Sony has expanded its product portfolio and announced two new live action cameras. The Sony FDR-X3000 and HDR-AS300 both offer advanced image stabilisation, and are priced starting at $400 (roughly Rs. 26,800) and $300 (roughly Rs. 20,100).
The big difference between the two cameras is that the Sony FDR-X3000 supports 4K UHD video, while the Sony HDR-AS300 only supports full-HD recording. Sony highlights the big talking point of the new action cameras to be the image stabilisation feature called Balanced Optical SteadyShot (B.O.SS). The camera and the lens are fused in a way that they move together for a more smooth result. Sony claims that footage shot on the FDR-X3000 and HDR-AS300 will be smooth irrespective of handheld shooting, even while you are running or cycling.
The company is also launching a new live remote unit that becomes the viewfinder while capturing footage. As compared to previous generations, the live view remote is 30 percent smaller making it more compact and portable. Sony is also bundling a watch strap to enable wearing it on the wrist.
As for the price, the Sony FDR-X3000 will be sold at $400 (roughly Rs. 26,800), and the live view remote variant called the FDR-X3000R will be sold separately at $550 (roughly Rs. 36,800). The Sony HDR-AS300 is priced at $300 (roughly Rs. 20,100), and the live view remote variant called Sony HDR-AS300R will be priced at $450 (roughly Rs. 30,100). Sony will first sell the two action cameras in North America starting late September, and there's no word yet on India launch date and price.
As for the specifications, both the FDR-X3000 and HDR-AS300 include a Sony Exmore R CMOS sensor and a BIONZ X image processor. The 4K Sony FDR-X3000 captures video at 100Mbps, and can shoot 120fps video in 1080p. The Sony HDR-AS300 captures video in 1080p at 50Mbps, and shoots 120fps video in 720p. There's an additional underwater housing bundled with the cameras that makes them splash proof and waterproof for up to 60 metres.
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