Sony Launches ILX-LR1 Ultra

Sony Electronics announces the launch of the ILX-LR1, an interchangeable lens camera designed for industrial use with an approximately 61-megapixel 35 mm full-frame image sensor.

The design, with high resolution in a lightweight, compact form, makes it suitable for inspection, investigation, surveying, and mapping by drone. The new ILX-LR1 is primarily a stills camera. However, it does have video capabilities. At this time there are no specifications available.

Sensor

The camera features a 1/1.38″-Type 61MP full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor and a BIONZ XR image processing engine that is claimed to deliver natural gradations and realistic colors with low noise for stills and movies.

KEY FEATURES

  • 61MP Full-Frame Exmor R CMOS Sensor
  • BIONZ XR Processing Engine
  • Lightweight Body Designed for Drone Use
  • Supports Sony SDK for Remote App Control
  • UHD 4K60 8-Bit H.265/264 XAVC Recording
  • SD Card Slot, 2-Channel Audio Recording
  • Locking USB-C and Micro-HDMI Output
  • S-Log3/S-Cinetone Profiles and More
  • Power/Control Terminal Block Input

 

Recording

Internal Recording Modes

H.264/H.265/MPEG-4/XAVC HS/XAVC S 4:2:0 8-Bit
3840 x 2160 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps
1920 x 1080p at 23.98/50/59.94 fps
1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps

External Recording Modes

4:2:0 8-Bit via HDMI
3840 x 2160 at 23.98/29.97/50/59.94 fps
1920 x 1080p at 23.98/50/59.94 fps
1920 x 1080i at 50/59.94 fps

Sony states the ILX-LR1 captures high resolution, low noise, and wide dynamic range images that reveal fine details like small scratches and cracks during inspection and investigation. It also has a selection of a continuous shooting capability such as 3 frames per second, which is suitable for mapping shooting, allowing for the rapid completion of high-altitude shots in a short period of time. It is compatible with a wide range of E-mount lenses.

Compact Design

The ILX-LR1 is a small, lightweight, interchangeable lens camera with a 35mm full-frame image sensor. It is approximately 3.94 inches in width x 2.91 inches in height x 1.67 inches in depth, weighing approximately 0.53 lbs, without carrying a monitor, viewfinder, or battery, but incorporating the necessary features for industrial applications.

The compact, box-shaped camera has taps for secure mounting, in any suitable location, on any of its six sides, including for attaching to a drone, industrial machines, robots, and/or submersibles. In addition, it has a mounting screw hole (1/4-20 UNC) on the bottom surface. The USB Type-C and HDMI Micro (Type D) are together on the rear of the camera for easy installation.

 

Sony Camera Remote SDK gives remote users access and control the camera’s menus and other functions from their own software applications. Also, a customer’s application can link unique image IDs with drone position data in post-processing. The images can be taken with a trigger signal to minimize the latency of each image and drone position data. With the new Version 1.11, when utilizing manual focus, it is possible to retrieve the current focus position and perform focus adjustments to the desired position, enabling highly reproducible and stable shooting.  Also, a lock switch will prevent unintended operation errors caused by the buttons on the rear side.

The ILX-LR1 Power & Control Terminal allows for low-latency data communication for remote applications that require an instant response, such as capturing an image at a particular moment. The ILX-LR1 supports DC 10-18V power connection and can be powered from the drone’s battery for extended operation time without having to change batteries.

Pricing and Availability

The new ILX-LR1 will be available in November 2023 through Sony and a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers. The camera only has an MSRP of $2,950 USD.