Sony boosts Handycam range with addition of DCR-SR30E, DCR-SR50E and DCR-SR70E models
Sony has boosted its Handycam camcorder range with the addition of three new hard disk models for the European market – the DCR-SR30E, DCR-SR50E and DCR-SR70E – the first two with 30GB drives, the latter with 60GB of storage and all with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens.
The 30GB DCR-SR30E and DCR-SR50E offer recording times from 20 hours 50 minutes in Long Play mode (3 Mbps) to 10 hours 50 minutes in Standard Play (6Mbps). If you want to go with the High Quality 9Mbps mode, you should get around 7 hours and 20 minutes. The 60GB DCR-SR70E obviously offers more – from 41 hours 50 minutes Long Play to 21 hours 40 minutes Standard Play. High Quality mode on this model yields around 14 hours 40 minutes footage.
Downloading is simple for PC owners with the bundled Handycam Station. The Station connects to the PC via USB, creating a high-speed downlink which activates once the camcorder is in place. In addition, the One Touch DVD Burn button begins a completely automatic download-and-burn process. The hard disk itself is multiply protected by the Sony HDD Smart Protection System – specially designed physical shock absorbers, along with a 3G sensor that can detect the sudden acceleration of a fall and instantly auto-park its heads, preventing them or the platters from being damaged on impact.
Battery power is via Sony’s Stamina battery packs. which can be boosted via the optional NP-FP90 battery. Using that should keep the SR70E and SR50E models going for 6 hours continuous recording, while the SR30E can run for up to 7 hours.
All models are scheduled for a September release – prices confirmed nearer to the release date.
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