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› posts tagged ‘Sony’

Sony Announces Drop-Dead Gorgeous Update to Bloggie Camcorder

So, while we kinda liked the quirky little original Bloggies, we’ll forgive you if they weren’t quite your thing (especially if a camcorder in the color “Eggplant” weirded you out a bit). But, we have to say, there’s a lot to like about the refresh to the Bloggies, and it starts with “ooooh” and ends with “aaaah.”

I mean, really, take a look at this metal-clad bit of gorgeous over here. This is everything the last gen wasn’t, and borrows heavily from their T-series CyberShots. Which is not a bad thing.

Under the hood, you’re looking at an f2.8 “wide angle” lens with the pocket-cam standard 4x digital zoom. Hard specs aren’t listed yet, we don’t know exactly how wide the lens is, and we also know it’ll have internal memory this time (a much better idea all around than its predecessor’s Memory Stick hangups) in 4 and 8GB sizes, but no suggestion as to how many minutes of footage those will hold.

We do know it’ll do 1080 HD in MP4 format, and can take 12.8 megapixel still with its CMOS sensor. We also know that it’ll have a touch interface, and easy sharing to YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, and Picasa. The software is preinstalled on the device, and the USB plug is also built-in this time, making this a full-on Flip competitor now.

And, of course, it’s Sony, who is one of the biggest names in consumer video and who have been cranking out absolutely stellar HD-ready devices for the past couple years, so we have little doubt it will return anything but wonderful video quality.

The 4GB will be about $180, the 8GB about $200. We’ve heard black and silver, but could swear we saw pink kicking around too. Still, even without pink, they seem safer color than the last model’s silver, orange, and purple.



Sony Announces 35mm, 85mm, and Zeiss 24mm Primes

Sony has also announced three new primes, one of which carries the Zeiss branding. As usual, the names of the lenses really tell you all the pertinent bits, and so, without further ado, those names are:

  • F2.0, 24 mm Carl Zeiss Distagon T* ZA SSM lens
  • F1.8, 35 mm Sony DT lens
  • F2.8, 85 mm Sony lens

The two Sony-branded lens are quite economic (although beware that the DT designation means it will only work on their crop bodies, A800 and 900 series users need not apply), at $200 for the 35mm, and $250 for the 85mm. The Zeiss carries a Zeiss-worthy price tag and will set you back a cool $1,250 when it hits the market.



Sony Introduces Alpha A580 and A560 DSLRs

While not the most exciting cameras Sony trotted out today, Sony’s upgrades to it’s 500-series DSLRs are still very solid. They use the dual-sensor system for Live View Sony is renowned for using to date, so even in Live View you get to keep the phase-detect AF. But, that AF module has been upgraded now to 15 points with 3 of them being the better cross-type points.

The A580 will sport a 16 megapixel sensor, and the A560 a 14 megapixel one. They’ll both record 1080i HD video with audio either via intenral mic or via an external phono jack.

Continuing Sony’s trend of putting all its new features into every camera going forward, these DSLRs will support the Sweep Panorama, 3D Sweep Panorama, Auto HDR, and Handheld Twilight modes first introduced on other models, such as the NEX line.

And the “Smart Teleconvertor” digital zoom button has been replaced by a direct movie button. Good call, Sony. Good call.

Of course they maintain the 3″ vari-tilt LCDs and internal sensor-shift image stabilization of the Alpha line up. The controls has been jiggered a bit to hopefully be even more ergonomic, and so forth.

We’re unsure if the A580 is slated for a US release, but the A560 will be available sometime early next year. So, don’t worry current 500 series owners, you’ve got a few months yet to save up your pennies and dimes for the next upgrade.



Sony Introduces Alpha A55 / A55V and A33 DSLRs with Semi-Transparent Pellicle Mirrors

Once again Sony is reworking an already tried idea and claiming it as its own (the last time it did this was with the dual-sensor live view DSLRS, actually pioneered by the Olympus E-330), and once again we’ll probably let them get away with it because what they’re doing is admittedly quite cool. This time they’re reviving an idea Canon apparently tried in the 60′s of using a semi-transparent mirror. The idea was a third of the light went through the viewfinder, and 2/3 through to the film, and the mirror didn’t have to flip. It also meant the viewfinder was dark and the shots needed 1/3 stop more exposure, but hey, kudos for trying.

The Sony is a bit different. As you might know, Sony’s goal has been to make live view as seamless a process as possible, and they’re dedicated to bringing the faster, mirror-requiring phase detect auto-focus speeds to a system that normally requires the use of slower contrast-detect. Their first solution was the previously mentioned dual sensors. If you turned on live-view it shifted the mirror to bounce the light not through the viewfinder, but onto a secondary imaging sensor for live-view output. This allowed the mirror to continue bouncing part of the light into the same auto-focus sensor the camera used in regular mode.

This new solution uses a mirror that’s mostly transparent, it’s only enough of a mirror to redirect enough light into the auto-focus sensor for it to work. The rest barrels straight through the mirror and onto the sensor. This means that an optical viewfinder isn’t possible, and Sony gets around this by using a new time-multiplexed electronic viewfinder with a resolution equivalent to 1,152,000 dots (Canon and Nikon’s high-end offerings only have 921,000 dots on their 3″ screens, for comparison). What you’re left with is an SLR style camera with full-time Live View and full-time phase-detect auto-focus. Sony’s calling the tech “SLT” or “Single Lens Transluscent.” Sounds good to us.

So, these SLTs are neat in concept, and Sony doesn’t let it slide to gimmick by backing them with a host of the usual DSLR features. The A55V will have a 16 megapixel sensor, a GPS module, and thanks to that non-flipping mirror it can shot those 16mp images at 10 frames a second. (There’ll be an A55, too, we hear, but not in the US, and it won’t have the GPS). The A33 is only a paltry 14 megapixels, no GPS, and can only crank along at 7 frames per second. They both use those high-end EVFs, and both sport 3″ 921,000 dot center-hinged tilt-swivel LCDs on the back. And of course they have SteadyShot sensor-shift image stabilization.

The SLT tech also lets them have full 1080i HD movies modes with full-time auto-focus, so that’s a win.

They’ll both also feature those shiny new Sony features the high end compacts and NEX cams have been using, like Sweep Panorama, 3D Sweep Panorama, Auto HDR, and Handheld Twilight modes.

They’ll record to Memory Stick or the much more reasonable SD/SDHC/SDXC.

These two models will reportedly start shipping sometime in October, the A55V will be $750 body only, $850 with an 18-55. The A33 will be $650 body only, $750 with 18-55mm.



Engadget gets a hands-on with the NEX-VG10 interchangeable lens camcorder

In pretty much no time after the information came out, Engadget had the chance to fondle up Sony’s next NEX entry -the NEX-VG10 camcorder. While I think they whine a bit about having to rack the lens manually to zoom -it’s an 18-200mm objective lens, boys. I suppose it’d be nice to have a motor do it, but keeping it quiet for AF during video recording seems like it’d be a lot harder. Anyway, check ‘em out on the source link and clear your inter-tubes so you can watch their HD footage on youtube.



Sony Announces NEX-VG10 Camcorder, Makes Derek Choke On Coffee

OK, so, make no mistake here, we’re all very interested in Sony’s kinda revolutionary new camcorder. It combines things we like, like big ol’ Sony Alpha sensors, BIONZ processors, and the ability to take those new E-Mount lenses that we’re coming to be duly impressed with on their NEX-3 and NEX-5 still shooters. So don’t get us wrong, this is cool.

But, it’s hard to read a statement like this one from the press release and not have a bit of a laugh:

“The NEX-VG10 takes Sony’s Handycam line to the next level by allowing unprecedented artistic expression that isn’t possible with conventional consumer video cameras,” said Andy Bubala, director of Sony’s camcorder business. “With this camcorder, video enthusiasts and photographers can now capture cinematic full HD movies and premium stereo sound.”

Yeee-up, way to call it Sony, tackling those impossible things like premium sound and HD. Certainly those were way more difficult to bring to a consumer level than say, insanely shallow depth of field relative to even most professional camcorders, or the comparatively affordable flexibility of the well-made, sharp, and reassuringly metal-clad E lenses. For reals, yo.

We jest. We do. Sony’s been cranking out nothing but stellar things for a bit now, and they were already one of the very best in consumer camcorders. This can only be a remarkable device once it finally gets here, and if the still equivalents are any indication, it’s performance will float somewhere around “magic-like.”

Oh, and it’ll take Memory stick or SDHC/SDXC. And did we mention full HD video and premium sound? Yeah?

Sony’s saying “September” and around “$2,000″ in their press release. We’ll see what happens.



Sony NEX Firmware Adds 3-D Panorama

Alright! Now Sony’s showing us how it’s done right here, folks. No wussy firmware update fixing boring things like problems, bugs, or the intermittent inability to turn on. No sir, such things are not fit for the likes of the NEX-3 and NEX-5s. You know what you need? New features so that you’ll buy one of them there new Bravia TVs with 3-D support, that’s what.

And, so, it’s lucky for you that Sony has bumped both current NEX models up to firmware v 02, adding 3-D sweep panormas t the existing sweep panorama mode. As far as we’ve heard, you’ll be needing one of those Bravia TVs to play the result back, but that’s a small price to pay for coolness, right?

Got a jonesing for some firmware? Looks like Sony Europe’s got the goods up already.



Third-Party Third-Party Adapters Reported For Sony E-Mount

So, those Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 interchangeable lens compacts that are coming out and that we didn’t shoot a sneaky snarky cloak-and-dagger video of we certainly don’t know what you’re talking about, well, like the Micro Four Thirds system from Olmpusonic (Olympus/Panasonic), their lack of a mirror yields a shallow flange-back distance. This distance, put in over-simplistic terms, is the distance from the imaging plane to the back of the mount. Now, this is interesting, because since it’s shorter than any 35mm based system (that includes APS-C bodies, actually), you can create adapters that let you mount basically any lens ever made onto it and still maintain infinity focus. Leica? Sure, why not? Nikon F? Of course. Canon FD? Hey, those lenses have to still be good for something.

And, just like there are quite a few mounts floating around for the Micro-Four Thirds system, we’re starting to hear word there’ll be the same third party style mount adapters to convert Sony E to your favorite legacy whatever (all manual, of course). Early ones are sound expensive, but if you’ve been wanting a nice digital body to strap to your dusty collection of Pentax primes, well, it sure makes an NEX seem more appealing, doesn’t it?



Sony Updates Entry-level D-SLR offerings

Side by side, the a-290 and a-390

We’re looking again at Sony’s interchangeable lens line. This time the entry-side Alphas. (Aside, I’d like to note that I’m a little sad that their E-mount isn’t also named for a Greek letter, but Eta mount or Epsilon mount might have thrown a few people if the Greek character were used. Similarly Omega would be hilarious, but I don’t think they’re allied with the Indianapolis Colts.) From a-230 and a-380, we’re getting the a-290 and a-390. It appears that the 90s will be running concurrently with their predecessors for a bit.

Most notably the resolution gets a 40% jump from 10.2 to 14MP on the a-290 and the handgrip has been redesigned for both models. The finish on each has been homogenized. The 290 lacks live-view, but retains wireless flash control, and SDHC support.

The 390, on the other hand, has a tilting LCD, Live view (with a dedicated sensor) and the same resolution as the 380.

You can read more detailed previews here, here, and here.



Raw Footage and the Sony NEX-5

So, remember that thing, that system that Sony announced recently? You know? yeah? What was it, interchangeable lens compact, tiny body, Alpha sensor, new “E” mount lenses? Ringing any bell? No?

Well, then you probably have no idea why all the hush-hush cloak-and-dagger in this video. Oh well, you should watch it anyway.

And learn.

Executive Panther out.