Sony HDR-GW77V: best underwater shooter ever?

The Gadget Show  Wednesday 06 June 2012

Sony has taken a dip in the pool of waterproof cameras with its new HDR-GWW77V Handycam. The Sony HDR-GW77V is what Sony calls a high quality waterproof camcorder capable of capturing full HD video even down to 16 feet of water. An “Underwater Mode” promises pictures won’t be left looking like a damp squib, with a camcorder fit to get you thinking about planning your own Jaws remake. More soggy details this way.

Waterproof cameras tend to leave a lot to be desired in the quality stakes, but in the Sony HDR-GW77V, Sony hopes to make some serious waves. The Sony HDR-GW77V records video in full HD, and promises high quality still photography using its 20.4-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor.


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That Underwater mode adjusts the white balance of underwater conditions to make underwater shoots appear more natural-looking. Waterproof up to a depth of 16 feet, dustproof, and proven to be shockproof at drops of 5 feet, the Sony HDR-GW77V sounds like quite the resilient camcorder.

Beneath the bravado is a decent array of features. Among them is Intelligent Sweep Panorama – a feature usually found in Sony’s Cyber-shot range, Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation, and 3-Way Shake-Cancelling for smoother video capture in even the most testing conditions.

Other useful Sony HDR-GW77V features include geotagging, a 10x optical zoom and 16GB flash memory. That’s enough room for four hours of HD content. The Sony HDR-GW77V is Sony’s way of bringing professional features from its Cyber-shot range to waterproof cameras.

Tempted underwater photographers will be able to get their hands on the Sony HDR-GW77V from later this month for around £453, so keep a look out for it once the Sony HDR-GW77V does hit the shops. Have you seen a better underwater camera? Let us know. 



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