On August 30th, atLe Méridien Shanghai Sheshan Jade Hall,Sony (China) Co., Ltd. heldthe 2016 Sony Action Cam Media Communication & Experience Event and conducted interview activities.
Interviewees included: Li Tun, Director of the Digital Imaging Products Department, Consumer Electronics Sales Division, Sony (China) Co., Ltd.;Li Yuan, Deputy Manager of the Digital Imaging Products Department, Consumer Electronics Sales Division, Sony (China) Co., Ltd.;Fei Yili, Marketing Specialist of the Digital Imaging Products Department, Consumer Electronics Sales Division, Sony (China) Co., Ltd.
1.Q: Optical SteadyShot image stabilization technology is being used in action cameras for the first time. How does it differ from professional equipment? What are the technical challenges?
Li Tun: Previously, Optical SteadyShot was successfully applied in the Handycam series. User feedback has shown that such image stabilization performance is highly in demand. No matter how beautiful the scenery or how high the image quality, shaky footage just doesn't work. That’s why we’ve introduced Optical SteadyShot technology into our new Action Cam models. Technically speaking, the FDR-X3000R uses the same principles for shake compensation and the same combination of lens and sensor as the previous Handycam series. However, because action cameras are much smaller, it’s more challenging. So, for the Action Cam, we optimized the structure of the moving lens and image sensor assembly to adapt to the smaller body of the Actioncam, allowing users to enjoy the benefits of Optical SteadyShot.
2.Q: What advantages does Sony Action Cam have over other shooting devices, such as smartphones, digital cameras, and camcorders? What are the technical advantages compared to competing products?
Li Tun: Compared to digital cameras and camcorders, our advantages are very clear. First, they’re small enough to be hands-free and wearable. They can capture unique perspectives, offer creative shooting methods, and are waterproof—all strengths of Action Cams. In the overall action camera market, Sony Action Cams face fierce competition. From a technical standpoint, aside from Sony’s excellent imaging capabilities, we also offer Optical SteadyShot, stereo recording, one-touch editing for added fun, and 4K time-lapse shooting. Additionally, the comfortable and practical live-view monitoring feature is another major advantage.
3.Q: Optical SteadyShot was previously used only in the Handycam series. Now it’s being used in the compact Action Cam to replace the older electronic stabilization. Compared to the previous electronic stabilization, besides delivering steadier footage, what other improvements does it bring?
Li Yuan: Compared to previous products with electronic stabilization, the new FDR-X3000R shows four clear improvements in stabilization: First, Optical SteadyShot compensates for more intense shaking; second, it enhances overall image stability; third, it effectively suppresses shake even during 4K and high-frame-rate recordings; fourth, it can be activated without altering the lens angle, whereas previous electronic stabilization was only available in narrow-angle mode.
4.Q: Sony’s new Action Cam uses the same B.O.SS stabilization technology as the Handycam series, but action cameras experience more intense shaking and even impacts. Could this affect the normal function of the B.O.SS components and thus impact the device’s durability?
Li Yuan: The Action Cam series has always been designed to meet the needs of travel, outdoor extreme sports, and unique-angle shooting. Therefore, the entire product design takes into account resistance to intense shaking or impacts—not just for the Optical SteadyShot component. The addition of Optical SteadyShot will not affect the Action Cam’s performance in harsh outdoor environments. We welcome everyone to try and evaluate it.
5.Q: In the current market, who is the primary target consumer for Sony’s new Action Cams? How does Sony compete with rivals like GoPro?
Li Tun: Sony Action Cams originally started with extreme sports in mind. In reality, the extreme sports market is relatively niche. Nowadays, Action Cams are used not just for extreme sports, but also for travel and leisure activities—you can use them for diving, hiking, cycling, etc. This expands the potential user base significantly. Regarding competitors, Sony continues to enhance product performance—for example, in lenses, image sensors, image processors, high-frame-rate recording, and inheriting image stabilization technology from the Handycam series. We’re the industry’s first to offer Optical SteadyShot, and our technology is comprehensive, leading the entire digital camcorder field. In addition, Sony offers a wide range of accessories and multi-scenario shooting solutions—like live monitoring systems and handle grips—for more versatile shooting. We’ll continue to provide this unique live monitoring recording method, while also bringing technologies from other Sony imaging products to Action Cams, forming a complete, high-quality recording system that only Sony can offer.
6.Q: Compared to earlier digital stabilization, Optical SteadyShot offers smoother and more natural correction. Will Sony eventually replace electronic stabilization with Optical SteadyShot in all Action Cams?
Li Tun: Currently, Optical SteadyShot is making its first appearance in new models. It can’t be said to completely replace electronic stabilization, as cost is also a factor. For mid-to-high-end models, we’ll use better technology, as those consumers have higher demands for stabilization. Aside from costs, size is also a consideration—smaller models need to remain compact. So we’ll choose the appropriate stabilization method based on different consumer needs.
7.Q: How does Sony view the future development of Action Cams? What more convenient features can Sony offer in shooting, editing, and sharing?
Li Yuan: We consider the entire product line, not just Action Cams. Previous models already had one-touch sharing features because there was strong demand for simpler editing and faster transfers. We’ll keep improving in this area. We’ve also enhanced facial recognition in one-touch editing so users can better select the clips they want to keep and achieve their desired results. We hope to continue meeting customer needs more effectively.
8.Q: Many extreme sports enthusiasts already own multiple Action Cams. In such a saturated market, how does Sony position the new Action Cam models to target customers?
Li Tun: It's similar to smartphones—if you already own one, you might still upgrade when new technologies emerge. So for this market, we’ve launched products with Optical SteadyShot. Also, in many professional fields—like wedding photography—there are new shooting styles where smaller equipment is needed to capture angles that DSLRs or mirrorless cameras can’t reach. This is another growth point for the future market.
9.Q: What kind of accessories will Sony provide for the new Action Cams? Will previous accessories be compatible?
Fei Yili: The FDR-X3000R is sold as a kit, which includes a waterproof housing with approximately 60m depth rating, a live-view monitor, a monitor wrist strap, and the newly introduced handle grip accessory. The handle grip allows you to mount both the FDR-X3000R and the monitor, enabling one-handed operation and screen rotation for capturing shots from tricky angles.
10. Q: Accessories are very important for Action Cams. Which accessories have been most popular so far? Also, is Sony considering making accessories like handheld gimbals?
Fei Yili: We offer a wide variety of accessories, including those for extreme sports and travel. For example, there are cylindrical mounts for cycling, cross bases for water sports like surfing, and suction mounts for car-mounted shooting. These distinctive accessories are quite popular. Most of our accessories connect via screw mounts, so they’re also compatible with any other screw-mount accessories.
Li Tun: As for handheld gimbals, we don’t have plans for them yet, but we’ll consider market demand and users’ requirements for stabilization. Currently, Optical SteadyShot alone can achieve the desired effect without additional gear. If more professional users express such needs, we’ll take feedback into account and consider enhancing our accessory lineup in the future.
11.Q: Previously, when I used sports cameras from other brands, I found that battery life was a very important feature, especially when connected to a phone or monitor, as power consumption tends to be quite high. During this experience with your KuPai product, I felt that the battery performance was excellent. How did you achieve this?
Li Tun: Our battery hasn’t changed; it’s the same as before. In fact, previous generations of KuPai products already had better battery life than competing products. For this generation, we optimized the battery life of the KuPai sports camera in terms of Bluetooth connectivity, so not only is there a noticeable improvement compared to previous generations, but we also have an advantage over competitors in terms of battery life.