The camera is set to appear on shelves in Japan from next month.

The high definition Handycam called HDR-FX1 cuts the cost of a professional video camera by about 90 percent but is still of high enough quality to be used for digital television broadcast, the company said.

It weighs two kilograms and is likely to be priced at just under 400,000 yen (3,600 dollars).

"This is the same format as used for high-vision broadcasting for television. This is the key for us," Kiyoshi Shikano, corporate vice president of Sony Marketing (Japan) Inc., told a news conference.

"It is a product that none of our competitors has," he said.

The product captures 1,440 pixels over 1,080 lines, which matches the quality of high definition television broadcasts. It is targeted at both professionals and video enthusiasts who edit their own home videos, he said.

Sony expects to sell 5,000 units in October alone after it begins sales of the HDR-FX1 in Japan on October 15. Sales in the United States start in November and by the end of the year in Asia and Europe.

Video from the new Handycam, which uses standard mini-DV tapes, can be transferred to Sony's VAIO personal computer via a digital interface.

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