TORONTO, ON – Sony of Canada unveiled its new line of ‘Handycam’ camcorders today, with a choice of formats including tape, DVD and hard disk-drive based versions. Equipped with features like Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound, and “unique” center-channel microphone capability, the company says their new products offer “unrivalled audio performance” in addition to high quality video.“Nothing preserves memories better than moving images with sound,” said Samuel Yip, Product Manager of Sony Canada’s Consumer Audio Visual/Information Technology Group. “We are offering new enhancements to both audio and video performance in our 2006 product line.”

Sony’s new DVD-based Handycam models, the DCR-DVD505 and DCR-DVD405, support an optional wireless microphone that can be clipped into place on the subject of your filming while shooting. The microphone amplifies the center channel sound in the camcorder’s Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound system. “Thanks to Bluetooth technology,” the company said in its press release, “voices and sounds can be recorded wirelessly at distances up to 100 feet.”

Sony is releasing a total of five new DVD Handycam camcorders for 2006. Throughout the DVD line, Carl Zeiss optics are employed to offer “exceptional video quality improved menu functions and access controls for greater ease of use, and enhanced digital still functionality,” according to Sony’s press release.

For their initial foray into the realm of hard disk-drive based models, Sony is offering the Handycam DCR-SR100. In addition to the Dolby 5.1 sound and center-channel Bluetooth microphone, the device records to a 30 gigabyte hard drive, which Sony says “eliminates the need for tapes or discs.” According to Sony, users can record up to seven hours of DVD-quality video or more than 21 hours in “long play” mode. The camcorder also offers 3-megapixel still capture in 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios, built-in flash, and a wide 2.7-inch “Swivel Screen” LCD display.

At the lower end of the price spectrum, Sony is offering up four new MiniDV Handycam models, with suggested retail prices starting at around $450 and ranging up to $950 for the top-of-the-line DCR-HC96, which will be released in February.