General Features
Recording Features
Playback Features
Battery Information
Inputs and Outputs Notes
Software And Computer Information

General Features

Interchangeable Lenses: The Sony NEX-VG10 Digital HD Video Camera Recorder employs the E-mount system for interchangeable lenses developed by Sony. The camcorder comes with an 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 11x optical zoom lens (SEL18200). Using the LA-EA1 Mount Adapter (158LAEA1, sold separately), you can attach an α-series lens with an A-mount to the camcorder.

3.0" LCD Screen: The NEX-VG10 features a 16:9 wide-screen 3.0" Xtra Fine LCD monitor with TruBlack technology to increase brightness and contrast. The high resolution 921,600-dot (1920 x 480) LCD screen rotates up to 180 degrees for multiple viewing angles providing sharp and detailed images for monitoring or playback. The LCD also features adjustable brightness level.

0.45" Color Viewfinder: The NEX-VG10 also features an 0.45" color LCD viewfinder (1,152,000 dots) that lets you record and review video and still images when the LCD display is closed. The viewfinder can swivel upward for shooting at difficult angles. A diopter adjustment lets you set the viewfinder to your eyesight.

Recording Media: The NEX-VG10 features a memory card slot that will accept Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark2) and Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, as well as SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards of Class 4 or higher. Memory Stick PRO Duo media of up to 32 GB and SD cards of up to 64 GB are confirmed to work with this camcorder.

Image Sensor: The camcorder has a 23.4mm x 15.6mm (APS-C size) Exmor HD CMOS sensor. It is the same sensor format that Sony builds into the standard size α-series DSLRs, and has approximately 19.5 times the surface area of conventional camcorders. The sensor has 14.6-million total pixels, and 9.08-million effective pixels for 16:9 video and 14.2-million effective pixels for 3:2 still images.

Dual Accessory Shoes: The NEX-VG10 has two top-mounted accessory shoes, an Alpha Shoe (hot) and a Universal Cold Shoe for mounting a self-powered video light, external flash, or a microphone.

Quad Capsule Spatial Array Microphone: The camcorder features a high-quality Quad Capsule Spatial Array stereo microphone. It has four precision placed microphone capsules to provide exceptional front-side directivity and stereo separation. There is also a stereo 3.5mm microphone input for adding an external mic if desired.

Recording Features

Video Recording: The camcorder records High Definition video using AVCHD format (MPEG-4 AVC / H.264). Audio is recorded in 2-channel Dolby Digital (48 kHz, 16-bit). The camcorder gives you three recording options:

• FX: 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 24 Mbps
• FH: 1920 x 1080 (16:9) 17 Mbps
• HQ: 1444 x 1080 (4:3) 9 Mbps

Recording Time: The following table indicates the estimated amount of recording time in minutes for HD and SD movies on a memory card:

Still Image Recording: The NEX-VG10 records still images in 3:2 (best for 4 x 6 prints) and 16:9 (best for viewing on an HDTV) aspect ratios. The available image sizes are as follows:

Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization: The camcorder features Optical SteadyShot lens shift-type image stabilization with Standard and Active Modes. The Active Mode allows the NEX-VG10 to compensate for greater degrees of camera shake than the standard mode to deliver a stunning level of image smoothness.

Shooting Modes: The camera allows you to select from the following Shooting Modes:

• Program Auto: allows you to customize settings, except for exposure (shutter speed and aperture)
• Hand-held Twilight: shoots night scenes with less noise and blur without using a tripod (for still images only)
• Anti-motion Blur: reduces the camera shake when shooting a slightly dark indoor scene or a telephoto
• Manual Exposure: allows you to adjust the aperture and shutter speed manually
• Shutter Priority: lets you adjust the shutter speed to express the movement of the subject while the camera sets the aperture.
• Aperture Priority: lets you adjust the range in focus, or defocuses the background, while the camera sets the shutter speed.

Focus Modes: The Sony NEX-VG10 allows you to choose between Auto Focus, Direct Manual Focus or Manual Focus. Direct Manual Focus can be used only for recording still images, and allows you to focus manually make fine focus adjustments after focusing automatically.

AutoFocus Area: When using auto focus, you can select the focusing area as follows:

• Multi: The camcorder determines which of the 25 AF areas is used in focusing. When you press the Photo button halfway in still image recording mode, a green frame is displayed around the area that is in focus.
• Center: The camcorder uses the AF area in the center of the frame.
• Flexible Spot: You can move the focusing area to another part of the frame to focus on a small subject or a narrow area.

ISO: You can set the ISO speed automatically (ISO Auto), or manually to one the following values: ISO 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, or 12,800. Setting the ISO speed higher results in reduced image blur in dark locations or of moving subjects, but increases noise.

Gain: In Movie mode, you can set the gain (exposure) automatically, or manually select a gain setting to reduce image blur in dimly lit places or when recording moving subjects. You can set the gain to 0dB, 3dB, 6dB, 9dB, 12dB, 15dB, 18dB, 21dB, 24dB, or 27dB. The larger the number, the higher the noise level.

White Balance Adjustment: You can adjust and fix the white balance according to the lighting conditions of the recording environment. The white balance settings include: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Flash, Color Temperature/Filter, Custom, and Custom Setup.

Dynamic Range Settings: In the Still Image mode, the camcorder gives you two options for correcting the brightness and contrast:

• Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO): The image is divided into small areas and the contrast of light and shadow between the subject and background are analyzed and adjusted to produce optimal brightness and gradation. You can choose from five levels of DRO effects.
• Auto High Dynamic Range (Auto HDR): The camcorder shoots three images with different exposures, and overlays the bright area of the under-exposed image and the dark area of the over-exposed image to create an image with rich gradation. You can choose the exposure differences from 1.0EV to 6.0EV.

Lens Hood: The NEX-VG10 comes with a lens hood to protect the lens and help prevent excess light from entering the lens from the side.

Playback Features

Image Index: The Sony NEX-VG10 displays six thumbnail images per page for all recorded movies and still images on the Index screen on the LCD monitor. You can select the file you want by pressing the control dial.

Playback Menu: The Playback menu gives you the following options:

• Delete: Delete unwanted movies and still images to free up space on the memory card (except for protected movies and images)
• Select: Select a Movie or Still Image to play back
• Image Index: Lets you choose to display 6 or 12 still images or movie thumbnails in the Index Screen.
• Protect: Select movies and still images for protection against accidental deletion.
• Slide Show: The still images on the memory card can be played back in slide show fashion. You can set the interval to 1, 3, 5, 10, or 30 seconds. Turning on the repeat mode allows the images to play back in a continuous loop.
• Enlarge: Enlarge the selected still image to check focus. The image size determines the scaling range: Large images can be enlarged from 1.1x to 13x, Medium images from 1.1x to 10x, and Small images can be enlarged from 1.1x to 6.7x.
• Display Contents: You can vary the amount of information that appears in the display:
  • Display Info: shows basic shooting information
  • Histogram: displays the luminance distribution graphically, in addition to the recording condition
  • No Display Info: No information is shown in the display

Playback Operations: When viewing movies, you can pause, fast-forward, fast-reverse, slow-forward, slow-reverse, and adjust the sound volume.

Battery Information

InfoLithium Battery: The unit comes with an NP-FV70 InfoLithium (Lithium-ion) battery (6.8V / 1960mAh minimum / 2060 mAh typical). A larger capacity battery is available for this camcorder: NP-FV100 (3700mAh minimum, 3900 mAh typical). The NP-FV30 or NP-FV50 battery packs cannot be used with this camcorder. The InfoLithium system exchanges data about its actual power consumption with the camcorder for a more accurate estimate of recording time available.

Battery Life: The approximate recording, playback, and charging times for the supplied and optional batteries is as follows:

Charging: The battery can only be charged detached from the camera, using the supplied BC-VH1 battery charger. To operate the camcorder using household current, you can use the supplied AC-PW10AM AC adapter. You cannot charge the battery attached to the camcorder using the AC adapter.

Inputs and Outputs Notes

HDMI Output: The Sony NEX-VG10 has a mini-HDMI jack (Type C) to output video and audio to an HDMI-equipped HDTV. A mini-HDMI cable, such as the Sony VMC-15MHC (158VMC15MH--1.5 meters) or VMC-30MHC (158VMC30MH--3 meters) is needed. No HDMI cable is supplied.

USB Port: The camcorder has a mini-B Version 2.0 Hi-Speed USB port for connecting to a PC via the supplied USB cable. Connecting the camcorder to a PC via USB allows you to download videos and still images from the inserted memory cards.

Microphone Input: The camcorder features a 3.5mm minijack stereo microphone input for adding an external microphone for advanced audio recording.

Headphone Output: The camcorder features a 3.5mm minijack headphone output for connecting a pair of headphones for listening to audio/video playback.

DC In Jack: The DC In Jack is for use with the supplied AC-PW10AM AC adapter. This connection allows you to operate the camera on household current, but does not charge the battery.

Software And Computer Information

Creating a Disc: You can save movies onto a disc using the supplied Picture Motion Browser (PMB):

• Blu-ray Disc: You can create a Blu-ray Disc from AVCHD format movies imported to a computer using the PMB software. It can be played back on most Blu-ray Disc playback devices, including the PlayStation 3.
• DVD: You can save High Definition or Standard Definition movies on a DVD:
  • AVCHD (High Definition) Disc: You can create an AVCHD disc from AVCHD format movies imported to a computer using the PMB software. It can be played back on AVCHD format playback devices, including Sony Blu-ray Disc Players and the PlayStation 3.
  • Standard Definition DVD: You can create a standard definition image quality DVD from AVCHD format movies imported to a computer using PMB software. It can be played back on most ordinary DVD playback devices.

Computer Requirements: Picture Motion Browser software is for Windows users only and is not compatible with Macintosh computers. To use the software, your computer should have the following minimum requirements: