SONY Handycam HDR-TG1E: HD Shooting and Viewing

With the HDR-TG1E you can capture high-quality HD footage on Memory Stick media and then relive the experience on an HD TV. Transfer and archiving are quick and simple.

Video footage recorded at true 1920 x 1080i Full HD resolution has 5 times the detail of SD (Standard Definition) video. Sony’s ClearVid CMOS Sensor with “Exmor”-derived technology captures every detail with astonishing clarity. The HDR-TG1E can also shoot still photos at an impressive 4.0 megapixels for printing or just viewing on screen.

SD Image

HD Image

Among the many sophisticated Sony HD video technologies with which this camcorder is equipped are the BIONZ Imaging Processor, which handles enormous amounts of HD image data at extremely high speeds, and the ClearVid CMOS Sensor, renowned for high resolution and sensitivity. This includes advanced technology – derived from the “Exmor” CMOS Sensor in Sony’s professional camcorders and high-end digital SLR – to reduce noise and accelerate processing.


	ClearVid CMOS Sensor with “Exmor”-derived technology

Speed. Precision. Quality. Everything you need for impressive video image reproduction and stills is provided by Sony’s ClearVid CMOS Sensor – offering high-speed signal processing and low-noise technology derived from the “Exmor” CMOS Sensor found on high-end digital SLR cameras. The result is superior image quality at AVCHD 1920 x 1080i resolution (derived from 1.4x greater signal volume) with extremely low noise, low-light sensitivity and smear-free clarity at high processing speeds. So you’ll be amazed by the superb results, whether shooting movies or photos.

ClearVid CMOS Sensor with “Exmor”-derived technology

	High sensitivity

Thanks to the ClearVid CMOS sensor, you can be sure that the HDR-TG1E will deliver bright, detailed images with minimal noise for those times when you need to record indoors or in low-light conditions.

Low-light sensitivity

CCD		ClearVid CMOS Sensor

Smear-free clarity

Even when there is a strong light source within the frame, the ClearVid CMOS sensor with advanced “Exmor”-derived technology ensures smear-free still images.

Smear-free clarity

CCD		ClearVid CMOS Sensor


	Rapid signal transmission enabled by BIONZ

The powerful combination of the high-speed BIONZ Imaging Processor and ClearVid CMOS Sensor realises a number of features that come in handy for the people on the go. For instance, if you want some still shots while recording an interview, use the Dual Rec function to capture 2.3 megapixel photos without interrupting the video footage. A great feature for sports – from golf swings to off-piste skiing – is the Smooth Slow Rec function: fast action is captured in slow motion by shooting at four times the regular speed. You can even add some narration if desired. Planning a weekend party? Face Detection technology quickly and precisely tracks people’s faces (up to 8) while shooting movies. This technology is behind the reliable Auto Focus, Auto Exposure and Auto Colour Control. It also makes the D-Range Optimiser possible: adjusting exposure and contrast to counter the effects of high-contrast shooting conditions, it optimises the dynamic range.

The HDR-TG1E lens was developed jointly by Sony and Carl Zeiss, and manufactured in accordance with the same rigorous quality assurance standards that have made Zeiss lenses world famous. It is optimised to produce high-quality images of exceptional brilliance and sharpness that are characterised by high contrast and minimum distortion.

The HDR-TG1E records HD video footage on Memory Stick media – up to around 1 hour 25 minutes in the AVCHD
5M (LP)^*1 mode or around 25 minutes in the AVCHD 16M (FH)^*2 mode using the supplied 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo. For maximum recording capacity, you can use 16GB media (optional). Conventional MPEG2-PS is also supported, allowing SD video recording. Thanks to the nature of non-linear media, you don’t have to worry about over-writing recorded footage: new data is automatically written on your choice of Memory Stick media. Moreover, you can immediately watch or erase newly recorded footage without rewinding. Just press the desired thumbnail on the touch panel LCD.

^*1AVCHD 1440 x 1080i format.
^*2AVCHD 1920 x 1080i format.

Approximate recording times

HD Picture Quality Mode	4GB Memory Stick (supplied)	8GB Memory Stick	16GB Memory Stick
AVCHD 16M (FH) (1920x1080i)	25 min	55 min	1 hour 50 min
AVCHD 9M (HQ)	55 min	1 hour 55 min	3 hours 50 min
AVCHD 7M (SP)	1 hour 5 min	2 hours 20 min	4 hours 40 min
AVCHD 5M (LP)	1 hour 25 min	3 hours	5 hours 55 min
SD Picture Quality Mode	4GB Memory Stick (supplied)	8GB Memory Stick	16GB Memory Stick
9M (HQ)	55 min	1 hour 55 min	3 hours 50 min
6M (SP)	1 hour 20 min	2 hour 50 min	5 hours 40 min
3M (LP)	2 hours 40 min	5 hours 25 min	10 hours 55 min

Memory Stick media compatible with video recording:
Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo*
(1GB or larger Memory Stick for HD recording mode and 512MB or larger Memory Stick for SD recording mode are recommended.)
* Supported by both types with and without Mark2 indication.

The HDR-TG1E is compatible with x.v.Colour^1. Video footage recorded with x.v.Colour mode active^2 has an extended gamut and offers richer colour reproduction when played back on an x.v.Colour-compliant TV. The brilliant turquoise of the sea, for example, is breathtakingly beautiful when shot with this technology.


^1“x.v.Colour” refers to the Extended-gamut YCC (xvYCC ) colour space, and is a trademark of Sony. ^2 x.v.Colour is off in the default setting.
Conventional sRGB colour space	x.v.Colour	sRGB	xvYCC
Note: An x.v.Colour-supported playback device is needed for playing back video footage with x.v.Colour at full performance level.



The increasingly popular AVCHD is technology that provides a high data compression ratio – approximately twice that of conventional MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 compression – while enabling high-definition (HD) video recording. To do this it employs efficient MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video compression technology. In addition, it can offer even greater efficiency with High Profile encoding; this compresses an image based on visibility characteristics, as well as complexity. AVCHD also handles the video stream and offers a variety of HD video recording and playback options on various media such as memory cards, HDD and DVD. When the audio stream is managed by Dolby Digital, a 5.1 spatialised recording can be created.



* HDR-TG1E records data on Memory Stick media.



	HDMI

The HDR-TG1E features an HDMI mini connector for easy connection to an HDMI-compatible display so you can enjoy Full HD video footage on a large screen. Still photos look great too.



	BRAVIA Sync

Hook up the HDR-TG1E to a BRAVIA HD TV* with an HDMI cable and you can further extend viewing enjoyment. The Handycam® playback screen is automatically displayed and you are then free to command the camcorder using the BRAVIA’s remote controller. Such synchronised operation makes watching recorded footage on a large-screen TV even more convenient.

* Requires BRAVIA Sync feature.



	PLAYSTATION®3

If you own a PLAYSTATION®3, you can use it to watch HD video footage either via USB connection or by directly inserting the Memory Stick media. Playback commands, including skipping, are handled by the PLAYSTATION®3 remote controller.



Note: Product availability may vary depending on region.

The key to easy archiving is automation: this Sony system is intelligent enough to know that only fresh HD or SD footage on the Memory Stick media needs to be transferred to HDD or burned to DVD. Easy PC Backup lets you transfer your original recordings to a connected PC, for storing, managing and editing. It only transfers new files created since the last backup. For sheer simplicity, though, there is nothing to beat the One Touch Disc Burn button on the Handycam® Station: one press and your video is archived on DVD. It only transfers new footage shot since the last disc was burned. Discs created in the AVCHD format can be played in HD quality on the PLAYSTATION®3 as well as on Blu-ray players and recorders.

Note: Product availability may vary depending on region.

After transferring files to your PC, you can easily organise and view images using the handy Calendar View function of the supplied Picture Motion Browser software. This arranges all your files by date and time. Desired video scenes can be found easily with the Film Roll Index, which displays thumbnails at specific intervals, or the Highlight Index, which automatically recognises key elements by analyzing faces, sounds and scene changes. It is like having your own personal video assistant to keep track of your precious recordings. But you can also have your own say: recorded data can be further organised by adding labels and ratings.

Various editing functions are available right on the camcorder, such as burning video footage to disc, and even extracting 3.0 megapixel*-equivalent still images from HD content, so you can enjoy studio-like post-production. And once transferred to a PC, video footage can be exported back to the Memory Stick in the HDR-TG1E using the Write-back (AVCHD) function of the supplied software.