Film & Digital Times Issues 36-38 - Imago

Sony NEX-VG10
Sony NEX-VG10 with MTF PL mount adaptor by Mike Tapa at IBC, above,
and with Denz PL mount at Cinec, below.
32 Dec 2010
IBC and Cinec attendees were presented a variation on a very affordable
35mm format digital video camera. The NEX-VG10 is
Sony's first consumer APS-C sensor camcorder with interchangeable
lenses. Its E mount is the same one used on Sony NEX-5 and
NEX-3 still cameras. The 14.2 million pixel APS-C HD CMOS
sensor is 23.4 x 15.6 mm. Flange focal depth is a mere 18 mm.
These are perfect permutations for an aftermarket PL mount, and
no sooner could you say IBC than we saw a crowd at the Band Pro
and Sony Booths. There it was: the world's first ARRI PL to Sony
E Mount adaptor, made by Mike Tapa of MTF Services, London. It
enables mounting almost any PL lens on Sony's NEX-VG10, as well
as NEX-3 or NEX-5 still cameras, which have the same sensor. An
optional support cradle for this and other adaptors is coming soon.
Mike knows a thing or two about adaptors: he was the chief design
engineer at Optex. The MTF PL adaptor is precision machined
from HE30 aluminium with a stainless steel mount. They
also make a multitude of adaptors for most combinations of lenses
and cameras, including PL, Leica M, Nikon, Canon, Alpha and
Contax to Sony E. (www.mtfservices.com)
A week later, Denz had a PL to E adaptor in his booth at Cinec.
An E-mount 18-200 f/3.5-6.3 mm zoom with Optical Steadyshot
Stabilization is included in the $1,999 Sony NEX-VG10 package.
With a PL mount you have an excellent director’s finder. The sensor
is practically the same size as 35mm format, so what you see
is pretty much what you get. With the 18-200 lens, you can read
focal length off the barrel or mark it with a strip of chart tape.
This camera seems to be Sony’s answer to the Micro Four-Thirds
format of Panasonic and Olympus. Sony E Mount lenses so far
consist of the 18-200 mm f/3.5-6.3 zoom; 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6;
and 16mm f/2.8. Many more are expected. Sony also makes an A
to E adaptor to enable use of their Alpha lenses (44.5 mm flange
focal depth).
NEX-VG10 Specs:
• Lens Mount: Sony E-mount. 18 mm flange focal depth
• Electronic Viewfinder: EVF 0.43" Xtra Fine w/ 1152K dots and
Backlight Brightness Control, Diopter Adjustment
• LCD: 3.0" Xtra Fine swivel display (921K dots)
• AVCHD 1080i video at up to 24 Mbps
• 60 fps North American models; 50 fps European
• Stills up to 14 megapixels
• Shutter Speeds—Auto:
1/30 - 1/4000 (Movie) ,
30 seconds - 1/4000 (Still);
• Shutter Speeds—Manual:
1/4 - 1/4000 (Movie) ,
30 seconds - 1/4000 (Still)
• ISO 200 - 12,800
• Memory Stick Pro Duo, Pro-HG Duo
• SD/SDHC/SDXC and Sony MemoryStick storage.
• Battery : Type V Battery; Supplied: InfoLITHIUM NP-FV70
• 85 x 130 x 223 mm (body only)
• 3-7/8×5¼×11½" (97x132x294mm) (W/H/D) with 18-200 lens
• 2 lb 12 oz (1.3 kg) with lens and battery