Sony rolls out QX lens camera firmware updates that give more power to users

Sony is announcing a new firmware upgrade for its unique QX lens-style cameras, the QX100 and QX10. Introduced in September last year, these lenses that can both be used by themselves or as smartphone accessories will now offer users more control over the cameras’ settings.

Majority of the changes are bestowed on the more powerful, and of course more expensive, QX100. The new firmware will all users to control their shutter speed, which is now being called Shutter Priority mode. The firmware update also makes available a wider ISO range, from 160 to 128000, available in Programmable Auto mode, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority mode. Users can now also shoot Full HD video in MP4 format, at 1920×1080 resolutions and at a frame rate of 30 fps.

The QX10 practically gets the same enhancements, aside from the Shutter Priority mode. It does have a smaller ISO range of 100 to 3200 compared to the QX100. Full HD video recording at 1920×1080 30 fps is also available, also for MP4 formats. But the QX100 and the QX10 will also be able to switch between taking shots and previewing them without breaking the WiFi connection. The firmware updates are now available and can be downloaded from Sony’s website.

Sony is also announcing two new accessories to take advantage of the QX lens-style cameras. The SPA-TA1 is an attachment for the lens that clamps onto tablets, such as the Sony Xperia Tablet Z. This does give tablets with normally lower megapixel counts better photographic abilities, but will probably also attract unwanted attention. The SPA-ACX4, on the other hand, attaches to the recently announced Xperia Z1 Compact, bringing the QX lenses to the Sony’s miniature flagship. Both attachments will be available starting March 2014, though no retail price has been suggested yet.