by Felix Esser on April 2, 2012
Sony has just announced their latest NEX-series camcorder, the FS700E. It features a 4k-ready Super 35mm CMOS sensor that is capable of 1080/24p and 1080/50p HD recording and 960 fps super-slow-motion video. Other features are built-in ND filters, a 3G-SDI interface, MemoryStick and SD card slots as well as an interface for an external HXR-FMU128 flash memory unit. The FS700E is “4k-ready” only, which means that 4k recording will only be supported via a future firmware upgrade. The press release states:
Sony is planning a future firmware upgrade that will enable the NEX-FS700 to output 4K bit-stream data over 3G HD-SDI when used with an optional Sony 4K recorder.
The FS700E will be available in June 2012, the price has yet to be announced.
Full technical specs
- E-mount lens mount
- Super 35mm format CMOS sensor with 11.6 million pixels
- 1080/24p and 1080/50p support
- Switchable 50/60 Hz shooting for PAL and NTSC areas
- 120 and 240 fps shooting in 8 and 16 second burst modes respectively
- 480 and 960 fps shooting at reduced resolution
- Built in 1/4, 1/16 and 1/64 ND filters
- Full-HD 50p and 60p and standard HD 60i, 24p and 50p output via HDMI and 3G-SDI
- Native 23.98, 25 and 29.97 fps progressive signal output via 3G-SDI
- MemoryStick and SD card slots
- Interface for HXR-FMU128 external flash memory unit
- Detachable top handle
- Manual focusing aid with 4x and 8x magnification and a moveable area of expansion
- Stores up to 99 customized camera profile settings
by Felix Esser on April 1, 2012
Sigma has just announced the pricing on the upgraded version of their 50-150mm tele-zoom lens for DSLR cameras with APS-C sensors, the APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM. The lens now features Sigma’s proprietary Optical Stabilizer (OS) technology, which offers the use of shutter speeds approximately four stops slower than would otherwise be possible. The Canon mount version of the lens will be available from next week, while the Nikon and Sigma mount versions will be available by the end of April. The lens sells for a street price of US-$ 1,099 and is available for pre-order at B&H Photo.
Technical specifications
- Focal length: 50-150 mm (on APS-C: equivalent to 75-225 mm)
- Max. / min. aperture: f2.8 / f22
- 21 lenses in 15 groups
- Internal zoom and focusing
- Close-focusing limit: 80 cm (2.6 ft)
- Filter thread size: 77 mm
- Size (D x L): 86.4 x 197.6 mm (3.4 x 7.8 in)
- Weight: 1335 g (47.1 oz)
- Available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma and Sony mount version
by Felix Esser on March 24, 2012
According to Sony Alpha Rumors, Sony is currently working on a new Alpha model with a square sensor. While that alone may not sound very fascinating, the new sensor’s format makes it a lot more interesting: it’s said to have a size of 36 x 36mm— that’s almost medium format land! In comparison, most consumer and prosumer cameras feature APS-C sensors with a size of roughly 17 x 25 mm, a standard full-frame 35mm sensor has a size of 24 x 36mm, and medium format sensors start at 30 x 45 mm. So the A1S’s (that’s the rumored name of the camera) sensor will sit in-between lower-end medium format and 35mm full-frame size-wise.
Resolution-wise, the sensor is in-between both worlds as well. With an alleged 37 megapixels, it has more resolution than current flagship full-frame DSLRs, but less than most lower-end medium format backs. That’s more like it!
But wait … here comes the real clou: according to the site, the new camera will be compatible with all current A-mount lenses! What does this mean? Simply put, you can use all current Sony A-mount lenses on this camera, but with more resolution than on any DSLR or SLT model, and with a 33% larger field-of-view on the vertical axis due to the sensors larger size.
We don’t know for sure whether this camera is actually going to be made, whether it’s just a concept that’s being discussed or whether those rumors are just the fantasy of some fanboys. But either way, this is an interesting concept. And if it does indeed work with current A-mount lenses (which, after all, are designed to fill the smaller image circle of a 24 x 36mm sensor), I see no reason not to introduce it. I’m always for progressive ideas and out-of-the-box thinking, and this should stir up the market quite a bit, should it become reality.
What do you think about the rumored A1S concept, and about cameras with square sensors in general? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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by Chris Gampat on March 23, 2012
Here on The Phoblographer, we’ve published lots of stories on lenses. There are all the lenses we have reviewed in our Reviews Index, but then there are other specific guides that we’ve put together. For those of you that are content with your camera, here’s a complete round up of all our lens guides published so far.
And if you have any requests, please let us know in the comments below.
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by Felix Esser on March 13, 2012
Sony today presents the latest model of their Alpha SLT lineup of translucent-mirror interchangeable lens cameras, the α57. Successor to the α55 not only by name, it ups the ante with a bunch of new features that come awfully close to making the photographer obsolete. Besides using the same 16 megapixel sensor as the mirrorless NEX-5n and featuring a new 50p/60p video mode, it comes with a portrait mode that does the framing for you and tracks faces even if they are turned away from the camera. To find out if it still needs a photographer to operate it, read on after the jump.
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by Felix Esser on February 27, 2012
Sony's new 30x superzoom DSC-HX200V
Sony today announces a number of new H-, HX-, TX-, W-, and WX-series point-and-shoot compact camera models. While the new HX models come with whopping 30x and 20x zoom lenses, the new TX models are among the slimmest compacts currently available. Read more after the jump.
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