WDC hands on look at the new Sony NEX-VG10E camcorder

During an exclusive event in central London we were able to get a hands on with the new Sony NEX-VG10E. Announced earlier this week, the new model boasted the same sensor as the NEX-5 and NEX-3 with some impressive movie making features such as a surround sound mic.

The handling was geared more towards a traditional camcorder size and shape, with a handle along the top for low angle shooting. On the right hand side is a grip, which also puts the majority of the important controls within a finger stretch.

Zoom on the Sony NEX-VG10E is manually controlled via the lens, much like a DSLR, and the 18-200mm lens does extend a fair amount when used. The MS/SD card port sits beneath the LCD screen, under which all of the usual manual controls can be found including a scroll wheel which alters values such as shutter speed and aperture.

A Photo button allows stills to be taken at the full 14.2MP resolution, putting out a similar sized file to the NEX-5 or NEX-3. Even for a photographer the Sony NEX-VG10E was extremely easy to handle, with the grip making it easy to both support the camcorder and find the important controls.

As the manual controls were under the screen it made it slightly less straightforward to alter settings when using the LCD, but as the controls are less likely to be tampered with as frequently as those on a still camera this shouldn’t be a huge issue. The battery bay was huge and obviously intended for the largest available size, even though the standard NEX battery type could be used, so don’t expect to utilize the smaller options.

Although Sony were reluctant to confirm an RRP for the Sony NEX-VG10E the price of around £2,000 was seen as a possibility. As the 18-200mm is around £600-£650 at street price it doesn’t make the body price ridiculously high.

With the extra adapter able to make use of existing Sony DSLR lenses the versatility for filmmakers on a budget should make this model very popular. For more information on the Sony NEX-VG10E check www.sony.co.uk