The unique line of Sony QX Lens-Style Cameras has received a major boost, now incorporating the mirrorless format and E-mount lenses into their design. In addition, the company has added a third fixed-lens camera, which provides long zoom capability.

Last year, we weren’t sure what to make of the QX series; we called them “Camera Modules,” as they were not quite cameras but much more than just lenses. They were designed to clip onto a smartphone and, with built-in Wi-Fi, use the phone as monitor, menu, and “body” while the module’s lens and sensor brought improved focal range, image quality, and performance speed to your camera phone. Eventually deemed “Lens-Style Cameras,” they were so successful that Sony has announced the expansion of the QX lineup to include the ILCE-QX1 Mirrorless Lens-Style Digital Camera and the Cyber-shot DSC-QX30 Lens-Style Digital Camera.

ILCE-QX1 Mirrorless Lens-Style Digital Camera

The ILCE-QX1 is most noteworthy because it incorporates the E-mount mirrorless format into this style of camera and encourages us to recognize the unique abstraction in its concept. The QX1 supplies the sensor, processor, Wi-Fi, lens mount, and built-in flash; your smartphone brings the body, viewfinder, and touch controls; the lens is the wildcard item that you add, based on your needs. Together, the QX1 provides the versatility of a mirrorless or DSLR camera but also requires three items to make a “complete” camera. The convenience factor is that your phone is always with you and is the eventual repository for your images anyway, so adding an ultra compact camera “tube” and the lens of your choosing is a small tradeoff for the quality of stills and video you can now have on your phone or tablet. And of course, the QX1 can also be used on its own, whether handheld or mounted on a tripod.

The APS-C format 20.1MP APS HD CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor match that of the Sony a5000 and provide the QX1 with high-resolution image capture, ISO sensitivity from 100 to 16000, RAW format capture, 3.5 fps continuous shooting, and full HD 1080p video capture at 30 fps. Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, in conjunction with the free PlayMemories Mobile App v. 5.0, enable instant image transfer to your smart device, as well as remote touch control with a new, simplified user interface. The large LCD of your smartphone or tablet is clearly a benefit when composing and focusing, and images are captured to both your smartphone’s memory and to the camera’s microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC, or Memory Stick Micro media.

In addition to the large sensor and speed of the QX1, its lens mount is directly compatible with all E-mount lenses, bringing an expansion to your shooting potential that no smartphone can match. Furthermore, with an A-mount to E-mount adapter, all Sony A-mount lenses can work with the QX1.

Cyber-shot DSC-QX30 Lens-Style Digital Camera

The DSC-QX30 provides what the two previous QX fixed-lens models did not: a long zoom lens. In this case, a Sony G 25-750mm equivalent lens will markedly extend the zoom capability of your smartphone. It also offers Optical SteadyShot image stabilization to control the blur often created by camera shake when shooting at telephoto lengths. The QX30 features a 1/2.3" Exmor R CMOS sensor with 20.4MP effective resolution. This is the same size sensor as the QX10 with a slightly higher pixel count.

The QX30 also upgrades to the BIONZ X image processor for better low-light capture, including ISO sensitivity to 12800, and overall improved performance speed. A contrast-detect AF system provides fast focus with Lock-on autofocus for subject tracking, and its continuous shooting speed is 10 fps. Video is supported in full HD 1080p at 60 and 30 fps with a built-in stereo microphone, and images are recorded to microSD, micro SDHC, microSDXC, or Memory Stick Micro cards. A Hi-Speed USB 2.0 terminal is supported, and Wi-Fi and NFC enable quick connection to iOS and Android devices.

As mentioned, the lens on this camera is a 30x optical zoom lens that reaches the 35mm focal length equivalent of 750mm in its native 3:2 ratio. In the 1:1 stills format its equivalent focal length reaches 855mm and, in the 16:9 movie mode, it reaches a 1,080mm equivalent. The minimum focus distance at the wide-angle end is an impressive 2.0" and, with 5 aspherical elements in its optical construction, aberrations are reduced, resulting in sharp imaging throughout its zoom range.

Image composition and playback are enhanced by the large LCD of your phone; most of the camera’s settings are controlled via your smartphone’s touch interface but this compact camera is self-sufficient. While you cannot visually compose without a smartphone, zoom and shutter are controlled from the camera body and given that it is just 2.7" long and 2.6" in diameter, it’s easy to see how this camera is great to carry everyday whether you plan to use it attached to your phone or as an always-ready point-and-shoot. The camera can be used by itself, held in one hand while using your smartphone in the other or mounted on a tripod to shoot remotely with your phone or tablet.

Adding to its functionality without a smartphone is the ADP-FSK1 Grip for QX-Series Lens-Style Camera. It attaches to the back of the camera and provides an ergonomically designed grip with which to hold any of the QX series cameras.

The brown Camera Jacket for QX-Series Lens-Style Cameras is a handsome 5 x 4" accessory for carrying any of the QX cameras. It offers a carabiner to attach to a belt or bag and a long, removable shoulder strap for a comfortable alternative.