After a series of leaks and rumours, Sony has officially introduced two lens-style cameras, the Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 and the DSC-QX10, which can be attached to smartphones and tablets for an enhanced imaging experience or used independently.
The lens cameras lack a viewfinder but can be attached to smart devices and paired with them through Wi-Fi or NFC, following which photos and videos can be shot with the help of Sony's PlayMemories app, which is available for both iOS and Android converting the device's screen into a real-time viewfinder. The same app lets users tinker with camera settings, coming with the ability to release the shutter, start or stop movie recordings, and adjust common photographic settings like shooting mode, zoom, Auto Focus area and others. Once pictures or videos are taken, they can be saved directly on both the phone and the camera or either, and can be shared instantly via social media or other common mobile applications. If the lens is not paired with the device, pictures and videos can be saved on a microSD card or a memory stick on the camera lens.
"With the new QX series cameras, we are making it easier for the ever-growing population of 'mobile photographers' to capture far superior, higher-quality content without sacrificing the convenience and accessibility of their existing mobile network or the familiar 'phone-style' shooting experience that they've grown accustomed to," said Patrick Huang, director of the Cyber-shot business at Sony. "We feel that these new products represent not only an evolution for the digital camera business, but a revolution in terms of redefining how cameras and smartphones can cooperatively flourish in today's market."The Cyber-shot QX100 camera features a 1.0-inch, 20.2-megapixel Exmor RCMOS sensor. Identical to the sensor found in the acclaimed Cyber-shot RX100 II camera, it allows for detailed, ultra-low noise images in all types of lighting conditions, including dimly lit indoor and night scenes, according to Sony.
The sensor is paired with a fast, wide-aperture Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens with 3.6x optical zoom and a BIONZ image processor, for detailed still images and HD videos. The DSC-QX100 sports a dedicated control ring for camera-like adjustment of manual focus and zoom. Several different shooting modes can be selected while using the camera including Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto, which automatically recognises 33 different shooting conditions and adjusts camera settings to suit.