When Sony showed off the early concept demo of an interchangeable camcorder – it looked like a basic plastic case with some lenses. The actual product – the NEX-VG10 – has just been announced, and it actually looks like a huge leap forward for the entire camcorder market.
The NEX-VG10, launching in September for a yet to be determined price tag, will ship standard with an E-mount 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS zoom lens, capable of an 11 times zoom. Coupled with the Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, the camera offers Full HD recording, with 14.2MP stills which can be recorded at 7fps. An adaptor will allow owners of Sony’s A-Mount lenses to use them on the VG10 as well.
The camera will come standard with a battery offering “approximately 155 minutes” of recording, while there’s an option for a five-hour battery as well. The camera will record to booth Memory Stick Pro Duo and SD cards.
The microphone – often the biggest disappointment in a camcorder – also looks impressive and incorporates four “separate omnidirectional microphone capsules”.
While Sony hasn’t released a price yet, it’s probably safe to say that it will be firmly in the “too expensive for most people” category. But it looks fantastic, and for a new category of camera, it’s probably the best place for Sony to start.