Sony unveiled today its new NEX-3 and NEX-5 interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are small and lightweight, and are packed with a powerful 14.6 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOC sensor: the type used in most of the current DSLR. Unlike the Micro Four Thirds such as the Olympus E-P2 and Panasonic GF1, which use sensors smaller than a DSLR’s, the Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 can truly offer DSLR image quality.
Sony NEX-3
The system also comes with a choice of three E-mount lenses:
- 16mm f2.8
- 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 with OSS
- 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 with OSS
And also two converters for use with the 16mm f2.8:
- Fisheye Converter
- Ultra Wide Converter
The cameras also has several interesting features:
- Sweep Panorama mode: Move the camera in a smooth arc as you press the shutter button and the camera will take a series of photos at high speed and stitch them together into a single panorama image.
- 3D support with BRAVIA HDTV 3D.
- 7 fps shooting rate
- Auto HDR mode: Takes three exposures in rapid succession which are then digitally combined into a single image.
- 3-inch Xtra Fine LCD monitor: 16:9 widescreen display with LED backlighting and 921,600-dot resolution. Sony TruBlack technology, which cuts reflection and glare with a special anti-reflective resin layer, as well as anti-reflective film.
The cameras will be available this summer. And if priced right, Olympus and Panasonic can say goodbye to much of its Micro Four Third sales. They will also be a major threat to the Leica X1.
