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I'm interested in this new compact but was wondering if it can optically zoom during movie mode. Does anybody know? My guess is no since there is no mention of it on Sony's website.

I may be wrong and thinking of a different camera, but I don't believe this can zoom (for some reason). It's not out yet, so we'll see.

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Sony α300
Sony HVL-F58AM Bounce-Shift Flash
Tamron SP 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF)
Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di
Sony 50mm F/1.4 SAL-50F14
Sony 100mm Macro F/2.8 SAL-100MF28

I have not seen any of these that cannot zoom in movie mode so 99% sure this one can.
You cannot zoom during panoramic mode, I know that also 99% sure.
I have the HX-1 and they should operate about the same.

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Alpha100+18-200, DSC HX-1, Epson 3880
Alpha900+VG CZ 16-35f2.8, 24-70f2.8,Sony 70-200G2.8 SSM 70-300G SSM, 100f2.8 macro, 135mmSTF, 1.4,2XTC
HVL-F58AMX4 HVL-F56AM Minolta 3600HS-D, AF50mm1.7 AF28-105xi3.5-4.5 Gitzo1541T Cullman Mag25 Ballhead,Kata 3n1-30 backpak

Hi folks,

It doesn't provide an answer to the question above but I thought I'd reuse this thread to flag up this review of the WX1 over at Photography Bay. The depth of the review is, IMHO, limited but there's one high ISO comparison shot between the WX1 and the new Canon PowerShot G11 which shows how well that new Sony Exmoor R sensor may be performing.

Unlike the reviewer I wouldn't have expected the G11 to "trounce" the WX1 as the crop factor of the G11 is 4.6 compared to 5.65 for the WX1. If I've got my sums right that means each pixel on the G11 can collect light at 1.5x the rate of the WX1 pixels. The reviewer doesn't bother to share the rest of the shooting information of the sample ISO 3200 shots but I think it's a fair assumption that both cameras were using their largest apertures. That's f/2.4 for the Sony at close range and f/2.8 for the Canon. That means that the Sony lens is providing light at 1.36x the rate of the Canon lens so the combination of pixel area and lens aperture would only put the WX1 at about a 10% disadvantage when compared to the G11 if the sensor technology was identical.

But it's not, as the Sony sensor is one of the new backlit Exmoor R jobs, and on the basis of that one comparison image in the review it looks as thought the WX1 is really delivering the goods.

Image courtesy of Photography Bay. Click to read the review

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Based on the crop factors give above, assuming the sensors are the same aspect ratio, then I make the potentially available G11 individual pixel area to be only 23% bigger than the WX1. So with the lens difference given, the WX1 is ahead even before you look at sensor technology differences.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Yes, you're right that there's a 23% difference in the crop factors but don't forget that the crop factor is an indication of linear magnification. To get the difference in area you have to square it, hence my figure of 1.5 times. By the way, I should have mentioned that the pixel count on the two cameras is essentially the same: if it wasn't one would have to correct for that as well.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Doh! You're absolutely right. For some reason I was reading the crop factor as if it was the pixel count. I should have let the coffee kick in before posting this early...

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

The G11 seems to use heavier NR though. Not sure how much that is responsible for the different look.

Ben
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When in doubt..... Press the shutter.

Yes the WX1 does zoom during video recording.

I have been very happy with this camera as it takes wonderful pictures, especially in low light. I'll take pictures that I can hardly see in my live view screen that tranfroms into a nice low light photo without a flash or post processing.

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Sony DSC-WX1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pharlap91/