Meet Sony's incredibly small high definition camcorder: the HDR-HC7. At just under a pound and a half, it has tons of features. First, it has genuine 1080i resolution, so you shoot in real HDTV. Second, it uses HDV, which brings the resolution of HD to a tape the size of a Mini DV cartridge. Menu options are easy to choose, thanks to the 2.7" widescreen LCD SwivelScreen monitor.
This 3.2 megapixel CMOS processes faster than a CCD for richer color and better detail. The Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens also adds color and detail, plus reduces glare with its special T coating.

As impressive as the HDR-HC7 is as a camcorder, it gets even better as a 6 megapixel digital still camera. Store images on Memory Stick DUO Pro media and use the slot on the camera to view them. You can even shoot HD video and take a 4.6 megapixel still at the same time. Connect to a PC through USB or i.LINK to edit or share video.

• HDV Format with Real-Time HD Codec Engine

HDV puts widescreen high definition on a compact digital videocassette for the ultimate mix of quality and convenience. The Real-Time HD Codec Engine provides efficient MPEG2 compression, at the same bit rate of the DV format, so that High Definition video can be recorded on to MiniDV cassettes.

• 1080i Resolution

Shoot in genuine 1080i high definition - this camera's native format.

• x.v. Color

x.v. Color can capture or display nearly twice as many colors than formerly possible.

• 1/2.9" ClearVid CMOS Sensor

The ClearVid CMOS sensor has 3.2 megapixels. It delivers faster image processing than a CCD, meaning richer color, greater detail, and less glare from objects.

• Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T Lens

The lens is specially coated to reduce glare and improve detail.

• 2.7" Touch Panel SwivelScreen

This widescreen color LCD monitor adjusts to almost any angle. It gives you an accurate interpretation of what your video will look like on a larger screen, whether in 4:3 or 16:9. Menu options are just a touch of the screen away.

• Cinematic Mode

Make your movies look even more like movies. Cinematic Mode duplicates the look and feel of film on videotape, lending a 24 frame film-like effect to your recordings.

• Manual Controls

Put yourself in control with manual settings of shutter speed and white balance. A zoom ring, zebra pattern, Iris and spot focus give you even more control.

• Optica Image Stabilization (OIS)

Optical Image Stabilizer, or O.I.S., detects even the slightest amount of shaking, and adjusts the lenses accordingly, to keep the image crisp and clear. Unlike a digital image stabilizing system, O.I.S. counteracts the shaking before the image enters the CCD; this allows the CCD to be used to process a virtually unmarred image.

• Super NightShot Plus

Get the most detail out of dark scenes with Super NightShot. This infrared system lets you shoot in almost total darkness.

• 6.1 Megapixel Still Camera

This camcorder doubles as a high-end digital camera. In fact, the camcorder and still camera work together - you can shoot high definition video and take a 4.6 megapixel still photo at the same time.

• Intelligent Pop-Up Flash

The flash pops up from inside the camera body automatically at just the right time, then disappears.

• PictBridge Compatibility

Print photos and still frames from video directly to a PictBridge-equipped printer with just one button. No computer required!

• Memory Stick PRO Duo Slot

Store your photos and video clips on Memory Stick PRO storage media for handy playback in the camcorder, or record to Memory Stick PRO and play back on TVs equipped with Memory Stick slots.

• i.LINK Interface

An IEEE 1394 connection lets you digitally connect to other camcorders, computers, or professional video systems for fast, flawless editing and file transfer.

• USB Port

Link this camcorder up to a computer or printer for fast file transfer and communication between machines.