Small WondeR
Sony alpha neX- 7
Without an interchangeable lens attached, the
24.3-megapixel Sony Alpha NEX- 7 is as small as some
smartphones. Inside this mirrorless compact system
camera is the heart of a much bigger model: an APS-C
size image sensor that’s as large as those in most
DSLRs. Even better, the NEX- 7 shoots high-quality im-
ages as good as what you’d get from prosumer DSLRs,
with gorgeous detail and surprisingly low amounts of
noise even at high ISOs. The camera is also very fast,
both in single shot mode, where there’s hardly any
shutter lag, and in burst mode, with the NEX- 7 capable
of shooting at 10 fps. Oh, and the camera shoots pretty
superb 1080p HD video and stereo sounds from a built-
in mic. So what’s not to like?
PRice: $1,350
info: www.sony.com
HaPPy medium
Pentax 645d
We reviewed the 40-megapixel
Pentax 645D in April but this medium-format camera actually went
on sale in the U.S. two years before.
The problem was that the 645D
was so popular and supplies so limited, it was nearly impossible to get
our hands on one. That’s recently
changed for the better. The 645D
produced excellent image quality for
our studio and outdoor portraits with
good results at up to ISO 800. It’s also
very reasonably priced for a medium-format camera and has a surprisingly light
and ergonomic but tough build, along with plenty of easy-to-access external control. Though we wish there were more new lenses for the 645D, it accepts
legacy lenses from the old film version of the camera, letting Pentax 645 users get on
board with a full arsenal of glass.
4K King
Red Scarlet-X
We got to shoot with the Red Scarlet-X for
only a short time at the Consumer Electronics
Show (CES) but loved the potential of its ul-tra-high-def video skills almost as much as
we liked its kick-ass, DSLR-from-the-future
design. The Scarlet-X uses the same 14-mega-
pixel Mysterium-X image sensor as Red’s
top-of-the-line Epic and can shoot 4K video
(approximately 4x the resolution of HD) at
up to 30 fps. So yes, if you’re just now getting into capturing high-def, you’re already
behind the times. No reason to be intimidated though; we found the Red Scarlet-X
to be remarkably easy to use during our brief
encounter with it at CES. Photographers will
also appreciate that it can capture 5K (5120 x
2700 resolution) still image bursts at up to 12
fps. The Scarlet-X has a unique modular design, letting you purchase the body (aka the
“brain”) in either a Canon or PL lens mount
and add accessories as you’d like.
PRice: $9,750 (“brain” only)
info: www.red.com
PRice: $9,995
info: www.pentaximaging.com
