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Although there’s undoubtedly been improvements to low light videography, it’s still difficult or impossible for most cameras to record in near-total darkness. Canon has the solution with a video-only, 35mm CMOS sensor that can keep recording even when there’s virtually no visible light at all. The prototype’s pixels are about 7.5 times larger than in already light-sensitive DSLRs like the EOS-1D X, letting it get focus with as little as 0.03lux of illumination. The result is more than just the perfect camera for a horror movie — the sensor can capture the Geminid meteor shower and other astronomical phenomena without special tricks. Canon hasn’t said when it might ship a video camera toting the new imaging technology, but it’s planning to show the sensor at a security expo this week; we may well see the sensor in the field, even if most of its work happens beyond the public eye.

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Via: Impress Watch (translated)

Source: Canon (translated)

Sony excited a lot of people who were down on point-and-shoots with the full-frame RX1. As the smallest full-frame sensor camera, it sounded like it could be awesome. But sounding awesome is different from looking awesome and with cameras, it’s all about the shots right? Well, here are some sample shots of the RX1. More »

Used to be, to get a full-frame sensor in a Canon camera, you had to shell out big bucks for a pro rig like the 5D Mark III or 1D X. No longer. Canon’s just unveiled its EOS 6D, the smallest, lightest and cheapest full-frame DSLR it’s ever made. Weighing 690g, the 6D is 20 percent lighter than the 5D Mark III, and at $2,099, it’s a full $1,400 less than its heftier stablemate — which also puts it directly in line with Nikon’s recently released full-frame shooter, the D600. In addition to that mammoth sensor, the 6D’s the first EOS camera to have built-in WiFi. When paired with the company’s free iOS and Android apps, you can use your phone to change the 6D’s settings, take and geotag photos using the live remote function, and even transfer those shots to your handset wirelessly.

The 6D packs a 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+ image processor that shoots stills at 4.5fps, does HDR (though it only saves the composite image, not the individual shots), and 1080p 30fps video in 29 minute 59 second clips. Its sensitivity runs from ISO 100 up to 102,400 (extended) and has an 11-point autofocus system with an EV -3 sensitivity rating for better low light performance. There’s a 3-inch, 1.04 million dot ClearView LCD on the back to supplement the optical viewfinder, plus it’s got a stereo mic jack to ensure the audio matches the quality of your HD videos. To store your imaging masterpieces, the 6D has a single SD card slot that’s SDHC and SDXC compatible. When it goes on sale this December, the 6D will be sold in two configurations: $2,099 for the body only, and a kit that throws in a 24-105mm f/4L USM zoom lens for $2,899.

Continue reading Canon unveils EOS 6D DSLR: full frame sensor and WiFi for $2,099 in December

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Canon unveils EOS 6D DSLR: full frame sensor and WiFi for $2,099 in December originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Sony launched the NEX-VG10 I could not believe how amazing this camera was, sure there were a few drawbacks using this new Handycam, but videos shot with this camera were truly stunning… The NEX-VG20 was a nice update and today VG30 is still pretty nice, but being able to stuck all the bells and whistles of an A99 into a NEX-VG like Handycam is pure Geek pornography! Sony, if you were a woman I will beg you to marry me right now!
So yes you just figured it out but the NEX-VG900 is …

It’s not every day that a digital SLR manufacturer releases a new full-frame camera — in fact, it’s not even every year. Sony’s last top-end model, the A900, was first released four years ago, so you better believe its successor offers an overflowing boatload of enhancements. The Alpha A99 is a flagship if ever there was one, crushing every other Sony still camera in terms of capability, both when it comes to stills, and in the HD video realm as well. With this $2,800 behemoth, the company is targeting both professional photographers and leading filmmakers, with plenty of features that will appeal to both. The centerpiece is an all-new 24.3-megapixel Exmor sensor (nope, it’s not the rumored 36MP chip you might be expecting), which features an increased photodiode area for boosted low light quality (up to ISO 102,400). The camera also features what Sony’s calling the “world’s first dual-AF system,” which includes two different phase-detect AF systems, including the same 19-point system on the A77, plus an additional 102 points on the imager itself.

Video shooters will find 1080/60p and 24p options with AVCHD 2.0, including uncompressed output through HDMI (with simultaneous output to a monitor) and phase-detect focus support in video mode. There’s also a 6 frames-per-second burst mode, 14-bit RAW output for stills, the same 921k-dot Xtra Fine twilt-and-swivel LCD included with the A77 with WhiteMagic and TruBlack, and the same OLED viewfinder found on the A77, NEX-6 and NEX-7, that offers slightly boosted functionality thanks to the full-frame sensor, letting photographers snag a realtime depth-of-field preview without dimming the finder. It also offers a 34-degree viewing angle and color tone adjustment control. Because the A99 offers a translucent mirror, Sony was able to eliminate the pentaprism to keep the size and weight at bay, making the DSLR lighter than the Nikon D800 and Canon 5D Mark III. Jump past the break for our hands-on.

Continue reading Sony reveals the Alpha A99, its first full-frame flagship since 2008’s A900 (hands-on)

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Sony reveals the Alpha A99, its first full-frame flagship since 2008’s A900 (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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