"2 Lux" Sony HD Camcorders are here...

[JC/DV]

HC5 (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=HDRHC5&Dept=cameras&CategoryName=dcc_DICamcorders_HighDefinitionVideo) ($1099)and the HC7 (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=HDRHC7&Dept=cameras&CategoryName=dcc_DICamcorders_HighDefinitionVideo) ($1399) will be released soon and I think they were unveiled at the CES show today.

On the Sony site, they list these two at 2 lux, and the FX1 at 3 lux. At these price points, I'm sure lux can't even be compared apples to apples even with the same manufacturer... I can't believe this to be true... and why do they have so many different models?!?!?!?!

[jay²]

Wow.. Sony seem to be releasing new cameras every year now... They didnt use to do that before...

[WindyHillsVideo]

It's a single chip "point & shoot" camera using their latest (this week) CMOS technology... 2 Lux? maybe, but this thing is a "TOY" compared to the FX1

This is true-to-form with Sony methods. They annouce new products to obsolete products all the time. These cameras in this price range are all toys compared to the FX-1 and usually have self-life of less than 6 months before they are replaced by some new shiney model.

I think Sony is catering to the whole flock of geeks out there who buy these new models so they have the latest bling-bling devices for bragging rights with their yuppie/geek buddies. Planned obsolesence and an extremely short attention span keep new models at this price range coming and consumers who gotta have the latest models buying.

IMHO, the short answer to your question: Shameless marketing hype of incremental R&D in progress. I'm guessing it helps them pay the bills becuase they seem to do this a lot, and it must be working for them.

Michael

[RatVega]

This is the kind of "specsmanship" that drives me crazy... The first question would be 2 Lux under what circumstances and at what gain?

Everyone is strung out on the whole low-light issue to the point that most have forgotten that low-light performance results from the correct combination of capabilities and settings, not just a number on a spec sheet.

This reminds me of the "GigaHertz War" of a few years back that sought to convince users that clock speed was the only thing that mattered in your computer...

Sony has built some great gear in the past and will (hopefully) continue to do so. But they are clearly floundering and lately seem to be simply throwing whatever they have at the wall and hoping something will stick.

[JC/DV]

This is the kind of "specsmanship" that drives me crazy... The first question would be 2 Lux under what circumstances and at what gain?

Everyone is strung out on the whole low-light issue to the point that most have forgotten that low-light performance results from the correct combination of capabilities and settings, not just a number on a spec sheet.

This reminds me of the "GigaHertz War" of a few years back that sought to convince users that clock speed was the only thing that mattered in your computer...

Sony has built some great gear in the past and will (hopefully) continue to do so. But they are clearly floundering and lately seem to be simply throwing whatever they have at the wall and hoping something will stick.
I totally agree with you here. There's NO WAY they are going to make a lower lux camera better than the higher priced ones... Lux rating with gain and all and noise... I bet at 2 lux these two are grainy as a beach.