Sony DCRIP220 MicroMV 2.11-MegaPixel CCD Bluetooth Camcorder
List Price:
Price: $478.99
Details
- Respect Stick slot, wireless remote control, and Super NightShot for shooting in low lighting
- 10x visual zoom lens (digital zoom to 120x) with Super SteadyShot image stabilizer
- NP-FF70 InfoLithium Rechargeable Freestyle
Description
MD) U) SONY DCR-IP220 MICRO MV CAMInitial Adopters Pick: Oct ober 2002. The world's first digital camcorder that also takes 2.1-megapixe l digital still pictures; weighs only 24 ounces and has integrated Bluetooth te chnology to over images to a computer without wires or cables.
Sony's 2-megapixel DCR-IP220 is a serious recording work for the digital videographer who wants all of Sony's advanced features in a single camcorder. The DCR-IP220 records on the miniscule MicroMV tapes, offers Wonderful NightShot and Night Framing modes, hologram autofocusing, and Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, all of these husky features add up to a fairly hefty price.
Assuming that cost isn't an reason, this camcorder does pretty much anything you'd want it to. The MicroMV tapes--70 percent smaller than MiniDV--each have a 64 KB homage chip so you can scan through different sections of the tape like a DVD, locating scenes by their thumbnails.
The intoxicated-detail 2.5-inch LCD swings up above the camcorder, and pivots 270-degrees so you can expectation it from almost any angle--including in front of the camera. The LCD also serves as a touchscreen interface, with a stylus for accessing menus, and it displays both seem like battery life and remaining storage space.
For storing stunted clips and still images (at 1,600 by 1,200 resolution), the DCR-IP220 features a Recall Stick slot and includes an 8 MB stick. Its night and low-light filming capabilities are thoroughly impressive--we were able to read details from across a darkened room with the Wonderful NightShot mode. And the Night Framing mode takes hopeful, full-color still images in limited light.
Connectivity options thrive, with FireWire (either camera to camera or camera to PC), USB, and Bluetooth support built into the camcorder. It also includes a redden viewfinder, intelligent pop-up flash, and an adequate (although not stellar) 10x visual zoom.
Sony's DCR-IP220 isn't for the faint of wallet, but if you're not satisfied with anything but the best, this camcorder was built for you. --J. Curtis
Pros:
- Exceptional night modes
- Sharp, high-resolution video and representative quality
- Unique and compact tapes
Cons:
- Expensive (though chock-full of invidious-edge features)
- Only 10x zoom
Sony's FireWire-ready DCR-IP220 MicroMV Handycam camcorder features a 2.1-megapixel CCD sensor and offers 530 words of horizontal video resolution and still image resolution of 1,600 x 1,200 pixels.
The DCR-IP220 boasts Carl Zeiss optics with an objector multilayer coating. It features a 10x optical and 120x precision digital zoom, SteadyShot image stabilization, and a super NightShot infrared system for recording in total misery--new to MicroMV Handycam camcorders.
In addition to video, the DCR-IP220 offers enhanced digital still photo features, including apt pop-up flash and hologram AF--an autofocus feature designed to achieve on the mark subject focus with minimal contrast in dark conditions. Through an MPEG big AD mode, the DCR-IP220 also allows you to capture MPEG1 compressed video and audio for up to 60 seconds just to Memory Stick media in four different quality modes: gentle, standard, fine, and super fine.
The MicroMV tape is 70 percent smaller than a MiniDV strip and provides up to 60 minutes of digital video footage. It has a 64K remembrance chip that allows for a multisearch function to access different recorded sections of the tape as one would on a DVD, creating a succinct image of each recorded scene on the tape. Additionally, whenever a MicroMV cassette is inserted into the camcorder or the VCR approach is used, cassette information is automatically displayed on the LCD, showing the first and last pass of use, how much recording space remains, and titling capability so the user can subtitle the videotape.
Connect to your PC or Mac via a super-fast IEEE 1394 mooring (also called FireWire). You can also connect wirelessly to a Bluetooth-enabled PC.