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Canon's CES 2009 VIXIA camcorder lineup gets priced and dated
Like most everyone else at CES, Canon failed to disclose pricing and availability for its 11 new VIXIA camcorders. Now, however, CamcorderInfo has the details you've been craving, and the good news is that most of the models should be on store shelves before April draws to a close. The flagship HF S10 will ring up at $1,299 in early March, while the low-end ZR960 will sport a $249.99 sticker and an early April ship date. For everything in between, give the read link a look.[Via GadgetReview]
Canon comes clean with HD camcorder lineup at CES 2009
Just as Canon did last year, it has busted out a plethora of new high-def camcorders for our enjoyment over the course of 2009. Without further adieu, let's take a closer look at the outfit's five newest. Starting things off are the VIXIA HF S10 and VIXIA HF S100 flash models, which offer up to 32GB of internal storage along with an SDHC card slot. Both units tout the DIGIC DV III image processor, an 8.59-megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor, face detection, Auto Exposure system and the ability to snap 8-megapixel stills. Moving on, we've got the VIXIA HF20 and VIXIA HF200 models, both of which include a 3.59-megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor and a 15x lens. Closing out the bunch is the HV40 HDV, which offers a 2.96-megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor, 10x zoom lens, native 24p support and a Custom Key Mode that filmmakers should adore. Sadly, the full release is curiously devoid of pricing and availability information.%Gallery-40592%
Canon announces XH A1S and XH G1S prosumer HD camcorders
Just in case the XL H1S and XL H1A weren't really your style, Canon's hoping to snag a fair chunk of your short-term savings with a new duo of prosumer HD camcorders. The HDV XH A1S and XH G1S both feature a 20x HD video lens, manual zoom / focus, three independent manual adjustment rings, an "unprecedented" range of image / color settings, 60i / 30F / 24F frame rate options, Instant AF focusing system, the DIGIC DV II proprietary digital signal processor, two built-in XLR terminals with separate audio-input sensitivity settings, line output level switching and support for optional HDD recording in the field. The XH G1S adds in HD-SDI / SD-SDI output, SMPTE timecode input / output, and genlock input, which are all features that probably won't be missed by greenies baffled by the mere mention of those inclusions. Get set for showtime next month as the pair sells for $3,999 and $6,999, respectively.%Gallery-36153%
Sony's HDR-HC9 camcorder gets reviewed
Considering that Sony's HDR-HC7 was mentioned earlier this year as one of the best consumer HD camcorders for the money, we figured it prudent to pass along an in-depth review of its successor, the HDR-HC9. Originally announced with a plethora of siblings at CES, this HDV camcorder is nearly identical to the unit it replaces, but that's hardly a knock. Reviewers praised the incredibly functional "Easy mode" for those looking to just dip their toes in, and the all black motif was also enjoyed. Still, critics found Canon's HV30 to be superior in terms of overall video quality, and they also griped that the $1,099 price tag was a touch too expensive for what you get. Still, those eying this here model should definitely take a chunk of their day and browse the full review linked below -- there's a whole lot more where this came from.
Sony intros 'entry-level' HVR-HD1000U HDV camcorder
Sony's no stranger to the HDV camcorder realm, so it's no real shock to see the firm introduce a brand new model for "entry-level professionals." Rockin' a shoulder-mount design and aimed at "wedding videographers, freelancers, and educational video creators," this unit supports both HDV and standard-definition DV formats, sports a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonner T 10x optical zoom lens, and features Super SteadyShot technology to keep things stabilized. Additionally, the HVR-HD1000U uses Sony's 1/2.9-inch ClearVid CMOS sensor system and enables users to capture stills up to 6.1-megapixels (or 4.6-megapixels whilst recording in HD). 'Course, all this HD goodness won't come sans a premium, and although this bad boy is tagged entry-level, you'll still be forking out $1,900 for it come December.
Sony unveils world's first, ugliest HD Video Walkman
For those of you not blinded by the unsightly image above, that there is the "world's first HD Video Walkman," or in other terms, one of the ugliest devices we've seen in years. Beyond the fact that this thing resembles a decade-old handheld cassette recorder with a seven-inch HD display flanked on top, it enables users to watch their HDV / miniDV tapes on the go, which isn't likely to entice you unless you shoot for a living. Furthermore, the GV-HD700E can record HDV1080i/DV signals from an external source, sports i.LINK / HDMI / component outputs, supports x.v.Color, and includes a Memory Stick slot for tape-to-flash card conversions. No word on just how much this curious creature will set you back, but those still fascinated can look for it to land in Europe this September.
Sharp's AQUOS DV-ACV52 HD DVR handles DVD, HDV, and VHS
Sharp's HD DVR lineup has been steadily (albeit quietly) growing for a few years now, and while the company did loose five new offerings in the AQUOS DVR arena earlier this year, the multi-faceted DV-ACV52 has the stage all to itself now. Besides packing a built-in digital TV tuner, 250GB hard drive, and HDMI outputs, this convergence device allows playback and dubbing on a variety of formats including VHS, DVD, or DV / HDV via the i.Link FireWire connector. Other niceties include composite / S-Video outs, optical audio output, and the ability to record one OTA broadcast to the HDD while another goes straight to VHS / DVD. Sadly, we don't envision this Japanese-bound unit ever gracing US shores, but it will be making smiles across the sea next month for around $925.[Via MediaMentalism]
Canon's HV20 HDV camcorder reviewed: dubbed "the monster"
If camcorder sales are to recover, it'll be the ability to record in HD that sparks the resurrection. After all, just about any new digicam and some cellphones can do a passing job at recording VGA or better quality video thus making the purchase of a second dedicated device hard to justify for the average consumer. That's what makes Canon's new iVIS HV20 so interesting; it shoots 1920 x 1080 resolution natively in HDV format to miniDV tapes and includes a 24p cinema mode to boot, a first in this class of camcorders. Best of all, it does this for about $1,000 -- not bad considering the price of other pro-sumer HD cams. Japan's Impress Watch are first to get their hands on a unit for review and although we had to read it using machine translation, it's easy to see that they are, er, impressed. Issues with low light shooting that plagued the HV10 seem to have been resolved on the HV20. While the CMOS sensor remains the same size, they've added the noise reduction technology found in their EOS camera lineup to bring low-light sensitivity down from 5lux to 3lux. In fact, the HV20 "eradicates" the HV10's weaknesses "entirely." Impress will be hitting a review of Sony's comparable HDR-HC7 -- a similarly spec'd HDV camcorder that also supports the xvYCC standard found in HDMI 1.3 for wider color range and space -- to see how they stack up side-by-side. No worries, you can wait, the HV20 won't hit US stores until April. Be sure to click the "read" link below for plenty of sample pics and video.
Canon's iVIS HV20 HD camcorder gets real
Well howdy HV20, we've been expecting you. Not too much of a surprise to find Canon's high-def iVIS HV20 camcorder loosed after the inadvertent appearance on Circuit City's web site the other day. Instead of an upright form factor like Canon's HV10, they've gone long-and-lean this time which should help bring a bit more stability to your videos. As we hoped, low light shooting has indeed been improved from a 5 to 3 lux sensitivity at 1/30 second shutter speed or from 0.3 to 0.2 lux at 1/2 second shutter speed. Everything else is just like we heard on this HDV 1080i MiniDV recorder: 2.96 megapixel CMOS sensor, 10x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD, miniSD slot and new HDMI out, accessory shoe, and jacks for your headphones and mic. The HV20 is expected to hit Japan sometime in March, priced at about ¥140,000 ($1,154) to go head-to-head with Sony's HDR-HC7. No guarantees mind you, but we expect this to come west before summer.Update: As Zandr notes in the comments, the HV20 hits US stores in April for $1099.[Via Impress]
Canon's HV20 HD camcorder leaked?
Canon product details have been leaking like a sieve of late. First the accidental Hong Kong listing of their EOS 40D, now what appears to be their HV20 high-definition camcorder thanks to a "coming soon" placement on Circuit City's site shown above (and subsequently removed). According to the CC site, it'll pack a 2.96 megapixel CMOS sensor, 10x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD and feature high-definition recording to regular ol' MiniDV tapes just like daddy used only, presumably using the HDV format preferred by the kids and their own HV10 this model would be following. In fact, all those specs are the same as the HV10. On the face of it, the only difference is the introduction of an HDMI jack. Let's just hope they've improved upon the "terrible low-light performance" and other nits called out by reviewers of the previous model. No pictures posted but we do know that it's "coming soon" for $1100 which is righteous pricing for their second gen, compact HD camcorder.[Thanks, Michael E]
More on JVC's high-definition Everio camcorder
We just babelfished a bit more information out of Japan this morning on JVC's new high definition Everio camcorder. JVC confirms that their hi-def HDD cam will feature a trio of 1/5-inch CCDs like their GZ-MG505 camera and will shoot 16:9 at 1080i like we had assumed. So if you need to shoot in 1080p and can afford it, well, you'll just have look elsewhere. The new Everio will also be the first to slap on a FUJINON lens presumed to bring a 10x optical zoom judging by the print 'round the ring. We expect to see some working prototypes on display at CREATEC Japan where more information will surely roll. [Via Impress]
Sony's new HVR-V1U HDV cam does 24p
Pro video types without the budget for a high-end HD setup have a new friend in Sony's HVR-V1U cam: the HDV camcorder is the first in its class to shoot 1080p video at 24fps, the holy grail of indie DV cinematography. Sony's V1U is the followup to their Z1U, and is the pro companion to that FX7 prosumer cam we saw the other week. Along with the 24p action, the cam can shoot full-res 30p and 60p flicks, along with with slow-mo vids at up to 240 fields per second. In another boon to pros, the camcorder can record to HDV tapes while simultaneously pushing video to the new HVR-DR60 hard-disk recording unit which offers 60GB of space for up to 4.5 hours of recording in either HDV or DVCAM/DV mode. Other highlights include dual XLR inputs, a 20x optical zoom lens and a 3.5-inch LCD. Of course, this stuff isn't exactly "cheap" in most literal senses of the word: the camera and HDD recording unit are dropping in December for $4,800 and $1,800, respectively. Still, plenty of good things going on here, and if you don't have need for Canon's interchangeable lens capabilities, you'll save a whole lot of cash in comparison to the XL H1, and get some 24p action to boot.
Blackmagic Design announces Intensity, first HDMI PCI Express card
Everyone needs a little more high-definition in their lives, don't you think? Apparently Blackmagic Design thinks so, as it's just released a new PCI Express card (Mac and Windows compatible) with direct HDMI-in to connect to your HDV digicam or your digital set-top box for a very high-quality capture. The company's site says that this works by bypassing the HDV compression chip, allowing you to access raw superior-quality video, but gives no word on whether or not it supports HDCP. The Intensity, which is shipping on October 15, also supports HDMI formats at 525 NTSC, 625 PAL and 720p or 1080i -- a bargain for only $250. Because after all, technologies that are sufficiently high-def are indistinguishable from black magic.[Via BIOS magazine]
HDV showdown: Canon HV10 vs. Sony HC3
Sony's been doing this for a while, but Canon just finally jumped into the consumer HD game with their new HV10 HDV cam. To see how they well they've managed, David Pogue over at the New York Times got ahold of the camera and pitted it against Sony's latest: the HDR-HC3. He doesn't go so far as to name a victor, but the Canon does come out looking pretty good. With the recent bouts of HD-induced nausea consumers have been experiencing lately, Canon stuffed in an extra external auto-focusing sensor for near instant focus with quick camera moves. They also threw in some optical image stabilisation, and Pogue found both features quite effective. The HV10 also includes a built-in light, and better light sensitivity than Sony's HC3, but Sony does manage an accessory shoe, night shot mode and a quite notable HDMI port that are all lacking on the Canon. Both cameras suffer from a weak wide-angle view, and neither include microphone jacks or much else for the prosumer set, but with the HV10's list price of $1,300, and the $1,500 list-priced HC3 currently hitting $1,200 online, both cameras are quite the bargain for a tape-based HDV cam.[Via HD Beat]
Canon intros first consumer HD camcorder, the iVIS HV10
After having teased us with the powerful-but-expensive XH G1 and XH A1 high definition prosumer camcorders, Canon has now brought that same 1080i goodness to the the little guy with its first consumer-oriented HD model, the iVIS HV10. Recording onto standard miniDV cassettes using the HDV format, the Optura-like HV10 features a 1/2.7-inch CMOS able to capture 2,048 x 1,536 stills, 10x optical zoom, a 2.7-inch LCD display, and miniSD slot for storing photos. Compared to Sony's HDR-HC3 this device certainly holds its own, as its optical image stabilization trumps the Sony's electronic version, and its maximum video capture resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 is higher than the competition's 1,440 x 1,080 -- though the HC3 sports an HDMI output, while the HV10 does not. Best of all, its 150,000 Yen ($1,300) pricetag will set you back about $400 less than the HC3 when this model (in either black or silver) debuts next month in Japan; the US release, however, is still up in the air.[Via CamcorderInfo, Akihabara News, and Impress]
Canon unveils dual HDV followups to prosumer GL2
It sure took them long enough (four years, in fact) but Canon has finally released some successors to their famed GL2 cam: the XH G1 and XH A1. The two cameras offer a slew of new options to the prosumer, not least of which is the HD resolution offered by the HDV format. Both cams feature the same 16:9, 1/3-inch CCDs of Canon's XL H1, along with 1080i recording at 60 and 24fps and Canon's 24p-like 24f option. The XH cams nicely fill the GL2 gap, trading the XL's interchangeable lenses for size and cost savings. Both models feature 2.8-inch LCDs, 20X zoom lenses and even XLR inputs, but the XH G1 has an extra "jack pack" and a $3000 premium. What'll that three grand get you? Pro ports like HD/SD-SDI, Genlock and TC in/out that allow a serious shooter to output uncompressed HD footage for recording to another format with less compression than the consumer-ish HDV tapes. Smooth move on Canon's part, and we're sure more than a few pro video types will gladly fork over the extra cash for the privilege. The vanilla XH A1 version goes for $4000, and should be available in October, while the XH G1 will follow in November for $7000.[Via Camcorderinfo, thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Whale watching in 1080i
Blah blah blah, high definition makes everything better, blah blah blah. Don't you ever just get tired of reading and talking about how great HD is, and how so many things are captured and broadcast better because of high-def equipment? Nope, we don't either. Today its whale watchers off the coast of Hawaii, who are getting better footage than ever before thanks to their Sony HVR-Z1U camera. Not only relatively small and cheap for the quality, researchers are able to record the whales from further away, and more accurately count, identify and observe their behavior due to the additional clarity. They hope the new technology will enable the first ever shots of humpback whales mating and giving birth. No word on when this hot whale pr0n will make it into one of those documentaries you'll have seen 100 times on Discovery and still watch just because its in HD.Read [NYT free registration required]
USA Today's take on Toshiba's HD DVD player
So the HD DVD player has been out about a month now and people are starting to take notice. USA Today's Edward C. Baig has a review up of the higher end model - the HD-XA1. This is the $800 unit that includes the motorized front plate and backlit remote. His take on it: he doesn't give one. In fact the only thing he says about the player is that Apollo 13 got stuck in it and he had to swap it out with another one. There is little information about the picture quality and took us sometime to locate where he talked about it; it is on the left hand side bar. While it is nice to see HD DVD in the mainstream, articles that don't talk about the picture quality is not going to help HD DVD or Blu-ray.
AVCHD format will enable 8cm DVD-equipped HD camcorders
Sony and Panasonic-parent Matsushita have teamed up to develop an encoding format based on MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 that will enable future camcorders to capture HD footage directly to standard 8-centimeter DVDs. Called "AVCHD," the new format is able to handle numerous resolution/frame-rate combinations, including 480i at 60fps, 720p at 24, 50, or 60fps, and 1080p at 24fps (or 1080i for 50fps and 60fps configurations), and can encode audio in either 5.1 channel AC-3 or up to 7.1 channel Linear PCM. The advantages of this format over the current HDV scheme used with MiniDV cassettes aren't exactly clear -- although you are getting random scene access thanks to the nature of optical discs, recording time is cut down from around an hour with MiniDV to only 20 minutes at the AVCHD "average setting." Even worse, DVD players will require special software in order to read discs containing content encoded in the new format, and even then, they will obviously only play back at a maximum resolution of 480p.[Via PCWorld]
What if your cable provider doesn't have ABC in high-def?
Oh goodness. The Auburn Journal wrote a big 'ole article about how HDTV owners will not be able to receive the Super Bowl in HD because their local cable provider does not have ABC in high definition. Well, we're here to help.The original article from the Aubrun Journal indicated that users will have to "whip our their antennas" and that is where we are going to start. Thanks to Antenna Web and Google maps, we found out that your town looks to be about 25-30 miles away from Sacramento where KXTV-DT is located. Our goal is to use the high-def signal that they are broadcasting on Channel 10.1 to pull in ABCs HD signal.
