IRL: Sony’s NEX-5N interchangeable lens camera and Mailplane 3

Posted on 26/08/2013 by Engadget staff

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

IRL: Sony's NEX-5N interchangeable lens camera and Mailplane 3

It's been a while (four months, actually) since we've featured a camera in "IRL," but today we're breaking that dry spell as we explain what it's like to live with Sony's NEX-5N. Meanwhile, Mailplane 3 is great for Gmail power users (or so says Darren), but you'll need to own a Mac -- and, you know, feel OK spending $25 for the update.

Filed under: Cameras, Misc, Software

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Fotodiox brings 140-megapixel images to your NEX, medium format lens not included

Posted on 07/03/2013 by Steve Dent

Fotodiox has a new take on E-mount lens adapters that'll give you 140-megapixel images by performing an interesting trick: moving the camera. The rather spendy device uses an interchangeable lens mount that accepts either Pentax 645, Mamiya 645 or Hasselblad V medium format lenses, coupled with a moveable platform to mount your Sony NEX. When ready to fire, you check the built-in exposure screen to frame the shot and the system moves the NEX around to grab images at predetermined, "precisely-positioned" locations in the lens' field of view. After stitching it all together in Photoshop or similar software, the result is either a panorama or medium format photo (depending on camera orientation) -- 140-megapixels' worth in the case of a Sony NEX-7. Besides the $500 adapter, the aforementioned medium format lens and a tripod, you'll likely require a healthy dollop of patience to use it, too -- and forget about video, of course. Check the PR after the break for more.

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Via: Sony Alpha Rumors

Sony grows E-mount lens collection with 20mm pancake, 18-200mm power zoom

Posted on 23/01/2013 by Zach Honig

One of the most common criticisms circling Sony's NEX lineup and mirrorless cameras as a whole is limited lens selection, so we're always happy to see new high-end optics make their debut. Today, Sony's doing its part to make its products more appealing by adding two new lenses (for a total of 13): a 20mm f/2.8 pancake and a 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS powered-zoom optic, which first made its debut with the VG30 camcorder, but will now be available as a standalone purchase. That first model will ship in April for $350, while the zoom lens will be available in March for $1,200. Photography buffs can catch a few more details in the PR just past the break.

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Sony Expands Lens Lineup for α E-Mount Camera System with New Wide-Angle and Telephoto Models

New 20mm f/2.8 "pancake" lens and Video-friendly 18-200mm f/3.5 - f/6.3 "Power Zoom" lens extend creative possibilities

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 22, 2013 - Sony is expanding its popular E-mount camera system with the addition of two new lenses compatible with all α E-Mount cameras and semi-professional camcorders.

New 20mm F2.8 'pancake' wide angle lens (model SEL20F28)

When mounted on any Sony α E-Mount camera, the sharp new SEL20F28 "pancake" lens creates an exceptionally versatile, portable package ideal for a broad range of everyday shooting opportunities ranging from interiors to landscapes, street photography, casual snapshots and more.

The new lens features an ultra-slim design approximately 20mm from lens front to back, and with its wide angle of view (30mm on 35mm equivalent) and bright F2.8 aperture, it produces excellent contrast, resolution and clarity across the frame for both still image and full HD video shooting.

New 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Powered Telephoto Zoom Lens (model SELP18200)

Originally offered only as a kit lens for the new NEX-VG30 camcorder introduced this past fall, the new SELP18200 powered telephoto zoom lens will now be available for purchase as a stand-alone lens.

Designed for serious videographers, the high-quality lens offers a generous 11x magnification range and whisper-quiet power zoom mechanics, focusing and aperture operation. This allows for smooth cinematic transitions when adjusting zoom level or manual settings during shooting. It features a comfortably positioned zoom lever that works with a switch on the lens barrel, allowing zoom speed to be selected in three different steps - from slow, beautiful shifts in perspective to dramatic crash-zoom effects. Zoom can also be controlled directly from compatible NEX-VG900, NEX-VG30 and NEX-FS700 (requires firmware update) video cameras.

The new lens also has built-in Optical SteadyShot[TM], which cuts the effects of camera shake and minimizes camera blur while shooting handheld at slower shutter speeds. Additionally, Active Mode further enhances stabilization at the wide end of the 11x zoom range ensuring smooth, stable footage even if the shooter is in motion. While the new SELP18200 lens is optimized for video, it's also a flexible choice for shooting still photography - from expansive landscapes to high impact close-ups of wildlife or athletes - with Sony's α E-Mount range of interchangeable lens still cameras.

Sony α E-mount lens family expansion

These new models expand the Sony E-mount family to 13 native E-mount lenses plus two converters, covering virtually any shooting situation for photographers and videographers alike. Spanning ultra-wide angle, powerful telezoom, macro and fast, bright primes, the range includes premium optics by Sony and Carl Zeiss, and offers refined performance and easy handling throughout the line.

Pricing and Availability

The new E 20mm F2.8 (SEL20F28) wide-angle prime lens will be available this April for about $350.

The new E PZ18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS (SELP18200) motorized telezoom lens will be available this March for about $1200.

The Sony α family of cameras, camcorders, lenses and accessories can be purchased at Sony retail stores, online at www.store.sony.com and at all other authorized retailers throughout the Sony dealer network.

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

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Sony rumored to be developing full-frame mirrorless camera, release could come in 2014

Posted on 21/12/2012 by Zach Honig

This September, Sony disrupted the point-and-shoot market with the announcement of a full-frame compact model -- the $2,800 Cyber-shot RX1. On the same day, the company shared news of its first full-frame HD video camera, the NEX-VG900, representing Sony's third imaging product line to pack the 35mm chip. Now, it looks like the Japanese electronics giant is fast approaching the industry's final frontier, with rumored plans to launch a full-frame mirrorless model in late 2013 or early 2014. Sony Alpha Rumors has reportedly confirmed the news with multiple sources, adding that the TBD model has reached the "final stage of development," and that a 24-megapixel and 30+ MP prototype are currently undergoing testing.

The camera is expected to be slightly larger than the NEX-7, and should include a native E-mount, with A-mount lens compatibility (for full-frame shooting) to be offered as well. We've reached out to Sony for confirmation, but, considering that the rumored product is a year or so out, we don't expect a reply. Still, based on the company's recent announcements, a full-frame mirrorless ILC doesn't seem so far-fetched, and we can't think of a better manufacturer to take on such a project than Sony.

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

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Via: PetaPixel

Source: Sony Alpha Rumors

Sony 16-50mm retractable zoom lens to ship in February for $349

Posted on 14/12/2012 by Zach Honig

Sony NEX-6 kit owners have been shooting with it for weeks, but the company's 16-50mm retractable zoom lens isn't quite yet available as a standalone purchase. That's set to change early next year -- reps have told us that the lens should hit stores by mid-February, while the optic's own product page now lists an estimated ship date of February 3rd. The lens, which ships with the NEX-6 for a $150 premium (compared to the $850 body-only price), delivers a focal range similar to that of Sony's larger 18-55mm optic, matching that version's f/3.5-5.6 aperture as well. It's compatible with E-mount cameras, including select Handycam camcorders and discontinued models like the NEX-C3. It was also slated to ship as part of an NEX-5R kit for $800, but the company has scrapped plans for that particular package. For now, you can hit up Sony's site at the source link below to hop on the pre-order list.

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

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Source: Sony

Sony Alpha firmware updates bring record button disabling on NEX-7, DSLR lens improvements

Posted on 18/10/2012 by Zach Honig

Sony's NEX-7 may be fast approaching its first birthday, but that doesn't mean the company's ready to give up on pushing out updates. The camera's first new firmware version, 1.01, should be hitting today, bringing with it the ability to disable the Movie Record button to avoid accidental taps (finally!), boosted image quality with a wide-angle lens, improved audio playback and expanded EV bracketing. An option to disable the EVF eye sensor doesn't appear to be included with this revision, unfortunately. Other updates hitting at the same time include E-mount lens firmware v.01 that'll enable NEX-5R/NEX-6 Hybrid AF functionality with older lenses, A65/A77 firmware v1.06 and A37/A57 firmware v1.03, both of which deliver the ability to enable/disable the movie record button while also adding a variety of lens compensation options for select Alpha optics. All of these updates should now be live -- head over to the source link below for the hook-up.

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

Sony Alpha firmware updates bring record button disabling on NEX-7, DSLR lens improvements originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony announces NEX-VG30 and full-frame NEX-VG900 Handycams, we go hands-on

Posted on 12/09/2012 by Zach Honig

A full-frame camcorder for roughly 3 grand? Meet the Sony NEX-VG900 Handycam -- the company's first 35mm HD video camera. Taking cues from its Alpha A99, which was just announced today, Sony brought that camera's 24.3-megapixel full-frame sensor to a camcorder form factor, delivering shallow depth-of-field and much improved low-light sensitivity in a more practical package. The VG900 is compatible with E-mount lenses, and it's a fine stills shooter (like the A99, it's capable of 14-bit RAW captures), but it's best suited for high-end video production, where it offers 1080p recording at 24 or 60 frames-per-second through a sensor that features 45 times the area of a conventional camcorder. This model even adds some of Sony's picture effects from the stills line, such as soft focus and miniature mode, while certain filters, like partial color and high-contrast monochrome can even be added to video.

Also on order for today is the NEX-VG30 -- the successor to the VG20 -- which offers many of the same features, but with a 16.1-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor instead. If you're looking for a capable Handycam and don't want to spring for full-frame, this is your match. Both models include 270-degree swivel 921k-dot touch-enabled TruBlack LCDs and XGA OLED eye-level electronic viewfinders, along with Sony's new Multi Interface Shoe, which enables XLR microphone inputs through an optional accessory. The Handycams offer a new zoom seesaw level with multiple speeds for smooth, silent lens adjustments. There's also digital zoom functionality, which is likely to be more appropriate for the VG900, since that model's full-frame sensor has the pixels to spare. That flavor is quite costly, coming in at $3,299 without a lens, though an LA-EA3 mount adapter is included so you can attach full-frame-capable A-mount lenses. The VG30, for its part, will retail for $1,800 body only, or $2,700 when paired with Sony's new 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS power zoom lens -- a $300 savings, considering that optic's $1,200 standalone price tag. The VG900 is slated to ship beginning in late October, while the VG30 will hit stores in November, but you can take a closer look right now in our hands-on gallery below.

Gallery: Sony NEX-VG900 and NEX-VG30 hands-on

Continue reading Sony announces NEX-VG30 and full-frame NEX-VG900 Handycams, we go hands-on

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Sony announces NEX-VG30 and full-frame NEX-VG900 Handycams, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial (hands-on video)

Posted on 12/09/2012 by Zach Honig

Does the NEX lineup need another model? Sony reckons it does. Meet the NEX-6. The company's latest mirrorless camera looks nearly identical to last year's top-of-the-line NEX-7, with the exception of a new dedicated mode dial, that lets you switch between aperture- and shutter-priority, manual, or scene modes with a hardware control rather than a need to jump into the menu. It offers the same pop-up flash (with a bit more power), a 3-inch 921k-dot TruBlack tilting LCD, an identical 2,359k-dot OLED electronic viewfinder and a strikingly familiar design. And that's where the similarities screech to a grinding halt.

The NEX-6 is a hybrid camera of sorts, merging the best of the NEX-7 and the new 5R into a compact ILC that Sony says is its first to offer "full DSLR functionality." You won't be able to snag full-frame captures, as with Sony's brand new Alpha A99, but the 16.1-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor should get you well on your way. There's also low-light shooting through ISO 25,600, 1080/60p video, a 10 frames-per-second continuous shooting mode, the new Fast Hybrid autofocus system first introduced with the NEX-5R and a new Multi Interface Shoe that lets you interface with a bunch of new accessories, including a hot shoe-mounted XLR mic input rig ($800). Join us past the break for our impressions and hands-on video.

Gallery: Sony NEX-6 hands-on

Continue reading Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial (hands-on video)

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Sony NEX-6 mirrorless cam squeezes in between 5R and 7 with WiFi, EVF and dedicated mode dial (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony NEX-6 spotted in the wild, electronic viewfinder and mode dial in tow

Posted on 04/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

We've had furtive glances of Sony's upcoming NEX-6 before, but only in the very clinical space of a government test lab. Apparently, no mere agency can confine it: photography workshop director Vincent Kang has posted a photo of the pre-release mirrorless camera on Weibo for all to see. Posing next to 24mm and 50mm lenses, the NEX-6 looks to be very much the in-between camera we suspected it was, without as much dedicated control as the NEX-7 but still carrying an electronic viewfinder, a pop-up flash and a dedicated function key near the shutter release. The dedicated mode dial is also more conspicuous -- there's no question that Sony wants to free up controls on the back for the future camera's more experienced target audience. Between the new design and the already known inclusion of WiFi, it's looking as though the NEX-6 may hit the sweet spot for shooters who want more control than the NEX-5R without sacrificing all its newer features. We just need to wait for official launch details to make it all real.

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Sony NEX-6 spotted in the wild, electronic viewfinder and mode dial in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony announces 16.1MP NEX-5R with Fast Hybrid AF, WiFi and downloadable apps (hands-on video)

Posted on 29/08/2012 by Zach Honig

Sony's entry-level NEX-C3 was recently updated with the NEX-F3, so it was only a matter of time before the company's mid-range mirrorless model scored a successor of its own. Keeping in line with its familiar naming scheme, the NEX-5R includes a new 16.1-megapixel sensor that's based on the version packaged with the 5N, and boasts low-light sensitivity through ISO 25,600. The new model offers a bevy of new features, however, with many stemming from its new-found ability to connect to the web, as Sony's first mirrorless camera with built-in 802.11 b/g WiFi. Standard remote functionality is included, via the Smart Remote Control app that lets you use an Android or iOS device to snap photos, as is Direct Upload for sending media to the web, and a typical suite of sharing features, including PC and DLNA access.

The 5R takes connectivity leaps further with PlayMemories Camera Apps, letting you download applications directly to the device, including tools that assist with retouching and sequential shooting. (Sony hasn't confirmed whether firmware updates will be pushed wirelessly as well, but it's a possibility.) With the 5R, the camera maker is targeting current DSLR users who are ready to upgrade but would consider a switch to mirrorless. Digital SLR-like controls will help ease the transition, including a new dial near the shutter release. There's also a new Fast Hybrid AF, which pairs 99 phase-detect AF points with a 25-area contrast system, resulting in noticeable improvements with any lens. There's also 1080/60p video, along with a 10 frames-per-second continuous shooting mode (with AF tracking!). If you were fond of the front-facing self-portrait LCD mode on the F3, you'll be happy to know it's here as well, complete with the downward-facing option included with previous-gen NEX models, but notably absent from the F3.

We took Sony's latest ILC for a quick spin, and noticed improvements immediately, especially when it came to the focusing system -- going side-by-side with the C3, the newer camera was able to focus much more quickly and accurately in low-light, even with the standard (and generally unimpressive) 18-55mm kit lens. Touchscreen functionality was present as well, just as it was on the 5N, though you can navigate all of the menus with dedicated controls, should you wish. We weren't able to test WiFi functionality, but it sounds promising in theory, especially considering the optional apps. We'll be taking a much closer look once Sony releases its NEX-5R in mid-October -- the camera will ship in black, silver or white for $650, or $750 with the standard 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. For now, you can take a closer look in our gallery below, or the hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Sony NEX-5R hands-on