Sony HDR-H3 High-Definition camcorder for the masses

Sony launched a handheld HDTV-capable camcorder last May to general acclaim. It has now launched an updated version, HDR-HC3, that promises to improve on the HC1 (pictured below) in a number of ways.



What's similar is that the HDR-HC3 will capture in HDV high-definition video at up to 1080i (1920x1080 interlaced) and compress on-the-fly to MPEG2, which is then recorded directly on to a standard MiniDV tape. It can also record HD video and capture 2.0MP stills concurrently and capture 4MP stills. There's even a super-slow recording mode that plays back three second's worth of video in 12 seconds. (quarter speed, guvnor)

Other improvements include HDMI support, for outputting to a big-screen display, and the claim to be the lightest true high-definition camera on the market, at just 560g for camera, tape and battery.

Expect it to e-tail at just under £1,000 when it hits the shops in the next few weeks. It seems to fit the bill as the first Sony HD camcorder aimed directly at the consumer and priced under the £1K barrier.