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All posts tagged "sony"


Monday, August 20, 2012

Engadget's Back to School "Guide" for Digital Cameras 2012

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:00 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/17/...igital-cameras/

"Your Facebook friends and future employers deserve an accurate account of those glory days, and you'll need a proper snapper to get the job done. College is as good a time as any to learn responsibility, but don't expect to walk out of the experience with all your gear unscathed."

What do you get when gadget editors pick cameras for students? You get US$3000 SLRs in the equation. I'm not sure what kind of college these people went to, but I am quite sure most students aren't going to be able to splurge that kind of money, especially in these times. In fact, there are a lot of high-end picks here, when there are plenty of cheaper but good cameras out in the market. Particularly for DSLRs - there're competent cameras like the Canon Rebel T4i/EOS 650D or the higher-specified Nikon D7000 that will take great pictures without breaking the bank. What are your own personal recommendations?


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Sony Announces the DSC-RX100, or the Canon Powershot S100-killer

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 08:56 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/0...-sensor-compact

Oh my. Sony has announced a pretty interesting camera, the DSC-RX100. It is a pocket-sized metal-bodied camera that in many ways is similar to the Canon S90/95/100 series, right down to the lens control ring and fast (on the wide end) lens; in this case, it is an optically stabilised 3.6x 28-100mm equivalent f/1.8-4.8 zoom lens. What sets it apart, is the sensor: Unlike many other premium compacts which use a 1/1.7" sensor, this uses a much larger 1" sensor similar in size to the Nikon 1 CX format, and packs 20 megapixels. The camera has a 3" VGA LCD that uses a new array that packs white pixels on top of the usual RGB trio which promises a brighter screen, full manual controls, 1080p video at 60 FPS that can take 16:9 stills while capturing video, 10 FPS continuous stills shooting, electronic horizon level, and the always popular Sweep Panorama feature. I suspect for those who can afford the US$650 asking price, this will be the compact camera of choice, as it combines a faster lens than the Canon S100 with a much larger sensor. Only downside is the 28mm equivalent starting point, instead of 24mm like the Canon. Ships in July. Check the link for DPReview's hands-on preview!


Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Sony Launches a Trio of Cameras; Thinks We Need 18 Megapixels

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

This always happens. A company produces a minor design innovation that might allow for compacts to be less awful to the point where I might consider getting one again, then same company ruins it by increasing the megapixel count, thus negating (and maybe even worsening) any advantages said innovation might have brought otherwise. Sony's latest, the DSC-TX200V, is clearly intended to be Sony's flagship compact camera, but 18 megapixels? It packs the otherwise promising Exmor R CMOS sensor, which Sony touts it will be great in low-light situations (and I have a bridge to sell you folks), a slow-ish 5x optically stabilised folded optics zoom lens at 26-130mm equivalent with maximum apertures of f/3.5-4.8, a tasty 3.3" WVGA OLED touchscreen (which unfortunately also means most physical controls have been obliterated), 1080p video in AVCHD, crammed with a ton of software features, like Sony's famous Sweep Panorama mode, all in a slightly waterproof, freezeproof and dustproof body that is also pretty stylish. It is the second compact that will make use of micro SD cards, and will sell for a princely sum of US$500 in March. More photos and full details at the link below.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V

The other two cameras, The DSC-WX70 and DSC-WX50, are more conventional affairs. They are still slim cameras, but pack a more standard retracting lens. Both offer 16 megapixel Exmor R sensors, 5x optically stabilised 25-125mm equivalent f/2.6-6.3 zoom lens, 1080p video in AVCHD, and similar inter software to the TX200V. The difference between the two cameras are in their screens. The WX50 offers a 2.7" HVGA LCD, while the WX70 offers a 3" VGA touchscreen LCD. Both cameras will ship in March, with the WX70 going for US$230, and the WX50 going for US$200. More photos and full details at the link below.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70/WX50


Thursday, December 22, 2011

PhotographyBLOG Names Sony's SLT-A77 DSLR of the Year

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:00 AM

http://www.photographyblog.com/news..._the_year_2011/

"Our penultimate award is for the DSLR Camera of the Year 2011. Somewhat overshadowed by the rise of compact system cameras, DSLRs are still the staple product for the big two of Canon and Nikon. But it’s the young upstart Sony that most caught our eye in 2011 with the launch of the A77..."

Personally, I was a little shocked to find out that the A77 was given the nod, till I realised that in the other SLRs released in 2011 were Sony's own A65 and A35, the Canon EOS 600D and 1100D, and the Nikon D5100. Not much of a competition there; had Nikon launched the D300 replacement or Canon the EOS 5D Mark III, it would have been quite a different story.


Thursday, December 15, 2011

Sony NEX-7 Reviewed by Digital Photography Review

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonynex7/

"Now, with the NEX-7, Sony is specifically targeting those advanced users with a camera whose key spec reads like it's come straight off an enthusiast's wishlist. First up is the 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor, shared with the SLT-A77, that enables true 1080p60 video recording."

The Sony NEX-7 has been one anticipated camera, and the delay caused by the floods in Thailand have probably made the anticipation even higher. Luckily it does not seem to disappoint, with DPReview giving it a pretty good review. I personally do like the design of the camera, but I still have some concerns with the sensor, and I also think the lenses are too big and too few - the NEX system currently is just too tiny to support enthusiasts. Now if Panasonic and Olympus do try something like this for their Micro Four Thirds, that would be something really worth getting.


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Cutting The Cable? What Should You Use?

Posted by Hooch Tan in "Digital Home News" @ 03:00 PM

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/networkin...dvd-player/1680

"So, which one is right for you? Well, here’s what I’ve found in my years of watching Internet TV on my television. These days I use an Apple TV, a Roku 2 HD and a pair of Internet-enabled Sony Blu-Ray players for my TV watching pleasure. Indeed, a few months ago I cut the cord to my cable company and now the only TV I watch comes up either the Internet or from one of my own network media servers."

Despite what they say, I consider Internet TV to still be in its infancy. Yes, if you live within the United States, you get a wonderful selection of options, though that seems to be dwindling. If you live anywhere else, your choices are less than stellar. Until Apple releases the rumored Steve Jobs dream of a re-imagined tv service, we have options like Apple TV, Roku and an increasing amount of Blu-Ray players that handle Internet TV. It isn't just Blu-Ray players though. TVs themselves are coming out with all manner of new features. It is not far away that they will be able to make you a sandwich. Until then, I can only hope that they come out with some sort of universal standard for streaming TV, and allowing you to pick your own supplier or aggregator. While it is nice to see some of these sites offering access to places like Netflix and Youtube, it would be nice to be able to add your own streams more easily. That would be particularly handy should any of the custom services go down.


Monday, October 31, 2011

Sony's SLT-A77 Reviewed by Digital Photography Review

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 12:30 PM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonyslta77/

"After a four-year wait, Sony has returned to the enthusiast/semi-pro end of the DSLR market. Having made little impact in that market with the A700 that very closely resembled the conventional DSLRs made by Canon and Nikon, Sony has spent the intervening time developing something a bit different."

DPReview takes a look at the Sony SLT-A77, which features a 24 megapixel CMOS sensor in their special pellicle-like mirror DSLR. While the camera performs admirably in many ways, the high ISO performance is not very good, and the noise reduction efforts by Sony are rather ham-handed. I suspect that robbing some light away from the sensor might prove a bit too much for a sensor of this density. Have a look at the review and tell us what you think!


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Sony Announces SLT-A77 and SLT-A65 Digital Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:52 AM

http://www.dcresource.com/news/news...tem.php?id=4363

Big news today, as Sony announces a whole slew of cameras. Let us start with the more traditional (but not quite) DSLRs, the translucent mirrored SLT-A77 and SLT-A65. The SLT-A77 features a 24 megapixel APS-C-sized CMOS sensor with sensor shift stabilisation, a new XGA resolution EVF with 100% coverage and 1.09x magnification (which is 0.72x if you want to compare with other 35mm cameras), 1/250 flash sync speed, 19 point AF system with 11 cross sensors, a weather-sealed magnesium body, standard ISO range of 100-16,000, continuous shooting at 12 (!) FPS (making it faster than the D3 or EOS 1D IV), a 3" VGA sensor on a new rotating platform (which flips down, not my favourite implementation), built-in GPS, and a bunch of shooting modes. Oh, on the video side, it does 1080p videos at 60 FPS, allows for manual controls, and has an external microphone jack. The camera comes with a Memory Stick (bleagh) and a SDXC slot. Ships in October for US$1,400 for the body alone, or US$2,000 with the new 16-50mm lens (detailed below).

The SLT-A65 is similar (yes 24 megapixel sensor), and drops a few features, notable, the AF module is a 15 point system with 3 (talk about a drastic drop) cross sensors, continuous shooting is down to 10 FPS (still faster than many cameras), drops flash sync speed to 1/160, loses the top LCD panel, and overall is less robust in build than the SLT-A77, with a full plastic body and lower rated shutter count. Ships in October for US$900 for the body alone, or US$1,000 with the 18-55 lens.

Photo of the SLT-A65 after the break, and there are more links at the source. Also, DPreview.com has a preview of the SLT-A77.

Read more...


Sony Announces NEX-7 and NEX-5N Digital Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:51 AM

http://www.dcresource.com/news/news...tem.php?id=4362

Sony also announced the NEX-5N and NEX-7, and I will talk about the NEX-7 first. The NEX-7 is Sony's attempt to create an NEX camera catered towards the enthusiasts, and boy did they pull no punches. Firstly the NEX-7 takes a few features from the new SLT cameras: The 24 megapixel sensor and the XGA OLED EVF. That is right, a camera this small comes with a built-in EVF. To top it off, Sony has managed to squeeze THREE command dials (you can see two of them behind the shutter release in the photo above), a hot shoe, AND a pop-up flash.

That is it. I think the other camera makes have no excuse for not including all the above in their flagship mirrorless cameras. Three dials in particular is awesome, with the third dial controlling ISO in shooting mode. I have been wishing for this for the longest time, and it took an outsider (Sony) to implement this. Shame on you, Nikon and Canon.

The rest of the camera is pretty nice, with a magnesium alloy body, 3" VGA tilting LCD, 1080p videos at 60 FPS in AVCHD (again, like the SLTs), ISO range of 100-16,000, and a new UI that is hopefully a lot less annoying to use than the NEX-3 and NEX-5. All that is not going to come cheap, with the NEX-7 going for US$1,200 body only, and US$1,350 with the 18-55 kit lens.

The NEX-5N is basically an upgrade of the NEX-5, with a new 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, upgraded AF, and 1080p videos at 60 FPS in AVCHD. The UI has also been revamped, but is aimed towards beginners and those not familiar with photography terminology. As with the NEX-5, the flash unit is a small external unit, and there will be a snap-on EVF similar to that of the NEX-7's built-in EVF, with a XGA EVF. Available in September for US$600 body only, and US$700 with the 18-55 kit lens.

Photo of the NEX-5n after the break.

Read more...


Tuesday, August 2, 2011

New York Times Takes a Look at the Sony NEX-C3

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 01:00 PM

http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com...ove-its-weight/

"You probably know all of the advantages of digital SLR cameras: interchangeable lenses; large sensors for better image quality and better low light shots; and no shutter lag. But you might not realize that you can get almost all of those features in a much smaller (though no less expensive) package."

The New York Times takes a look at the Sony NEX-C3, but the article serves as a simple introduction for those who are unfamiliar with this relatively new breed of cameras. The next few months should see a few more introductions, including Nikon's entry to the game. Anyone still sitting on the fence for these cameras?


Friday, July 29, 2011

Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Engadget... "Reviews" the Sony NEX-C3

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 04:11 PM

http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/20/...-nex-c3-review/

"Traditionally known as DSLRs, interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) have always promised excellent image quality, speed, and versatility."

Umm. So the Engadget review opens with one of the least accurate (or poorly written) statements I have seen in a review for some time. The scary thing is that with Engadget's influence, many are going to look for it as a source. Still, the review does have some real sample photos, so if you're interested in the Sony, you might want to give it a look. The sample photos are shrunken down for the web, so they are essentially useless. Umm, read the review for a user's impressions?


Monday, July 18, 2011

Lifehacker's Guide to Choosing Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

http://lifehacker.com/5822098/how-t...-for-your-needs

"Choosing a digital camera used to be a simple process that was heavily dictated by the amount of money in your pocket. Now the same money can buy you different benefits and compromises, making the decision much more complex. Here's a look at your camera-buying options, the pros and cons of each, and some specific suggestions to help you pick the perfect camera for your needs."

Lifehacker has a long article on how to choose a camera (and it even includes a guide on cameras in phones), but I recommended not going through the recommended picks just because they are there. Seriously, a Sony NEX-3?


Wednesday, June 29, 2011

PhotographyBLOG Reviews the Sony DSC-HX100V

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 07:30 AM

http://www.photographyblog.com/revi...c_hx100v_review

"The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V is a feature-packed super-zoom camera, offering a 30x, 27-810mm zoom lens, 16.2 megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor, built-in GPS tracking complete with a compass, full 1080p high-definition video recording with stereo sound and HDMI output and 3D Sweep Panoramas and 3D Still Images."

The Sony HX100V is a good example of the current state of superzooms. It is well-made, takes good photos, has huge amounts of zoom in a small package, and is not too expensive. I just wonder who will still buy them? This is probably what I call a refined end-game product; there is nothing much to go on beyond this without significantly breaking the mould. I just wish camera makers will hurry up and see the signs on the wall and do something about it already!


Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Sony Announces NEX-C3, SLT-A35 and E-mount 30mm f/3.5 Macro

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 11:18 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1106/1...exc3preview.asp

"Sony has added the NEX-C3 to its range of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. The C3 features the same 16.2MP seen in the SLT A35, again promising improved battery life. The latest model is directly aimed at offering a compact-camera-like experience to users looking to upgrade to a large-sensor camera."

Sony has announced its latest NEX camera, the NEX-C3, which is even smaller than the NEX-3 and NEX-5 before it. I am not sure if such an aggressive reduction in size is needed, since the NEX cameras have to use fairly large zoom lenses to cover the APS-C sensor. The NEX-C3 now also comes with a 16 megapixel sensor, while retaining most of the features found in the NEX-3, including 720p videos and a 3" VGA LCD (which can flip up and down). The NEX-C3 will be available in August for about US$650 with the 18-55/3.5-5.6 kit, or US$600 with the 16/2.8 pancake.

To go with the NEX-C3 announcement, the 30mm f/3.5 Macro lens for E-mount was also introduced. This gives a 45mm focal length equivalent macro lens, which seems a bit short, even for a normal macro lens. I guess it is good for food bloggers? The lens will be available for US$250 in October. Hmm, sounds a bit too cheap for a macro lens.

Also introduced is the SLT-A35, the follow-up to the SLT-A33. It features a 16 megapixel sensor, but as far as I can tell, it is pretty much similar to the A33. It does have a nifty new feature that allows 7 FPS at 8.4 megapixels via a 1.4x crop, making an overall crop of 2.1 compared to 35mm film. Not too different from what the D2X did way back, and can be quite useful when shooting sports with a shorter telephoto lens. The camera also does 1080i video at 60 FPS. The SLT-A35 will be available in August for US$600, or $700 with the 18-55/3.5-5.6 kit lens. Photo of the SLT-A35 after the break.

More Coverage

DPReview.com NEX-C3 Preview

DPReview.com SLT-A35 Preview

Read more...


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

GPS Ultra Zoom Camera Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 01:00 PM

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/c...ra-zoom-cameras

"One of the most popular digital camera genres in recent years has been what some have called the "travel zoom". These compact cameras have typically featured lenses of around 10X - 14X, large LCDs, and HD movie modes. In 2011, camera manufacturers really put the "travel" in travel zoom, by adding GPS receivers to their cameras. So, not only do you now have a camera which can go anywhere, but you'll know exactly where you took the photo."

One advantage of dedicated cameras is the ability to offer a zoom lens, so huge zoom factors are still pretty much a selling point. Combine that with a compact size and the result is a camera that still sells pretty well in this age of smartphones. I was a bit surprised at the winner of this shoot out, but I won't spoil the surprise, other than saying that the initial debut of the line was very lacklustre to begin with. Well done C... I mean, camera company!


Friday, March 11, 2011

Sony Rumoured to be Working on 3G-enabled Digital Camera?

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 04:00 PM

http://photorumors.com/2011/03/10/r...-3g-connection/

"Gdgt reported a rumor that Sony is working on a digital camera with integrated 3G connection. This will not be another smart phone, but rather a Cybershot camera that will allow instant upload of images online via an integrated 3G connection."

I have mentioned that I would like to see a connected camera in 2011, and Sony (unfortunately in my case) might just be the first to the market with one. I am wondering how well it will sell once it comes out: Will it be taken hostage by tyrannical North American carriers, just like every other device that sports a cellular radio? I hope not, because this is an area where cameras can stand to innovate, and having a non-traditional obstacle is not going to help things.


Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Coming Soon: Consumer Digital Cameras at 42 FPS, Courtesy of Sony

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:30 AM

http://www.photographyblog.com/news...full_resolution

PhotographyBLOG is reporting that Sony has a nice new 1/2.3" sensor sporting 12 megapixels and allows 42 FPS at that resolution. Talk about high speed photography. I suspect this is more to enable the next generation of "Sweep Panorams" or some new 3D thing. Expect to see it in a new camera in end-2011, after PMA 2011.


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