14 DAY TRIAL // Sony's managed to achieve some pretty impressive developments in the field of interchangeable-lens imaging devices, starting with their NEX series of pocket DSLRs and continuing with the world's first-ever interchangeable lens camcorder, the “Handycam” NEX-VG10, but it seems that the Japanese company's sights are set much higher, since they're working on a similar product targeting the professional segment, that's apparently called the NXCAM.
As AkihabaraNews informs us, Sony's recently revealed the fact that they're working on a new type of E-mount interchangeable lens camcorder for professional use that is equipped with a Super-35mm equivalent large format CMOS sensor.
According to Sony, this new sensor will have a very good level of performance in terms of picture quality and sensitivity, and is able to create rich “Bokeh” effect (defocused image) that is just the thing for artistic story-telling in motion picture.
Thanks to the adoption of the E-mount interchangeable lens system that is identical to the one found in the “α” series NEX-5, 3 and “Handycam” NEX-VG10, the E-mount lenses will be compatible with this new professional camcorder, thus granting film-makers a wider array of options in terms of available lenses (especially since adapters for attaching lenses featuring other types of mounts to the E-Lens system are already available on the market).
As we pretty much expected, the recording format for this new HD camcorder will be AVCHD and it seems that Sony's also planning to implement 1080p (60p / 30p / 24p or 50p / 25p) recording modes - (MPEG4-AVC/H.264 compression will be used for these modes.)
While no pricing and/or specific availability information has been provided thus far, it seems that Sony plans to end the development stage and start producing the NXCAM by mid-2011, which seems to be a pretty realistic time-frame, all things considered.