Well the "sonystyle" site continues to list the TRV-950 for $2,000 with no rebate, but the HC1000 is now also appearing at the end of the list with no price: http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start;sid=nyOC0rpL9JOC3Pq5fVeI2fVb1Lm0vnpkY8Q=?ProductSKU=DCRHC1000&Dept=dcc_DICamcorders&CategoryName=dcc_DICamcorders_MiniDVHandycamCamcorders A search at B&H photo does not yield any results.

Just browsing through the specs, the CCDs, zoom range and 35mm equivalencies appear identical to the TRV-950. The viewfinder is certainly a step in the wrong direction with only 123,000 pixels vs. the TRV-950's 180,000 and the same with the LCD panel: 211,000 pixels vs 246,000 on the TRV-950. It appears that the touch panel is used to control manual exposure settings instead of the dial on the TRV-950. Another step in the wrong direction IMO.

It says that when you use the manual focus ring the viewfinder image is magnified 2x to allow more precise focus. Interesting idea, not sure if I would like that or not.

It has the "multi-angled grip," includes a lens hood (does the TRV-950?... no mention of it in the specs) and.... it's black!

And the big question that had been kicked around before: "By utilizing more area of the oversized CCD, a 16:9 image is created with a 14% wider angle field of view and 30% more pixels than a standard 4:3 image". This certainly implies that it features the same 16:9 mode of the PDX-10.

This camera uses the InfoLithiium series F batteries, the largest they list under accessories is the NPFF71. They claim 3 hours recording time (with usual disclaimers). This looks inferior to the NP-QM91 which in Sony-speak is rated at 6 hours and 20 minutes (I get ~4 hours with this battery on my PDX-10 with the LCD screen on and phantom powered mike).

Well I guess we'll have to wait for the price to see how compelling this all is. Personally the only real improvement I see is the enhanced 16:9, and several of the new "features" appear to be a big disappointment.

One other interesting difference: the HC-1000 claims minimum illumination of 5 lux vs. 7 lux on the TRV-950 and PDX-10. Wonder how they accomplish this, since the lens and CCD's appear the same? I assume they just apply more gain.

hey boyd

it might as well be great R & D breakthrough, namely better CCD, DSP quality and noise reduction.

so this is the improved TRV950 in the consumer division, where's improved PDX10 in the pro division? i'm expecting better than lower lux rating....

juan

There's a new article over at camcorderinfo that discusses the HC-1000 and especially slams the lack of an exposure dial and smaller LCD panel. It says this model will be available in August for $1,700. Also it says that Sony would not respond to the question of whether Zeiss actually manufactures the lens, opening up speculation that it's the same as the TRV-950 with Sony paying for use of the Zeiss name (and also conjectures in the same vein with the Panasonic Leica lenses). It contends that the imaging system has not changed, as the specs would imply.

I have not seen any news on a possible PDX-10 replacement, other than wild speculation. If and when one comes along I hope they don't borrow any of the "improvements" from the HC-1000....

Would be cool, a PDX10 with better low-light, less vertical smear, a rotating handle, Carl-Zeiss lens (wider?) and proscan (cream dream dream). But if it uses those smaller batteries I will NEVER buy it. Hope somebody from Sony reads this.

<<<-- Originally posted by Ignacio Rodriguez : Carl-Zeiss lens (wider?) and proscan (cream dream dream). . -->>>

The lens appears to be identical to the PDX-10/TRV-950. There is nothing to indicate that it does progressive scan. "Mechanical shutter system that provides Progressive Scan performance while utilizing an interlace scanning system. Digital still images will be sharp and clear with excellent definition." I think they are just talking about still photos. And do you want to have to use the (substantially smaller) touch screen to adjust the iris?

Or maybe you were just fantasizing about a PDX-20? :-)

> Or maybe you were just fantasizing about a PDX-20? :-)

Exactly!

Step up features are marked in red Sony tell us (on the site Boyd listed), yet 12x zoom (for starters seems to be identical. Maybe they mean the wonderful new digital zoom...

The mechanical shutter was used way back in the Panasonic MX300, so Sony obviously think this is a good idea. As to the lens branding it sounds as if Jo Public has been won over, and camcorders with 'only' a Sony lens are harder to sell now. So the lisence fee is paid, and Zeiss get a little bit richer. And nobody gets any sharper or less flairy movies.

The down-speck is a general rearrangement of Sony's camcorder lineup I suspect. The 950 is too big a jump to the 2100, unlike the TRV50, 60, 70 and all those other numbers I can't remember. It looks to me as if another camera will now slot in between the 1000 and the 2100, and the range will have filled a gap or two.

tom.