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Test your limits with the new Sony Action Cam

12th January 2014 Print
Sony Action Cam HDR-AS100VR

From skiing… to speedway… to mud-spattered treks: the all-new Action Cam HDR-AS100VR satisfies your taste for the extreme. Sony’s latest wearable Full HD video camera is made for adrenalin-soaked fun on road, hill, snow or water. Its slim design carves through air and water with less resistance, and the splash-proof body means you don’t need a waterproof case to tackle rain-drenched bike trails. And with a cool new white finish, Action Cam reflects the sun’s rays when you’re sand boarding down arid dunes in scorching heat.

After shooting, editing your action movies is fun and easy with PlayMemories Home software for Windows or Mac that’s free to download. You can even chart your adventures with Map Views that plots your route and PlayMemories Home lets you merge up to four videos and edit footage captured in high-speed recording to create one split video with GPS overlay data.

If you’re hurtling down a ski slope or negotiating potholes on your bike, Advanced SteadyShot keeps footage more stable and blur-free with 2.5x improved performance compared to its predecessor.ii It’s more effective than ever, especially with mechanical vibration from a motorcycle or quad bike.

As an added extra, Action Cam can shoot high-quality video at high-speed 120 fps or 240 fps with sound. After shooting, replay your footage at normal speed for a silky slo-mo view of BMX bike flips and skateboard stunts.

For the first time, up to five Action Cam AS100VR units can now be controlled wirelessly with the wearable wristwatch-style RM-LVR1 Live-View Remote which is supplied in the box. Start and stop recordings, view shots or adjust settings at the press of a button. Everything’s in easy fingertip reach, even if you’re wearing chunky ski gloves.

Action Cam delivers picture quality that’s better than ever. Footage is crisper and clearer thanks to the camera’s uprated new ZEISS Tessar 170-degree wide angle lens, 13.5 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor and powerful new BIONZ X image processor.

In another first, Action Cam can now capture Full HD footage with high bit-rate recording at up to 50 Mbps, using the efficient new XAVC S video format. You’ll see the difference with fabulous picture quality in every frame – even with fast scene pans that look blurred or jittery on other cameras.

New Interval Still Recording adds even more creative options. The camera automatically shoots a sequence of still photos at selectable intervals between 1 and 60 seconds. Then replay them in sequence for a time lapse-style document of lengthy journeys. There’s also a handy ‘flip’ function that inverts footage if the camera’s mounted sideways or upside down on a helmet or the faring of your microlight.

The addition of a second tally light on top of Action Cam gives instant visual assurance of recording start-stop status, whether the camera’s above or below you. Easy mounting options are also increased with the addition of a new tripod adaptor for simple fixing without the need to add a skeleton frame.

New Action Cam offers plenty more features to suit serious video makers. A choice of colour settings gives extra creative flexibility when you’re editing your footage. Grab video with ‘Neutral’ image quality, or spice up footage with ‘Vivid’ that accentuates rich, powerful colours for extra impact. And for pro-focused film directors, Action Cam now records video with time code, helping synchronise shots when you’re editing scenes from multiple cameras.

‘User bit’ is a new function that can record information (8-digit hexadecimal numbers) such as date/time/scene number which is extremely useful for editing movies created using two or more cameras.

NFC allows fuss-free hook-ups with Xperia and other compatible smartphones and tablets at a single touch. Transfer footage wirelessly to your mobile device for easy sharing, with no need to worry about fiddly memory cards or connecting cables. One-touch connection also launches the PlayMemories Mobile app on your smartphone (if installed), allowing quick checking of camera angles directly from your mobile’s screen.

Scheduled as an user update for Summer 2014, live video streaming will allow Action Cam users to share their experiences in real time. The camera relays live video wirelessly to your smartphone that transfers footage to the web. Now everyone can share the moment while it’s actually happening.

A choice of style-matching accessories gives even more options for enjoying Action Cam – wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. Add the HDR-AS100VRB Bike Mount Kit or HDR-AS100VRW Wearable Mount Kit and let the adventure begin.

The new Action Cam HDR-AS100VR wearable video camera by Sony is available for pre-order now on sony.co.uk and goes on sale in Europe from April 2014.

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Sony Action Cam HDR-AS100VR