Legendary Handycam® video quality is made brilliantly accessible with two great value new Standard Definition camcorders from Sony.

Light, compact and easy to use, the Handycam® DCR-SX15E shoots crisp, clear video and stereo sound onto removable flash memory. Just slip in a Memory Stick™ or SD card (not supplied) and capture the moment for easy transfer to your PC after shooting.

If you’re looking for extra-long record times, Handycam® DCR-SR15E stores up to 61 hours of Standard Definition video on its 80GB built-in hard disk drive. With no need to carry spare tapes or discs, there’s plenty of space for a long weekend of non-stop shooting.

Whether you choose flash memory or HDD, both models are packed with smart features for sharing and enjoying your footage.

The high-power 50x optical zoom lens by Sony pulls distant subjects nearer for frame-filling close-ups. SteadyShot image stabilisation keeps things crisp and clear, reducing the effects of camera shake when you’re shooting handheld. If you’re shooting portraits of friends and family, Face Detection automatically fine-tunes exposure for more natural looking faces.

Menus and settings are adjusted via a thumb-operated joystick next to the flip-out 6.7cm (2.7”) Clear Photo LCD. A conveniently-placed button switches on the built-in video light to illuminate indoor get-togethers, parties or night-time scenes. For extra convenience there’s also an Auto mode that switches the video light on when natural light levels are low.

After shooting, Direct Copy enables easy, PC-free transfers of video footage direct to an external hard disk drive (optional USB adapter is required). Compatibility with the optional VRD-P1 DVDirect Express by simplifies PC-free burning of video footage onto blank DVD discs for storing, sharing and archiving.

The compact new Handycam® DCR-SX15E and DCR-SR15E Standard Definition camcorders from Sony are available from the beginning of October 2010.