Cool (and expensive) stuff from Sony: Binoculars with built-in video recording feature!

Sony announced two new binoculars with built-in recording features (the DEV-3 and DEV-5)! You can read a preview written by our freind David Kilpatrick at Photoclubalpha (Click here). A full press release is available at Engadget (Click here).
UPDATE: You can already buy the two binoculars at Amazon US:
DEV-3 at Amazon (Click here).
DEV-5 at Amazon (Click here).
Below you can see a first preview made by a suisse website (there are english subtitles):
One more thing: David wrote: “An invitation to a Sony event on August 15th seemed perfectly timed for the announcement of the Alpha 77 and 65, NEX-7 and NEX-5n. In fact, those cameras are to be launched in Greece before August 24th when their embargo will be lifted – and Photoclubalpha, as a very minor player in this business, is not on the guest list.”
Yes, the new Sony cameras and lenses will be announced in a huge event in Greece on August 24. And I found it pity that Sony didn’t invite David. Doesn’t matter how small his website is, he is a long time Alpha shooter and writer! Come one Sony!

Sky_walker
9 months ago |Holly cow… it looks awesome!
Portable, 3D recording, 20x zoom, bright lenses (f/1.8-f/3.4), seems to be resistant… what else one may ask for? Oh… lower price.
Never the less – cool thing.
Not that I need it, but… it looks like a really cool thing.
Almazar80
9 months ago |David Kilpatrick is one of the most knowledgeable Minolta/Sony Alpha reviewer/analyst/spokesperson/advocate there is. Sony should invite him to all their events. He presents the products as they are, with the good and the bad in a well versed, balanced manner. Who should we contact in Sony to let them know that David should be invited to their events? And to let them know just how influential and helpful he is to the Alpha and NEX community? If I want trustworthy information in anything Alpha and Minolta, David and photoclubalpha.com are invaluable resources. Endgadget may be flashy, but David is reliable and trustworthy. Sony should appreciated thse qualities.
Alpha Mark
9 months ago |First thing come into my mind is which side is the front and which side is the back.
PaulW
9 months ago |Yes, come on Sony – invite David – he is a very respected commentator on all things Alpha as well as independent reviewer for the British Journal of Photography. Very knowledgeable and an all round good guy.
passer-by
9 months ago |Is that a standard hot shoe?
Carl
9 months ago |Probably intended to be used to mount a unidirectional microphone, and not for any photographic purposes.
Cane Elephant
9 months ago |somewhat else
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/41531/sony-dev-5-video-binoculars-preview
Lucario
9 months ago |I want to know what microphone he was using on the hotshoe just now :c
Raul S.
9 months ago |ECM-CG50
Agent.Pires
9 months ago |I don’t need to but for some reason I want it. Pretty cool though.
Carl
9 months ago |Point-and-shoot size 7MP sensors? I can’t see serious binocular and sporting scope users rushing out to get one.
Dariush
9 months ago |Last time I saw this gadget, it was used by Luke Skywalker about 35 years ago.
SonyA77
9 months ago |LOL
Sky_walker
9 months ago |That’s precisely why it’s so cool!
Raul S.
9 months ago |hhahahaahahaha
Kalpurush :)
9 months ago |Feel sorry for David. He should have been invited.
Thanks Andrea for the cool news! I don’t need one but looks cool indeed.
Edgars
9 months ago |David should read SAR, there announcement data was known for a while.
Bernd
9 months ago |I keep seeing WALL-E when I look at those binoculars…
Chris
9 months ago |LOL..me too..! hahahaha..
Don'z
9 months ago |flash hotshoe on a binocular?
kybel
9 months ago |its for microphone
Gabriel
9 months ago |The answer is here http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/41531/sony-dev-5-video-binoculars-preview It’s for a LCD screen. This binoculars are perfect for paparazzi too
The announced price is not so high for a 3D HD video recorder camera optical SteadyShot binocular. I wonder what is the resolution of the evf ?
sonyboy68
9 months ago |Really cool binocular !
Sony is waking up !
Alexey Ozerov
9 months ago |BTW – not so expensive – if compare with Zeiss binoculars. 1000$ priced for entry models. And didn’t find what focal length of optics – just 10x counter – in video review was 1320 mm – is it max? With digital zoom or without?
Raul S.
9 months ago |Optical Zoom 2D around 600mm, 3D 300mm, and 2D with digital zoom is 1320mm.
CK Dexter Haven
9 months ago |On every pervert and pedophile’s Christmas Wish List.
plug
9 months ago |As a birdwatcher, there is no chance of equalling conventional binos. Convergence of binos with video is pointless. No doubt the electronic viewfinders are very good so why cannot the otherwise excellent HDR-CX700 sport a decent viewfinder?
Raul S.
9 months ago |Pointless? Oh c’mon….1320mm focal lenght with OSS in such a package is a good deal. Even if it’s digital zoom. And that way, you can share what were you birdwatching with your family/friends/unknown people if you want. If it offers night vision, that would be great XD
plug
9 months ago |I’ll concede that if night vision was a feature then that would be very useful.
Steve S
9 months ago |rich boy toy!!!
PaulW
9 months ago |Surprisingly cool…
Matt
9 months ago |They should release this as a proper 3D camera. With full manual control and slightly wider and much better (compared to samples in video) optics. I can’t imagine a better way to view 3D whilst shooting! Those stupid 3D tiny LCD’s are just rubbish, this would be perfect! I want to see a pro video version Sony!
FlashBFE
9 months ago |Seems to be a nice toy, but the videos look like they are from cheap cell phones. It’s no wonder: In the video they say that the chips have a size of 1/4″. That’s simply too small. Null dynamic range, dull colors and highlight bleeding are the result. Compact cameras have got at least 1/2,6″ sensors and are widely disregarded by the enthusiasts here. I don’t know why many here are hyping this DEV thing up. Is it only because it looks new and fancy?