PLEASE NOTE: This is NTSC camera for North America, not PAL. The Sony HDR-FX1000 Handycam is the highly-anticipated successor to the acclaimed HDR-FX1. The camera improves upon its predecessor in a variety of areas, including overall performance and range of features. CinemaTone technology enhances both gamma and color, providing exceptional images that exhibit a beautiful film-like aesthetic. At the heart of the camcorder are three 1/3" ClearVid CMOS Exmor sensors, which capture detailed imagery even in extreme low-light! Combined with a professional wide-angle lens and a super-high resolution LCD screen, the HDR-FX1000 is ideal for both the enthusiast and seasoned professional. High Definition on MiniDV Tapes with HDV The HDV format, used in the HVR-FX1000 allows high definition recording on standard MiniDV tapes. Experience "Window-to-the-world" clarity using the very popular MPEG-2 compression technique responsible for many forms of media used today, including DVDs and high-definition satellite television. The camera can also switch back to normal MiniDV mode when necessary. Watch Your CinemaTone The HDR-FX1000 features CinemaToneTM technology, which comes in two flavors. CinemaTone GammaTM crushes blacks while keeping the mids and highlights detailed, while CinemaTone ColorTM deepens color reproduction for richer hues. Combine the two and footage becomes incredibly film-like. CinemaTone Gamma curves can be accessed by the touch of a button. G-orgeous G-Series Lens The HDR-FX1000 makes full use of a low dispersion glass 29.5-590mm G-Lens with a 20x optical zoom and 3 built-in ND filters. The lens comes equipped with a manual focus, iris and zoom, making it the first camera in its class to feature a fully professional lens! Bravo. The lens has a digital extender that increases magnification by 1.5x, making the lens achieve up to 30x digital zoom levels. ClearVID 3CMOS Technology Sony's ClearVID sensors are positioned at a 45 angle. Since each pixel is positioned in this manner, the result is far clearer diagonal lines. Images will appear crisper, without the apparent "jaggies" that often plague video signals. Enhanced Image Processing (EIP) is responsible for processing large amounts of pixel color information, recording 4:2:2 chroma before being thrown to 4:2:0 HDV tape. Exmor Inside Low-light situations can sometimes be difficult for cameras of this size due to their relatively small sensors. The result can often be additional noise or image degradation, sometimes sending otherwise usable footage to the proverbial "digital cutting room floor". By incorporating Exmor technology, Sony has once again raised the bar for handheld cameras at this price-point, reducing the lux rating from 3 to 1.5! The HDR-FX1000's ultra-sensitive 1/3" CMOS Exmor sensors take advantage of technology originally developed for their flagship XDCAM EX camera, the PMW-EX1, delivering an amazing signal-to-noise ratio. 24p Capability In 24p mode, images from the CMOS can be 2:3 pulldown-converted and recorded onto tape in the standard 60i HDV format. The tape can then be played back or edited using an ordinary HDV system. True 24p editing can be achieved by uploading 2:3 pulldown-converted images via an i.LINK FireWire interface to a compatible non-linear editing system. The resultant images resemble the visual motion of film! The camera can also shoot in both standard 60i for richer temporal motion, as well as 30p, which is great for lifting stills. High Resolution LCD When shooting HD footage, standard LCD screens can be very deceiving; what looked perfect amidst a full-day video shoot can sometimes prove very soft or out of focus while in post-production. This is a direct result of a simple fact: most camera-mounted LCDs cannot resolve images in the same way they are being recorded. The HDR-FX1000 comes equipped with 1-MegaPixel LCD screen, making it 4x as clear as the LCD on the HDR-FX1, eliminating this oft-pesky phenomenon. Record with confidence knowing that what you see is what you will get. Extended Dynamic Range The camera's 30% extension in dynamic range translates into more detail in both highlights and shadows. Increase dynamic range can be very useful when color correcting during post production. x.v. Color Technology x.v. Color technology built into the HDR-FX1000 means the cameras sees nearly twice as many colors than conventional prosumer-level cameras. The camera provides colors that are more accurate and vivid in gamut. Minus Auto Gain Control When shooting in extremely bright-lit areas, the HDR-FX1000 gain control can be knocked even down to reduce noise even further. HDMI Output Many consumer products are adopting High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) connections for transmitting uncompressed digital HD video signals. Sony has upped the ante by incorporating this into the already extensive array of video output choices on the HVR-FX1000. Connect the camera to any HDTV via this interface and view all your footage the way it was meant to be seen: purely digital! Optical SteadyShot Sony has incorporated the sophisticated Super SteadyShot optical stabilization system on the HDR-FX1000. This technology helps users achieve glass-smooth shots even when conditions are less than forgiving. Advanced Zebras and Histogram The HDR-FX1000 comes equipped with a histogram and zebra feature. The histogram gives users a visual/numerical reference for making sure the camera is properly color corrected. The Zebra feature highlights over-exposed areas of the frame, giving the operator more control over dynamic range. Focus Assist Users will be delighted by the HDR-FX1000's focus assist feature; peaking focus assist provides a simple way to ensure images are in perfect tack-sharp clarity. The process highlights high-contrast areas that represent sharp lines making focus operation incredibly quick and easy. Lightweight Frame The HDR-FX1000 has shaved off a few pounds in comparison to the FX1. This Not only will users be able to take this camera almost anywhere, it also produces far less arm strain, resulting in longer shoots. Enhanced Button Control The camera allows users to assign important operations to a series of buttons for quick retrieval. The buttons can be selected to do a variety of tasks which can be changed whenever necessary; operations include Zebra levels, AE Shift, and record review. Additionally, the camera has an extra record and zoom control on its handle. Expanded ND Filter Set The HDR-FX1000 features new and improved neutral density filters, which can be very useful while shooting in brightly lit environments. Color Bars The color bar button provides reference for quick calibration on location or in the studio. Shot Transitions In Camera Who needs to edit Make quick, seamless transitions right inside the camera with Sony's Shot Transition control which includes a built-in fader for scene transitions.