Sony HXR-MC1P

High Definition Helmet Camera

This is the new Sony HXR-MC1P High Definition helmet camera system.
We were wondering how long it would take for Sony to come up with a high definition head camera and now they have done it!

We're really impressed with the video quality this thing kicks out. Currently much better than anything else on the market.

You can consider this to be a true 1080i two piece camcorder system that is solid state. It records video to Sony memory sticks in ultra high quality. Video resolution is full 1920 x 1080, 50i at an extremely high bit rate of 16mb/s.

It uses the latest AVC-HD H.264 codec to compress the video whilst maintaining high quality video.

The recorder part can be safely stored away or worn on a belt using the supplied belt clip. A 2m cable is hard wired from the camera head to the recorder part.

The high definition head camera part contains an optical 10x zoom with touch sensitive zoom controls on the recorder unit. It uses a Sony Vario Tessar Carl Zeiss lens for optimum image and colour reproduction. The camera part is "Splash Proof" and the recorder part needs to be protected from getting wet.

At full quality a 16gb Sony memory stick will hold about 2 hours of video and the supplied li-ion battery will also last around two hours on a full charge.

The stereo mic is built-in to the camera head and has variable gain control. This system uses a clever Dolby algorithm for surround sound and zoom mic control.

Fortunately, Sony realized the importance of including 1/4" standard thread mounts not only on the camera but also on the recorder part. This means you can mount both the head camera part and the recorder using any of the suction or clamp mounts found on this site.

As you would expect from any Sony high definition product, this system screams of both image and video quality...it's out new favorite toy in the office. The touch screen menu system as found in most Sony camcorders is very easy to use and provides a huge amount of features. We fully recommend getting hold of an HDMI cable and plugging this direct to a good quality 1080 capable TV or Monitor. The resulting video is stunning for not just a hi-def helmet camera but also for most high definition camcorders too.

To edit the footage from the HXR-MC1P you will either need a copy of Sony Vegas (we use this all the time) or you will need to convert the .mtv files using software such as Xilisoft HD video converter (we use this too!)
You can download a copy of HD video converter from this page.

This product is discontinued: Please see the VIO POV.HD as an excellent replacement.