• http://www.ixbt.com/divideo/sony-hdr-cx900/compare/01-xavc-s-1920x1080-50p-50mbps.mp4
• http://www.ixbt.com/divideo/sony-hdr-cx900/compare/02-xavc-s-1920x1080-25p-50mbps.mp4
• http://www.ixbt.com/divideo/sony-hdr-cx900/quality/xavcs-1080-50p.mp4
• http://www.ixbt.com/divideo/sony-hdr-cx900/night/night-iauto.mp4

http://www.ixbt.com/divideo/sony-hdr-cx900.shtml

User manual for those interested in digging a bit more into it before buying the camera: http://download.sony-europe.com/pub/manuals/consumer/FDRAX100_CX900_HG_EN.pdf

The GW / TX series is apparently at End Of Life. I bought an extra GW66 from Henry's just before the New Year (bargain at $399). IMO It is the only way to film decent 1080p60 with a 7-oz package. Clearly the innovative camera packages no longer sell... Sigh... Still, there is 4K on the horizon... If only I had a 16-core CPU to deal with editing the footage from the coming camcorders...

@babypanda The NX30 has a smaller 1/2.88 inch sensor but performs surprisingly well in low light. It's going to be interesting to see how the CX900 handles those situations since I wasn't that impressed with the RX10 performance. Major pro for the NX30 is "Balanced Optical Steady Shot", a stabilization technology which has the entire optics and sensor mounted in a gyro. This has saved many shots for us, making handheld look like steadycam shots and completely eliminating shakes and bumps when you have tripod mounted cams on a dance floor with hundreds of people getting down. Looking forward to trying these new Sonys out :-)

What's XAVC S ?

Sony marketing term for non standard H.264 . Made up by Sony marketers to add confusion to people and make it looks similar to HEVC.

PR

Full HD Handycam® CX900E with back-illuminated 1.0-type Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor, high bit rate XAVC S recording and manual functions

• Improved SteadyShot now 13x more stable for even smoother images
• Powerful new BIONZ X engine for fastest-ever processing and brilliant picture quality
• Four new projector models with external input to project content from your phone, camera or PC
• Enhanced features include brighter built-in projector with Keystone Adjustment, advanced sound features with My Voice Cancelling, Motion Shot Video and Picture Effect
• Wi-Fi and NFC for one-touch transfers and remote control from your smartphone

Packed with powerful imaging technologies by Sony, Handycam® captures uncompromised Full HD video and detail-packed stills that other camcorders or your smartphone just can’t match.

The Spring 2014 line-up kicks off with the prestigious HDR-CX900E that sets new standards for Handycam® picture and sound quality in a highly compact body. It’s joined by five other models, with stand-out features like Balanced Optical SteadyShot for super-stable images, uprated projectors, simple wireless sharing and remote control from your smartphone.

Handycam® CX900E: pro-style picture performance, less to carry

It’s the last word in picture quality, sound and pro-friendly features. The flagship HDR-CX900E elevates your personal movies to new levels of creative expression, delivering the finest Handycam® experience in a feature-packed camcorder that’s refreshingly easy to use. It’s the first Handycam® equipped with a large 1.0-type Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor that resolves immense amounts of fine picture detail. You’ll enjoy exceptional image quality in every frame with extremely low noise – even if you’re shooting at dusk.

The CX900E can also record Full HD video at a very high 50 Mbps bit rate using the new XAVC S video format. Just like a professional camera, this lets ambitious movie-makers reveal the full emotion and detail in every scene, even with fast camera pans where ordinary camcorders struggle. As an extra refinement, high frame rate recording at 120 fps captures each nuance of fast-moving action like a sprinter or dancer. Enjoy beautifully smooth slow-motion replays of your edited footage at one fifth normal speed.

The camcorder’s large sensor also allows creation of exquisite background blur in conjunction with the ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* lens that features a 7-bladed aperture. Three switchable built-in ND filters cut light levels entering the camera, for movie footage with pro-style ‘bokeh’ effects without having to change shutter speed – even in bright outdoor sunshine.

The HDR-CX900E offers plenty more pro-friendly features to keep serious enthusiasts happy. There’s a bright, high-contrast OLED electronic viewfinder for framing shots with a wide angle of view. A comfortably-placed Lens Ring and Manual Dial allow fingertip control of focus, zoom, exposure, gain/ISO and shutter speed.

Smart technology for better shooting

The high-resolution Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor inside all new Handycam® models brings those precious memories to life with exquisitely detailed Full HD video and still photos.

Even faster and more powerful than before, the new-generation BIONZ X engine enhances picture detail and controls area-specific noise reduction for pristine footage and high-resolution stills. It also powers Balanced Optical SteadyShot that’s now up to 13x more effective at cutting the effects of camera shake, right across the zoom range from wide angle to telephoto.

Even more new features are enabled by the high-speed processing abilities of the evolved BIONZ X engine. The zoom ratio of latest models is dramatically improved. By Pixel Super Resolution technology now boosts detail on video footage captured at up to 60x magnification[ii] with Clear Image Zoom – a first for Handycam®. And with all that processing power on tap, Handycam® can now record movies in top-quality AVCHD Full HD, simultaneously with MP4 for easy smartphone transfers and web uploads with the camcorders’ built-in NFC/Wi-Fi function. In addition, the flagship Handycam® CX900E can record high-bit rate Full HD footage at 50 Mbps using the XAVC S format, simultaneously with web-friendly MP4.

Movies sound better than ever

Pristine pictures are complemented by sumptuous Handycam® sound that adds extra polish to your videos.

Nobody wants to hear an excitable commentary from Mum or Dad on sports day. My Voice Cancelling cleverly suppresses vocal frequencies from immediately behind the camera, without affecting volume of the subject’s voice and other foreground sounds. Well-meant cheers are reduced to a whisper – letting your subject and their achievements speak for themselves.

Link wirelessly to your mobile at a touch

New to Handycam®, Wi-Fi[vii] and NFC allows wireless transfers of movie clips and photos from Handycam® to your smartphone or tablet at a single touch. Simply touching Handycam® via NFC with your mobile device also activates Smart Remote Control. Start and stop recording with your mobile via Wi-Fi – it’s ideal for group scenes or solo performances when you don’t want to run from the camcorder back into the scene once recording has started. Wi-Fi also allows wireless transfers of movies and stills for playback on your TV[viii]. Setup is easy - just download the free PlayMemories Mobile app for your iOS or Android device.