Sony AVCHD Point Of View Camcorder on Display at NAB: The HXR-MC1/ACC

April 21, 2009 - At the National Association of Broadcasters this week, Sony showed off its tiny AVCHD camcorder, the HXR-MC1/ACC. The camcorder, which is part of Sony's pro lineup, comes attached to a 9-foot cable that connects to a small control unit on the other end. The lens and imaging system on the HXR-MC1/ACC have the same specs as Sony's ultra-compact consumer camcorders, the HDR-TG1 and HDR-TGV5. The HXR-MC1/ACC is currently available with a suggested retail price of $2995.

Looking at the HXR-MC1/ACC, it appears the camcorder is essentially an HDR-TGV5 that has been taken apart and attached to a 9-foot cable. The lens features a 10x optical zoom with a maximum aperture of f/1.8 - f/2.3. The control unit also utilizes the same touchscreen LCD system found on Sony's consumer product line and the manual control settings are nearly identical to what you'd find on the HDR-TGV5 or HDR-TG1. The camcorder records to Memory Stick media cards, includes a built-in stereo microphone, and can capture 4-megapixel still photos. The HXR-MC1/ACC records AVCHD video with a bitrate of 16Mbps at the highest quality setting. There are also options for standard definition recording.

Located on the control unit is a 2.7-inch LCD screen, a zoom toggle, shutter and record buttons, and a manual control dial. A battery compartment is also located on the control unit and the camcorder comes with an NP-FH70 rechargeable battery pack. A 0.7x wide angle conversion lens, remote control, and storage case are also provided with the HXR-MC1/ACC. Component-out, AV-out, HDMI, and USB ports are all located on the control unit.

The built-in speaker on top of the camcorder.	A mounting base is located on the bottom.

With an MSRP of just under $3000, the HXR-MC1/ACC doesn't sound like a bargain. When considering the camcorder is essentially an HDR-TGV5 or HDR-TG1 that has been attached to a long cable, it is difficult to justify spending $3000 on the product (the HDR-TGV5 costs less than $1000). Still, Sony is marketing the product as a useful tool for skydivers, race car drivers, bikers, and wildlife videographers. Because of the 9-foot cable, the HXR-MC1/ACC is a good deal heavier than the HDR-TGV5 and HDR-TG1. The camcorder weighs roughly 580g (1 lb. 4 oz.) fully loaded.

The lens has the same specs as the HDR-TG1 and HDR-TG5V.	The control box has the same touchscreen LCD system as Sony's consumer camcorders.

Interestingly, the HXR-MC1/ACC is the only camcorder in Sony's professional division that records using the AVCHD codec. The new XDCAM models all record using MPEG-2 compression, which is the same compression utilized by HDV camcorders. According to Sony, there are no plans for the company to move towards releasing another AVCHD camcorder into the professional market any time soon. Also at NAB, Panasonic announced a new member to their AVCCAM lineup, the AG-HMC40, which records video using AVCHD.