Sony Germany Announces DCR-PC103 and DCR-PC105 Replacing DCR-PC101, May Possibly Have Some Type of Native 16:9 Shooting Capability

by News Editor
Published on Apr 17, 2003 12:00 AM



Sony Germany has announced two new MiniDV camcorders, the DCR-PC105 and the DCR-PC103. The matchbox style camcorders include a HAD Megapixel CCD. The camcorders replace the DCR-PC101. The camcorders include native 16:9 widescreen technology, in other words they are able record 30% more pixels wide than normal video for a more film like effect this is a huge development. It is likely that one or both of the camcorders will eventually appear in the US, when and how soon is unknown.

Each camcorder includes a 10x optical / 120x digital zoom. The camcorders include a 1.07 Megapixel 1/4.7 in. HAD CCD.

The only major difference between the camcorders is that the DCR-PC105 includes a Memory Stick slot. The DCR-103 (pictured left) can record 640 x 480 stills to tape. The DCR-PC105 (pictured right) can record 1152 x 864 Pixel stills to Memory Stick. The DCR-PC103 also include the MPEG-X feature to record unlimited length movies MPEG movies to Memory Sticks. The DCR-PC105 and the DCR-PC103 also include the USB streaming function to use the camcorder as a web cam.

The press release and information page on the camcorders said ''The increased wide-focus range uses 30% more pixels in this mode, with increased resolution than the previous 16:9 mode.'' This means that the camcorder offers some form of native 16:9 widescreen shooting with true widescreen pixel dimensions. This is a major development and a much demanded feature.

Other evidence of this feature is that the lower model, the PC101 includes a Megapixel CCD but no Memory Stick slot. The only use for a Megapixel CCD is for stills - unless the camcorder is using the extra pixels to get an extra wide image, for a 16:9 native pixel widescreen image.

If the PC105 and PC103 camcorders really do record native 16:9 widescreen it would be a huge and historical development. Users of prosumer, $2,000 - $5,000 camcorders have been demanding this feature for years. They want to use it because they want to be able to shoot like a classic filmmaker does. Normal camcorders shoot in a 4:3 aspect ratio (length of the screen to width of the screen), 35 mm film movies are shot in a 16:9 aspect ratio. It would be amazing if this feature was released on a consumer, around $1,000 - $1,500 camcorder before it came out on a prosumer camcorder, by any manufacturer. The camcorders would likely develop a huge independent film making following.

It is unclear how the camcorders store the extra pixel information to the tape. Whether it is by speeding it up, through compression or some other means is unknown.

The camcorders include a 2.5 in. touch panel LCD, just like all the other 2003 MiniDV camcorders Sony has announced. The camcorders also include both the Spot Meter and Spot Focus features which allow the user to adjust the exposure and focus respectively by touching the LCD panel.

The camcorders are expected to be available by June 2003. The DCR-PC103 will cost 1.050 Euros and DCR-PC105 will cost 1.350. That converts over to $1,142.93 and $1,469.47 respectively. A US replacement date is unknown.