Exciting news this week is the release of Sony’s new Action Camera.
GoPros popular Hero camera range has been leading the market for some time now. The GoPros have been a huge success because of their small compact size and ability to be mounted just about anywhere. This being the case they have been extremely popular with action sports and live events.
See my breakdown of the Go Pro Hero range here: https://ehranjade.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/gopro/
I will be doing a comparison of the two brands shorty – so keep your eyes peeled!
But for now, lets check out what Sony have in store for their new Action Camera.
Sony Action Cameras
The Sony Action Cam HDR AS10 and the WiFi capable HDR AS15 are the answer to those looking for a camera which cam which can film anywhere and everywhere at the best quality available. It is ultra compact, light and records full HD quality video.
Sony Action Cam HDR AS10
The bite sized camera (77x24x47mm/3.0×0.9×1.9 inches) shoots 1080p HD video and 16MP stills. The lightweight camera (only 3 ounces/85 grams) features a 170-degree ultra wide angle Carl Zeiss lens.
It has the exciting option of using Sonys SteadyShot image stabilisation. With SteadyShot mode selected the camera only offers a 120-degree FOV.
It will be interesting to see how this affects the image quality for action videos.
The camera is also shockproof (up to 5ft off the ground).
With a 16MP Exmor ‘R’ censor and a fixed ISO of f/2.8 the camera offers incredible low light capabilities.
The Action cam has a set focal length of 15.3mm
The Action cams have a small LCD screen which is used only for changing settings and to navigate the menu. Navigation is made easy with clearly labelled PREV or NEXT buttons.
The camera doesn’t have a viewfinder.
The camera offers 5 different shooting modes:
HD 1080p/30fps, HD 720p/30fps, HD 720p/60fps, HD 720p/120fps and SD 480p/30fps.
The slow motion capabilities of this camera will be a huge draw card.
The camera shoots stills at 16MP at intervals of 5, 10, 30 and 60 seconds.
As well as it’s in built accessories the range also come standard with a clear waterproof casing, which allows the camera to be submerged (60m/197ft) underwater. It also cones with a rechargeable battery and adhesive and tripod mounts.
A wide range of mounts and accessories are also available to suit each users needs.
Available late September
Retail Approx $199
Sony Action Cam HDR AS15
The Sony Action Cam HDR AS15 is the exact same model as the above-mentioned HDR AS10 but also comes enabled with WiFi capability. So the user has the ability to connect the camera to their Android or Apple iPhones. This then allows them to both control the camera as well as use their smart phone as a viewfinder.
If you don’t have a smart phone, Sony are planning to release a HandyCam adaptor (approx $100)
The adaptor will act like a case for the action cam featuring a rotatable 2.7 Inch LCD monitor.
The Wifi capability also allows users to instantly transfer files to their smartphone.
Retail Approx $269
Video
As excited as I am to share this new camera with you, I am super happy to show you this product video which I worked on as second camera alongside DOP Graeme Beck. The video was filmed two weeks ago at Foxtel. This video is the third of a 3 part series of Sony Product release videos. See the others here: Sony Sessions
Ehran Edwards 