fanboy wars by yourself in the basement. The person I was responding to was talking about flash-based camcorders, which is what 99% of people will be purchasing.

"According to dpreview, the Alpha A700 didn't do any better in lowlight than the Canon EOS 40D. In fact the images in lowlight have too much NR and as a result smudges out fine detail."

Yes, well I completely disagree with their conclusions after looking at the comparisons myself. Whether something is too over-processed is a personal decision, which is why 'reviews' are pointless. But, your suggestion that the exmor technology is no better than the canon's processing, based on those results, is completely flawed and lacking in understanding. The Canon has 7% bigger pixels then the Sony. The variables are not the same. I am not sure you will understand what I mean, but anyway.

"Smile detection is a gimick. I buy a HD camcorder for video quality, not gimmicks."

Errr, once again, I get the feeling you don't know what you are talking about. I mentioned face detection, not smile detection. Neither are a gimmick.

Face detection makes sure that the white balance and so on are correctly set for the faces in the field of view. Cameras need to adjust white balance otherwise you end up with yellow faces and so on.

Smile detection is not a gimmick either. As the Sony produces photos that are actually good enough to use, it is a viable still camera. All still cameras these days are coming with smile detection.

"Actually the reviews are very useful"

They are only useful for getting a rough idea.

"Also most people don't have the money or luxury to buy multiple cameras to try them out before deciding so they need to rely on professional reviews whether it's from a magazine or online."

Which is why I said, look at videos posted on the internet. This is where you will see the performance between the HF10 and the SR11/12 (and now cx12). Plus, many stores let you try for a certain period then take them back. It is like just buying software based on reviews when you can download the trial versions first.

I highly doubt you have compared them yourself if you think the HF10 produces better quality. The Sony consumer still cameras on the other hand are utter crap at the moment.

[joe_bruin @ Jun 19th 2008 10:37PM]

Doesn't take SDHC cards, only memory stick. Bad Sony, no cookie for you. I will not ever buy a memory stick device.

[Matthew C @ Jun 20th 2008 11:07PM]

wait ... does the rest of the world really call it soda?

thats so awkward.

[EKing @ Jun 21st 2008 2:23PM]

The flip is not HD. I guess it's better if you don't want HD. Or a CMOS sensor. Or Optical image stabilization. Or face detection... etc.etc.etc.

[Gordon Page @ Aug 19th 2008 9:10AM]

I just got my HDR-CX11E (the UK version of the HDR-CX12), I posted an unboxing video here: http://www.infohole.com/blog/technology/hdr-cx11e-unboxing