Sony has announced the DSC-HX99RNV kit, a camera kit that helps visually impaired photographers capture the world around them. It packs Sony DSC-HX99 compact camera and the QD Laser’s RETISSA NEOVIEWER: a viewfinder that essentially projects the image straight onto a user’s retina.
Sony DSC-HX99 and retinal viewfinder specs
The Sony DSC-HX99 is a compact, travel-friendly camera covering everything from wide-angle to super-telephoto focal length (24-720 mm equivalent). The QD Laser’s RETISSA NEOVIEWER is an accessory viewfinder for the camera, projecting a digital image from the camera directly to the retina.
“The laser retinal projection of RETISSA NEOVIEWER is a completely new technology that has been put to practical use for the first time in the world,” says Dr. Mitsuru Sugawara, President and CEO of QD Laser, Inc. “With the DSC-HX99 RNV kit that includes Sony’s digital still camera, we hope that people who may have found traditional viewfinders difficult to use will now enjoy taking photos, expanding their range of activities and discovering new worlds.”
Here are the camera specs:
| Imaging | |
| Sensor Resolution | Effective: 18.2 Megapixel (4896 x 3672) |
| Sensor Type | 1/2.3"-Type CMOS |
| Image Stabilization | Optical in Integrated Lens |
| Lens | |
| Focal Length | 4.2 to 118mm (35mm Equivalent Focal Length: 24 to 720mm) |
| Optical Zoom | 30x |
| Digital Zoom | 4x Maximum (120x Combined Zoom) |
| 2x Optimized (60x Combined Zoom) | |
| Maximum Aperture | f/3.5 to 6.4 |
| Focus Range | 1.97" to Infinity / 5 cm to Infinity (Wide) |
| 8.2' to Infinity / 2.5 m to Infinity (Telephoto) | |
| Optical Design | 11 Elements in 10 Groups |
| Exposure Control | |
| Shutter Speed | 1/2000 to 4 Seconds in Auto Mode |
| 1/2000 to 1 Second in Program Mode | |
| 1/2000 to 8 Seconds in Aperture Priority Mode | |
| 1/2000 to 30 Seconds in Shutter Priority Mode | |
| 1/2000 to 30 Seconds in Manual Mode | |
| ISO Sensitivity | 80 to 3200 in Auto Mode (Extended: 80 to 12,800) |
| Metering Method | Center-Weighted Average, Multi, Spot |
| Exposure Modes | Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority |
| Exposure Compensation | -3 to +3 EV (1/3 EV Steps) |
| White Balance | Presets: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature Filter, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent (Cool White), Fluorescent (Day White), Fluorescent (Daylight), Incandescent, Shade |
| Continuous Shooting | Up to 10 fps at 18.2 MP for up to 10 Frames (JPEG) |
| Self-Timer | 2/5/10-Second Delay |
| Still Image Capture | |
| Aspect Ratio | 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9 |
| Image File Format | JPEG, Raw |
| Video Capture | |
| Internal Recording Modes | AVCHD/XAVC S |
| UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.98/25/29.97 fps | |
| 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps | |
| 1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps | |
| Recording Limit | Up to 30 Minutes |
| Broadcast Output | NTSC/PAL |
| Built-In Microphone Type | Stereo |
| Audio Recording | 2-Channel AC-3 Audio |
| 2-Channel LPCM Audio | |
| Interface | |
| Media/Memory Card Slot | Single Slot: microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC/Memory Stick Micro |
| Video I/O | 1 x Micro-HDMI Output |
| Audio I/O | None |
| Power I/O | 1 x Micro-USB Input |
| Other I/O | 1 x Micro-USB (USB 2.0) Data Output (Shared with Power Input) |
| Wireless | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
| Global Positioning (GPS, GLONASS, etc.) | None |
| Monitor | |
| Size | 3.0" |
| Resolution | 921,600 Dot |
| Display Type | 180° Tilting Touchscreen LCD |
| Viewfinder | |
| Type | Built-In Electronic |
| Coverage | 100% |
| Diopter Adjustment | -4 to +3 |
| Flash | |
| Built-In Flash | Yes |
| Flash Modes | Auto, Fill In, Flash On, Off, Rear Sync, Slow Sync |
| Effective Flash Range | ISO Auto |
| 1 to 17.7' / 0.3 to 5.4 m (Wide) | |
| 8.2 to 9.8' / 2.5 to 3 m (Telephoto) | |
| External Flash Connection | None |
| Environmental | |
| Operating Temperature | 32 to 104°F / 0 to 40°C |
| General | |
| Battery Type | 1 x NP-BX1 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion, 3.6 VDC, 1240 mAh (Approx. 300 Shots) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 4 x 2.3 x 1.4" / 102 x 58.1 x 35.5 mm |
| Weight | 8.54 oz / 242 g |
| Packaging Info | |
| Package Weight | 0.905 lb |
| Box Dimensions (LxWxH) | 6.2 x 4.7 x 2.9" |
Sony tools for the visually impaired
Perhaps you know that this isn’t the only tool Sony offers for visually impaired photographers. It also has the screen reading feature in the Sony A7 IV. In addition to that, and the new retinal viewfinder, the company also plans a collaboration with Japanese and American schools for the blind that assist people with low vision.
Availability and pricing of the Sony DSC-HX99 kit
The new Retina Projection Camera kit will be on display at the CSUN Technology Assistive Conference 2023 trade show in Anaheim from March 13-17, 2023. This is where you’ll be able to touch it and try it The kit will be available to purchase in the US in limited quantities through Sony’s website for $600 starting in early summer 2023.
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