Aug 21st - Sony introduces Digital Recording Binoculars

Life’s “can’t miss” moments are now easier to observe and capture with the world’s first digital binoculars to record in AVCHD™ 2.0 format, from Sony. The new models, DEV-3 and DEV-5, are ideal for nature/bird watching, they can record Full HD video with stereo sound at the touch of a button, and even add a 3D mode that records scenes as thrilling stereoscopic video footage for playback on most 3D HDTVs.

“Now consumers can watch birds, wildlife, sports action and more in steady, sharply-focused close-up views, while capturing their subjects in crisp Full HD,” said Andy Bubala, director of the camcorder business at Sony Electronics. “These new models add entirely new levels of flexibility and convenience to viewing, recording and enjoying your favorite images and scenes.”

Users can select the variable zoom on both models to scan a wide area at low magnification before zooming in seamlessly to pinpoint a subject, such as birds in a field. Turning on the digital zoom at magnification settings over 10x boosts the DEV-5 model’s total magnification range from 0.9x up to 20x digital (image quality is reduced when digital zoom is on and recording 2D video at magnifications higher than 10x), rivalling many high-powered conventional binoculars. The DEV-3 model pulls wildlife, sporting subjects and architectural details closer with a maximum magnification of 10x optical. In 3D mode, the binoculars’ maximum magnification is 5.4x optical.