Sony HVR-V1U 3-CMOS 1080i Professional HDV Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom

Manufacturer Description
The compact professional camcorders manufactured by Sony have introduced a new level of mobility for ENG and documentary-making worldwide with their superb quality and compact dimensions. These camcorders have dramatically revolutionized the traditional methods of capturing video footage. With the new Sony HVR-V1U camcorder, now you can enjoy the same mobility with the breathtaking beauty of 1080/24P shooting, and have the freedom to create video material with much greater creativity and visual impact. The HVR-V1U will pave the way into a new world of HD video productions.

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Overview

Sony highlights

How it’s done Our professional HDV products offer exceptional quality - only made possible by Sony’s cutting-edge technical expertise. Our world-class semiconductor manufacturing technologies have enabled the development of a new CMOS sensor that offers the image quality to satisfy the most demanding professionals. Employing a 3-chip system, the 3 ClearVid CMOS sensor offers high-resolution images with rich and natural colors.

Coupled with advanced technology such as the Sony Enhanced Imaging Processor and a high-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens, the full power of this imaging system is realized in the HVR-V1U camcorder.

"Ready-to-edit" with the HVR-DR60 hard disk recording unit Video professionals can be confronted with tight production schedules, and balancing time with creativity can become a dilemma. The Sony HVR-DR60 frees you from such dilemmas by allowing instant editing of your video footage.

The HVR-DR60 offers a unique hybrid concept, in which video material can be recorded to the hard disk and the camcorder tape simultaneously with time code synchronized. Simply connect the HVR-DR60 to a PC running compatible nonlinear editing software. The computer will immediately recognize the recorded data files for a dramatic improvement in editing efficiency. With the HVR-DR60 hard disc unit, the time-consuming digitizing process is a thing of the past.

Another huge appeal of this Hybrid configuration is its improved efficiency in archiving operations. With your source footage available on tape and hard drive, you can immediately store the source tape in your video library without making copies to other media. Your work footage is already there on the HVR-DR60 hard disk. Further more, the HVR-DR60 has been developed by Sony as a perfect companion for the HVR-V1U. Sony’s HDV product lineup has been further expanded, giving you the freedom to be even more productive.

Offering HD quality in a compact, lightweight, and mobile design


Progressive

1080/24p -- progressive shooting The HVR-V1U camcorder provides 1080/24p acquisition with 2:3 pull-down recording - compatible with existing Sony professional HDV equipment.

The 24p scan signals are recorded on tape as 60i signals through means of 2:3 pull-down. Similarly, a 30p scan signal is recorded as a 60i signal by dividing each frame into two fields. This allows your 24p and 30p scan footage to be played back or fed to an editing suite using the thousands of units of Sony HDV equipment already in use throughout the world.

Leading manufacturers are scheduled to release nonlinear editing software compatible with this 24p scan mode. These nonlinear software will be able to detect the 2:3 sequence and remove the 2:3 properly. This way, the editor will be able to create a 24p project, edit precisely at 24fps (23.98 progressive frames per second) throughout the process, and output the final master as:

* A sequence of still images at 24 fps, for film out
* A 23.98 YUV (uncompressed) HD file, for output to CineAlta products
* A 23.98 SD MPEG2 file, for the highest quality DVD mastering possible
* A 60i HDV file (2:3 added back in), for creating an HDV edit master
* A 60i YUV (2:3 added back in, uncompressed) HD or SD file, for outputting to Digital Betacam or HDCAM for broadcast

Sony highlights

High-resolution 1080 progressive scan Thanks to the 3 ClearVid CMOS Sensor and Enhanced Imaging Processor technology, the HVR-V1U supports 24p (progressive) scan, the frame rate of film and 30p (progressive) scan modes, in addition to typical 60i. The signals generated by the 3 ClearVid CMOS sensor are processed in the progressive domain as 1920 x 1080p signals, allowing high-resolution progressive footage to be captured.

Devices

Enhanced imaging processor This special imaging processor in the HVR-V1U has been developed to bring out the full power of the 3 ClearVid CMOS sensor by handling the video signal output in 1920x1080p and 4:2:2 color space. Its unique signal processing separates the image data into its texture and brightness components and processes these independently. This makes it possible to reproduce images with a high level of clarity, from the very darkest to brightest areas of the image.

The signals from the four surrounding photodiodes are used to reproduce one more signal with the Enhanced Imaging Processor technology.

Sony highlights

Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens with extra-low dispersion glass The HVR-V1U camcorder is equipped with a high-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens. Featuring a 62mm filter diameter, this lens offers a multilayer coating, extra-low dispersion glass, aspherical glass and excellent spectral characteristics that result in reduction of chromatic aberration.

Sony highlights

20x optical lens and wide conversion lens The HVR-V1U camcorder’s built-in 20x optical zoom lens enables long-range shots of sports events or wild animals with the stunning visual impact of HD images. Moreover, the digital extender increases the zoom ratio to approximately 30x. The optional VCL-HG0868K 0.8x wide conversion lens uses the bayonet mount system for instant attachment or detachment. Combining these lens features, you can effortlessly capture close-up or wide-angle shots as your video production requires.

3 ClearVid CMOS sensor The ClearVid CMOS sensor has been developed using the most advanced technologies in the semiconductor industry. Thanks to the unique grid arrangement of the photo diode sensors, in which each is rotated by 45 degrees, sensor resolution has been optimized while maximizing the photosensitive surface area. Combining this imaging system with its associated Enhanced Imaging Processor technology, has enabled the use of a sophisticated interpolation scheme original to Sony and entirely different from conventional spatial offset techniques.

The 3 ClearVid CMOS sensor system is the core element enabling the 1920x1080p video signals. Also, unlike CCD sensors, there is no vertical smear when shooting high-intensity subjects, which further reduces shooting condition constraints.

Wide dynamic range Features like shadowed faces and overbright hair are clear and natural-looking. Even with mixed dark and bright areas in the same shot, the whole picture appears natural thanks to the wide dynamic range.