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  • DPReview Gear of the Year part 5: Barney’s choice – Sony RX1R II

    The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is a 42MP full-frame compact camera, with one of the best AF systems of any non-DSLR camera on the market. And I want one. 

    Photo: Sam Spencer.

    I’m a sucker for 35mm. I reckon that 90% of the pictures I like to take could be (or are) taken at this focal length. That’s why I have a Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art almost permanently attached to my DSLR, and why when I’m not shooting with that, I can probably be seen out and about using my old Fujifilm X100S. In fact it was the X100S that I wrote about for my last ‘Gear of the Year’ article, way back in 2013 (no offense, noble cameras of 2014. I guess I was just really busy this time last year. I’ll call you). 

    It’s because I love 35mm that I really wanted to love the original Sony Cyber-shot RX1 and R. On paper they were perfect: a high-quality 24MP full-frame sensor (without an AA filter, in the case of the RX1R), 35mm F2 lens, with full manual control and the option to add a high resolution external EVF, in a compact body. What’s not to like?

    I had a love / hate relationship when shooting with the original RX1R. In low-ish light, the camera’s AF system would routinely fail to accurately acquire focus. Both this image (and the one below) were shot in manual focus mode.  

    Sony RX1R, ISO 640, F2.5, 1/80sec 

    Quite a lot, as it turns out. Despite high hopes (and to be fair – after taking some pictures that I quite liked) I just didn’t get on with those cameras at all. The external viewfinder was almost essential, but clunky, and made a compact camera into a not-at-all-compact camera the minute it was attached. Battery life was fairly pitiful, and autofocus – dear God the autofocus… Fussy in bright light, unreliable in moderate light and downright unavailable in low light.

    Until I tried to take nighttime shots with the RX1R I didn’t believe it was possible for an inanimate object to shrug, but I swear that’s what the damned thing did whenever I half-pressed the shutter button.

    Taken by the light of a campfire, this image shows the strength of the original RX1R’s 24MP sensor, but like the previous image I had to resort to manual focus to get a sharp result (focused on the little girl’s face). 

    Sony RX1R, ISO 6400, F2, 1/80sec

    The original RX1 and RX1R were on the market for a long time, and just when I was beginning to give up hope of ever seeing an improved replacement, along came the RX1R II. 

    Compared to the original RX1R, the Mark II version is a breath of fresh air. Inheriting the same 42MP BSI-CMOS full frame sensor (but with an all-new switchable anti-aliasing filter) and 399 phase-detection AF system from the Sony a7R II, the RX1R II is a significant step up.

    What I love

    • Excellent resolution
    • High-resolution built-in EVF
    • Very accurate, flexible AF system
    • Compact, relatively lightweight form-factor
    • Large manual controls

    Gone is the clumsy add-on FDA-EVM1K, replaced by a built-in, retractable 2.3 million dot OLED finder. I shoot with my eye to the viewfinder almost exclusively, so when Sony representatives first showed us the camera, I nabbed one of the new lockable rubber viewfinder hoods they brought along. The hood prevents the finder from being retracted, but after resorting – twice – to using needle-nosed pliers to loosen the locking screw* I decided just to leave it permanently attached.

    With 42MP and a new BSI design, the sensor in the RX1R II is significantly more advanced than the already very good 24MP sensor in the older RX1R. Like all current Sony full-frame sensors it offers extraordinary dynamic range, allowing me to expose just shy of highlight clipping for this ISO 100 shot, and pull up the shadows very significantly in Photoshop. The final result shows a very wide dynamic range from bright to dark without feeling too ‘HDR’. 

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 100, F6.3, 1/400sec

    Just aesthetically, I really like the RX1R II, and it’s a camera that tends to attract admiring glances when I’m out shooting. Like the Fujifilm X100S, more than a few people have commented to me that it looks like a film camera, but the semi-retro styling doesn’t come at the expense of usability (keep walking, Nikon Df…). 

    Cosmetics aside, the RX1R II also produces great images, exactly as we’d expect from a camera using such a high-quality sensor. Like recent a7-series cameras, Sony has included an uncompressed Raw option in the RX1R II.This gives maximum quality but at the expense of very large file sizes – roughly 80MB each, to be precise, compared to JPEGs which are typically less than ten. This slows the camera down, and eats through memory cards with frightening rapidity. 

    While I didn’t much care for the original RX1/R overall but I did enjoy that 35mm F2 Zeiss lens. And although it was designed for a 24MP resolution it successfully keeps up with the much higher pixel density of the new sensor in the RX1R II. Sadly though, neither the sensor nor the lens is stabilized so with 42MP in play, even though sometimes I’ve gotten away with 1/30sec, I’m in the habit of treating 1/125sec as my safe ‘slowest’ shutter speed when hand-holding.

    After dark, the RX1R II’s focus system is far superior to that of its predecessor. This shot was hand-held after dark, and shot wide open at F2.

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 400, F2, 1/50sec

    Alright, so the sensor is great, the AF system is transformed, and the built-in viewfinder is lovely. What about my one remaining major criticism of the original RX1R? – Battery life. 

    Sadly, the RX1R II’s battery is the same NP-BX1 found in the first generation RX1R and all of Sony’s RX100 series compacts. Even just physically, the BX1 is comically small. Like, lose-it-in-your-pocket small. And while it’s rated for a modest 200 shots, in cold weather I’ve come to expect far less. 

    In temperatures around freezing, I quickly fell into the habit of holding the battery slipped into a glove, and placing it in the camera only when needed. You know – like we had to do in the 1990s. Fortunately, Sony is shipping the RX1R II with a handy USB-powered charger, which means you don’t need to plug the camera in to charge the battery, as with other RX-series Sony compacts. So that’s one step forward, at least. 

    Face detection worked well for this shot in one sense – it resulted in a nicely-balanced exposure, in a situation where my subject could easily be backlit. I should have activated Eye-AF though, because focus has fallen slightly short of my subject’s eyes.

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 100, F4, 1/125sec

    I’ve been using the RX1R II for a while now and I keep on having to remind myself that despite its high price-tag it is still a Cyber-shot camera, with a lot of the same quirks of much cheaper compact cameras in Sony’s lineup. In fact, it’s impossible to ignore. There’s the same lengthy startup time, the same lag – before – you – can – zoom – in to the images you’ve captured, the same confusing, rather passive aggressive error messages when you try to do something before the camera is ready or when it’s in the wrong mode, and the same somewhat confusingly-named array of AF modes.

    Exposed to retain the very delicate warmth in the sky just above the horizon, this ISO 320 shot was converted from a Raw file, and the shadows lifted in Adobe Camera Raw. I performed some very slight noise reduction, but could still smooth out the midtones a lot more if I wanted to. 

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 320, F2, 1/60sec

    There are a couple of outright bugs, too. For example, despite not offering any form of SteadyShot image stabilization in still capture, the RX1R II will still blink a reminder at slow shutter speeds that this non-existent feature is turned off.

    After shooting thousands of frames with the RX1R II, I’ve learned to live with these minor annoyances but I do with Sony had sprung for a couple of extra components. A more powerful processor would make a huge difference to the overall handling experience (especially in uncompressed Raw mode) and I wish it had a touchscreen. I’ve come to really value touch-sensitive screens over the past couple of years, mostly for AF placement when shooting from low angles.

    This grabshot was taken on a tabletop, using live view. The RX1R II’s flip-out screen is very handy for pictures like this, but even handier would be a touch-sensitive screen, which would have allowed me to position the autofocus point precisely, by touch. 

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 12800, F2, 1/60

    All this being said, after a lot of thought, I picked the RX1R II as my personal choice for gear of the year. And I did that because it’s one of those cameras – like my Fujifilm X100S – that is capable of such good results that I am prepared to work around its quirks and largely forgive its faults. I should give an honorary mention to the Leica Q, though. In some ways the Q is a more pleasant camera to use but its sensor isn’t as advanced, I don’t love 28mm as much as 35mm, and my Christmas bonus* wasn’t generous enough to justify its higher cost.

    Not that the RX1R II is cheap, of course. But if I have to move into a tent for a couple of months to save up enough to buy one, I’m willing to consider it. Once it’s stopped raining.

    * Pliers were resorted to only after I broke a nail trying to do it with my fingers. Yeah, I know. Shut up.  
    ** Ha ha ha ha ha. 

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DPReview Gear of the Year part 4: Barney’s choice – Sony RX1R II

    The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is a 42MP full-frame compact camera, with one of the best AF systems of any non-DSLR camera on the market. And I want one. 

    Photo: Sam Spencer.

    I’m a sucker for 35mm. I reckon that 90% of the pictures I like to take could be (or are) taken at this focal length. That’s why I have a Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art almost permanently attached to my DSLR, and why when I’m not shooting with that, I can probably be seen out and about using my old Fujifilm X100S. In fact it was the X100S that I wrote about for my last ‘Gear of the Year’ article, way back in 2013 (no offense, noble cameras of 2014. I guess I was just really busy this time last year. I’ll call you). 

    It’s because I love 35mm that I really wanted to love the original Sony Cyber-shot RX1 and R. On paper they were perfect: a high-quality 24MP full-frame sensor (without an AA filter, in the case of the RX1R), 35mm F2 lens, with full manual control and the option to add a high resolution external EVF, in a compact body. What’s not to like?

    I had a love / hate relationship when shooting with the original RX1R. In low-ish light, the camera’s AF system would routinely fail to accurately acquire focus. Both this image (and the one below) were shot in manual focus mode.  

    Sony RX1R, ISO 640, F2.5, 1/80sec 

    Quite a lot, as it turns out. Despite high hopes (and to be fair – after taking some pictures that I quite liked) I just didn’t get on with those cameras at all. The external viewfinder was almost essential, but clunky, and made a compact camera into a not-at-all-compact camera the minute it was attached. Battery life was fairly pitiful, and autofocus – dear God the autofocus… Fussy in bright light, unreliable in moderate light and downright unavailable in low light.

    Until I tried to take nighttime shots with the RX1R I didn’t believe it was possible for an inanimate object to shrug, but I swear that’s what the damned thing did whenever I half-pressed the shutter button.

    Taken by the light of a campfire, this image shows the strength of the original RX1R’s 24MP sensor, but like the previous image I had to resort to manual focus to get a sharp result (focused on the little girl’s face). 

    Sony RX1R, ISO 6400, F2, 1/80sec

    The original RX1 and RX1R were on the market for a long time, and just when I was beginning to give up hope of ever seeing an improved replacement, along came the RX1R II. 

    Compared to the original RX1R, the Mark II version is a breath of fresh air. Inheriting the same 42MP BSI-CMOS full frame sensor (but with an all-new switchable anti-aliasing filter) and 399 phase-detection AF system from the Sony a7R II, the RX1R II is a significant step up.

    What I love

    • Excellent resolution
    • High-resolution built-in EVF
    • Very accurate, flexible AF system
    • Compact, relatively lightweight form-factor
    • Large manual controls

    Gone is the clumsy add-on FDA-EVM1K, replaced by a built-in, retractable 2.3 million dot OLED finder. I shoot with my eye to the viewfinder almost exclusively, so when Sony representatives first showed us the camera, I nabbed one of the new lockable rubber viewfinder hoods they brought along. The hood prevents the finder from being retracted, but after resorting – twice – to using needle-nosed pliers to loosen the locking screw* I decided just to leave it permanently attached.

    With 42MP and a new BSI design, the sensor in the RX1R II is significantly more advanced than the already very good 24MP sensor in the older RX1R. Like all current Sony full-frame sensors it offers extraordinary dynamic range, allowing me to expose just shy of highlight clipping for this ISO 100 shot, and pull up the shadows very significantly in Photoshop. The final result shows a very wide dynamic range from bright to dark without feeling too ‘HDR’. 

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 100, F6.3, 1/400sec

    Just aesthetically, I really like the RX1R II, and it’s a camera that tends to attract admiring glances when I’m out shooting. Like the Fujifilm X100S, more than a few people have commented to me that it looks like a film camera, but the semi-retro styling doesn’t come at the expense of usability (keep walking, Nikon Df…). 

    Cosmetics aside, the RX1R II also produces great images, exactly as we’d expect from a camera using such a high-quality sensor. Like recent a7-series cameras, Sony has included an uncompressed Raw option in the RX1R II.This gives maximum quality but at the expense of very large file sizes – roughly 80MB each, to be precise, compared to JPEGs which are typically less than ten. This slows the camera down, and eats through memory cards with frightening rapidity. 

    While I didn’t much care for the original RX1/R overall but I did enjoy that 35mm F2 Zeiss lens. And although it was designed for a 24MP resolution it successfully keeps up with the much higher pixel density of the new sensor in the RX1R II. Sadly though, neither the sensor nor the lens is stabilized so with 42MP in play, even though sometimes I’ve gotten away with 1/30sec, I’m in the habit of treating 1/125sec as my safe ‘slowest’ shutter speed when hand-holding.

    After dark, the RX1R II’s focus system is far superior to that of its predecessor. This shot was hand-held after dark, and shot wide open at F2.

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 400, F2, 1/50sec

    Alright, so the sensor is great, the AF system is transformed, and the built-in viewfinder is lovely. What about my one remaining major criticism of the original RX1R? – Battery life. 

    Sadly, the RX1R II’s battery is the same NP-BX1 found in the first generation RX1R and all of Sony’s RX100 series compacts. Even just physically, the BX1 is comically small. Like, lose-it-in-your-pocket small. And while it’s rated for a modest 200 shots, in cold weather I’ve come to expect far less. 

    In temperatures around freezing, I quickly fell into the habit of holding the battery slipped into a glove, and placing it in the camera only when needed. You know – like we had to do in the 1990s. Fortunately, Sony is shipping the RX1R II with a handy USB-powered charger, which means you don’t need to plug the camera in to charge the battery, as with other RX-series Sony compacts. So that’s one step forward, at least. 

    Face detection worked well for this shot in one sense – it resulted in a nicely-balanced exposure, in a situation where my subject could easily be backlit. I should have activated Eye-AF though, because focus has fallen slightly short of my subject’s eyes.

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 100, F4, 1/125sec

    I’ve been using the RX1R II for a while now and I keep on having to remind myself that despite its high price-tag it is still a Cyber-shot camera, with a lot of the same quirks of much cheaper compact cameras in Sony’s lineup. In fact, it’s impossible to ignore. There’s the same lengthy startup time, the same lag – before – you – can – zoom – in to the images you’ve captured, the same confusing, rather passive aggressive error messages when you try to do something before the camera is ready or when it’s in the wrong mode, and the same somewhat confusingly-named array of AF modes.

    Exposed to retain the very delicate warmth in the sky just above the horizon, this ISO 320 shot was converted from a Raw file, and the shadows lifted in Adobe Camera Raw. I performed some very slight noise reduction, but could still smooth out the midtones a lot more if I wanted to. 

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 320, F2, 1/60sec

    There are a couple of outright bugs, too. For example, despite not offering any form of SteadyShot image stabilization in still capture, the RX1R II will still blink a reminder at slow shutter speeds that this non-existent feature is turned off.

    After shooting thousands of frames with the RX1R II, I’ve learned to live with these minor annoyances but I do with Sony had sprung for a couple of extra components. A more powerful processor would make a huge difference to the overall handling experience (especially in uncompressed Raw mode) and I wish it had a touchscreen. I’ve come to really value touch-sensitive screens over the past couple of years, mostly for AF placement when shooting from low angles.

    This grabshot was taken on a tabletop, using live view. The RX1R II’s flip-out screen is very handy for pictures like this, but even handier would be a touch-sensitive screen, which would have allowed me to position the autofocus point precisely, by touch. 

    Sony RX1R II, ISO 12800, F2, 1/60

    All this being said, after a lot of thought, I picked the RX1R II as my personal choice for gear of the year. And I did that because it’s one of those cameras – like my Fujifilm X100S – that is capable of such good results that I am prepared to work around its quirks and largely forgive its faults. I should give an honorary mention to the Leica Q, though. In some ways the Q is a more pleasant camera to use but its sensor isn’t as advanced, I don’t love 28mm as much as 35mm, and my Christmas bonus* wasn’t generous enough to justify its higher cost.

    Not that the RX1R II is cheap, of course. But if I have to move into a tent for a couple of months to save up enough to buy one, I’m willing to consider it. Once it’s stopped raining.

    * Pliers were resorted to only after I broke a nail trying to do it with my fingers. Yeah, I know. Shut up.  
    ** Ha ha ha ha ha. 

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • PIX 2015: C.C. Chapman on using photography to drive change

    Writer and photographer C.C. Chapman is a savvy businessman and creative thinker. He is the author of the bestsellers Content Rules and Amazing Things Will Happen, and his work has appeared on the pages of Rolling Stone and The Wall Street Journal. But when you meet C.C. you quickly realize that his real passion is helping other people use their creative abilities to drive positive change in the world. In this presentation from PIX 2015, C.C. shares his thoughts on how to use photography to influence social change, even if it’s only in your own backyard.

    See more videos on our YouTube channel

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Merry Christmas II you: RX1R II sample gallery updated

    The holiday season is upon us, which means it’s the season for all manner of Christmas spectacle, including the hoard of revelers all dressed as Old Saint Nick who recently took over the streets of downtown Seattle. 

    The festivities provided an excellent opportunity to get out and shoot, which is exactly what we did with the Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II. Check out our updated sample gallery to see what this pocketable full-frame compact camera can do.

    See our updated Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II real-world sample gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sony’s new Sky HDR app mimics the effect of a graduated ND filter

    Sony has released Sky HDR, a new PlayMemories app for capturing landscape scenes that have wide ranging levels of brightness. Sky HDR aims to replace a graduated ND filter, with various adjustment ‘themes’ along with control over exposure and white balance of sky and landscape areas separately.

    Sky HDR works by capturing two different exposures of the same scene and combing them into a single image. The interface, demonstrated in the video above, is tailored to landscape photography, and resulting photos can be saved as JPEG or Raw files. The app is available for $ 10, and is compatible with the following cameras:

    • Sony NEX-5R
    • Sony NEX-6
    • Sony NEX-5T
    • Sony a7
    • Sony a7R
    • Sony a6000
    • Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III 
    • Sony a7S
    • Sony a5100
    • Sony a7 II
    • Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV
    • Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II
    • Sony a7R II
    • Sony a7S II
    • Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II.

    Sky HDR can be purchased from Sony’s PlayMemories website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Gear of the Year Part 4: Dale’s pick – Samsung NX1

    Before anything else, let’s address the elephant in the room: for my Gear of the Year I’ve just selected a camera whose future appears a bit dark. As in ‘Luke, I am your father’ kind of dark. The Samsung NX1 was the camera that some photographers saw as A New Hope for the future, but there’s a disturbance in The Force with signs that the Dark Side might prevail when it comes to Samsung’s camera business. 

    Some might find my lack of faith disturbing, but I have a bad feeling about this…

    It wasn’t an easy choice. On the one hand, how could I choose a product that has more clouds hanging over it than the DPReview offices on a December day in Seattle? On the other, there’s a bunch of engineers somewhere who built a serious kick-ass camera that continues to impress us with its features, quality, and performance. So, yeah… I’m going with the Samsung NX1.

    What I love:

    • Best in class image and video quality
    • Excellent design and handling
    • My favorite EVF of any still camera
    • Outstanding AF performance
    • Continuous improvement through firmware updates

    “You must unlearn what you have learned…”

    To provide a bit of context, I’m historically an SLR shooter, though I’ve gone through my share of rangefinders, compact cameras, and other random stuff that converts light into images. For the past several years I’ve relied on a system built mostly around one manufacturer’s products that I could trust day-in and day-out to work reliably and predictably when I had to get it right the first time (in my case Canon). 

    But in recent years I’ve also been using a lot of mirrorless cameras, particularly Panasonic’s GH series, for video work. I love the idea of what mirrorless cameras can do, and in particular I love the flexibility they provide for shooting video. However, mirrorless cameras never provided the level of performance that I needed for some projects.

    Cloud City: the Space Needle rises from a foggy Seattle sunset.

    Samsung 50-150mm F2.8 S lens, ISO 100, 1/1250 sec. at F5.6

    Enter the Samsung NX1. I’ll freely admit that little more than a year ago Samsung was barely on my radar as a camera manufacturer. I knew Samsung made cameras, but like that guy who shows up to every party but never gets noticed, Samsung’s products lurked in the shadows where I conveniently looked past them. Then Barney asked me to review the NX1 as one of my first assignments at DPReview.

    I was blown away. The NX1 was the first mirrorless camera that made me forget that I wasn’t shooting a DSLR. And that was using a camera with pre-production firmware.

    Don’t misunderstand – I’m not implying that the pre-production NX1 was perfect. The camera had a nasty habit of crashing and re-booting into German, menu items occasionally went walkabout, and a couple of lenses sometimes decided that they would no longer autofocus. But despite its flaws it was fun to use and hinted at great things to come.

    Samsung fixed most of those annoyances with a firmware update, and I spent the next month shooting the NX1 almost every day, sleeping with it under my pillow to absorb its goodness, and pushing the video to its limits.

    All was good in the world. Several weeks later I was ready to publish my review, but three days before it was scheduled to go live on our site Samsung released another major firmware update. That changed everything.

    Samsung 16-50mm F2-2.8 S lens, ISO 4000, 1/125 sec. at F2.8 

    With the updated firmware the NX1 was practically a new camera. It added numerous video features including additional frame rates, gamma curves, and other custom settings. Autofocus improved significantly for both stills and video, and new customization options gave users an additional level of control over the camera. 

    My review was toast. A couple months later, after re-testing the entire camera again and writing a new review, we were ready to go to press one more time when… wait for it… Samsung released another firmware update. Fortunately, this update wasn’t as dramatic as the previous one, so we made an editorial decision to go ahead and publish anyway lest we repeat the process in perpetuity, but you get the idea.

    I share this backstory because it highlights one of my favorite things about the NX1: Samsung seems (seemed?) intent on not just innovating a great product, but on a program of continued improvement. These weren’t just minor firmware updates, but things that significantly impacted the performance and value of the camera.

    “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?”

    But as we all know, a camera is not just about electronics and firmware. It’s also about hardware. It needs to be well designed, solidly built, and most importantly it needs to feel right in your hand.

    That last item is a bit nebulous and hard to define, but anyone who’s been shooting for more than a few years knows the feeling of picking up a camera that just feels right. I’m convinced that Samsung did the unthinkable and actually involved photographers in the design of this camera, something I can’t say about every model that comes through the DPReview offices. (And you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy, I assure you.)

    Not only does the NX1 feel great in your hand, but it’s solid. Maybe not solid in a ‘I can use my Nikon F3 to pound nails into a board’ type of way (and really, what is anymore?), but it’s certainly tough enough to stand up to typical professional use.

    At one point I took the NX1 on a winter shoot where the temperature hovered in the range of 0 to 5 degrees F (-18 to -15 C). Based on previous experience with mirrorless cameras I fully expected to run into trouble at some point. I didn’t. Like the Energizer Bunny the NX1 kept going, and going and going… Everything just worked, including the EVF and touch screen, for several hours in sub-freezing temperatures. I gave in before the camera did.

    Some like it Hoth: Even after a couple hours outdoors working at 0? F (-18? C) temperatures, the NX1 continued to operate normally. In this case, the camera outlasted me.

    Samsung 50-150mm F2.8 S lens, ISO 160, 1/500 sec. at F2.8

    Speaking of the EVF, it’s one of the standout things I love about this camera. It’s clear, bright, and has essentially zero lag. You won’t mistake it for a true optical viewfinder, but it works so well that 1) I don’t care, and 2) after a short period of time I simply forget about it and just get on with shooting. I know other cameras have EVFs with similar specs for resolution and lag, but somehow Samsung has managed to make the EVF experience on the NX1 exceed the sum of its parts.

    “She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts, kid.”

    The other thing that almost makes me forget I’m using a mirrorless camera when shooting the NX1 is it’s performance. I’ve shot cameras with 10 fps shooting speeds before, but even so the NX1’s 15 fps is scary fast. As in ‘you could easily tell if Greedo shot first’ fast. (Did he? Share your opinion in the comments!) And with 28MP of resolution to play with you would have plenty of detail to examine closeups of those blaster shots. Combine that speed with an AF system that, somewhat incredibly, is able to keep pace and it’s a blast to shoot with.

    I say almost because high speed shooting isn’t quite perfected yet. The screen briefly freezes on each exposure, making it a tad difficult to shoot continuously while panning with a subject, and the best part of the AF system – ‘Tracking AF’ – can only be invoked from the touch screen, but overall it’s as good as almost every DSLR I’ve used, and better than most.

    Samsung’s 28MP sensor doesn’t really provide any additional detail beyond the standard 24MP found on most APS-C cameras, but in terms of quality it’s right up there with the best of them, including the very impressive Nikon D7200. I also love the fact that I can push exposure in post several stops with almost no penalty to image quality, a feature I’ve leveraged to underexpose in order to preserve highlights.

    This photo from Channel Islands National Park in California is actually a single frame of 4K video from the NX1. (Samsung 50-150mm F2.8 lens, exposure unrecorded)

    I mentioned above that I do a lot of video work, something that has pushed me into using two parallel camera systems in recent years. In principle, the NX1 could replace both systems. Its video is as good as my go-to workhorse, the Panasonic GH4, but in a package that provides the performance of a high-end DSLR.

    In fact, in my perfect world where I can use one system for everything, the NX1 comes remarkably close to meeting almost all my needs.

    If we can momentarily ignore that whole ‘Will Samsung even be in the camera business in a few months?’ thing, I’m still not completely convinced that I could make a wholesale switch to the NX system as it stands today. Samsung still doesn’t have as many lens options as competing systems – though some of their lenses are outstanding – and the company hasn’t managed to foster a strong third party ecosystem of tools and adapters similar to what we’ve seen for mirrorless systems from Panasonic and Sony. As much as I like the NX1 these are real limitations.

    Laugh it up, fuzzball! Samsung 50-150mm F2.8 S lens, ISO 640, 1/500 sec. at F2.8 

    “Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future.”

    There are no shortage of rumors about the future of Samsung’s camera business, and believe it or not we here at DPReview don’t know any more than you. But I think I speak for the whole team when I say that we would be disappointed if Samsung didn’t continue to pursue this market, especially since the company has been one of the most innovative in the business of late. Notably, the NX1 won DPReview’s 2015 Innovation Award amid some very credible competition.

    Some people have suggested to that Samsung tried its luck in the camera market but never completely committed to it. I’m not convinced that’s the case, but my advice to Samsung is to be bold and heed the words a great philosopher who said ‘Do or do not. There is no try,’ and stick with it. However, in the event that the NX1’s future is not long for this galaxy, my hope is that it doesn’t go quietly into the starry night, but instead continues to live on in some form or inspires other manufacturers to make products that push the limits of what’s possible.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Kipon to launch reducer to mount medium format lenses on full frame cameras

    Chinese lens manufacturer Kipon has announced that next year it will make available a reducing adapter that’s designed to allow medium format lenses to fit on full frame cameras. The adapter will have a magnification factor of 0.7x which it says will both widen the effective focal length of the lens in use and widen its effective aperture. 

    The first adapter will be designed to mount Hasselblad lenses on Sony E-mount cameras, but the company says it is working on other mounts for a wider range of both lenses and host cameras. 

    The lenses in the adapter channel the light from the exit element to create a tighter covering circle. This means light that would otherwise fall outside the sensor area is directed to land on it to be recorded.

    When a 50mm Hasselblad lens is mounted on a current Hasselblad digital body it produces a similar image area to a 35mm lens on a full-frame camera. That calculation though is a factor of the sensor size of the Hasselblad camera, and the same lens would not deliver that apparent angle of view were it mounted on a full frame camera or in front of the 6x6cm film frames Hasselblad lenses were designed to be used with. 

    The 0.7x magnification of the Kipon adapter has the effect of canceling out the crop factor, turning that 50mm Hasselblad lens back into a 35mm-equivalent on a full-frame camera.

    The adapter will have to be very good quality to make the most of the resolution of Hasselblad lenses, otherwise the exercise will be a bit pointless. It is expected to retail for $ 415 when it becomes available in February.

    For more information visit the Kipon website. 

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DPReview Recommends: Best compact cameras for travel 2015

    Whether you’re traveling the world or the next town over, having the right camera at your side makes all the difference. We’ve picked out our best picks for the photographer who wants to keep things simple by carrying a compact camera rather than one with interchangeable lenses. If you fall into that category, we’ve got great news for you – there are more high quality cameras with attached lenses than ever before, brimming with features tailored to your needs. 

    Fujifilm X100T

    $ 1099 | 16MP APS-C sensor | 35mm equiv F2 lens | Hybrid electronic / optical viewfinder | 3″ LCD

    Full specifications, sample images, user reviews and more

    Few cameras in recent history have attracted as much of a cult following as Fujifilm’s X100 series. They’re the photographer’s darling – not just a good-looking camera, but a beautifully effective machine. The X100T is small and light, and won’t burden a weary traveler, and its low-profile lends itself to street shooting. If you don’t mind zooming with your feet, its 35mm F2 equivalent lens and 16MP X-Trans APS-C sensor will serve you well.

    In addition to its travel-friendly size, the X100T offers a hybrid viewfinder with optical and digital views. That’s especially handy when the sun is high in the sky and the 1.04M-dot 3″ LCD becomes harder to see. Having been on the market over a year (at time of publication), its 16 megapixels are starting to feel quite low in comparison to some of its peers, but it also means that the price has dropped slightly since its launch. It is worth noting though that its movie mode, which was far from class-leading at launch, is now well behind the competition in terms of quality and 4K support.

    With obviously classic design cues, the X100T’s controls and handling are timeless. Though it doesn’t offer the cutting-edge modern features of its newer peers, it won’t go out of style anytime soon. 

    Also consider…

    Ricoh GR II
    Not a revolutionary update to the original by any means, but the Ricoh GR II’s 16MP APS-C sensor and 28mm F2.8 make the camera one of the best bargains on the market for under $ 600.

    Panasonic Lumix FZ1000

    $ 750 | 20MP 1″-type sensor | 4K video | 25-400mm equiv. focal range | XGA OLED viewfinder

    Full specifications, sample images, user reviews and more

    You can zoom with your feet all day long, but some situations and shooting styles call for real zoom. The Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 doesn’t top its class in terms of massive zoom reach, but its 25-400mm equivalent zoom opens up plenty of options, and an F2.8-4.0 aperture is brighter than most of its peers. With a 1″-type 20.1MP CMOS sensor, it borrows some tech from the GH4 including 4K video recording at 30 fps. Its DSLR-style build includes a fully articulated 921k-dot 3″ LCD and a 2.4M-dot OLED viewfinder.

    Also consider… 

    Nikon Coolpix P900 
    On the seventh day, the Nikon Coolpix P900 was created. And there was much zoom. An incredible 24-2000mm equivalent range, in fact. The P900 uses a considerably smaller 16MP sensor than the FZ1000, but its lens is impressive considering what it has to do, the image stabilization is amazing, and the built-in GPS won’t let you forget where you’ve been.

    Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV

    $ 950 | 20MP 1″-type sensor | F1.8-2.8 24-70mm equiv. lens | Pop-up EVF | 4K video

    Full specifications, sample images, user reviews and more

    It’s hard not to recommend the Sony RX100 IV to anyone buying a compact. It’s by no means a budget-friendly option, but it’s among the most capable pocket-sized cameras we’ve ever tested. Sony’s excellent 20MP 1″-type sensor is bigger than your garden-variety compact camera sensor with lots of dynamic range, and a 24-70mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens is much brighter than most of its competition. The camera’s tiny pop-up EVF is higher resolution than that of it predecessor and comes in very handy in bright outdoor light.

    The RX100 IV really shines when you set the mode dial to movie mode. 4K/UHD recording is available, and at lower resolutions (upscaled to 1080p) high frame rates of 240, 480 and 960 fps can be used. Slow motion video is an awful lot of fun.

    If you want to take control over your settings, shoot high quality video and make the most of your vacation Raw files, the RX100 IV is a solid choice. Of course, if you can live without 4K and high frame rates, the RX100 III will save you a couple hundred dollars and get you much of the same excellent image quality. Neither will get you a lot of zoom if that’s what you’re after, but their image quality is at the top of their class.

    Also consider…

    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 
    Before there were fancy Sony point-and-shoots with 1″ sensors, Panasonic had the market cornered on premium zoom compacts for travelers. While its 12MP 1/2.3″ sensor looks a bit pedestrian in comparison, there’s something to be said for a 24-720mm equiv. zoom that just about fits in your pocket. And for under $ 300, it’s pretty much a steal for full manual controls, Raw support and Wi-Fi with NFC.

    Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

    $ 700 | 13MP Four Thirds sensor | 24-75mm equiv. F1.7-2.8 lens | Electronic viewfinder | 4K video

    Full specifications, sample images, user reviews and more

    Why stop at a 1″-type sensor? That’s the question Panasonic engineers must have asked themselves, and lo and behold, the Lumix LX100 was born. It uses a cropped 13MP Four Thirds sensor coupled with a very fast 24-75mm equiv. F1.7-2.8 lens and offers great ergonomics and handling for the kind of photographer who wants quick access to exposure settings. It’s not as pocket-friendly as the RX100 IV, but its solid handgrip gives it a steady feel and its responsive user experience is one of the best we’ve encountered in a compact.

    In addition to recording 4K video, the LX100 also offers a useful 4K Photo Mode, which lets you extract a high quality 8MB still from your clip. Its time-lapse and stop motion animation modes are also a lot of fun. Its zoom is certainly on the shorter side, and for someone who plans to stay in Auto mode the camera’s controls and customization will verge on overkill. But for the seasoned photographer wanting to give her shoulders a break from the big camera, the LX100 is a joy to carry and shoot with.

    Also consider…

    Canon PowerShot G5 X 
    If you want just a bit more zoom (100mm at the top end) and a more traditional SLR-style body you may want to consider the Canon PowerShot G5 X. It sports a 20MP 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor (likely the same as in the RX100 III) and a 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens, along with a fully articulating LCD, high resolution EVF, and full set of manual controls. It’s not great for action shooting and it lacks 4K video, but the G5 X is still worth a look.

    Olympus Tough TG-4

    $ 350 | 16MP 1/2.3″ BSI CMOS sensor | 25-100mm equiv. F2.0-4.9 lens | Everything-proof

    Full specifications, sample images, user reviews and more

    Nothing spoils a vacation like spilling a Mai Tai on your fancy new camera. The Olympus TG-4 isn’t just sealed against spills, its fully waterproof to 15m/50ft, as well as shockproof from 2.1m/7ft, crushproof to 100kg/220lbf and freezeproof to -10C/14F. Wherever your travels may take you, the TG-4 is up to the challenge.

    Outside of its rugged specs, we like the TG-4’s ability to shoot Raw, making it possible to get very nice image quality with a little time invested in post-processing. Its moderate 25-100mm equiv. zoom, which is fast at its wide end, will get you a little closer to the action, and optional accessories like a macro LED ring light and waterproof fisheye lens open up more possibilities. It also provides the peace of mind of knowing your camera will survive just about anything your vacation throws at it.

    Also consider…

    Olympus Tough TG-860
    The Stylus TG-860 is the TG-4’s more casual sibling, lacking buttoned-up features like Raw capture and Aperture priority mode, but provides identical rugged specifications with a flip-up selfie-friendly LCD. If you don’t anticipate doing extensive editing to your snapshots, the TG-860 is good, clean fun for a significantly cheaper price.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • In Fine Detail: Canon EOS 5DS / 5DS R In-Depth Review

    Preview based on pre-production Canon EOS 5D S & SR

    Canon has added to its EOS 5D range with the launch of two 50MP cameras, the 5DS and the 5DS R. Both cameras are high resolution full frame models, primarily aimed at stills photographers. The only difference between the models is that the ‘S’ has an optical low-pass filter, while the ‘S R’ has a self-cancelling filter (the same relationship as Nikon’s D800 and D800E models shared).

    The two cameras will exist alongside the EOD 5D Mark III, acting as dedicated high resolution cameras primarily intended for studio, landscape and wedding shoots, rather than the all-round capability offered by the existing model. The Mark III still trumps the S and S R in terms of maximum ISO and continuous shooting speed.

    Canon EOS 5DS / 5DS R key features

    • 50MP CMOS sensor
    • 5 fps continuous shooting
    • ISO 100-6400 (Extends to 12,800)
    • 61-point AF module with input from 150k pixel metering sensor
    • Dual Digic 6 processors
    • 3.0″ 1.04M-dot LCD
    • CF & SD slots (UHS-I compatible)
    • 1080/30p video
    • M-Raw and S-Raw downsampled formats
    • 30MP APS-H crop and 19.6MP APS-C crop modes
    • USB 3.0 interface

    Most of the big new features on the high-res 5Ds are about ensuring you’re able to get the best of the cameras’ extra resolution. Our experiences with the Nikon D8X0 series cameras has shown us that simply having a high resolution sensor isn’t enough: to take full advantage of it you need to really obsess about stability.

    To this end, Canon has reinforced the tripod socket and surrounding area to allow stable engagement with a tripod. It has also used a more controllable, motorized mirror mechanism, like the one in the EOS 7D II, that allows a deceleration step before the mirror hits its upper position – reducing mirror slap.

    The third change is a revised mirror lock-up mode that allows you to specify an automatic delay between the mirror being raised and the shutter opening to start the exposure. It allows the user to choose the shortest possible delay that has allowed mirror vibration to subside: maximizing sharpness while minimizing the loss of responsiveness.

    Although the S and the SR can both shoot movies with the same choice of frame rates and compression as the 5D III, they don’t offer clean HDMI output or headphone sockets. The message is pretty clear – if video is a major concern, these aren’t the cameras for you.

     
    Canon EOS 5DS
    Canon EOS 5DS R
    Canon EOS 5D
    Mark III
    Pixel count 50.2MP 50.2MP 22.1MP
    Processor Digic 6 Digic 6 Digic 5+
    Maximum ISO ISO 6400
    (12,800 ext)    		 ISO 6400
    (12,800 ext)    		 ISO 25,600
    (102,400 ext)
    Maximum ISO ISO 6400
    (12,800 ext)    		 ISO 6400
    (12,800 ext)    		 ISO 25,600
    (102,400 ext)
    Maximum frame rate 5 fps 5 fps 6 fps
    Autofocus 61 point, of which 41 are cross type and 5 are double-cross type 61 point, of which 41 are cross type and 5 are double-cross type 61 point, of which 41 are cross type and 5 are double-cross type
    Metering sensor 150k pixels (RGB+IR) 150k pixels (RGB+IR) 63-segment (RG/GB)
    Optical low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter? Yes Self-cancelling Yes
    Uncompressed HDMI output No No Yes
    Headphone jack? No No Yes
    USB connection USB 3.0 USB 3.0 USB 2.0

    A series of features in the EOS 5DS and S R are ones we first saw in the EOS 7D Mark II. This includes the flicker detection function that warns you of lighting flicker and can synchronize the camera’s continuous shooting so that it only fires at the brightest moments to ensure consistent exposure (rather than the constant variation you can otherwise get in such situations).

    Two other 7D II features to make an appearance in a 5D camera for the first time are the built-in intervalometer function that can be used to shoot time lapse sequences. And, as a first for Canon, these can then be combined in-camera to create a 1080/24p time-lapse movie.

    Canon EOS 5DS / SR overview video

    If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

    Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.

    We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X, Y, and Z and ideally A, B, and C.

    This article is Copyright 1998 – 2015 and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sony bringing Alpha SLT-A68 to the US and Canada

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    Sony is bringing its Alpha SLT-A68 DSLR camera – announced in Europe back on November 5th – to the US and Canada this spring.

    The a68 uses the company’s Translucent Mirror Technology, which allows for 8 fps continuous shooting with full-time autofocus, without any blackout between shots. The ‘4D’ autofocus system is borrowed from the more expensive a77 II and features 79 points, 15 of which are cross-type.

    The a68 has a 24MP CMOS sensor, which tops out at ISO 25600, and is paired with the not-as-new Bionz X processor. As with all of Sony’s A-mount cameras it has built-in image stabilization, so every lens you attach has shake reduction. 

    From a design standpoint the a68 has a curvy, SLR-style body with a 3″ (461k-dot) tilting LCD and SVGA OLED electronic viewfinder. It has twin control dials as well as an info display on the top plate. Also included is a Multi Interface Shoe that supports both flashes and advanced microphones.

    The a68 can record Full HD video at 30p with continuous AF using the XAVC S codec, with a top bit rate of 50Mbps. The camera can output clean video over HDMI and also has a jack for an external mic.

    Preorders for the SLT-A68 begin in March for shipment in April. The body only kit is priced at $ 599/800 CAD, while adding an 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 lens brings the price up to $ 699/950 CAD. 

    Press release:

    Sony Announces ?68 A-mount Camera for US and Canada Markets

    New Model Features Ultra-Fast 4D FOCUS, Translucent Mirror Technology and more

    SAN DIEGO, Dec. 17, 2015 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today introduced the ?68 (model ILCA-68) camera with ultra-fast 4D autofocus to the US and Canada markets.

    The new camera, which was announced for the European market last month, is the latest model to feature native compatibility with Sony’s extensive collection of A-mount lenses.  Inheriting many pro-style features from the acclaimed ?77 II, the ?68 features Sony’s unique 4D FOCUS system that delivers extraordinary AF performance under any shooting conditions – even in lighting as low as EV-2 where many other cameras struggle.

    This system utilizes 79 autofocus points – the most AF points on any interchangeable lens camera with a dedicated phase-detection AF sensor1.  Included are 15 cross points as well as a dedicated F2.8 AF sensor point for dimly-lit scenes.  This all adds up to extremely fast, wide area AF with predictive tracking that locks faithfully onto fast-moving subjects.  Additionally, the camera utilizes Sony’s unique Translucent Mirror Technology to deliver constant AF tracking at up to 8 fps2.

    The camera features a 24 MP3 APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor with a wide ISO 100 – 25,600 sensitivity range4, allowing it to produce outstanding image quality for both still images and video.  The sensor is teamed with a powerful BIONZ X image processor that uses Detail Reproduction and Diffraction-reducing Technologies plus Area-specific Noise Reduction, resulting in pristine, finely detailed shots every time.

    Full HD movies use the efficient XAVC S5 format, enabling high bit rate recordings at up to 50 Mbps with outstanding detail and low noise. With Translucent Mirror Technology, shooters can enjoy non-stop continuous autofocus with accurate subject tracking during video shooting, producing crisp, professional looking footage.  With a powerful array of advanced controls and capabilities, the ?68 has plenty to offer experienced amateurs as well as step-up photographers and first time interchangeable lens camera customers.  

    Framing stills and movies is a pleasure through the clear, bright OLED Tru-Finder, which features 100% frame coverage with high contrast and accurate color reproduction.  Complementing the Tru-Finder, the 2.7-type LCD monitor tilts up to 135 degrees upwards or 55 degrees downwards for comfortable composition from a wide variety of shooting angles. Serious photo enthusiasts will also value the backlit top display that allows quick confirmation of camera settings, whether shooting handheld or on a tripod.

    As found on the critically acclaimed ?7 series, the ?68 has a control wheel on the camera’s rear that allows quick fingertip adjustment of camera settings, as well as 10 customizable buttons6 that frequently-used functions can be assigned to.  There is also a front control dial for quick adjustments of settings and a sturdy grip to ensure a balanced shooting experience, even when using heavyweight prime or telephoto lenses.

    The new camera features SteadyShot INSIDE stabilization to reduce the effects of camera shake and allow for blur-free handheld shooting at all focal lengths, with any compatible lens.  Additionally, the inclusion of a Multi Interface Shoe and Multi Terminal lets users expand their creative options with a wide range of optional accessories, including flashes, lights, microphones and remote commanders.

    Pricing and Availability

    The Sony ?68 interchangeable lens camera will be available in April at authorized Sony retailers in the US for about $ 600 body only or about $ 700 in a kit along with the DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II lens.  In Canada, the body and kit will also be available in April and will be sold for about $ 800 and $ 950 CAD, respectively.

    1. According to Sony research, as of December 2015
    2. In Tele-Zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE
    3. Approximate effective megapixels
    4. Still Images: ISO 100 – 25600, Movies: ISO100 – 12800 equivalent
    5. An SDXC memory card with a Class 10 or higher speed rating is required for XAVC S recording
    6. Total 10 customizable buttons including two dedicated custom buttons + 8 assignable buttons

    Sony Alpha SLT-A68 specifications

    Price
    MSRP €600 (body only), €700 (with 18-55mm lens)
    Body type
    Body type Mid-size SLR
    Body material Composite
    Sensor
    Max resolution 6000 x 4000
    Other resolutions 3:2 (4240 x 2832, 3008 x 2000), 16:9 (6000 x 3376, 4240 x 2400, 3008 x 1688)
    Image ratio w:h 3:2, 16:9
    Effective pixels 24 megapixels
    Sensor photo detectors 25 megapixels
    Sensor size APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm)
    Sensor type CMOS
    Processor Bionz X
    Color space sRGB, AdobeRGB
    Color filter array Primary color filter
    Image
    ISO Auto, 100-25600
    White balance presets 9
    Custom white balance Yes (3 slots)
    Image stabilization Sensor-shift
    Uncompressed format RAW
    JPEG quality levels Super fine, fine, normal
    File format
    • JPEG (DCF v2.0, EXIF v2.3)
    • Raw (ARW 2.3)
    Optics & Focus
    Autofocus
    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection
    • Live View
    Autofocus assist lamp Yes
    Digital zoom Yes (1.4x – 8x)
    Manual focus Yes
    Number of focus points 79
    Lens mount Sony/Minolta Alpha
    Focal length multiplier 1.5×
    Screen / viewfinder
    Articulated LCD Tilting
    Screen size 2.7″
    Screen dots 460,800
    Touch screen No
    Screen type TFT LCD
    Live view Yes
    Viewfinder type Electronic
    Viewfinder coverage 100%
    Viewfinder magnification 0.88×
    Viewfinder resolution 1,440,000
    Photography features
    Minimum shutter speed 30 sec
    Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 sec
    Exposure modes
    • Auto
    • Program
    • Aperture Priority
    • Shutter speed priority
    • Manual
    Built-in flash Yes
    Flash range 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
    External flash Yes (via hot shoe)
    Flash modes Flash off, Auto, Fill-flash, Slow sync, Red-eye reduction, Rear sync, Wireless, High Speed sync
    Drive modes
    • Single-frame
    • Continuous high/low
    • Continuous advance priority AE
    • Self-timer
    Continuous drive 8.0 fps
    Self-timer Yes (Yes (2 or 12 sec))
    Metering modes
    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot
    Exposure compensation ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
    AE Bracketing ±3 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps)
    WB Bracketing Yes (3 shots, low/high selectable)
    Videography features
    Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60i, 30p, 24p), 1440 x 1080, 640 x 480
    Format MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
    Videography notes Supports XAVC S with 50Mbps bit rate (30p, 24p)
    Microphone Stereo
    Speaker Mono
    Storage
    Storage types SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo
    Connectivity
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    HDMI Yes (micro HDMI)
    Microphone port Yes
    Headphone port No
    Remote control Yes (wired or smartphone)
    Physical
    Environmentally sealed No
    Battery Battery Pack
    Battery description NP-FM500H lithium-ion battery and charger
    Weight (inc. batteries) 610 g (1.34 lb / 21.52 oz)
    Dimensions 143 x 104 x 81 mm (5.63 x 4.09 x 3.19″)
    Other features
    Orientation sensor Yes
    GPS None

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)