UPDATE: Sony Drops the Bottom on Pro HDV Camcorders with the HVR-HD1000U

UPDATE: Photo Gallery of the Sony HVR-HD1000 now available.  Specs, as well.

August 23, 2007 – Sony today announced a new professional HDV camcorder, the HVR-HD1000U. Priced at a mere $1900 MSRP, the camcorder is clearly gunning to undercut Canon’s XL H1, at least on looks. It features a shoulder-mounted design, a single 1/2.9” ClearVID CMOS sensor, 10x optical zoom, and a new EVF/LCD design. The HVR-HD1000U is expected to ship in December.

The CMOS chip in the HVR-HD1000U is the same found on Sony’s top-end consumer HDV camcorder, the HDR-HC7. CamcorderInfo.com’s extensive testing of the HC7, including the complete review and an HD Camcorder Shootout, showed the imaging system was good, but failed to stand up to the Canon HV20 in most respects. The most crucial difference was in video quality, where the Sony HDR-HC7 displayed more artifacting and weaker colors. Once adapted into a professional model, the colors are likely to be processed under a different gamma curve, toward a less saturated tone. The question remains, however, as to whether the basic quality of the video will stand up to professional scrutiny.

Bob Ott, vice president of marketing for professional video products, stated that consumer camcorder and professional camcorders are run off of two different production lines, with much higher standards for the pro models. This entails everything from construction to performance, including signal-to-noise ratio and colorimetry. While consumer and pro lines can share certain parts, it’s the implementation and integration of those components that sets them apart.

The HVR-HD1000U is targeted at a very specific audience, those who need “maximum revenue-generating opportunities at a modest investment,” stated Ott in the press release. The likeliest candidates in the market are wedding and event videographers. Many sources have cited that the adult video market is also a likely candidate. The shoulder-mounted design conveys a level of professionalism impossible with a compact point-and-shoot. The “modest investment” is made possible by the inclusion of a consumer imaging system.

The are some pro-level features that raise the HVR-HD1000U well above the level of the HDR-HC7. Videographers are likely to appreciate the full-sized multifunction ring on the lens barrel, which can control focus, zoom, brightness, shutter speed, auto exposure shift, and white balance shift. It is unknown what the exact depth of the manual control suite will be. The consumer division of Sony is known for restricting certain controls, such as aperture. The HVR-HD1000U is, however, a release from Sony’s Professional division, leaving several questions unanswered.