Smaller and smarter: shoot and share your memories with the world's smallest, lightest high-def camcorder

25th April 2007 - Beautifully styled and incredibly easy to use, the new Handycam® HDR-CX6EK is the world's smallest, lightest HD camcorder*. It's also the first Sony camcorder to harness the convenience and portability of removable Memory Stick for storing and sharing your memories in beautiful High Definition.
*Among 1080i HD camcorders, as of April 2007 (research by Sony)

With only a Memory Stick slot inside and no tapes, discs or hard drive, the incredibly compact, stylish Handycam® CX6EK nestles comfortably in the palm of your hand, weighing just 370g (excluding battery).

High quality recording and easy sharing with Memory Stick
The CX6EK records HD 1080i video files and 6.1 Megapixel still pictures onto convenient, reliable Memory Stick removable media. Depending on chosen picture quality mode, up to 2 hours 55 minutes of continuous shooting is possible (with optional 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duo, LP record mode).

Picture Quality Mode	2GB Memory Stick	4GB Memory Stick (supplied)	8GB Memory Stick
AVC HD 15M (XP)	Approx 15m	Approx 30m	Approx 1h
AVC HD 9M (HQ)	Approx 25m	Approx 55m	Approx 1 h 55m
AVC HD 7M (SP)**	Approx 35m	Approx 1h 5m	Approx 2h 20m
AVC HD 5M (LP)	Approx 45m	Approx 1h 25m	Approx 2h 55m

The amazing shooting capacity of the CX6EK is enabled by powerful AVCHD compression technology that allows long recording durations with excellent HD picture quality. As well as offering high compression efficiency, variable Bit Rate recording adjusts data rates while shooting, balancing optimal picture quality with maximum storage efficiency for higher picture quality.

There's a growing range of exciting possibilities for enjoying your HD pictures at home. The CX6EK connects directly to any BRAVIA HD-ready television via a mini-HDMI cable (optional) for fantastic results in your living room.

The CX6EK is the perfect camcorder for anyone looking for the ultimate in picture quality and mobility – and it's great for anybody with a Sony VAIO PC or PLAYSTATION3 console with direct Memory Stick slot, too.

Superb HD picture quality
The new CX6EK uses the AVCHD format to capture dazzling HD images with superb detailing, resolution, contrast and supremely life-like colour.

The ClearVid CMOS sensor with Enhanced Imaging Processor offers excellent dynamic range and reduced smear compared with conventional CCD sensors. Exceptional sensitivity with a minimum illumination of only 2 lux (Auto Slow Shutter “ON”) allows successful shooting in twilight or dimly-lit interiors.

Based on the new xvYCC international standard, x.v.Colour technology assures supremely life-like colour reproduction. Compared to conventional camcorders, x.v.Colour approximately doubles the range of colours that can be reproduced, very close to what human eye can recognise. This ensures vivid, expressive tonal reproduction with greater detailing and clarity when viewed on the growing range of xvYCC compliant televisions and players including new Sony Blu-ray player BDP-S1.

High-quality still images up to 6.1 Megapixel can also be captured. In Dual Rec mode, 4.6 Megapixel still images can be shot without interrupting video shooting.
The Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens features a 10x optical zoom range to bring distant images closer with superb clarity.
Super SteadyShot optical im age stabilisation ensures sharp, clear images during still shooting, plus improved picture stability when shooting video in slow shutter mode.

There's also an on-board microphone allowing Dolby Digital® 5.1ch surround sound recording– an essential part of the total HD entertainment experience with a home theatre system.

New technology means faster scene searches
The CX6EK makes it beautifully simple to find exactly the right scene that's been shot on Memory Stick in moment.

'Visual Index' divides all your footage into a series of convenient chapters, corresponding with each press of the Record Start button. Thumbnail images are automatically created for each chapter and displayed on the camcorder's touch screen for handy reference.

It's complemented by smart new indexing features that make it even quicker to track down your favourite memories after a day's shooting.

'Film Roll Index' automatically creates scene index points at user-selectable intervals from 3 seconds to 5 minutes within each recorded chapter. All that's required is a single press of the 'Film Roll' button on the camcorder's body. The right scene can then be tracked down quickly on the camcorder's touch-screen. Film Roll

Index searches can also be performed on a PC using supplied Picture Motion Browser software.

For the first time ever on a camcorder, 'Face Index' uses new Face Detection Technology to simplify searches for 'people pictures' within a scene of continuously shot footage – like your child in a school play.

The CX6EK automatically identifies scenes from your footage containing faces. Faces appear as thumbnail images, making it fun and easy to browse scenes featuring your child or other people – just make your selection by pressing the touch screen and the clip plays immediately. NB: Faces may not be detected depending on recording conditions

Bundled Picture Motion Browser software also permits 'Highlight' Searches to track down brightly-lit, colourful scenes with voices. It's ideal for finding those shots from the beach, poolside or concerts and other special events.

For ever greater flexibility, scenes can be searched by shooting date using the 'Date Index' function.
Convenient back-up, disc burning and editing

There's a choice of options for storing, archiving and editing High Definition shots that have been captured on Memory Stick with the CX6EK.

With supplied software installed, just slip a Memory Stick from the camcorder into a VAIO PC to view, save and edit AVCHD files – with no connecting cables or disk transfers needed.

For the best possible performance and rapid transfer of video content from the CX6EK to a VAIO PC, Sony recommends using new Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo media.

The bundled Handycam Station features 'One Touch Disc Burn'. Just press a button on the docking station to transfer shots from Handycam® to PC connected via USB for fuss-free creation of AVCHD format DVDs.

Data stored on Memory Stick media can also be stored safely to your computer using 'Easy PC Back-up'. This intelligently detects and transfers only files that have not previously been backed up.

Once footage has been imported to your PC using the supplied Picture Motion Browser software, it's easy to edit your own movies with an increasing choice of AVCHD-compatible editing packages. Sony Vegas software, version 7.0e, is an ideal choice, allowing import and editing of 'native' AVCHD files without the need to convert first to another format.

Enjoy simplicity and usability with STAMINA
Video and still HD images can be reviewed on the widescreen 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD plus touch screen that offers excellent brightness, contrast and faithful colour reproduction.

Despite its advanced imaging and playback capabilities, the CX6EK is brilliantly simple to use thanks to clear, intuitive menu options and helpful on-screen explanation of functions. There's an 'Easy Handycam' mode that adjusts all settings for foolproof everyday use.

Advanced Sony STAMINA power management allows up to 6 hours of uninterrupted shooting time between charges (With optional battery NP-FH100).

Optional Accessories
From high-grade lenses, microphones and high-power batteries to tripods and stylish carry cases - there's a full range of official accessories to help you get even more from your Handycam.

To fully enjoy the High Definition experience, two new HDMI connecting cables are also introduced. Both VMC-15MHD and VMC-30MHD feature a new mini HDMI terminal that matches your Handycam perfectly (Type C – Type A). Terminals are gold-finished for perfect connectivity. Cables are 1.5 and 3.0 meters in length respectively.

The Sony Handycam® CX6EK will be available throughout Europe from July 2007 and will be available to pre-order at http://www.sonystyle-europe.com.

HDR-CX6EK key features

* AVCHD 1080i recording on Memory Stick
* Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens
* ClearVid CMOS Sensor
* x.v.Colour
* 10x Optical Zoom / 20x Digital Zoom
* Super SteadyShot Optical Image Stabilisation
* New Search Functions
* 6.1 Megapixel Still Image Recording
* Dolby Digital 5.1ch Surround Recording
* 2.7-inch Wide, Clear Photo LCD plus screen
* STAMINA up to 6 hours (with optional battery)

PC Requirements

OS
Windows 2000 Professional SP4, Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista (64-bit editions and Starter are not supported)

CPU
Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHz or faster (Intel Pentium 4 3.6GHz or faster, Intel Pentium D 2.8GHz or faster, Intel Core Duo 1.66GHz or faster, Intel Core 2 Duo 1.66GHz or faster are recommended.) For the following operations, it can work with Pentium III 1GHz or faster.

• Importing the contents to the computer
• One Touch Disc Burn
• Creating AVCHD/DVD discs
• Duplicating discs
• Processing SD (standard definition) image quality contents only

Memory
Windows 2000, XP - 512MB or more (1GB or more is recommended). For processing SD (standard definition) image quality contents only, 256MB or more is required.

Windows Vista - 1GB or more HDD free space: approx. 800MB or more (10GB or more may be required when creating DVD discs.)

• This requirement is for processing HD (high definition) video quality contents recorded in SP mode (7Mbps).
• Operations are not guaranteed on all environments.
• Even in a computer environment which satisfies system requirements, you may find dropped frames, sound interruptions, or noises while playing back movies with HD (high definition) image quality. However, imported images and images on discs created subsequently will not be affected.
• Picture Motion Browser does not support 5.1ch surround sound reproduction. The sound is reproduced in 2ch sound.
• If you use a notebook computer, please connect the computer to the AC adaptor as power source when playing back or editing movies with HD (high definition) image quality. Otherwise, it may not operate properly due to the power saving function of the computer.