Is this the reason why Sony’s NEX line doesn’t yet feature 24p and manual control in video mode?
Sony’s plan to keep alive consumer camcorders has kicked into action today with the announcement of an E-Mount camcorder. A press release just hit out of the blue. They kept this incredibly quiet.
The mock-up shown is not like the pro sized AF100 from Panasonic, more like a prosumer camcorder. The E mount camcorder will use the same sensor from the NEX5 but with the handling and feature-set of a prosumer camcorder.
Some interesting future trends are beginning to emerge for the consumer market.
Panasonic say in their annual results that the aim for Micro 4/3rds is to make the camera body thinner. I can see the GF2 being similar to the very thin Sony NEX5 (lenses aside!), but the GH2 will I think remain larger to house the faster electronics which dissipate more heat.
But, overall – smaller and thinner still seems to be the trend in consumer electronics.
I believe Sony’s E-mount camcorder is somewhat a sideways step, and why would customers buy both the NEX and camcorder when both give essential the same results from slightly different (yet both small) bodies, with the same lenses?
I am not sure this is a strategy which will pay off for Sony in the same way that the GH2 and AF100 will work out for Panasonic, whereby two different customers are targeted. The AF100 is in pro-territory, the GH2 is consumer. But I guess Panasonic too have something interesting planned for the consumer camcorder segment.
Sony’s gear is sexy and the Exmor sensor is a star. But something is amiss. Where is the mirror-less pro-bodied HDSLR, to compete with the 5D Mark II and forthcoming GH2?
Personally I have no need for these M43-mount or e-mount camcorders… existing technology, just in a bigger body!
