Sony Alpha Launches Rocky Like Comeback in HDSLR Arena
Sony launched their DSLR line against heavily entrenched competition and had the misfortune of doing so without video capabilities in the middle of the HDSLR video revolution. I’ve commented about this before and offered my opinion about this situation which was worth the paper and ink used to write my comments – 0¢ (not even 2¢ since I wrote it electronically). Well folks, it looks like Sony is no longer on the ropes being beaten senseless by a huge Russian Guy Canon and Nikon. Sony has released 4 new cameras with full HD video capabilities that are loaded with exciting new technology.
The Sony Alpha A580 and A560 announced today, both shoot AVCHD 1080 video. From the press release:
Full HD movie shooting
Both the A580 and A560 offer Full HD video shooting. Just touch the dedicated Movie button and record detail-packed HD videos and crisp stereo sound in a choice of AVCHD 1080i or web-friendly MP4 formats. Thanks to the large, high-resolution Exmor™ APS HD CMOS Sensor, it’s possible to capture stunning HD movie clips with beautiful background defocus (‘bokeh’) effects.
And from the SonyStyle web site:
Full HD 1080/60i movies
The DSLR-A560L captures Full HD video at 1920×1080/30p and records in 1920×1080/60i and is one of the very few DSLRs with exactly the same resolution and frame rate as most broadcast and cable HDTV channels. You also have the option of recording HD video in 720p in web friendly MP4 format.
Tiltable 3.0″ LCD
Even if you’re completely comfortable with the optical viewfinder, Sony’s tiltable LCD empowers your photography with a different point of view. Helps you frame high and low-angle shots that would otherwise be hit or miss. The LCD tilts up or down 90 degrees to capture a child’s first steps or shoot over a crowd.
HDMI™ output for HD viewing
Connect your camera to a compatible HDTV and play back your images in stunning high definition. The A560 includes an HDMI™ output (HDMI cable required, sold separately). In addition, the BRAVIA® Sync system works with compatible Sony® BRAVIA HDTVs to let you control camera playback using the television’s remote.
There seems to be a lot of confusion about the 1080/60i statement in the press release. From what I understand and based on credible sources like Michael Reichmann, the Sony cameras shoot 1080/30p wrapped in a 1080/60i container file. Your NLE editing program like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere will understand that and show 1080/30p footage once brought into a timeline for editing. From Luminous Landscape:
So what we have is confusion. Most Sony’s AVCHD cameras (including the VG10) capture 30P, but make it appear to other devices as 60i. Most non-linear editors, such as Final Cut, figure this out by themselves, and when you check the Info screen will confirm that the footage is 30P
The tiltable LCD is a feature a lot of HDSLR shooters have been asking for and the HDMI out is an important feature that has been implemented differently across even the same camera lines. For instance, the Canon 5D Mark II only puts out SD quality video while recording but the 7D sends full HD video out. There’s no mention of HDMI out for anything but playback on the Alpha cameras announced today but I bet Sony has had time to look at the weaknesses of the other platforms while tweaking the Alpha lineup.
The other interesting news from Sony is the new translucent mirrors being used in the Sony α55 and α33 which also have HD video capability.
These cameras use a fixed Translucent Mirror Technology, which allows them to continuously and quickly focus, helping you capture important moments with sharp images. The Translucent Mirror Technology also works while recording video in full HD. It’s the kind of performance that has been impossible to get in any traditional video capture technology.
From the Sony a55 website:
Astonishing HD Video Capture
Experience a revolutionary breakthrough in video capture when shooting fast-moving subjects. The α55 is the world’s first camera with the precision of Phase Detection auto focus (AF) for HD Movies. Translucent Mirror Technology not only enables full-time phase-detection AF for photos, it also delivers the same speed and precision for Full HD movies.
Quick AF for Full HD Movie Capture
When most DSLRs shoot video, their Contrast AF is slow and visibly “hunts” for focus. The Quick AF Full HD Movie retains the same fast, precise Phase Detection you enjoy for still images. It’s a decisive advantage for tracking fast-moving subjects and a major benefit of Translucent Mirror Technology™.
Eye-level finder for HD Movie
The eye-level finder is one of the reasons people love DSLRs. But that finder goes dark whenever you shoot HD Movies. Until now. The Sony® SLT-A55V enables you to shoot movies with the added stability you get holding the camera up to your face and using the eye-level finder for framing a scene and focus.
Tilt/swivel 3” LCD screen
Tilt it up or down to frame high- and low-angle shots that would otherwise be hit-or-miss. Tilt and swivel under the camera for self-portraits. Fold it flush to the camera with the LCD exposed for shooting or protected for travel.
Pro-style “rack focus” movie effect
A hallmark of today’s movies is the “rack focus” effect, when the cinematographer changes focus between background and foreground subjects. This usually involves careful planning, a tape measure and dedicated a crew member for “pulling” focus. With the SLT-A55V, you can perform this pro-style effect simply by changing the selected AF Area within the frame.
Video Mode : AVCHD: 1920 x 1080/ 60i (59.94i Interlace recording, 29.97 progressive image sensor output) Approx. 17Mbps (Average bit-rate)MP4 HD: 1440 x 1080/ 30p (29.97 Progressive) Approx. 12Mbps (Average bit-rate)MP4 VGA: 640 x 480/ 30p (29.97 Progressive) Approx. 3Mbps (Average bit-rate)
Audio Format : Stereo Dolby Digital (AC-3) / MPEG-4 AAC-LC
It seems that with the α55 and α33, Sony is keeping the mirror but getting rid of the mirror box and actuating mechanism in a DSLR. This is a really interesting shift in the EVIL/Micro Four Thirds market. Sony is keeping their mirror-less systems in the NEX lineup and using their Translucent Mirrors to compete in the full size sensor non-mechanical camera body market instead of just dumping the troubled DSLR line. I definitely didn’t see this coming in my previous commentaries. Just goes to show you that Henry Ford’s quote still holds true today:
If I’d asked my customers what they wanted, they’d have said a faster horse – Henry Ford
Addendum: Luminous Landscape posted a preview report of the a55:
What makes the A55 exciting (and unique in today’s marketplace ) is that it uses a pellicle mirror instead of a rapid return mirror. What this means is that the reflex mirror doesn’t move during the moment of exposure. It is stationary, and part of the light is diverted to the electronic viewfinder (as well as the metering and AF sensors) while the rest pass through to the sensor. This mirror doesn’t move between frames and a great many benefits arise from this.
. . . . I was able to shoot a barrel rider at a rodeo using the A55 while shooting video. The clip below shows this, and while my camera work is a bit jerky (you try following a rider moving at about 30 MPH on an irregular course, using a long lens), the focus tracking is extremely good, right up until the rider came so close that the lens couldn’t focus any closer. I know of no other video camera that can track AF like this, at any price.
Read the whole Luminous Landscape write up here.
