Sony's NEX cameras
 

I've been following Sony's NEX cameras (APS-C, mirrorless interchangeable lens digital still camera) and there are strong indications that Sony will release it tomorrow. Some info has been leaked already. It's expected to shoot 720p in one model and 1080p in the other. Maybe only 30p, though. It should be very competitively priced against the Micro 4/3 cameras. If they sell a ton of these, the cost of APS-C sized sensors will go way down!

Interesting! I wonder how much?

Price should be less than $1000.

These cameras should have their own thread, almost missed the commentary.

Yes these could be very interesting, I know they supposedly were going to be compatilble with the Alpha mount, I see an adapter on the price list (boo, hiss, if they aren't directly compatible with the old Minolta aplha mount glass, but I suppose it's better than nothing), I see my stack of nice old glass coming out to play...

I was hoping Sony would get an full on DSLR body with video released (they are probably close), but this might do the trick. I think the indentations have to do with that nifty tilt screen (YEAH!), I would have liked touch screen, but as long as it's big and clear, 3" with tilt is nice.

I've been playing with the HX5V and TX7 - Sony's P&S cams with 1080p, and am pretty happy with the results overall - with a bigger sensor, interchangeable glass and better low light, they might well compete with much larger cameras.

The funny thing is that the "body"/imager will be dwarfed by the lenses most of the time!

Moved from "Sony prototype cinema camera shown at NAB" (no
idea why it was posted there) into its own thread where it belongs.

Area 51 material until officially announced. Left re-direct in News.

Thanks Chris, I was going to report, but your mind reading skills are so superior, no need!

These have been in the works for a while now, They were shown alongside mockup Alpha DSLR-Vs, and apparently will be released first. Will definitley be interesting.

I like that it's avchd instead of mov for the canons.

That was the *shortest* length of time any thread has been moved
into Area 51 and back out again. I think it was all of ten minutes.

En Espanol: Las NEX-5 y NEX-3, disponibles en junio por 600 y 500 euros, estrenan el nuevo sistema sin espejo de Sony

NEX 3 review: SONY NEX-3 [Review]

I probably should have elaborated on why I posted it there. The reason is I think this camera is a sign of things to come in Sony's "35mm roadmap." Granted it's not directly related to the video line, but it shows that Super35mm sized sensors capable of video don't necessarily have to be all that expensive and that the body around it could be pretty darn small. IMO, developments in still cameras are leading the way. They can give us clues as to what could happen in the video world. Just look at Micro 4/3. So hopefully it now makes sense why I posted it there.

Sony took long enough to get to the party, I just hope they brought the good stuff.

I can vouch for the HX5V and TX7 - they aren't bad, particularly for a video camera you can stick in your pocket. They aren't in the same league as a DSLR, but these new toys just might be...

European press release now on DVi News:

Sony Develops an Interchangeable Lens HD Camcorder at DVInfo.net

So it costs about the same as the T2i? Seems like the avchd is the only thing I definitely like better. Maybe because it is so much smaller... how about a helmet camera that has a s35 sensor? :)

EDIT: holy sh*! A super35 consumer level camcorder (SR11 sized)? Sony is crazy! I love it!!!

It's nice to see another big major like Sony moving affordable large sensor HD acquisition away from D-SLR and toward EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder, Interchangeable Lens), just like Panasonic did with their LUMIX GF-1. It gets rid of two completely unnecessary D-SLR components: the pentaprism and the mirror, both of which are useless for video.

Check out http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/NEX5/NEX5A.HTM

Great indeed. I am in the market for a new camcorder and video camera and I am glad I kept my money in my wallet. Many great developments lately. This looks like the home video camcorder I have been waiting for. Thank you Red for unleashing all of this.

The Imaging Resource article is very positive about these new cameras.

The full press release is up:

Sony Introduces NEX3 and NEX5 for HD at DVInfo.net

And it's on DP Review:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1005/10051102sonynex.asp

Dear Chris,

Do you have any information about the HDMI output?

I would like to learn if the HDMI output is available in "Live View".

Also, is the HDMI output high quality, or limited in quality like it is currently in other DSLR designs?

This camera is very interesting.

Hi Dan, I think it's probably too soon to tell for sure. The problem is that the "advance looks" that Sony and other manufacturers give out always go to photo-oriented review sites, which is a shame since they pay so very little attention to the video capabilities.

The only hint about HDMI that I have found so far comes from the specs listed at Sony Alpha NEX-5 Digital Camera - Full Review Data Sheet, Specifications and Information -- where it says N/A next to "Video Usable as Viewfinder" in the Connectivity section. Hmm, I suppose they're referring to live HD output over HDMI but who knows for sure? We don't -- yet -- but I'll work on making that happen.

sorry if im missing something obvious but im confused..

is it going to be a camcorder or a stills camera (form)??

the pics are completely different cameras..

Sony NEX mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras previewed: Digital Photography Review
Sony Develops an Interchangeable Lens HD Camcorder at DVInfo.net

Dear Chris,

Thank you.

We can always hope for a nice, clean, live HDMI output.

Just dug this one out of the specs at dpreview:

Sony NEX-5: AVCHD: 1920 x 1080i @ 17Mbps
Sony NEX-3: MP4:1280 x 720 p @ 9Mbps

I surely can see why people ask for live HDMI outputs.

Here's the Press conference:
YouTube - Sony Alpha NEX-5 & NEX-3 DSLR

Looking through some sample videos:

The NEX5 is being flagged as 1080i in a lot of places. The sample video i've seen shows 1080p at 60fps, it does look like p not i. There doesn't seem to be very much control over exposure/iso etc,. There's a beautiful video on youtube with landscapes but nothing in the video shows off the cameras - just the amazing landscape shots.

It doesn't seem that it is line skipping, however it's tough to tell through that god awful compression. I don't think it is and the moireing seen is more because the OLPF is not strong enough for video (fair enough it's a stills camera primarily)

I can see this as the beginning of something nice but i think Sony were very careful with the features of this camera and its audience.

The compression totally rules it out for anything other than family snaps. The lack of manual controls nail that coffin.

However it does bode well for their next efforts. Perhaps something in an alpha dSLR, the previewed handycam version and of course the cinema version they showed at NAB. Sony aren't stupid and so they'll be very careful with the features of each one. And the one we all want is the one shown at NAB

The decision for a new mount is odd but i'm sure they have their reasons.

I was kind of hoping this would be more and i'd drop canon and start down that road preparing for the bigger versions next year. However i don't think it's going to work well as a dSLR and the compression on the canons is better. I held off a 550D long enough, time to upgrade...

cheers
paul

i want it!
 

http://www.dvinfo.net/news/sony-deve...camcorder.html

nex video camera, launch in fall. Finally, a replacement for my A1U! (Should this be it’s own topic?)

The little interchangeable lens camcorder could be a hit, but please don't make me drop more $$ into Sony specific lenses. I know they probably will go that route since they're in business, and locking us into buying their lenses makes them more $$, but we've all got Nikon and Canon glass already, sure would be nice if it'll work on these cams.

I'm not sure about inter-changable camcorder. It really depends whether if offers pro quality because i really don't think consumers would want to change lenses. It could end up being a bit of a halfbreed. Time will tell.

I don't mind changing lens over. Lenses hold their value fairly well and a lot of the zeiss glass is very good on the sony side.

cheers
paul

Paul - I fully agree with your misgivings about a consumer level interchangeable lens camcorder. If Sony thinks they're making this camera for consumers they're nuts. The general consumer wants a camera that is easy to control with very little fuss and very little thought involved and a large sensor, shallow DOF, interchangeable lens camera doesn't seem to fit that description to me.

There is a niche market of lower end professionals and high end hobbyists that would eat up a camera like this, but it needs a few things to be a hit and move lots of units.
- ability to adapt Nikon and Canon lenses fairly easily
- 30p and 24p (as well as it's native 60i)
- 24mbps (or more)
- full manual control
- dual card slots w/redundant recording (ok, this one is a reach)
- 1080 monitor out via HDMI
- ability to tweak picture profiles
- Mic input

It has an 'E' mount. Is that new?
Just looking at the camera it's designed to not allow SLR lenses. The flange distance is too short.

edit: It seems it will allow some dslr lenses

The "E" mount is indeed new. Supposedly "E" stands for Eighteen,
which is the flange focal distance in millimeters for this camera line.

Looks pretty unwieldy to me...

Did a little early morning reading on these...

The "E" lenses are new (3 announced so far), there's an adapter for the Alpha mount, but you lose the auto functions. And I suspect the IS is in the new lenses as opposed to the body (as in the Alpha DSLRs), so you likely lose IS too... my interest just dropped to slightly above "0"...

Supposedly one of the reasons for Sonys delay into the DSLR market was the challenge of autofocus and exposure - the E lenses are designed to be fast and quiet (so they can auto focus/expose quickly and also not show up in the audio).

I'll wait and see what they come up with in the actual DSLR format with the traditional A mount. These look interesting at first (and that interchangeable lens handycam is an interesting new development), but after reading more on them, they sound like a "solution" looking for a market.

I already have Sonys little P&S models with 1080i - not perfect, and not much adjustability, but they are OK in low light (not great, but not bad considering), and video is fairly good. For a casual camera that shoots HD video (stills, burst, panorama, etc.) and sticks in your pocket (at half the price of the NEX cams), these do the job. The HX5V has a 28-250 zoom lens... $350 list...

I don't see a camera that has a whole new lens line you need to buy into, yet has limited control because of the small size, being a sensible product. I understand the limitations of the SLR lenses - they are big, heavy, and sometimes noisy, yet that's just the way it is - doesn't seem to be triping up people shooting Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc.

I can't see bolting the majority of A series lenses I have onto this little thing (and anyone have any idea about the tripod mount on the oddly shaped NEX5? Couldn't find any pix of that area of the cam, but...).

The big sensor is about the most interesting thing in the whole pie, but aside from being "interesting", and offering Sony some competitive product for the 4/3rds cameras, I'm not seeing it. Depending on what Sony announces later in the DSLR lne, may end up picking up a T2i...

imaging resource has a full review

NEWS! - Digital Cameras, Digital Imaging, Digital Photography, Digital Scanners

That's not the full Imaging Resource review -- this (linked earlier in this thread):

Link to Imaging resource full review of NEX series cameras

Sony USA Link:

NEX Cameras | Sony | Sony Style USA

And this announcment about a new Sony E-mount video camera being released later this year is interesting as well...

http://www.dvinfo.net/news/sony-deve...camcorder.html

Holy cow.. Panasonic > Sony ... whose next? All it takes is for Canon to make something like that. All of us with Canon lens would jump onto it with better audio and form factor at least!

New APS-C (S35) camcorder from Sony
 

It seems that besides the Cinema camcorder prototype that Sony shown at NAB, Sony is developing a more consumer oriented camcorder based on the just revealed NX-5 EVIL camera. Due in fall which means it will beat Panasonic's M4/3 by a margin.

Sneak Peek: New Sony Camcorder in Development SONY make.believe


My only concern, no Canon or Nikon mounts supported, at least initially.

The coming of age of the VDSLR revolution. Rejoice

"Its lack of manual control over video exposure parameters means that the Sony NEX-5 may not be a choice for serious video aficionados"

Sony Alpha NEX-5 Digital Camera Video - Full Review - The Imaging Resource!

bummer dude

I think as a community, we have to be prepared to do this dance for a while. When they release a "still-like" camera, it is not going to fit the bill for pro video work. The manufacturers know that if they did fit the bill with a $600 camera, bye bye to a percentage of the $6,000 sales.

But it is odd to me that consumers would be the target of shallow DOF cameras. Seems like this ilk of camera would be in no man's land. Anyway, I think the smart money is to hold off as long as one can before buying anything. It seems like the camera makers are tip toeing into this space and it might take a while before the good stuff comes out.

Without competitive models, the first versions can get away with being hampered a bit and I think we are all interested to see what/if Canon can come up with.

Given the obvious drive on Sony's part to reduce size to the absolute minimum in this class, I wouldn't expect to see Canon or Nikon mount support. And even when it does finally show up from a third party, it is likely to require an external lens support system given the small diameter of the E-mount system.

What interests me is Sony has so far announced:
1. Consumer still camera with video as a secondary function.
2. Consumer video camera with undoubtedly stills as a secondary function.

A new lens system like this begs for a professional NX5U / EX style body to plug into. Is it concievable that Sony will be trying to use the consumer space to drive lens volumes up / costs down, with a range of bodies from point-in-shoot to pro video? Or am I just hallucinating?

Bill -

I was looking at the adapter they are supposed to release for the Alpha lenses (buried on their website), looks to me like it actually has a tripod mount on it. Not a big surprise, the "body" is going to be dwarfed by most normal SLR lenses...

It is possible that Sony if trying to introduce a new class of "fast" lenses if they found it just wasn't effective to try to use lenses designed for manual/stills.

While it would be nice to have focus assist, part of the whole attraction of the DSLR is the manual control of DoF... so going all "auto" is sort of counterproductive in some ways...


Also, while that mockup of the video oriented camera used a "handycam" sort of shell, it looked mighty awkward - not something that will appeal to the consumer IMO - a larger, more useful bod with appropriate manual controls would seem far more appropriate, and since this was a "test balloon", I would expect the concept to be refined before it hits the street?

That camcorder mock-up is made of wood I believe so that design is far from complete. I read rumors that the NEX7 will have extra video modes besides 1080 60i to compete with the successor of the GH1 so if that ends up true, this mock-up should get them as well. That would be perfect!. This would be the true successor of the HC1 or even the FX7 for that matter. I've been very underwhelmed by camcorders Sony released since the HC1/A1u and I'm really hoping this will deliver. I suppose Sony will make a professional version with an XLR inputs adapter and possibly HD-SDI output.