New A6500 and RX100 cameras from Sony

Sony has uneviled an improved version of its A6300 camera, labelling it the A6500.

The APS-C sensor (24.2 megapixels) device now includes a touchscreen, probably to the delight of many reviewers who seemed disappointed by the omission in the prior model. The screen can be used as a touchpad when looking through the viewfinder, dragging a finger across the screen to shift the focus point from one area to another.

It also has in-body 5-axis stabilisation so you can get steady shots with any lens not just those with their own stabilisers. Sony says this includes E-mount lenses without Optical SteadyShot and A-mount lenses when used with a compatible mount adapter.

Focusing is said to be as fast as 0.05 seconds using  425 phase detection AF points positioned over “nearly” the entire image, together with contrast detection.  11 fps stills are said to be possible with continuous autofocus.

100Mbs 4K video is possible although only up to 25/30fps, sadly, using a full readout of all the pixels to collect 6K of information which is then subbed down to the 4K image. The XAVC-S format is used, as well as for HD video at up to 100fps for slow motion shots.

It ain’t cheap though, being available in Europe in December 2016 priced at approximately €1,700 (body only). More info at http://presscentre.sony.co.uk/pressreleases/sony-introduces-new-a6500-camera-with-exceptional-all-around-performance-1594724

Meanwhile, Sony’s also announced the fifth iteration of its much loved RX100 pocket camera. Also boasting that 0.05s autofocus time, it has 315 points covering around 65% of the frame.

The model has a newly developed 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with a Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70 mm F1.8 – 2.8 large aperture lens (35mm equivalent). Also new is the focus system, combining  phase detection and contrast detection.

Intriguingly, the camera is said to have a “high speed Anti-Distortion Shutter (maximum speed of 1/32000 second) that minimises the “rolling shutter” effect commonly experienced with fast moving subjects”

For video, the XAVC S codec is used which records at up to 100 Mbps in 4K and 50 Mbps for full HD. A new underwater housing is also being manufactured as an optional extra.

This camera, like its predecessors, is also not cheap at €1,200 and coming to the shops in November 2016. Irritatingly, there’s still no mention of a microphone jack or a headphone jack. You’d think Sony really would have learned after all this time, wouldn’t you?

The full press release is at http://presscentre.sony.co.uk/pressreleases/sony-announces-new-addition-to-acclaimed-line-of-cyber-shot-r-rx-cameras-1594722