Jan 06, 2016 02:00 CET

Preserve life’s most precious moments in4K with Sony’s new Handycam® line up

Today’s special moments are tomorrow’s greatest memories with new Handycamrange featuring new 4K[i] and two new HD models

• FDR-AX53 4K Handycam with new Exmor R™ CMOS sensor withapprox. 1.6x bigger pixel size[ii] for unrivalled sensitivity,particularly in low light conditions

• New ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* lens for astounding resolution up toa wide angle of 26.8mm[iii] and 20x optical zoom and 30x ClearImage Zoom[iv]

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Featuring 5-axis image stabilisation enabled by Sony’s BalancedOptical SteadyShot™ enhanced with NEW Intelligent Activemode[v], compensating for camera shake even whilst running

• New microphone structure which collects sound from fivedirections for advanced sound quality

• Full HD 100fps high speed recording for post-production editingof incredible slow-mo moviesvii

• Pro-style features including manual ring, EVF, Time Coderecording and User Bit for increased shooting flexibility

• HDR-CX625 and HDR-CX450 HD camcorders with enhancedcamera functions including 5-axis image stabilisation, FastIntelligent AF, and Time-lapse Capture

Life’s defining moments can happen so fast, we often fail to fully appreciatethe essence of the experience. Whether it’s a child’s first steps, a school play,graduation or a wedding day – having a video to re-live your happiest timeswith friends and family can become one of your greatest treasures. Sony’snewest Handycam camcorders allow you to perpetuate those moments invibrant 4K detail.

FDR-AX53 – Breath-taking picture quality with 4K Handycam

The patriarch of this year’s camcorder family takes form in Sony’s newest 4KHandycam, the FDR-AX53,combining enhanced image quality and incrediblesound performance.

The FDR-AX53 features a new Exmor R CMOS sensor, providing exceptionallydetailed 4K movies. Due to the new sensor’s approximately 1.6x larger pixelsizeii, the FDR-AX53 enjoys a much greater sensitivity level than itspredecessorand allows for fantastically clear content with outstandingresolution even when shooting in low light conditions.

The FDR-AX53 features a newly developed ZEISS lens that extends to a wideangle of 26.8mmiii, accurately capturing the scene from wide angle through totelephoto. The lens empowers the camcorder with a remarkable range of 20x

optical and 30x (4K)/ 40x (FHD) Clear Image Zoom, for beautiful close-upfootage you don’t want to miss.

Due to its Advanced Aspherical (AA) and Extra-low Dispersion(ED) lenselements, colour fringing is highly reduced allowing the lens to produceincredibly accurate colours for beautifully precise footage. The multi-layerfilm ZEISS T* coating reduces unwanted reflections like ghosting and flarewhich delivers a crisper, clearer image even when shooting on bright daysoutside.

The FDR-AX53 is the first Handycam with an enhanced version of Sony’s ownBalance Optical SteadyShot; a 5-axis image stabilisation system that bringsyou blur-free footage when shooting handheld and thanks to its newIntelligent Active modev, also ensures crisp footage whilst running. Thisincredibly powerful image stabilisation system allows for exceptionallysmooth and clear video footage from all angles, even when on the move orwhilst using the telephoto end of the 20x optical zoom when aiming forclose-ups shots. The new Intelligent Active mode takes it a step further andeven allows for incredibly clear HD footage when running.

The FDR-AX53 records at an incredible high bit-rate of 4K 100Mbps, usingthe high-performing XAVC S™ recording format[vi], allowing each frame tobe filled with astonishing 4K detail so you can relive everything fromsplashing waves to colourful confetti.

The camcorder comes with a newly adapted AF algorithm, Fast Intelligent AF,also featuring in Sony’s α7S II, which optimises communication between thelens and processor to achieve speeds up to approximately 40% fasterii thanprevious models and more precise subjectcapture.

Advanced sound quality

The FDR-AX53’s new microphone structure collects sound from fivedirections, thereby capturing real-life sounds and delivering a more realisticsense of ambience. Due to the enhanced microphone structure, noise levelshave been reduced by approximately 40%ii, and stereo performance isapproximately twice as high as previous modelsii, allowing for clearrecordings in a greater range of environments. Its 5.1ch microphone recordshigh stereo sound in 2ch in XAVC S 4K/HD and high surround sound in 5.1chin AVCHD. In addition, the My Voice Canceling function reduces the user’s own

voice whilst recording.

Full HD 100fps recording for slow-mo movies[vii]

As a first for the Handycam series, the FDR-AX53 can record at 100fps in FullHD meaning that footage can be edited into breath-taking slow motionfootage with the free PC software, PlayMemories Home™, to add a wholenew dimension to home movies.

It boasts many pro-style refinements for greater shooting flexibility, includinga manual ring and button that can be allocated to functions like zoom, focusand exposure and electronic viewfinder (EVF), allowing the user to easilycompose scenes even when recording on sun-filled holidays. For greatercontrol of the edit, advanced users can benefit from Time Code and User Bitoptions.

To enjoy recorded footage at home, 4K content can be played back on acompatible 4K TV through a supplied HDMI cable or by automatic downconversion of 4K frames in Full HD playback on an HD TV. For beautifulframing, this Handycam also allows you to playback trimmed 4K images fromselected video frames, enlarging or cropping[viii] selected parts of the framein Full HD quality.

More new ways to capture and share the memories

Sony’s Full HD camcorder range welcomes two new members, HDR-CX625and HDR-CX450. As with their elder siblings, they extend to a generous wideangle of 26.8mmiii, meaning beautiful family moments can be captured in anysituation. Both new models benefit from image stabilisation technologiesincluding advanced Balanced Optical SteadyShot with 5-axis IntelligentActive mode on the HDR-CX625, and Optical SteadyShot with 5-axisIntelligent Active mode on the HDR-CX450–ensuring highly detailed, blur-free footage.

The Handycam camcorders allow for XAVC S 50Mbps high-bitrate recordingvi

and also feature Fast Intelligent AF. With 5.1ch surround microphoneperformance[ix] and My Voice Canceling, superb sound quality is alsoguaranteed.

Using Sony’s free PlayMemories HomePC software, you can organise and edityour footage and also create your personal high-quality time-lapse moviesvii

with Time-lapse Capture for powerful, impactful scenes in 4K using the FDR-AX53 and HD with the HDR-CX625 and HDR-CX450.

Live Broadcasts

To get others involved in the action, all new Handycam models allowLiveStreamingvia USTREAMTM [x], enabling you to stream HD video footage andsound from Handycam camcorders through a wireless access point. You cannow ensure that no one, no matter how far away, will miss out on thosedefining moments, no matter where in the world they may be.

Like all of Sony’s Handycam line up, the new models feature the automaticin-cam movie editing function, Highlight Movie Maker[xi], which picks keymoments in your footage like laughter or zoomed in moments and assemblesthem into short-clips without any need for post-production editing. You cancustomise with transition effects and soundtrack music and once completed,easily share your MP4 movie on social media sites.

Sony’s new 4K Handycam will be available in Europe from mid-March 2016,priced at approximately €1000; the Full HD camcorders will be available frommid-February 2016 at approximately €500 for the HDR-CX625 and €350 forthe HDR-CX450.

Full specifications on the new FDR-AX53 can be seen here; for the HDR-CX625 please refer here and for the HDR-CX450here.

For more information, please contact your local PR manager or:

David Edwards, Corporate Communications, Sony Europe

david.edwards@eu.sony.com / +44 (0)1932 817 022

[i]3840 x 2160 pixels

[ii]Compared to FDR-AXP33/FDR-AX33

[iii]35mm equivalent

[iv]20x optical, 30x (4K)/ 40x (FHD) Clear Image Zoom

[v]Available in HD recording only

[vi]Requires SDXC/SDHC memory card UHS-I U3 or Higher for XAVC S 4K100Mbps recording and SDXC/SDHC memory card Class 10 or higher forXAVCS 4K 60Mbps and XAVCS HD 50Mbps recording

[vii] Available with PlayMemories Home. To create time-lapse movie, ver.5.1(Windows)/3.1(Mac), scheduled for release in January 2016, or later isrequired.

[viii]Minimum trimming size is 1920 x 1080

[ix]Recording in 5.1ch is in AVCHD only

[x] Requires a Wi-Fi router or smartphone capable of tethering.

[xi] Available in AVCHD only

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, imaging, game,communications, key device and information technology products for theconsumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computerentertainment and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be theleading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Sony recordedconsolidated annual sales of approximately $68 billion for the fiscal yearended March 31, 2015. Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

Contacts

Sony Europe PR TeamPress ContactPR Team press@eu.sony.com