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Press Release - 11 May 2010
DSLR picture quality that won’t weigh you down.
Sony’s compact, easy to use NEX-5 and NEX-3 with interchangeable lenses and
HD video
- New α digital cameras with DSLR picture quality
and responsive shooting
- World’s smallest and lightest1 interchangeable
lens digital camera (NEX-5)
- 14.2 effective megapixels Exmor™ APS HD CMOS
sensor
- 1080i HD movie recording (NEX-5) with stereo
sound, fast and silent autofocus
- Intuitive new interface with Help Guide and
Shooting Tips
- E-mount lens system compatible with α DSLR lenses
(with optional Mount Adaptor)
- Sweep Panorama with 3D capability2
Now photographers can enjoy the superlative picture
quality and shooting responses prized by DSLR users in two beautifully
compact new cameras that are brilliantly easy to use.
Joining the α family, the NEX-5 and NEX-3 team
DSLR-quality imaging with the convenience of interchangeable lenses in a
sleek new design that slips easily into a jacket pocket or bag. In contrast
with conventional DSLR models, the ‘mirrorless’ construction shrinks the
thickness of both cameras to just 24.2mm (NEX-5 excluding grip and mount)
and 25.4mm (NEX-3, excluding grip and mount) at their slimmest point. As a
luxurious extra refinement, the NEX-5 features a tough yet light-weight
magnesium body, making it the world’s smallest and lightest interchangeable
lens digital camera.1
At the heart of both cameras is a newly-developed
Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor with a resolution of 14.2 effective megapixels.
Far larger than the sensor inside conventional compact cameras, its key to
the extremely low image noise and creative defocus effects that are familiar
to DSLR users.
Still and video image quality is further refined by
the powerful BIONZ processor that ensures speedy DSLR-style shooting
reflexes with quick, precise autofocus and minimal shutter lag. Both cameras
can also capture fast-moving action with a high-speed burst of
full-resolution images at up to 7fps (AF/AE fixed from first frame).
An elegant, uncluttered user interface – featuring a
new ‘never get lost’ menu – makes the powerful creative possibilities of the
NEX-5 and NEX-3 accessible to enthusiasts and step-up users alike. Shooting
parameters are easily accessed via an intuitive control wheel and two soft
keys. Turning the control dial, for example, allows depth of focus changes
to be previewed ‘live’ on the LCD3, giving effortless control over
beautiful, pro-style portraits. Further help for novice users is provided by
on-screen shooting tips and a friendly help guide.
Images and camera settings are displayed on the big,
bright 7.5cm (3”), Xtra Fine LCD with TruBlack technology that tilts up or
down for comfortable viewing in any shooting position. The screen features
an auto-brightness function for excellent visibility, even when you’re
outdoors. TruBlack screen technology enables an even more vivid,
high-contrast view of images and camera settings.
Compatibility with a wide range of interchangeable
lenses dramatically expands the artistic possibilities of the E-mount camera
system.
Ideal for everyday shooting, the low-profile E 16mm
F/2.8 (SEL16F28) ‘pancake’ lens minimises bulk when the camera is being
carried in a coat pocket. Its field of view can be boosted even further by
the VCL-ECU1 Ultra Wide Converter and VCL-ECF1 Fisheye Converter that
deliver high-definition optical performance in a sleek, co-ordinated design.
Featuring in-lens Optical SteadyShot image
stabilisation for clearer handheld images, the E 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 zoom
(SEL1855) is a perfect travel partner. The NEX-5 and NEX-3 are available in
kit form with either lens, or as a double-lens kit that provides even
greater shooting versatility. The NEX-5 can also be specified as a kit with
the optional E 18-200 F/3.5-6.3 zoom (SEL18200) that offers a powerful 11x
magnification range plus Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation with Active
Mode at wide angle for steadier movie shooting.
An optional LA-EA1 Mount Adaptor extends compatibility
to the α family of 30 lenses, plus a huge range of other legacy A-mount
lenses (Manual Focus only).
The NEX-5 and NEX-3 are also the first α cameras to
offer the extra convenience of HD video recording. At the touch of a
dedicated Movie REC button, both NEX-5 and the NEX-3 shoots HD video with
stereo sound as compact MPEG4 files that are ideal for PC storage and web
sharing. Full HD (1920 x 1080i) video captured by the NEX-5 as high-quality
AVCHD files can be enjoyed on a connected HD television. As an option, the
smart accessory terminal on both cameras accepts the compact ECM-SST1 Stereo
Microphone (optional) that captures a high-quality soundtrack for your HD
videos.
The NEX-5 and NEX-3 are the first α cameras featuring
Sweep Panorama. Just press the shutter button and swing the camera
side-to-side or up and down. A high-speed burst of frames is stitched
together automatically to create detail-packed 23 megapixel panoramas with a
226 degree effective angle of view4. Panoramic files can also be enjoyed in
stunning 3D on compatible BRAVIA™ 3D televisions.5
As previously introduced on the DSLR-A550, Auto HDR
has been further refined. The NEX-5 and NEX-3 can now shoot a high-speed
burst of three images at different exposure values that are electronically
combined in the camera. This produces a single High Dynamic Range image with
extended highlight and shadow detail.
Both cameras come supplied with a super-compact
clip-on flash that attaches via the smart accessory terminal when needed for
low-light shooting. Other optional accessories include the FDA-SV1 Optical
Viewfinder plus colour coordinated cases and shoulder straps.
The NEX-5 and NEX-3 system cameras from Sony are
available from summer 2010.





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