UPDATE: The rumours were right! Now expect the NEX7 for September’s Photokina.
Sony’s much anticipated mirrorless HDSLR is released in a few days. What do we know?
It will be available in Hong Kong and Japan from May 11th and a limited stock global release that same day.
Whilst an attempt at a global release is good, unfortunately 24p is missing from the spec sheet. Stop reading now?
As well as 1080p, the new system has ISO all the way up to 12,800, although it’s unclear whether this is capped in video mode to 1600 like on the Panasonic GH1 (tricks aside).
Codec is AVCHD, but no news on bitrate. Seeing how the codec implementation performs will be interesting, but even if it succeeds where the other HDSLRs (most notably the GH1) fails, not having 24p is a major downer.
In July, a firmware update will be released which enables a 3D shooting mode – probably compatible with Sony’s Bravia range and some expensive special propriety glasses they wish also to flog.
Since the 3D firmware has missed development schedules, it won’t be available out of the box. This is one gimmick even Sony didn’t think was important enough to delay the system’s release date!
The NEX will come in 4 colours – red, black, blue and silver. They got that right. (But I still can’t believe it doesn’t do 24p!!)
Clearly, since the size is also similar, the system is designed to compete with Panasonic’s GF line and the Olympus EP range of cameras. I’m told that just like the GF1 unfortunately manual controls don’t feature heavily in video mode – but for exactly what to expect, (touch-screen manual focus?) will all be revealed on May 11th.
In other news, Sony are branding their future video capable sensors as Exmor HD. Maybe then, with the release of full sized bodies in the A9xx series will we get 24p.
Thanks to SonyAlphaRumors.
