Sony Strikes At DSLR Video Market With Nex-EAU50UH

Sony has never been afraid to take on any player in the digital camera space.  With the release of the Nex-EAU50UH Sony is staking out ground closer to the DSLR price point but with high end video features in a camcorder form factor.

The EAU50UH will take full 16-megapixel still images and accepts Sony E-mount lenses, so purchasers of Sony products can use the same lenses on their Nex-7 that they can on a dedicated HD video recorder.  The EAU50UH even uses the same APS-C CMOS sensor as many of their still cameras.

The concessions to videographers are many with a lossless digital zoom with a rocker style switch, XLR inputs, a manual shutter to prevent rolling shutter and  variable frame rates of 24, 25, 30, 50, and 60 fps in 1080 HD.

With a basic C300 starting at $15,999 without a lens, Canon is running the risk of ceding a chunk of the DSLR video market that Canon grabbed from Nikon when they were slow adopting 24 fps.  Sony seems willing to take it by fielding a dedicated video camera that compliments their line of still cameras and lenses.

It’ll be interesting to see how Canon responds.

For more on the EAU50UH, see our discussion in the camera forum.