The HXR-MC2500 Shoulder Mount AVCHD Camcorder from Sony is designed for shooters looking for the inherent stability and professional feel a shoulder-mount form factor provides. It features a 1/4″ Exmor R CMOS chip that can work with as little as 0.8 lux illumination when in SD mode, and low-light performance is further augmented by a built-in LED light shining 800 lumens at 1.6; distance. The camera records Full HD in the widely supported AVCHD format and can record SD in the DV codec with an AVI wrapper. Using DV rather than DVD-style MPEG-2 compression for SD means a higher quality thanks to lower compression and compatibility with more editing software. The camera is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing you to control it from an app as well as monitor a low-latency live feed on a smartphone or tablet.

Along with two cold shoes, the HXR-MC2500 features one Sony Multi Interface Shoe which allows the attachment of proprietary accessories, such as lights and microphones. The hot shoe design means no separate cables will be required for audio accessories, and lights will not require a separate battery or power source since they can draw off the camera battery. The two standard shoes provide mounting for third-party lights, field monitors, microphones, wireless receivers, and other on-camera accessories.

For live monitoring, there is an HDMI output, plus composite output which is on a locking BNC connector to ensure the cable doesn’t accidentally get yanked loose during a live broadcast. Video can be recorded internally to the 32GB flash memory, which stores about 170 minutes at the 24 Mb/s (FX) quality setting, or a SDHC/SDXC or Memory Stick memory card.

Wide 26.8mm Angle Lens
With 12x zoom, the lens features a 26.8mm-equivalent focal length when at its widest setting, helping to minimize the times a wide-angle adapter or converter will be required.
Exmor R CMOS Sensor
The Exmor R CMOS has been redesigned from the previous model to deliver up to 0.8 lux sensitivity in SD mode. This sensitivity bump is partly due to backside illumination which moves much of the circuity to the back of the sensor, enabling larger photosites which can capture more light.
OLED Tru-Finder and 3″ LCD Panel
The Tru-Finder viewfinder uses OLED technology for a better viewing angle and features a resolution of 1.44 million dots, adequate for critical manual focusing. There is also a 3″ LCD panel for when the camera is not being used over the shoulder, featuring a 0.92 million dot resolution. The LCD screen can be closed or disabled when not in use to conserve battery.
Low-Light Shooting
The HXR-MC2500 is capable of up to 0.8 lux minimum illumination when using manual settings with the shutter set to 1/15 second, the iris at f/1.8, and the gain at 33 dB. Plus, there is a built-in LED video light that casts 800 lumens of brightness when 1.6′ from the subject.
Wi-Fi Enabled with NFC Connectivity
Through Wi-Fi it is possible to operate a number of camera settings from a smartphone or tablet. You can also monitor a live feed, which is ideal for setups, such as a news conference, where the camera is placed where people aren’t allowed during the event. The NFC feature saves time, allowing you to pair the camera with NFC-enabled mobile devices simply by tapping the device to the camera. Functions you can access through the app include:
Record start/stop
Zoom
Iris
Touch autofocus
Hybrid Recording
The camera comes equipped with 32GB of built-in memory, offering approximately 170 minutes in the 24 Mb/s (FX) quality setting. There is also a memory card slot that can accept SD, SDHC, SDXC, and Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo cards—all available separately—for even longer recording times. Simultaneous mode lets you record to both media at once, while Relay will roller over from one media to the other once the first fills up. Relay makes indefinite recording possible as long as the battery lasts or when AC power is available.
Multi Interface (MI) Shoe
In addition to the two standard cold shoes, the proprietary Multi Interface Shoe allows the camera to talk directly to a range of accessories from Sony without requiring separate wiring. Compatible accessories include microphones, wireless receivers, and flashes.

Note: The Multi Interface Shoe is not compatible with accessories that use the earlier Active Interface (AIS) shoe.
DV Recording
In SD mode, the HXR-MC2500 records in DV codec—the same format used by MiniDV tape cameras—and puts the file in an AVI wrapper. This format is supported by most editing programs and features less compression than the MPEG-2 SD mode found on many other cameras.
Assignable Lens Ring
The lens ring can be set to manually control focus, exposure, white balance, iris, or shutter speed to give you direct access without going through the camera’s menu.
Timecode
It is possible to set SMPTE timecode or user bit (UB) for multicamera productions or to make it easier to locate footage in post.
BNC Composite Output
The composite output uses a BNC terminal, which is a locking connector that reduces the risk of accidentally yanking the cable out during a live broadcast.
Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization with Active Mode
In addition to normal optical image stabilization, Active Mode provides compensation for the sway that occurs while waking.
Quick AF System
Designed to improve autofocus accuracy, even in low-light conditions.
L-Series Battery
Support for Sony’s professional L-series battery line means up to 14 hours of battery life is possible when using the separately available NPF-970 battery.

Distinguished by its updated sensor design, the Alpha a7 III Mirrorless Digital Camera from Sony is a well-rounded camera suitable for both photo and video applications in a variety of working situations. Refined for improved speed and low-light performance, the full-frame 24.2MP Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor pair to realize an impressive 10 fps continuous shooting rate and improved autofocus performance for faster, more reliable subject tracking along with wide frame coverage. This updated Fast Hybrid AF System employs a combination of 693 phase-detection points and 425 contrast-detection areas for quicker acquirement of focus in a variety of lighting conditions, and also maintains focus on subjects more effectively. In addition to speed and AF, the processing improvements also help to realize greater image clarity and reduced noise throughout the sensitivity range from ISO 100-51200, which can further be expanded to ISO 50-204800. Video recording capabilities have also been extended for enhanced quality when recording UHD 4K video with the full width of the full-frame sensor to minimize moiré and aliasing. Additionally, benefitting both stills and video operation, the a7 III utilizes a 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE sensor-shift image stabilization, which is now effective to minimize the appearance of camera shake by up to 5 stops.

Beyond just updates to the imaging system, the a7 III’s body design has also been revised to include a rear 3.0″ 922k-dot touchscreen LCD, which has a tilting design to better support working from high and low angles. A 2.36m-dot Tru-Finder OLED EVF is also featured for bright and clear eye-level monitoring. For greater shooting flexibility, dual SD memory card slots are now featured, and a larger NP-FZ100 battery is also employed to achieve up to approximately 710 shots per charge. Suiting the camera’s use in trying conditions, the magnesium-alloy chassis and weather-sealing also render the a7 III dust- and moisture-resistant.

24.2MP Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor and BIONZ X Image Processor
Featuring a back-illuminated design, the full-frame 24.2-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor works with the BIONZ X image processor to offer high-resolution stills and video while minimizing noise and improving speed. This sensor structure works with a gapless on-chip lens design and an anti-reflection coating to improve light collection and enhance detail. Also, the copper wiring layer dramatically improves data transmission speed for creating 14-bit, high-resolution stills with a native sensitivity range from ISO 100-51200, which can be further expanded to ISO 50-204800. Also, it enables internal UHD 4K video recording with a wide dynamic range using the full width of the full-frame sensor. The BIONZ X processor also works in conjunction with a high-speed front-end LSI to realize faster processing times along with the ability to capture an impressive 15-stop dynamic range at low sensitivity values.

The sensor and processor combination also avails fast continuous shooting at up to 10 fps at full resolution, for up to 177 consecutive frames, and with full-time AF/AE when working with either a mechanical shutter or an electronic shutter. If shooting in live view mode, a continuous shooting rate of up to 8 fps is also possible.
Fast Hybrid AF System
An evolved 4D FOCUS system now employs a combination of 693 phase-detection points, which cover approximately 93% of the frame, along with 425 contrast-detection areas for reliable and quick autofocus and subject tracking performance. This Fast Hybrid AF System now achieves twice the focusing speed and more reliable tracking compared to previous a7 models, as well as improved low-light focusing. The use of phase-detection points also enables the use of A-mount lenses via the optional LA-EA3 or LA-EA1 lens mount adapters with full continuous AF/AE tracking compatibility.

The apt focus system also lends itself to a variety of focusing functions for refined accuracy, including Lock-on AF, which maintains focus on moving subjects throughout the use of a configurable frame that is set over the desired moving subject, and Expand Flexible Spot, which employs neighboring focus points to retain focus on moving subjects even if the originally selected point loses focus. Additionally, Eye AF can be used to base focus on recognized subjects’ eyes for portraits and is available in both AF-S and AF-C modes. Autofocus can also be used in conjunction with the Focus Magnifier function for critical focus when homing in on minute subject details. The rear touchscreen can also be used for Touch Focus control, and a Touchpad Focus Control mode lets you use the rear screen intuitively while keeping your eye to the viewfinder.
5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Image Stabilization
Packed into the robust a7 III is a 5-stop effective 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization system that compensates for five different types of camera shake encountered during handheld shooting of stills and video. This allows users to confidently use any lens, even adapted lenses, for critical imaging without encountering blur from camera shake.

For long focal lengths, the system will correct for pitch and yaw adjustments. Macro and high-magnification imagery, on the other hand, will benefit from the inclusion of horizontal and vertical shift compensation. All shooting styles will get usage out of the roll compensation. All 5 axes of stabilization will function at all times, even when used with third-party lenses and adapters or lenses with built-in optical stabilization.
UHD 4K Video Recording in XAVC S Format
Internal recording of UHD 4K movies is possible in multiple frame rates up to 30 fps and using 2.4x oversampling renders greater detail and full pixel readout is possible, that is void of pixel binning, for higher quality imagery with reduced moiré and aliasing. Full-frame 4K recording has also been dramatically improved for improved quality when working at mid to high sensitivities to permit full use of the entire sensor width. Full HD 1080p recording is also supported in frame rates up to 120 fps, and both resolutions utilize the 100 Mb/s XAVC S format contained within an MP4 wrapper with 4:2:0 sampling. The high-speed, 120 fps recording also enables 4x and 5x slow-motion movie recording with the frame rate set to either 30p or 24p. In addition to high-resolution internal recording, uncompressed HDMI output also enables the use of an optional external recorder for clean 4K recording with 4:2:2 sampling.

Affording extensive customizable color and gamma controls, the a7 III allows users to adjust the gamma, black level, knee, color level, and more. Also, users can use the same S-Log2 Gamma Curve that is found on high end Sony Cinema cameras that squeezes up to 1300% more dynamic range into the video signal then traditional REC709, for increased post-production flexibility. HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) support is also available, along with the BT.2020 color space, for recording within a wide color gamut and, in addition to S-Log2, S-Log3 is also available for producing an effective 14-stop dynamic range with increased grading control in the shadow to mid-tone regions of the image.
Body Design and Built-In Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
An XGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF is featured, and has a 2.36m-dot resolution and 0.78x magnification for bright, clear viewing in high detail. This viewfinder design also affords the use of autofocus in the Focus Magnifier mode as well as improved focusing peaking to benefit manual focus operation.
In addition to the EVF, a 3.0″ 922k-dot rear LCD is also available, which has a touch panel design for intuitive operation and focusing control. The screen also tilts upward 107° and downward 41° to benefit working from high and low angles.
Magnesium-alloy chassis assures rigidity, durability, and stability while remaining lightweight. The lens mount has also been improved to better support heavy lenses and the grip rigidity has been improved for more comfortable hand-holding.
Weather-sealing has been employed to resist dust and moisture for reliable operation in harsh weather conditions.
Using the NP-FZ100 battery, the a7 III has improved battery life and is now rated for approximately 710 shots per charge.
Dual SD memory card slots allow for flexible file saving and handling, and can be configured to partition raw and JPEG files or can be used for overflow recording. One of the card slots is rated to support UHS-II memory cards.
A USB 3.0 Type-C port has been added, in addition to a micro-USB port, for faster, more reliable tethering support. The USB Type-C connection allows the camera to be charged from the host power source while connected.
Built-in Wi-Fi enables the a7 III to instantly share imagery to mobile devices for direct sharing online to social networking, via email, and to cloud storage sites. NFC (Near Field Communication) is also supported, which allows for one-touch connection between the camera and compatible mobile devices; no complex set-up is required. Once connected, the linked mobile device can also display a live view image on its screen and remotely control the camera’s shutter.
Bluetooth connectivity allows for location data acquisition.
Other Camera Features
A Ratings function lets you assign star values, from 1-5, to images in-camera for faster editing and sorting at home during post-production.
An advanced 1200-zone evaluative exposure metering sensor delivers consistent and accurate results using multi-segment, center-weighted, or spot metering modes.
Highlight and Average metering modes helps avoid blown-out highlights and provide stable auto-exposure, respectively.
Anti-flicker shooting automatically recognizes and times the shutter action to minimize the flicker effect for more consistent results on still images.
Picture Effect modes: Posterization (Color), Posterization (B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera (Normal/Cool/Warm/Green/Magenta), and Soft High-Key.
Creative Style modes: Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box (1-6), (Contrast (-3 to +3 steps), Saturation (-3 to +3 steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3 steps).