It may not have the track-record of Canon or Nikon, but Sony's making a strong case with new digital cameras for everyone from serious hobbyists to picky pros. Here's a run-down of the company's latest offerings for shutterbugs at all levels of the rabbit-hole.
At $850 (or $1000 with three new lenses), the mirror-less NEX-6 is really just a happy medium between the lower-end NEX-5 and Sony's more more expensive flagship, the NEX-7. It's not a DSLR, but the NEX-6's 16.1 megapixels are nothing to scoff at, and it can shoot 1080p video at 60 fps.
On-board WiFi enables simple, wireless photo syncs, but there's no touch screen on the NEX-6. Instead, a DSLR-style dial for switching camera modes and a digital view-finder (striking a compromise between an LCD screen and a reflexive ocular view-finder) gives the NEX-6 that "real camera" feeling that's missing from more and more point-and-shoots.
Sony's RX1 is the smallest full-frame sensor camera ever. What that means is that a camera from Sony's Cyber-Shot point-and-shoot line, a camera that weighs one pound and isn't much larger than a deck of cards, has a pro DSLR-level 24-megapixel, 35.8 x 23.9 mm full-frame sensor.
The amazing size comes with trade-offs: the RX1's 35mm Carl Zeiss lens looks pretty sweet, but you won't be able to change it - and that's on a $2800 camera; so if you're just looking for a point-and-shoot that fits in your fanny-pack you might want to keep looking.
The first thing you'll notice about Sony's new flagship pro-level camera is how light it is: at 25.9 ounces, the A99 is manifestly lighter than high-end DSLRs by Canon and Nikon. It's got a 24.3-megapixel full-frame sensor, slightly better than Canon's 5D Mark III, but not yet on par with Nikon's D800.
The A99 is fast: it can shoot 6 frames per second at full 6000 x 4000 resolution, or 60 fps 1080p video; and, what's more, its autofocus uses two detection sensors, boosting accuracy and speed. That autofocus even works continually while shooting video; that plus the A99's in-camera audio leveling and an XLR port should make this $2799 (body-only) camera a competitive option for pros who like to shoot video now and then.
Does Sony have what it takes to run with the DSLR big-dogs? Let us know in the comments.
Jon Fox is a Seattle hipster who loves polar bears and climbing trees. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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