3MOS Sensor - splits the light information captured by the lens into the three primary colours - red, green and blue - and processes each colour with its own individual sensor. This reduces light loss compared to the 1MOS sensor, and renders colours, details and gradation all with intricate detail and natural beauty.

Leica Dicomar 12x Lens - This high-end lens brings out all the beauty of Full-HD images and features 35mm wide angle so you can capture more in the shot – especially handy for groups, tight interior shots etc.

240GB Hard Disk Drive/SDHC/SDXC* memory card recording –Record video or stills to the HS700’s massive 240GB internal hard drive or to SD/SDHC and now extra capacity SDXC* memory cards for complete flexibility and easy transfer of your video footage. Relay Recording mode automatically switches from the built-in HDD (once it's full) to the SDXC/SDHC/SD Memory Card and continues recording. You don't have to worry about missing an important shot while switching media.

Power O.I.S. Optical Image Stabiliser – The corrective ability of POWER O.I.S. has been increased by five times compared to previous models, allowing it to correct even slight hand-shake, something that wasn't possible with conventional O.I.S.

Manual Ring - gives you easy, fingertip control over focus, zoom and exposure settings. You'll find using the ring a much more intuitive, comfortable, user-friendly process than accessing a menu screen.

Face Recognition – recognizes the faces of registered subjects, and automatically optimizes the focus and exposure for those special people. It continues to track the subject as he or she moves anywhere within the LCD frame.

Intelligent Contrast – Intelligent Contrast Control detects the ambient light level and adjusts the exposure accordingly, helping to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows.

Smile Shot - automatically detects subject smiles, and captures the best possible still image even while you're shooting movies.

Intelligent Auto / Scene Detection - shooting conditions are detected, and the optimal Scene mode is automatically selected. Even if the subject should change, there's no need to manually redo the settings, so you can concentrate entirely on your shot.

Still Picture Recording - lets you shoot with a maximum resolution of 14.2 megapixels. You can also simultaneously record still images and video at 13.3 megapixels.

Quick Power On – wakes in standby mode in approx. 1.0 seconds, ready to shoot when you are.

Touch Screen LCD - Control settings are made by simply touching the LCD screen. Operation is intuitive and easy, and the large letters are easy to read. Auto Power automatically adjusts the brightness for night or day shooting. Features a wide 170 degree viewing angle.

Composition Guide Lines - With wide LCD monitors, it's hard to keep images perfectly level. The LCD has horizontal and vertical Composition Guide Lines that make it easy to keep the subject straight and level.

AF-AE Subject Tracking - Touch the LCD screen to indicate the subject, such as a person or an animal, that you want to focus on, and let AF/ AE Tracking do the rest. The camera locks on the subject and follows it around, keeping it in sharp focus and properly exposed.

On-Screen Assist - Ideal for making fine brightness adjustments that are difficult to see in the LCD. Features Zebra Pattern, Brightness Level and Live Histogram

Electronic Viewfinder - easy to use and convenient for focusing and other adjustments.

High Speed Burst (60fps) - take up to 60 consecutive still images in a second, or up to 180 consecutive shots in 3 seconds. You can use it to analyse a golf swing, tennis stroke or other motion. You also can use it to get good shots of subjects in fast motion.

Time Lapse Recording - uses longer frame intervals than standard shooting. You can use this function to capture shortened or condensed footage of events that actually take place over a much longer time period.

Soft Skin Mode - When this function detects skin tones, it softens the focus in that area. This has a skin beautifying effect, which makes wrinkles and lines appear less noticeable.

Highlight Playback - Select the days of the recordings you want to see, and this innovative function automatically selects the most exciting scenes, arranges them, and plays them, with music.

Pre Rec Function - records three seconds of images even before you actually begin shooting. Helps ensure that you won't miss the start of a moment you want to record.

Tele Macro - shoot macro close-ups while maintaining a distance of 70cm from your subject.

5.1 Channel Dolby Surround Sound – records 5.1 channel surround sound using 5 built-in mics for realistic sounding audio to match your high def images.

Wind Noise Canceller - automatically detects and suppresses only wind noise, to give you natural sounds with lifelike ambience. Also has bass control.

Microphone and Headphone Jacks – Improve audio capture by using an external microphone. Also incorporates a headphone jack so you can monitor your audio recording levels.

Digital Cinema Mode - shoots in the progressive 1080/25p format. Progressive scanning captures clear, vibrant images with intricate detail and an appealing film-like quality. Ideally suited to the Digital Cinema Colour of VIERA Plasma TV’s.

HDMI Output with Viera Link – connect to a HDTV using mini-HDMI to HDMI cable (sold separately) for easy playback of HD video and audio. If you have a Viera the TV remote will operate the camcorder.

Editing, Archiving and YouTube™ Uploading - HD Writer AE2.1 software, included with the camcorder, makes it easy to play or edit videos on your PC and have more fun when the shooting’s done. Encode with a single making it easy to upload your favourite videos to YouTube™.

Easy Archiving - has a USB Host function that lets you connect directly to a DVD burner (sold separately) via a USB cable. Then just press a button and you can copy the moving images you recorded from the SD card to a DVD disc.