Sony Announce HXR-NX30P NXCAM Camera


2 April, 2012 – Sony is giving video professionals freedom from camera shake with the HXR-NX30P high-definition camcorder, a palm-size addition to Sony's NXCAM line. The new model uses Sony's breakthrough Balanced Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation technology to make it ideal for eliminating camera shake in challenging shooting applications. The new camcorder also offers convenient features such as a built-in projector, all combined in Sony's smallest, lightest handheld professional camcorder.

"This high-quality yet easy-to-use camcorder is an extremely versatile field production tool" said Nick Buchner, senior product manager for Content Creation at Sony Australia and New Zealand. "It's perfect for documentary makers, video journalists, educational establishments or corporate users, for shooting in many different situations where other stabilisation equipment is not practical such as on-board a vehicle or in a crowd."

Conventional image stabilisation systems typically "float" an individual lens element with a motor drive to compensate for camera shake. Balanced Optical SteadyShot combines the entire lens and image sensor assembly into one floating element that moves as a unit to virtually reduce the shaking effect caused by normal motion during shooting.

The new HXR-NX30P records at full 1920 x 1080 HD resolution using a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens (35mm equivalent : 26.0mm -260mm) for superb optical quality, sharpness and brightness. The camcorder's 1/2.88-inch image sensor uses Sony's Exmor R CMOS technology, which significantly increases low-light performance, speeds image readout, reduces rolling shutter artifacts and enables a range of frame rates - 1080/50p, 25p, 50i and 720/50p.)

Using AVCHD recording, the camera has 96 gigabytes of internal memory (approximately 40 hours of HD content), with a dual slot for that accepts either SD or Memory Stick media cards for additional recording capacity. A built-in video projector lets users play back images of up to 2.54 metres (100 inches) from a distance of about 5m (16ft) on any flat surface. This feature is ideal for reviewing footage in the field or on a set, when a monitor is either not available or convenient to use.

For professional quality audio, the HXR-NX30P also features a detachable XLR connection unit with 48V phantom power, recording level control, the option of Linear PCM audio recording, time code, and the ability to reset time code on multiple NXCAMs via infrared remote control.

The HXR-NX30P is planned to be available in June for a suggested price (ex GST) of $2,500 (Australia), $3,300 (New Zealand).