August 28, 2008 – Sony has unveiled the 10-1-megapixel DSC-T500, with the ability to record HD video in 720p format at 30 frames per second. It features a 5x zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens (33-165mm equivalent) and touch-screen control via a 3.5" LCD screen with 230,00-pixel resolution.
This is Sony's first effort to bridge the gap between digital still cameras and digital camcorders by recording high-definition video suitable for playback on an HD TV, via an optional HDMI cable. The DSC-T500 records at both 720p and VGA resolutions at 30 fps, using compact MPEG4 AVC/H.264 compression, and offers optical zoom while recording video, along with the ability to take up to three 1280 x 720 still photos during video shooting.
The T500 features both optical and ISO-boosting image stabilization, with an ISO range from 80-3200, it measures 3.875” wide, 2.375” high and 0.844” deep (97.0mm x 59.3mm x 21.4mm) and 6.4 oz (180g), and will be available in September for an estimated $400.
