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SCMP Reporter

Sony Hong Kong yesterday unveiled the world's first two-megapixel digital video camera and a five-megapixel digital still camera.

Targeting high-end users, the two handycams - DCR-IP220E and DCR-IP210 - offer a resolution of 1,600 x 1,200 pixels. Video is taken in MicroMV format, a Sony propriety MPEG2 data compression technology that is said to be capable of compressing images without reducing picture quality.

Each camera weighs 520 grams and captures still pictures at 1.9 megapixels.

The higher resolution charged couple device (CCD) resulted in better quality still pictures than other digital video cameras, Sony Hong Kong's manager of consumer marketing, Alex Chung, said.

'The resolution of 1.9 megapixels exceeds the basic requirement of digital cams on the market. Most of the others only offer one megapixel or even 640 x 480,' he said.

The DCR-IP220E runs on the PAL system. Users can surf the Internet wirelessly on its 2.5-inch colour touch panel liquid crystal display via a Bluetooth compatible modem adaptor or mobile phone such as Sony Ericsson's T68i.

The DCR-IP210 runs on NTSC (national TV standards committee), which Mr Chung said was intended to target tourists from countries such as the United States and Japan. It does not include Bluetooth connectivity.

Both cameras are bundled with an 8MB MemoryStick and MovieShaker software for editing movies in the MicroMV format, and the Pixela animation and image transfer software.

Priced at HK$13,990, both will be available at the end of the month.

Sony also launched its first five-megapixel Cyber-shot digital still camera yesterday. The DSC-F717 features a resolution of 2,560 x 1,920 pixels and has a shutter speed of up to 1/2000. It comes with the new Multi Burst mode that lets users snap fast movements such as a golf swing in 16 sequential frames in two seconds at 320 x 240 pixels

The Cyber-shot will cost HK$7,990. It too will be available at the end of the month, slightly ahead of the Japanese launch, in October.

Mr Chung said about 30,000 digital still cameras and 10,000 to 20,000 digital video cameras were sold each month in Hong Kong.



Sony launches global-first video camera