Hasta La Gadget!

Sony’s television firmament has swelled to include the company’s Bravia KDL-W900A here at the tech jamboree that is CES. The edge-lit, slimline display comes loaded with the company’s X-Reality Pro engine for rendering, Motionflow XR 960 and two pairs of active-shutter 3D glasses. Spec fans will note that it’s got built-in WiFi, “One Touch” NFC-enabled screen mirroring, USB port and the obligatory hookup to Sony’s Entertainment Network. There’s a press release after the break, and we’ll expect to hear more about pricing in the spring.

Continue reading Sony launches the Bravia KDL-W900A LED connected 3DTV at CES

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Sony

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Sony’s Balanced Optical SteadyShot has been perhaps one of the camcorder industry’s greatest innovations in recent years, delivering a much smoother handheld picture by moving the entire lens module, rather than specific elements, to compensate for shake. Launched at last year’s CES, Sony’s CX760V was the first model to include the stabilization feature, but at $1,500, it’s very much a premium option. Now, two sub-$1,000 offerings have been given the gift of smooth shooting — the CX430V and PJ430V will ship in March for $699 and $849, respectively, and have plenty of other tricks up their sleeves, too. Both models include Exmor R sensors with 8.9-megapixel stills capture, a 55/30x G lens with a wide 26.8mm focal length, a 230k-dot 3-inch LCD, 16 gigs of flash memory, 60p captures, GPS, a 5.1-channel mic and microphone input jack, along with selectable AVCHD and MP4 output and a Multi Interface Shoe. The PJ430V adds a 13-lumen projector with HDMI input, for displaying content from a variety of external sources.

We were able to go hands-on with both models — they feel much more solid than Sony’s less-equipped Handycams, such as the CX380 and PJ380, likely due in no small part to the large Balanced Optical SteadyShot module at the cameras’ core. They have a textured matte black finish, and solid hinges and doors. The 3-inch touchscreen is bright, but not terribly sharp — still, it gets the job done. Both models have mic inputs, headphone jacks and HDMI outputs behind the LCD, while the projector version also adds an HDMI input for feeding in content from other sources. We were’t able to record and review footage, but zooming seemed smooth and responsive and the Balanced Optical SteadyShot appeared to assist with stabilization, especially when zoomed in. As always, we’ve gathered some shots for you in our hands-on gallery just below.

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

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It’s 2013, and Sony’s pair of standard-definition Handycams are officially on their way off store shelves. The company has retired the SX45 and SX85, which first began shipping in 2011 for $199 and $249, respectively, opting instead to introduce an entry-level HD model for $249. The CX220 is an update to last year’s $299 CX190, offering enhancements in nearly every feature category. The Exmor R sensor has been boosted to 8.9 megapixels for stills and 2.3MP for video, with a 32/27x 29.8mm Carl Zeiss lens, AVCHD and MP4 recording options, and 60p captures now joining as well. At $279, the CX230 offers identical features, with the addition of 8 gigs of internal storage, while the PJ230 adds a built-in 13-lumen projector for $399. Rounding out the low end of Sony’s CES lineup is the CX290, which boosts the lens range to 50/27x, features Optical SteadyShot and offers an enhanced 2.7-inch LCD for $349.

We were able to look through the LCDs of all four new models in a variety of colors (several of which are represented in that family shot above). The first thing we noticed was the camcorders’ weight — they’re all incredibly light, with the PJ model as the one exception, since the projector infrastructure adds a bit of heft. Ultimately, if you’re in the market for a camcorder, it’d be worth saving up a bit more cash to add Optical SteadyShot with the CX290 to boost the overall quality of your footage, but if filming casual family outings is your primary objective, even the $249 CX220 will suffice, and it looks nice too, shipping in black, blue, red and silver beginning next month. The CX230, CX290 and PJ230 will also be available in February in black finishes. You can check out all four flavors in the hands-on gallery just below.

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

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In the past, we may have considered a projector-equipped camcorder if the price was right, but with dim output (typically less than 20 lumens) and content options limited to footage you’ve shot, the available functionality often didn’t justify a premium of several hundred dollars. Sony, for its part, is working to make that secondary display massively more appealing — the company’s latest generation of high-end camcorders adds an HDMI input, with an option to display content from any compatible source (a full-size adapter ships in the box). Two such models, the Handycam PJ650V and PJ790V, will retail for $1,100 and $1,600, respectively. As their price tags imply, these are Sony’s top-of-the-line consumer offerings for 2013, and they’ve got the features to match.

Both include Balanced Optical SteadyShot, which moves the entire lens module (not just specific elements) for much more effective stabilization, especially when zoomed in. There are Exmor R sensors on board, with a 20.4-megapixel chip on the 650 and a 24.1-megapixel imager on the 790. The lower-end model includes a 26.8mm wide-angle 20/12x G lens, 32GB of flash storage and a 20-lumen projector. The 790 ships with a 26mm wide-angle 17/10x Carl Zeiss lens, a whopping 96 gigs of memory and a 30-lumen projector on the side. Both also include 921k-dot 3-inch LCDs and electronic viewfinders, along with 5.1-channel mics (the 790’s is raised to accommodate wind screens and isolate mechanical noises), an option for AVCHD or MP4 recording and a new Multi Interface Shoe that can be used with accessories like an external mic or the $75 ADP-WL1M WiFi module.

We had an opportunity to check out both camcorders, and were quite impressed, especially when it came to the Balanced Optical SteadyShot and (relatively) powerful built-in projectors. The HDMI input worked as advertised, accepting content from a laptop and an Android smartphone without issue. The 790’s projector was bright enough to see detail even in a sun-lit room, but we could even see using it to watch a movie (with an external speaker), assuming that we’re able to set up shop in a pitch-black environment with a suitable surface. Both Handycams felt like premium devices, and while they were significantly heavier than Sony’s entry-level offerings, they’re light enough to be comfortably used to capture handheld footage. This premium duo is set to hit stores in February, but you can take a look right now in the hands-on gallery below.

Filed under: Cameras, Displays, Sony

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Yup, Sony’s still in the business of making sub-$100 pocketable shooters. The Cyber-shot W710 is set to retail for a mere 99 bucks this month, while its similarly-specced W730 counterpart will carry a list price of $139. Both cameras offer 16.1-megapixel sensors, 2.7-inch LCDs, 720p HD video modes, a 1 frame-per-second burst option and a top sensitivity of ISO 3200. You’ll also find software consistencies, with Intelligent Auto, Picture Effect and Sweep Panorama modes available on both versions. The bargain-basement W710 includes a 28mm 5x optical zoom lens, while the pricier W730 model packs a 25mm 8x lens with optical SteadyShot on board. Both offerings will ship later this month in silver and pink, with the W710 also available in black and the W730 being sold in blue.

We briefly tested both versions, and while neither offered a top-of-the-line shooting experience, they did seem to be perfectly sufficient given the price. We could see the W710 and W730 being a solid fit for younger photographers who don’t necessarily treat all of their electronics with the care required to justify a higher-end model, for example. The displays were bright, though the resolution is clearly in line with the MSRPs. Both cameras were very compact and lightweight, so you shouldn’t have any problem tucking one into your jeans pocket and carrying it around on a regular basis. Neither of these models would necessarily be the best fit for experienced photographers, however casual their craft, but beginners with a tight budget will likely find them to be perfectly adequate. You can see them in action in the gallery just below.

Continue reading Sony Cyber-shot W710 and W730 entry-level cameras start at $99, we go hands-on

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

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