Sony Expands the Hard Disk Drive Line With Three New Models

July 18, 2006 - Sony announced a new line of three standard definition video Hard Disc Drive camcorders today in New York.  All of these camcorders will be available in August.

The entry-level camcorder is the SR-40, which will retail for approximately $600.  The SR-40 features a 30GB hard drive capable of recording up to 20 hours of video in LP mode, a 680K Advanced HAD CCD with a 1/6” CCD imager, and a Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar 30 mm lens with a 20x optical and 800 x digital zoom. 

Additional features include, Sony’s HDD Smart Protection system with 3G sensors to detect falls, and video stream buffering.  The camcorders in this line also feature a one-touch DVD burn button, appealing to video enthusiasts for whom ease of use is important.

The SR-60 is the next model up in the new line, also featuring a 30 GB hard drive, and is available in August for about $700.  The SR-60 features a larger imager at 1/5.5”, and the lens has an optical zoom of 12 x, but it shares its remaining core specs with the SR-40.

The top camcorder in this new line is the SR-80, which features a 60 GB hard drive and shares the SR-60’s imaging and optical specifications.  The SR-80 will also be available in August, with an initial list price of about $800.