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  • Introduction

  • Design & Usability

  • Features

  • Performance

  • Conclusion

  • Introduction
  • Design & Usability
  • Features
  • Performance
  • Conclusion

Introduction

The NEX-VG900 will be available in November 2012 with an MSRP of $3299 (body only). The camcorder was announced in conjunction with Sony’s new 18-200mm power zoom lens and the lower-end NEX-VG30 interchangeable lens camcorder.

Design & Usability

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The new zoom toggle and the provided A-mount lens adapter make the NEX-VG900 more versatile than previous interchangeable-lens Handycams.

In the basic sense, the NEX-VG900 handles very similarly to the NEX-VG20 (Sony's earlier interchangeable-lens Handycam). The size and shape of the two camcorders are similar, but the few alterations made by Sony should make the VG900 easier for handheld use. Positioning the dedicated manual control buttons on the outside of the LCD cavity was a very good decision, and it should please those who prefer to utilize the electronic viewfinder (rather than the LCD) when they shoot video.

The NEX-VG900 handles very similarly to the NEX-VG20.

Then there’s the simple addition of a zoom toggle on the NEX-VG900, which is also a new feature on the updated NEX-VG30. This new feature improves the handling of the VG900 drastically, but it only helps if you’re using Sony’s new power zoom lens with a built-in zoom motor. The 18-200mm power zoom lens is available as a kit with the VG900, and when attached it allows you to control zoom via the toggle rather than relying on the lens ring.

{{photo_gallery "Front Photo", "Left Photo", "Left Open Photo", "Back Photo", "Right Photo", "Top Photo", "Bottom Photo", "Lens Photo", "Lens Photo 2", "3D Lens Photo", "Media Photo", "Easy Mode Photo", "Manual Controls Photo", "Zoom Photo", "Zoom Photo 2", "Ease of Use Photo", "Battery Photo", "LCD Photo 1", "LCD Photo 2", "EVF Photo 1", "EVF Photo 2", "Mic Photo", "Mic Photo 2", "Ports Photo 1", "Ports Photo 2", "Ports Photo 3", "Ports Photo 4", "Ports Photo 5", "Ports Photo 6", "Handling Photo 1", "Handling Photo 2", "Handling Photo 3", "Handling Photo 4", "Box Photo"}}

Features

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No 4K recording capability even though the sensor is more than large enough to handle it.

Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments with the NEX-VG900 is that the camcorder doesn't come with any new record modes or frame rate options that weren't already in place on the NEX-VG20. Just like Sony's other Handycams, the VG900 makes use of the AVCHD compression system rather than setting its sights on higher-bitrate options like the Canon 5D Mark III and Panasonic GH3 cameras offer. Even though the huge 24-megapixel image sensor is more than capable of capturing a 4K video image, the NEX-VG900 limits itself to 1920 x 1080 full HD recording. I'm not saying 4K is a necessity here, but it leaves me questioning why Sony went with such a huge image sensor in the first place. If the video image is being created by a tiny portion of the image sensor, then what's the point of having a full-frame sensor in the first place? One argument could be that it enables the VG900 to take high-res still photos. But that's crazy. If you want high-res photos, get a DSLR.

The camcorder doesn't come with any new record modes or frame rate options that weren't already in place on the NEX-VG20.

The NEX-VG900 has full control over iris, gain, shutter speed, and focus, but the camcorder doesn't have the robust set of image controls that you'd find on a truly professional camcorder. Have the need for knee point adjustment? Not gonna find it here. Clamoring for gamma control? The VG900 can't do that either. Don't know what either of these features mean? Then you'll probably be satisfied with what the VG900 has to offer.

Performance

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The VG900 features an E-mount lens system, but the camcorder comes with a free A-mount adapter.

What exactly does it mean to have a "full-frame" image sensor? The name is a throwback to when cameras shot using film. Most regular cameras made use of 35mm film, which got its name from the fact that the film negative was about 35mm wide (makes sense, huh?). The sensor on the NEX-VG900 tries to replicate this size, with the dimensions turning out to be 23.9 x 35.8mm. But those measurements mean nothing without a comparison. The 24-megapixel full-frame sensor on the VG900 is more than twice the size of the APS HD CMOS sensor found on the NEX-VG20, and roughly 45 times larger than the 1/2.88-inch chip found in the Sony HDR-CX700V consumer Handycam. Clearly, this is a big deal.

To make most of the full frame image sensor, you must use A-mount lenses with the VG900. Using an E-mount lens will automatically push the camcorder into an APS-C crop mode, effectively using the same portion of the sensor that the Sony NEX-VG20 would be capable of. Luckily, the camcorder does come with a free A-mount lens adapter (LA-EA3 adapter), but you have to purchase a lens separately.

Conclusion

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Despite all its question marks, the NEX-VG900 is an exciting achievement for Sony.

Since the Handycam NEX-VG900 is such an unprecedented device, the camcorder itself raises plenty of questions. Since the VG900 is limited to 1920 x 1080 recording, how much will the full-frame sensor, with its whopping 24 megapixels, actually improve video quality? Is this model simply a stepping stone to a 4K Handycam—one that would take full advantage of the large sensor—in the near future? What about record modes and AVCHD compression? Are pros who shell out $3299 for a camcorder going to be satisfied with a 28Mbps bitrate? There were similar complaints about Canon’s new AVCHD-recording EOS C100 Cinema Camera announced a few weeks ago.

Despite all the questions, the NEX-VG900 is still an exciting achievement for Sony. The larger sensor should have at least some impact on sensitivity, noise, and depth of field control, all three of which are very important to professionals. The camcorder's $3299 price tag (body only) is definitely competitive compared to other interchangeable lens camcorders, many of which costs in the vicinity of $10,000. My guess (and hope) is that Sony will continue to put an emphasis on its interchangeable-lens Handycams, and I won’t be surprised if a 4K version is on the horizon.

Meet the tester

Jeremy Stamas

Jeremy Stamas

Managing Editor, Video

@nematode9

Jeremy is the video expert of our imaging team and Reviewed.com's head of video production. Originally from Pennsylvania and upstate NY, he graduated from Bard college with a degree in film and electronic media. He has been living and working in New England since 2005.

See all of Jeremy Stamas's reviews

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