The Sony HVR-V1P is a PAL HDV camcorder designed specifically to incorporate many of the features only afforded previously to Sony's high-end digital cinema cameras. The V1P has 25p capability for creating film-like video in PAL regions of the world.

With 25p, users can mimic the shutter of film, which is often sought after for commercials and dramatic productions. Equally important, Sony's progressive technique records into standard 50i streams, so no additional gear is required. All your existing Sony HDV equipment will play 25p without a hitch! It couldn't be easier.

The camera also features 3CMOS ClearVid sensor technology. These CMOS sensors create sharp, rich images with natural color reproduction sure to please even the most scrutinizing eye. These features combined with a high-end Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T Lens, makes the HVR-V1P a welcome addition to the already proven line of Sony professional HDV products.

High Definition on MiniDV Tapes with HDV: The HDV format, used in the HVR-V1P allows high definition recording on standard MiniDV tapes. This is accomplished by using the very popular MPEG-2 compression technique used in many applications, including DVDs and satellite television.

In 25p mode, images from the CMOS can be recorded onto tape in the standard 50i HDV format. The tape can then be played back or edited using an ordinary HDV system. True 25p editing can be achieved by uploading 2:2 pulldown-converted images via an i.LINK FireWire interface to a compatible non-linear editing system. The resultant images resemble the visual motion of film!

Sony's ClearVID sensors are positioned at a 45 degrees angle. Since each pixel is positioned at this angle, the result is far clearer diagonal lines. Images will appear crisper, without the apparent "jaggies" that often plague video signals.

Many consumer products are adopting High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) connections for transmitting uncompressed digital HD video signals. Sony has upped the ante by incorporating this into the already extensive array of video output choices on the HVR-V1P. Connect the camera to any HDTV via this interface and view all your footage the way it was meant to be seen: purely digital!