Sony's action cam offers advanced image stabilization

By Yoon Sung-won

There was a time when action cameras were the preserve of athletes who used them to record their performances.

But in the era of social networking services (SNS) like Facebook and Instagram, people are increasingly sharing their everyday lives not only through still photographs but also in the form of dynamic videos. According to data from the Korea Information Society Development Institute, Instagram’s monthly average active users exceeded 6 million in 2015.

The popularity of action cameras has also been accelerated as reality TV shows and private Internet broadcasters have adopted action cameras for more personal, vivid and dynamic videos.

Reflecting such explosive demand, action cameras for daily use and outdoor activities have rolled out in the market.

Based on its long history in developing optical and imaging technologies, Sony is aggressive in the action camera business and has introduced advanced and handy devices.

Provided by Sony Korea, this reporter tested the HDR-AS50, one of the Japanese brand’s latest action cameras. Its enhanced anti-shake function and lightness make it a recommended choice, even for novices.

Made of solid plastic, the AS50 weighs only 58 grams. It comes with a waterproof case that is compatible with new button positions, and the case is effective to 60 meters underwater.

With a power button and a record button on top, the AS50 has zoom buttons and a display screen on one side. It is compatible with microSD universal memory cards and Sony’s exclusive Memory Stick Micro. It has a removable 1,240mAh battery that can be recharged using a five-pin micro universal serial bus cable.

Like its predecessors, the AS50 has a super-wide-angle Zeiss-Tessar F/2.8 lens that maximizes light into the lens, enabling recording low light. It also has Sony’s exclusive Exmor R metal-oxide semiconductor sensor and Bionz X imaging processor that supports up to 11 megapixels.

Under the lens, the device has a stereo microphone but does not support external microphones.

The AS50 can record full high-definition videos with 60 frames per second (fps) and high-definition videos with 120 fps. It can also take 4K-class timelapse videos, livestreaming and 18-shot-per-second burst shooting.

Because most action cameras are designed to be attached to helmets, they can record the landscape from the user’s viewpoint. The Sony action camera can also be attached to the shoulder, breast or backpack, or to a pet.

Its universal mount is compatible with many pole-type stands, the usual tripods and even drones, helping users get videos from all the angles they want.

But to get clearer videos, an improved image stabilization technology is a must.

Sony has introduced what it calls the “New SteadyShot Active Mode” in this device, which it claims has three times more anti-shaking capability than existing SteadyShot technology.

To maximize the usability of the action camera, Sony also launched the compatible live-view remote controller, LVR3. With a band strap, users can wear it on their wrist or mount it wherever they want to monitor what the camera is recording.

Even without the remote controller, users can wirelessly connect the action camera to their mobile devices through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to monitor and control the recording.

Tapping into wireless network connectivity, users can directly upload their videos to their SNS accounts using the “Highlight Movie Maker” function.

The camera, however, does not support GPS.