Sony FDR-AX33 Compact 4K Handycam Launched at CES

At the ongoing CES 2015 expo in Las Vegas, Sony pulled the wraps off the FDR-AX33, which the company claims is its 'most compact 4K Handycam camcorder to date'. It undercuts the size and weight of last years FDR-AX100 4K camcorder by 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively. It will be available from February for a price of $999 (approximately Rs. 63,200)

Sony is introducing its Balanced Optical SteadyShot (B.O.SS) image stabilization technology in its new camera which reduces the blur while recording 4K video. The camcorder has the ability to record 4K video in XAVC S format with a high bit rate of 100Mbps (requires SDXC UHS-I U3 or higher capacity card). The manual ring and manual button are customisable to suit the needs of the videographer. It has a 3.0-inch LCD, which Sony calls 'Xtra Fine LCD WhiteMagic'. Sony also claims that the electronic viewfinder has approximately three times the resolution of its previous models. Users can extract up to 8.3-megapixel resolution of still image from the captured 4K footage.

"As the popularity of 4K continues to skyrocket, consumers are constantly searching for new and different ways to enjoy the platform," said Patrick Huang, Director of the camcorder business, Sony Electronics. "Our new AX33 Handycam brings the wonders of 4K personal content creation to a wider audience than ever before, delivering crystal clear 4K video from the palm of your hand. It's the ultimate choice for families looking to capture and preserve all their precious memories in the highest possible quality."

Sony has also extended its Handycam lineup to include four new full-HD camcorders - HDR-PJ670, HDR-PJ440, HDR-CX440 and HDR-CX405. All the cameras can shoot 1080p XAVC S 50Mbps high-bitrate video, and feature either B.O.SS or Optical SteadyShot with Intelligent Active mode. All the cameras will be available sometime later this month. The HDR-PJ670, HDR-PJ440, HDR-CX440 and HDR-CX405 will be available for $700 (approximately Rs. 44,300), $400 (approximately Rs. 25,300), $300 (approximately Rs. 19,000) and $230 (approximately Rs. 14,600) respectively. Keep watching this space for India price and availability.