Sony HXR-NX30 camcorder: built-in projector, 96GB storage for $2,500

Don't worry, lone gunslingers, today isn't just about the NEX-FS700. Sony's pro range has also been bolstered with the HXR-NX30 for videographers who need to travel light. This model sacrifices interchangeable lenses in favor of a palm-friendly form factor with a 26mm-260mm (35mm equivalent) Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T fixed lens. The camera sports Sony's ‘Balanced Optical SteadyShot' technology, which means both the lens and the sensor assembly are floated as a single element to minimize camera shake. Unlike that of the larger NEX-VG20, the HXR-NX30′s sensor is shrunken too: it's an Exmor R CMOS that's only slightly larger than 1x3-inch. The North American NX30U variant handles 1920 x 1080 at 60p, 30p and 24p, as well as 60i and 720x60p, stored as AVCHD on the camera's 96GB of internal memory. A detachable XLR unit takes care of pro-quality audio. Weirdly, the HXR-NX30 even houses a built-in projector that plays back 100-inch footage from a distance of 16 feet. It's an interesting feature, but will it be worth its weight?

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