After the DSLR revolution, there were sure to be HD camcorders with interchangeable lenses and large sensors. Well, here they come. First was Panasonic’s AG-AF100 Micro Four-Thirds System camcorder. Now Sony has the
NEX-VG10 with interchangeable lenses.
This handycam uses the Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor which is also found in the Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3.
It records 1080i 1,920 x 1,080/60i at 24Mbps. Unfortunately, progressive scanning is not an option in this camcorder. It can also take 14.2 megapixels still photos at 7fp. The on-board mic is a step above from most camcorder mics. It is a Quad Capsule Spatial Array stereo microphone with four microphone capsules.
At $2000 this camcorder has similar imaging to the Canon 7D, but this new Sony also has a silent autofocus when shooting video and built-in twin accessory shoes. There’s an electronic viewfinder as well as a high-resolution 3″ LCD screen that swivels 180°, but cannot face the subject. You can manually adjust the iris, shutter speed, white balance and gain.
Storage of videos and still photos is on Secure Digital cards (including their newer SDHC and SDXC types), or on Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo cards (including Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo). This should hold about four hours of HD footage at 1,920 x 1,080 in FH mode.
The biggest virtue is the wide variety of E-mount lenses that can be used on this camcorder. A-mount lenses can be used as well but they require an adapter. It comes bundled with a SEL18200 E-mount 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 Lens including Optical Steadyshot image stabilization.
The Sony NEX cameras NEX-3 and NEX-5 are still cameras that can shoot video. The NEX-VG10 is an HD video camcorder that can take stills.
Available September, 2010.
Sensor
• 23.4 x 15.6 mm Exmor APS HD CMOS Sensor
(.9 x .6 inches)
• 14.2 million effective pixels
Video
• FX : 1920 x 1080i @ 24Mbps
• FH : 1920 x 1080i @ 16Mbps
• MP4: 1440 x 1080i @ 9Mbps
Frame rate
• 60fps (59.94 fps) – North American models
• 50fps – European models
Image sizes
• 3:2 : 4592×3056 (14M)
• 16:9 : 4592 x 2576 (12M)
Audio
• Dolby Digital 2ch, via Quad Capsule Spatial Array Stereo Microphone
• External microphone input jack
Lenses
• Supplied with E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS lens
• Sony E-mount
• Sony Alpha lenses, Minolta and Konica Minolta AF lenses via adaptor
(MF only, exclude power zoom lenses/tele-converters)
Image Stabilization • ‘Optical SteadyShot’ system on selected lenses
Focus
• Manual
• Single-shot AF
• Continuous
• Direct Manual Focus
• AF (Multi/ Center/Flexible Spot)
Shooting modes
• Program
• Aperture priority
• Shutter priority
• Manual
• Anti-Motion Blur
• Hand-Held Twilight
Sensitivity
• Auto (Range varies depending on shooting mode)
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• ISO 800
• ISO 1600
• ISO 3200
• ISO 6400
• ISO 12800
• Gain :
0dB/3dB/6dB/9dB/12dB/15dB/18dB/21dB/24dB/27dB
Metering modes
• Multi-segment (49 segment Honeycomb pattern)
• Center-weighted
• Spot
Exposure compen.
• -2.0 to +2.0 EV
• 0.3 EV steps
Shutter Speed
• Electronically controlled, vertical traverse, focal-plane type
• 1/25 – 1/4000 (Movie) , 30sec – 1/4000 (Still)
• 1/4 – 1/4000 (Movie) , 30sec- 1/4000 (Still)
Minimum Illumination
• 11 Lux (Shutter Speed:1/25sec, IRIS:F3.5, Gain:Auto)
White balance
• Auto
• Daylight
• Shade
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent
• Flash
• Color temperature/filter (2500 – 9900 K)
• Manual (Custom)
• Manual (Custom set)
Color space sRGB
Color modes
• Standard
• Vivid
• Portrait
• Landscape
• Sunset
• B&W
Viewfinder
• Electronic
• 0.43″ XtraFine TruBlack LCD
• 921,000 dots
LCD monitor
• 3.0 XtraFine TruBlack LCD
• 921,000 dots
Flash
• External flash (supplied), attachable to Smart Accessory Terminal
• GN : 7 meters
• Flash Sync: 1/160sec
Flash modes
• Auto
• On
• Off
• Fill-flash
• Slow Sync
• Rear Sync.
• Red-eye reduction on/off selectable for Autoflash and fill-flash mode
Drive modes (Still)
• Single-frame
• Continuous
• Self-timer
• Continuous Self-timer
• Mirror-up release mode
Self-timer (Still) 10 sec or 2 sec
Connectivity
• HDMI out (with PhotoTV HD and BRAVIA Sync)
• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
• Video out (NTSC or PAL)
• Stereo headphone jack
• External stereo mic input jack
• DC IN jack
Storage
• Memory Stick Pro Duo, Pro-HG Duo
• SD/SDHC/SDXC
Power
• NP-FV70 Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (1650 mAh)
• Battery charger included
• Optional AC adapter
Battery life
330 min. continuous video recording (with the optional NP-FV100, FH mode)
Dimensions
3.8 in (97 mm) x 5.1 in (132 mm) x 11.5 in (294 mm) (inc. supplied lens and hood)
3.3 in (85 mm) x 5.1 in (130 mm) x 8.7 in (223 mm) (body only)
Weight
2.86 lbs (with lens and accesories)
(1.3 kg)
Available Sept, 2010
When it says “Video out (NTSC or PAL)
dose this mean that I can do both NTSC and PAL or dose it just mean that it’s only NTSC for US users and PAL for European buyers?
I’m in the USA but are going to to TV for Danmark.
– Kim
I have Canon Digital Rebel SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm lenses. Can I use these lenses with Sony NEX-VG10 Camcorder ?
Kim – Regarding NTSC versus PAL, the largest of the 3 main differences in frame rate. If you look under the specs for frame rate, they admit that there will be two models (North American and European) for the 60fps NTSC and 50fps PAL formats, not a switchable output for worldwide use. Too bad; it would have been great for all travelers to have this option.
I am looking forward to someone making a dedicated review of this camcorder with regard to how it functions with Alpha (old Minolta A-mount) lenses. I have a stockpile of these from my 7xi (film) and 7D & RD-175 (digital) cameras, and want to know limits will be present — such as loss of depth-of-field or cropping factors due to the different sensor sizes and the adapter’s optical qualities.
Correction needed- the camera shoots 30p. It is shipped to the recorder as interlaced to save bandwidth. This is called 30Psf segmented frame).
Images from camera are actually progressive. This is a long standing method of recording in the pro world by Sony.
Crop factor vs. full frame 35mm film is 1.6, like most other DSLR’s (such as 7D, Pentax *ist, etc). If using 35mm primes there should be no cropping.
Adapters for these cameras are around $30 US and because of the shallow flange to sensor distance on the E lenses, adapters have no stop loss or optical elements.
One site for adapters of most lense manufacturers is here: http://www.dslrkit.com
can I connecting a Video assistant to check the shot being away from the camera? (away of a dolly for example), 2.- the program used to convert the image to H.264 can be run in a G5 Mac?, and the last question, I have seen videos made with the Sony VG-10 where there was used lenses with adapter in the camera, Do you now the adapter and now how much it is coast?.
Thank you.!
My favorite cam. But i am undecided Sony NEX-5 and Sony NEX-VG10E.
I have not seen an in depth review of this great camcorder. Could some one please forward me a dedicated and comprehensive review of Sony VG10. More so, I am not cleared about the issue of Pal/ Ntsc, and interlaced recording.
I am thinking of buying this camcorder, it looks great from Sony.