[caption id="attachment_5797" align="alignright" width="150"]Sony FCB-EV7500 Sony FCB-EV7500 High Definition Color Block Camera[/caption] Sony’s name on a camera belies an admired, first-class product, and the new Sony FCB-EV7500 is the epitome of what that name stands for. New to the Sony dynasty, this compact Color Block Camera with Visibility Enhancement holds its own when it comes to being a full High Definition (HD) 1080/60p camera. With a high-performance 1/2.8-type Exmor™ CMOS image sensor (approximately 2.14 million effective pixels), that supports 3G SDI (Serial Digital Interface) and Full HD (high definition), capturing high-quality, crisp, images at 360x optical zoom ratio (30x zoom/12x digital) is a snap! This newcomer inherited a multitude of useful features from Sony’s world-renowned FCB Series, including Wide-D, Auto ICR (Infrared Cut-filter Removal), and Spherical Privacy Zone Masking, and intrinsically is suitable for a variety of applications such as Security Monitoring, Intelligent Traffic, Remote Monitoring, Inspection and Video Conferencing. Exhibiting a VISCA (a Sony trademark) communications protocol, enables the FCB-EV7500 to be remotely controlled from a host computer/controller. With the VISCA remote control ability, this industrial camera’s applications multiply, and allow it to be placed in underwater, unmanned vehicles. Integration flexibility is further supported by both 30-pin micro coaxial (digital output) and 24-pin FFC (analog output) interfaces. The FCB-EV7500’s integrated zoom optics are advantageous when seeking the most detailed images, with the greatest picture resolution.Video signal outputs are available in a range of HD (digital and analog) and SD (Secure Digital) formats, reducing integration cost and complexity by precluding the need for additional analog/ digital converters. Video output modes can be changed quickly and easily during normal operation, without a hardware reboot of the camera. Moving image details are captured without blur, thanks to its progressive scanning feature, and its high quality lens presents a bright F1.6 maximum aperture, achieving excellent zooming performance with its 30x optical zoom lens. Fast zoom control from wide end to telescopic, allow it to be ideal for transitions from wide area coverage to detailed close-ups. The FCB-EV7500’s Wide-Dynamic (Wide-D) range image processing technology provides clear detailed images in high-contrast or backlit environments. With the Auto ICR (Auto IR-cut Filter Removal), in low light conditions, the camera automatically switches from day to night mode, removing the IR-cut filter to boost sensitivity for clear pictures in near-darkness. Safeguarding picture quality even in low-light (less than 1.4 lux) surroundings, low-noise images can be captured utilizing the advanced 2D/3D Noise Reduction technology where the noise is filtered from the image for clearer results (1080p60 video). Increasing the FCB-EV7500’s versatility and operation, numerous functions are included enabling it to adapt to various scenarios. A few of its included characteristic attributes are:  White Balance modes; Picture effects (E-Flip, Nega Art, Black & White, Mirror Image, Color Enhancement); Motion Detection/Alarm; Picture freeze; VE De-fog/De-mist; Spherical Privacy Zone Masking; Temperature readout; Slow AE response; Electronic shutter/ slow shutter; and Title display/Camera mode display in English. Let’s say the camera is mounted in an outside windy area or an area with mechanical vibration- with its built-in image stabilizer, shaky images caused by low-frequency vibration are a thing of the past! Practical for outdoor surveillance applications, the image stabilizer and optical/digital zoom (Stable Zoom) are combined, producing enhanced picture quality, while securing the original horizontal angle of view, thus safeguarding image size and reducing blurring. Weighing a mere 9.2 ounces (260 g), and compact in size at 2 x 2 3/8 x 3 5/8 inches (50 x 60 x 89.7 mm), this small, lightweight camera is suitable for space restricted applications … and when placed in a waterproof camera housing, it becomes a valuable resource for assessing underwater waterways, to ensure a clear, unobstructed path is available. With this type of innate flexibility, the Sony FCB-EV7500 is a color block camera whose purposes are more than varied!