The Sony HDR-CX405 HD Handycam features an Exmor R CMOS sensor and a wide-angle Carl Zeiss zoom lens with 30x optical zoom. The CX-405 captures Full HD 1920 x 1080 video at 60p and 9.2MP still images to optional Memory Stick Micro and microSD/SDHC/SDXC media cards. The Exmor R CMOS sensor is designed for increased sensitivity in low light situations and the Optical SteadyShot image stabilization with Intelligent Active Mode delivers smooth video. Users can monitor and playback footage via the 2.7" LCD with 230K dot resolution.

The camera records using XAVC S codec at up to 50 Mb/s and features dual recording, which lets you simultaneously capture both high-quality AVCHD and web-optimized MP4 files. The Intelligent Auto mode analyzes your shot and automatically selects the appropriate settings from ten distinct scene modes, with 60 different possible combinations. A built-in USB 2.0 cable provides a connection to your computer for charging or file transfer and fits conveniently into the hand strap, so it's out of the way until you need it. The camera accepts a rechargeable X type battery pack for power.