First AVCHD camcorder with interchangeable lenses

Sony NEX-VG10 MARCHANDS €     Amazon.co.uk  2131.92  Compare prices

A little revolution in the history of the camcorder. As of September, Sony will be marketing the first general consumer camcorder with interchangeable lenses: the NEX-VG10.

Since the launch of the first CCD camcorder at the beginning of the 80s and the first high definition camcorder in 2004, Sony has often been a pioneer in video innovation. In 2010, Sony is launching the first camcorder with interchangeable lenses on the general consumer market. Named the NEX-VG10, this camcorder is made up of a mix of technology from cameras and camcorders.

Starting with the CMOS sensor, which is a 14.3 megapixel APS-C that is 19.5 times as large (23.4 x 15.6 mm) as on a traditional camcorder. This sensor allows you to shoot with very reduced depth of field (very much sought after following the success of the Canon 5D Mark II).

The lens that comes with it is an E-mount 18-200 mm Sony (F3.5-6.3) with built-in active optical stabilizer (which means you can film while walking like on the CX550). A 24x35 focal length, 32.4 mm wide-angle and 11x optical zoom. The camcorder has autofocus and progressive zoom and the lens includes two manual rings for focus and zoom. Minimum sensitivity is 11 lux, which corresponds to candlelight.

The NEX-VG10 is compatible with all 3 E-mount lenses currently available. You could, for example, use a Carl Zeiss with fixed focal length for portraits, and Sony G macro or telephoto lenses.

The NEX-VG10 measures 13 cm in length and is 10 cm wide with very nice viewing from its high resolution 1.4 megapixel viewfinder and 7.5 cm 921,600 pixel LCD screen. All for a weight of 1.3 kg.

You record onto an SD card (SDHC/SDXC) or the Sony Memory STick Pro Duo, though there's no internal memory. It records in AVCHD with 1920x1080 pixel resolution at a bitrate of 24 Mbps, but only in interlaced sweep (1080i) in spite of the 25p progressive sensor. Sony justifies this limitation by citing speed imperatives. This in spite of the fact that Panasonic has managed it with its TM700 which films in 1080/50p.

Audio is excellent with a quad capsule spatial array stereo microphone at the front of the body. It reproduces the quality you get on 5.1 microphones on previous generation camcorders but with much better sensitivity. It also has a microphone in and a headphones out.

Slated for availability in September somewhere in the region of £1500 - £1800, the NEX-VG10 clearly targets video afficionados. Its concept is inspired by the success of the Canon 5D Mark II which was a hit with plenty of cameramen due to the superb backgrounds. The NEX-VG10 offers a more comfortable design than an SLR however, thanks to its autofocus and headphones socket. The absence of progressive mode is regrettable though at a time when HD broadcast functions universally via progressive scan (computer screen, flat screen, internet). Lastly, the choice of the AVCHD format on a semi-pro camcorder is a serious disadvantage when it comes to editing, this in spite of the fact that Sony is offering a free download of its Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 software.

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