Filming family trips and outings is fun, and it’s a great way to record those memorable moments. However when we want to playback the videos, we either have to wait for the video to be transferred onto the computer or we can crowd around the camera and watch the playback via a tiny LCD screen. As it stands there are certain digital cameras out there on the market that allow playback via projection, but perhaps it won’t be as powerful or clear as what Sony is offering up.
The Sony Handycam HDR-PJ50 was just launched in India and not only can the Handycam shoot and record in HD (1920×1080), but thanks to a projector attached to the swing-out LCD screen, it can project them too. We can’t vouch for the quality of the projector’s image, but it’s supposed to be able to project up to 60-inches wide (diagonally) at a distance of 3 meters in a dark environment. We’re guessing that this should be useful when you want to playback certain videos and share them with friends and family, but once again we’re not sure if the video quality projected will actually be able to replace a dedicated projector.
The HDR-PJ50 sports a 12x optical zoom, which Sony claims can be extended to 17 and also comes equipped with a 220GB hard drive. The device is said to be able to double as a still camera that can shoot up to 7.1MP images.
The series of Handycam Projector devices are also said to come with a Clear Phase 5.1 channel stereo speaker with S-master digital amplifiers to produce clear, dynamic sound, but if you’re trying to project to a big audience, we’re not sure if these speakers are up to the task. Alternatively the Handycam is apparently also able to connect to an external 5.1 home cinema system through the 3.5mm audio input. The Sony Handycam HDR-PJ50 is retailing at Rs 59,990 ($1,345).