The SDR-H85 records a large volume of movie image data onto its hard disk and an SDXC, SDHC, or SD Memory Card. The built-in 80-GB hard disk stores approximately 74 hours and 30 minutes of data (in LP mode), while a 64-GB SDXC Memory Card (sold separately) stores about 60 hours and 30 minutes of data (in LP mode). This makes the H85 ideal for recording long events and for use on extended trips.

This compact camcorder features a powerful 70x optical zoom lens with an Enhanced Optical 78x Zoom function that uses the effective area of the CCD to further extend their zooming power at the wide-angle setting. This makes it possible to capture beautiful images of sweeping landscapes and pull in distant subjects for truly dynamic close-ups.

Because hand-shake becomes increasingly noticeable with more powerful zooming, an optical image stabilizing function is essential for suppressing hand-shake and providing clear zoom shots without degradation. This is where Advanced O.I.S. comes in. It detects and corrects hand-shake at a rate of 4,000 times per second, to provide stable images while zooming. Plus, the addition of a new Active mode produces clear, blur-resistant images even when shooting while walking.

The 33mm* wide-angle setting is especially convenient when shooting video indoors or in tight spaces. It makes it possible to shoot at a close distance from the subject while fitting both the subject and the surrounding area into the frame. This has the added benefit of allowing the voice of the subject to be clearly recorded, which is an important element in video recordings. The new wide-angle setting captures beautiful images of wide landscapes and allows large groups of people to fit into the frame. * 35mm-lens equivalent.

The iA function includes an AF/AE Tracking feature that tracks a moving subject to make sure that it continues to be recorded in optimal image quality. A new Intelligent Contrast Control, which automatically adjusts brightness to maintain the best possible contrast, has also been added to the five advanced functions from previous models, including Face Detection, Advanced O.I.S., and Intelligent Scene Selector, and each is activated as required by simply pressing the iA button to capture beautiful images under virtually all shooting situations.