New Sony cams with widescreen LCD
 

I was browsing the latest crop of Sony MiniDV cams and I ran up on the recently released DCR-HC42 and DCR-HC90. At first glance nothing caught my attention but then I saw what appeared to be a 16:9 LCD and sure enough it was. Its about time!

Has anyone had the chance to play with one of these yet?

Click here for photo of DCR-HC90

Looks pretty cool, I hope to god that those zoom controls on the LCD aren't the only zoom controls on the camera.

Knowing Sony, they very well could be!

One step forward and two steps backward. I have yet to see any other zoom controls on the HC90.

Just looking at the specs , the hc90 only has 690k pixels while the pc350 has 2048k for video even though they both have 3mp 1/3" chips - the screen is nice though- kurth

Kurth, doesn't the PDX10 also use 690k video actual? I don't know how much stock you can put into the PC350's 2048k video actual compartively.

Also check out the new 3CCD PC1000 also with the widescreen LCD!

Click here

The only resolution spec which Sony published on the PDX-10 was specifically for 4:3 mode. My own tests indicated that about 750k pixels are used for 16:9 video: http://www.greenmist.com/dv/16x9/10.JPG

Boyd - and isn't that times 3 on the pdx10 ? Tommy - the pc350 has gotten great reviews on it's image quality and has a 1/3 " ccd chip versus the pc1000 3 x 1/6" new cmos chips. Whose to know , but I do love the lcd.

Kurth, a 3CCD cam uses each CCD independently for video and remains 1070k (gross) on the PDX10.

With 4:3 and 16:9 video only requiring 340k or 410k pixels it would be interesting to compare footage between a cam like the PC350 and the HC90 for both aspect ratios.

Well , I just learned 2 things of interest about the HC90 - one it has the same sensor as the pc350 and two, the most interesting , is I read on another forum that it does 30p with 16:9 - does anyone have any more info on this ? thanks

Kurth, as far as I can tell the manual only mentions a cinema effect under digital effects that combines both 16:9 and what they call progressive picture (30p). It unfortunately locks out both manual sharpness and exposure. Would be nice to see some video/frames from this unique cam.

Below are two screenshots from the HC90 manual on Cinema Effect and Progressive Recording.

Click here

Click here

Tommy - thanks - I found this thread that has some good info about the HC90
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t113491.html
sorry , I can't remember if i can post threads to other forums - delete me if necessary- Kurth

Tommy - I just downloaded the manual for the HC90 and it appears you can lock shutter at 1/30 with 16:9 and 30p set- sounds interesting- Kurth