Camcorder News

CamcorderInfo.com recently got an opportunity to interview Linda Vuolo, Product Manager for camcorders at Sony. We talked with her about Sony, their strategy with camcorders and the future of the industry. The following are excerpts from our interview: We were also joined by the camcorder spokesperson for Sony Communications Rosemary Flynn. This interview is the fourth in a series of interviews that CamcorderInfo.com is conducting with people 'behind the camcorders' at each manufacturer.

Camcorderinfo.com So what technical innovations have you introduced into your line this year?

Linda Vuolo The PC330 has been our most recent technical innovation that we've introduced into the market. So with it being the industry's 1st three Meagpixel camcorder, it's delivering the highest quality of video and still with purely using a 3 Megapixel CCD. Secondly, I would have to point to Handycam station. Handycam station is a brand new concept introduced first with the IP1, and also now available with the new PC109. It really changes the way consumers use their camcorders by leaving the Handycam station attached to their device of choice, whether it be a PC or television - in their home. The camcorder is out and available where they want to use it, and most importantly, charged and ready to go all the time. Really changing the way consumers use the camcorders is as important a technical innovation and improved specifications.

We also introduced the easy Handycam function or button on most all of our 2004 models, and it seems like a small item, but it's huge for the consumer that needs help understanding how to best get their camcorder to perform. By using easy Handycam function they can re-set all of the functions back to the automatic mode, and continue to enjoy using the camcorder without worrying about the technology. It's really the pinnacle of our worry-free campaign for all of our Handycam camcorders.

CamcorderInfo.com Can you tell us a little bit about the development process? How the model goes from the drawing board, to testing to actually, making it into the store and user's hands?

Linda Vuolo Well, the most important contributor to the development process is the consumer. We need to understand consumers wants and needs about how they expect a camcorder to operate, and what kind of things they'd like to use the product for. Of course different price levels will dictate that as well - but by really understanding what the customer is looking for is the main building block of the product development.

As you know, we have the broadest camcorder lineup in the market, and there is basically a Handycam for everyone. We look at different formats, we look at different and new feature packages, and together with our product development engineers here and in Tokyo; we come up with a product line that best suits the customer in the market for that year.

CamcorderInfo.com How much specialization is there between different foreign markets? Sony we know is a global company. How much specialization is there say, between the U.S., Japanese, and European models?

Linda Vuolo As a worldwide company, we certainly need to balance efficiency with specialization of products by market. Certainly in the camcorder market, we need to develop different systems for NTSC, for the United States and for Japan, as opposed to the PAL video operating system that's utilized in Europe and some other countries. At the very minimum, that kind of focus on individual markets must take place. And then thereafter, where it's feasible, we do try to customize some models for some markets, depending on any number of factors. But we do need to consider the overall global picture as we develop all of our product lines throughout the world.

CamcorderInfo.com Looking forward, what do you see in camcorder technology a year from now? Five years from now, and twenty years from now?

Linda Vuolo I think, I will address this a little bit more broadly based on what I see in the future. A year from now, five years from now, twenty years from now, I think that no matter how experienced someone is in this industry, those things will vary.

For instance, several years ago, if I can back up a little bit, the industry predicted that analog products would be gone. And they're still here. Again, based on consumer demand and efficiency of production and price points - Sony's not the only manufacturer, almost all manufacturers and camcorders are still making analog tape based products. For me to look forward a year or five years or ten or twenty from now, I think that the timelines will vary, probably depending on how quickly things move.

In a more general sense, let me look into the future. Certainly, we've seen glimpses of some of the things that will be driving the camcorder market going forward. One is disc based, DVD and / or other disc-based camcorders, I believe will continue to grow in popularity in the camcorder market. And the other thing that is available now from manufacturers are silicon-based, or flash media based camcorders. Those kinds of recording formats, I think will be definitely a part of the future. I also think some kind of hard disc drive, or permanent storage kinds of products will also be present in the market. Whether or not that's combined with some other functionality, or if it's solely dedicated to video acquisition, I think still remains to be seen.

And then finally, one of the other technologies that's already entered the market is high-definition. High-definition has been just growing so rapidly in the US Market that the agreement between Sony and other manufacturers to develop high-definition video in a common format, just naturally leads to the assumption that we will, as an industry, see HDV products available in the future.

Rosemary Flynn If I can add, last year, meaning 2003, was the first year that digital video sales outpaced analog camcorder sales. It was maybe at 60/40, the split. I think even people close to the industry would be surprised. I think even your readers, who are obviously the more advanced video users, would be, I think, somewhat surprised to know that analog, up until, you know, early 2003, was still the format of choice. For the majority, I should say.

CamcorderInfo.com Can you comment on the future of videotape and how long you think it will be around for? Or is it going to be around forever?

Linda Vuolo You know, I have learned over my years here to never use two words, forever and never, because things change. Whether or not tape will be around one, two, three, five, ten years from now is - really goes back to the question before. There are other technologies that will be developed that perhaps will strike a fancy with consumers but as we mentioned previously, consumers drive the market, and if they are looking for a tape-based camcorder, then we will continue to make it.

CamcorderInfo.com In one word, what feature or what thing, do you think is most important to consumers?

Linda Vuolo Worry-free. The reason that I've chosen that is because we've been using worry-free for a number of years to talk about our Handycam products. It's making the technology invisible so that the consumer can just enjoy the use of the Handycam product. It's not about them having to try to figure it out. The camcorders are ultimately designed with how they're going to be used in mind. Some of the worry-free features that we've had over the years, and new ones that are coming up all the time, but our info lithium battery system, with our long batter life. The Accupower meter that tells the customer how much time they have left on their battery. Things like Night Shot, so that they can even make recordings in total darkness. And as new as the easy Handycam button that we just introduced this year. Making the technology not stand in the way of the enjoyment of the product makes them worry-free.

CamcorderInfo.com We know you manufacture your camcorders abroad, but in the R & D process, how much collaboration is there between yourself and your Japanese counterparts?

Linda Vuolo Well, there's continuous collaboration. We meet with our product planners from Tokyo on a regular basis. And we have product planners and developers here in the US, so on a regular schedule, we work together to develop the product lines and the technologies so that we can be sure to address the needs for our market, as is possible and is appropriate. We do have regular communications, not just with our face-to-face meetings, but regular communications through procedures that we have set up within our organization.

CamcorderInfo.com How do you balance what markets well, what the consumers demand, and what you know, as real professionals, what creates better quality video?

Linda Vuolo It's my responsibility as the General Manager for the Camcorder Product Category for Sony Electronics to make that balance happen, and make that balance, number one, address consumer's needs. Certainly we are a for profit organization, but we have not gotten to be the, by far, industry leader for the camcorder market by only focusing on one of those things. We have a Handycam camcorder for everyone. Whether it be the entry-level analog product, or our prosumer product, that's the top of our consumer line, or any of the twenty some-odd models in-between, we do our best to balance having the right choices for consumers, and to balance our responsibility as an industry and technology leader.

CamcorderInfo.com Which Sony camcorders do you use?

Linda Vuolo I have access to every one of them (laughter). Right now, as is the case of the beginning of the calendar year, between our CES and PMA announcements, I've got an awful lot of new products to try out. Being the most recent announcement, I've lately been using our new DVD Handycam products that were just announced at PMA. But, only a month ago I was trying out some of the other new products that we have, and have actually set up a Handycam station at my house with the PC109, and find that to be remarkably convenient. I'm really trying all of them at this point to make sure that I'm as well versed as our consumers are.

CamcorderInfo.com If you were to give users one tip about shooting video, what would it be?

Linda Vuolo Take short segments. Consumers tend to record too much. Taking short, varied segments makes for easier viewing, and less editing, and more enjoyment overall of the the video playback. We have a term that we've used in the past called vacuuming. And some consumers tend to vacuum, which means they suck in everything that their eyes can see, and the camcorder just keeps running. And later, when they get home, they may not necessarily want to watch every moment of their day. Iit would be better if they had some short segments of different activities that they were involved in during the day, and it makes it much easier to watch. So keep it short.

CamcorderInfo.com How do you personally use camcorders, Linda?

Linda Vuolo I, of course, use camcorders because of my profession and my friends and family know that I'm involved with camcorders, so they usually expect me to be the video taker at special occasions. But personally I like to have a camcorder ready and use it for some unusual, everyday events. Short segments, just as short reminders, or wanting to capture video when a still wouldn't do. Always having a camcorder in my briefcase or in my car is the kind of a video that I like to take.

I think that the best video moment, I'm trying to think of what's happened recently. Sony Handycam is a sponsor of Ryan Newman, the #12 car that runs in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, which is the highest series that they have in auto racing and I'm a big fan. We had an opportunity to meet and greet with Ryan Newman before a race last year that we had the opportunity to attend. Being able to record video and the interview, and the shaking hands with myself and some other clients that were in attendance, was a perfect video moment. A still certainly wouldn't have been the same keepsake that the video moment was. We were able to reduce that down in size into a little MPEG movie and share it around with everybody. So a perfect opportunity where only video would do.

CamcorderInfo.com Great. Thank you.