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July 08, 2004

Sony Replaces DCR-TRV95

Sony has replaced their lowest priced 3 CCD camcorder, the DCR-TRV950, with the DCR-HC1000, aimed at the prosumer market. The announcement follows a similar introduction by Sony Japan in May. The new camcorder features some upgrades but also includes some major downgrades. Although the DCR-HC1000 is following in the steps of many popular camcorders, it is entering a new camcorder market with many more 3 CCD camcorders at much lower prices to compete with.

"We've added some video features to this camcorder which would allow the prosumer market to continue the video quality experience that it has expected from Sony camcorders," said Kevin Brinkman, Product Information Manger for Sony Camcorders, summarizing the feature set of the new DCR-HC1000.

The new DCR-HC1000 features a 12x optical zoom and 2.5 in. LCD screen, an inch smaller than the DCR-TRV950's. Sony has added a hybrid focus / zoom ring which allows the user to manually control either the focus or the zoom using a ring placed around the camera's lens. The DCR-HC1000 includes a button near the lens which switches the ring's function from manual focus to manual zoom control. The zoom ring was originally found in Sony's DSC-F717 digital still camera, and introduced into the MicroMV DCR-IP220. This publication has called on Sony for many years to bring the hybrid zoom / focus ring to its entire line, especially their prosumer 3 CCD low end camcorder. The DCR-HC1000 includes a zebra pattern function which highlights areas of the screen which are overexposed. Sony has reduced the size of the camcorder by about 20%, added a record button to the LCD screen, moved control options into a 3D menu system, and changed the battery type.

Sony's DCR-HC1000 also features a rotational hand grip similar to what is used on Sharp's discontinued line of camcorders. The camcorder is separated into two lobes, one containing the lens and imager, and the other containing the tape mechanism. Independently mobile, the tape mechanism can rotate 90 degrees.

"It [the DCR-HC1000] allows for more versatility because of the rotation of the grip," said Kevin Brinkman, Product Information Manger for Sony Camcorders "You can actually keep your thumb and your forefinger located next to the record button and the zoom control whether your shooting at different angles because of that rotation piece. You don't have to take your hand off the hand grip and then reposition your hand."

With the DCR-HC1000, Sony offers many manual control options, adding manual control of color balance and sharpness to the usual arsenal of manual white balance control, exposure / aperture control, shutter speed control, gain control and focus control. The DCR-HC1000 includes more manual control than any of the lower priced Sony consumer camcorders.

Sony has not changed the imaging system on the DCR-HC1000 from the DCR-TRV950. The camcorder features 3 CCDs, each 1/4.7 in. large, with 1,070K gross pixels and 690K effective pixels for video. Sony has upgraded the lens system on the DCR-HC1000 to their T* Carl Zeiss lens, something the company promotes as a big upgrade. Although in a joint company statement both companies contend that they work together on the new lenses, Sony refuses to confirm that Zeiss actually manufacturers the Zeiss labeled lenses which are placed in Sony products. Many in the industry discount the Zeiss name on Sony camcorders as a marketing maneuver, also accusing Panasonic of the same move by branding their imaging products with the Leica name.

Sony's DCR-HC1000 press release leads with the line "Advancing the category it created, Sony today unveiled a three-CCD camcorder with an innovative, multi-angle handle and state-of-the-art optics." Sony is touting the superior color reproduction found with 3 CCDs. However, Sony's viability in this very important category, in which they've been industry leaders in the past, may be called into question because of the pricing and feature set of the new DCR-HC1000 compared to newer 3 CCD camcorders.

The DCR-HC1000 is effectively very similar to Panasonic's highest end consumer 3 CCD camcorder, the PV-GS400, however it is priced $200 higher. Brinkman responded to this criticism saying "We don't comment on other competitors technology. However, talking about the HC1000 using these true 1 Megapixel 1/4.7 in. CCDs, Carl Zeiss Sonar technology, as well as the advantages that we've added to this for example the zoom control as well as the focus control, in addition to the AE Shift, sharpness and color level controls we think that this camcorder is priced at the correct price point and available for the prosumer market," responded Brinkman.

The DCR-TRV950, which the DCR-HC1000 replaces, originally replaced the DCR-TRV900 in April 2001. The DCR-TRV900 was the most affordable 3 CCD camcorder on the market for a while, and established a cult following. The DCR-TRV900 enjoyed an incredibly strong following on the Internet and in the hobbyist and prosumer video community, being the least expensive camcorder at the time to feature 3 CCDs. Few camcorders have garnered the following which the DCR-TRV900 did. The camcorder was often used by wedding and event professionals because of it's ability to deliver 3 CCD quality at such a low price. In offering smaller CCDs, the DCR-TRV950 lost some of the allure of the DCR-TRV900; however, it was a very strong camcorder. Considering the popularity of its lineage, the DCR-HC1000 has some tough shoes to fill.

In the three plus years since the DCR-TRV950 was introduced, the market for 3 CCD camcorders has drastically changed. In January 2003, Panasonic began its entry into the consumer 3 CCD camcorder market, destroying Sony's price advantage. Their first introduction broke the $1,500 price barrier, their next the $1,000 price barrier, and in 2004 they broke the $700 price barrier. Sony can no longer market their DCR-HC1000 as an affordable 3 CCD solution.

The DCR-HC1000 will have an even harder time with prosumers and hobbyists because of Panasonic's most recent 3 CCD introduction, the PV-GS400. The PV-GS400 replaces Panasonic's first low-priced 3 CCD camcorder, the PV-DV953, both selling for just under $,1500. With the PV-GS400 Panasonic upgrades the camcorder's CCDs from 1/6 in. to 1/4.7 in., a huge jump. With this move, Panasonic GS400 neutralized Sony's previous advantage in the 3 CCD market, and largely places the two camcorders on the same technological playing field. However, this move does give the PV-GS400 the price advantage by $200.

In many regards, the DCR-TRV950 and, logically, the DCR-HC1000 would be considered prosumer camcorders, priced for consumers but capable enough for professional videographers. The DCR-TRV950 and the DCR-TRV900 were adopted widely by professionals. Sony broadcast even introduced a professional version of the DCR-TRV950, the DSR-PDX10, which added DVCAM tape recording, XLR Inputs as well as other professional features. However, the move by Sony to abandon the jog dial and completely depend on a touch screen for manual control seriously puts into question the viability of the DCR-HC1000 for a professional audience. While consumers who are serious about manual control have tolerated Sony's move to put all manual control in a touch screen on their purely consumer models, it is unlikely that professional users will respond the same way. The touch screen has proven to be awkward to control, and a professional user demands a high level of accessibility in their manual control - something touch screen LCDs have failed to deliver. By removing the jog dial, Sony is investing fully in the touch screen, and taking the risk of potentialy alienating the prosumer audience.

Another major downgrade on the DCR-HC1000, when compared to the DCR-TRV950, is the reduction of the LCD screen from 3.5 in. to 2.5 in. The new touch screen on the DCR-HC1000 contains 11K pixels; however, the size may become an issue. The DCR-HC1000 will not be spared comparisons to other 3 CCD camcorders in this price range. Although the Canon GL2, long a competitor to the DCR-TRV950, includes a 2.5 in. LCD screen, Panasonic's PV-GS400 includes a 3.5 in LCD screen.

Sony has removed the Bluetooth functionality from the DCR-HC1000. Bluetooth is a wireless communications protocol and was a tested technology in some of the 2001, 2002 and 2003 models. However, Sony discontinued the use of Bluetooth in this year's camcorders. "Sony is constantly looking into different technologies that consumers can use a camcorder. Certainly Bluetooth was one of the technologies we looked into and we found that with this model it was not a feature that was highly used by this audience," said Rosemary Flynn, Spokeswoman for Sony Camcorders.

On the DCR-HC1000, Sony also offers a limited functionality 5.1 surround sound recording feature. The DCR-HC1000 includes two microphone in jacks. However, the second microphone in jack can only be used with the 5.1 surround sound microphone. The microphone includes four smaller microphones which record front left, front right, back left and back right channels. The special microphone uses MiniDV's 12 bit audio recording mode to record four channels of audio. The 5.1 mode, however, can only be used with the special microphone. Currently, support by third party editing applications is limited and unknown for the Sony surround sound recording. If users have VAIO computers with Click-to-DVD-Recording Software 2.0 they can make DVDs with the surround sound recorded in the DCR-HC1000. Representatives from Sony however, stressed that this is a new technology which the company is still exploring, and they are looking into other ways to utilize the 5.1 surround sound system.

The Sony DCR-HC1000 has the same enhanced 16:9 mode as several other Sony camcorders, namely the DCR-HC85, the DCR-PC330 and DCR-PC350, as well as the DSR-PDX10. This 16:9 mode functions in the same way, with a switch option set within the touch screen LCD. The "true" 16:9 debate continues to burn, and is largely untamed by manufacturers, leaving many users with questions unanswered. There is a small group of self proclaimed video experts, who provide excellent insight, but suffice it to say, the DCR-HC1000 does 16:9 the same way as the previous camcorders mentioned.

Interestingly, at 1 Megapixel, the still resolution of the DCR-HC1000 is quite low, when compared to other camcorders in the above $1,000 price range. While the PV-GS400 features 4.0 Megapixel stills and Canon's Optura 400 features 2.2 Megapixel stills, the DCR-HC1000 features only 1.0 Megapixel stills. Sony explains the shortcomings in still resolution by explaining that it's added functionality, not a centerpiece of the camcorder.

The camcorder also features optical image stabilization. The DCR-HC1000 will be available in August for $1,700 (USA).

Posted by robeva at July 8, 2004 10:17 AM

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