HD For Indies

SONY UNVEILS NEW HDV CAMCORDER FOR PROFESSIONAL VIDEOGRAPHERS

-called HVR-A1U
-$3500
-CMOS based
-1/3", 3 megapixel sensor
-so if it's single chip, is that 960x1080 with three colors? (this is a total guess)
-2.7" LCD screen
-from the press release:

The HVR-A1U offers many of the same features as the HVR-Z1U, such as balanced audio, XLR inputs, SMPTE timecode and a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* Lens. However, its smaller footprint makes this camcorder ideal for applications where space is at a premium or extreme mobility is required.

-shoots HDV & DV (DV can be 4:3 or 16:9)
-still image capture (1920x1440 in memory mode, 1440x10 in Tape & Play/Edit mode)
-on screen histogram
-basically, a big brother to the HC1 I linked to earlier

Picture 1 - front angle picture
Picture 2 - front angle w/LCD flipped out, LCD facing
Picture 3 - front angle, LCD flipped out but LCD facing away
Picture 4 - side view
Picture 5 - picture of CMOS sensor
Picture 6 - picture of Enhanced Imaging Processor, which they say is making a difference in image quality. Ummm....OK.

Mike's (further) Comments: at a price point below the Z1U, and with 1 CMOS rather then 3 CCD sensors, this is yet another entrant into the HDV field. By year end, this makes for 7 HD cameras that I know of under $7000. It may well be the Year of HD after all.

Again, it's a matter of waiting until we see quality of image from the cameras, but it's nice to have choices.

-mike