Cynematik

From Mike Curtis at HD for Indies:
Sony Unveils new HDV Professional Camera – HVR-A1U

-$3500

-CMOS based

-1/3″, 3 megapixel sensor

-so if it’s single chip, is that 960×1080 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 (1920×1440 in memory mode, 1440×10 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