Sony KW1 announced in China, QX1 camera registered in Russia

Sony has officially announced the KW1 compact camera in China, while the ILCE-QX1 lens-camera module has been registered in Russia and could be the first of its kind allowing users to switch lenses.

After having its photos and specs leaked on the web, the Sony KW1 camera is now official. It is a compact shooter aimed at selfie enthusiasts. The device is shaped like a perfume bottle and it seems like its primary target consists of women.

Offering Swarovski crystals and a 180-degree rotating lens, it appears that the DSC-KW1 will only be available in China.

Sony KW1 has a design inspired by a cologne bottle. It features a 19.2-megapixel sensor and a 35mm equivalent lens of 21mm.

Perfume bottle-like Sony KW1 selfie camera becomes official in China

Sony China has introduced the Cyber-shot DSC-KW1 as a camera with a strange design. The leaks have turned out to be real, so this device really looks like a cologne bottle.

It comes packed with Swarovski crystals around the lens, which can be twisted by 180-degrees. The optic will provide a 35mm equivalent of 21mm and a maximum aperture of f/2.

The image sensor is a 1/2.3-inch-type and it captures 19.2-megapixel photos. The rumor mill has said that this might be a curved image sensor, but such information is nowhere to be found on the company’s website, so we should not take it for granted yet.

The Sony KW1 features a 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, WiFi and NFC (to connect to a smartphone or tablet), and a self-timer function.

Sony will release the selfie camera at the end of September for 5,199 Chinese Yuans, an amount translating to about $840.

The Sony QX1 and QX1L lens-style cameras have been registered in Russia. They could be the first QX-series models with support for an interchangeable lens system.

Sony QX1 and QX1L registered in Russia as interchangeable lens cameras

In other news, Sony has registered a so-called ILCE-QX1 digital camera at Novocert, a Russian agency. This device also has a separate version codenamed ILCE-QX1L and both of them are described as “interchangeable lens digital cameras”.

The company is already offering the QX10 and QX100 cameras shaped like lenses, while the QX30 is on its way with a 30x optical zoom lens. However, neither has the ability to switch lenses. The information available on Novocert hints at the fact that QX1 versions will be able to support E-mount lenses while being mounted on smartphones and tablets.

This will represent another technological breakthrough from Sony, although it remains to be seen whether consumer will adopt it or not.

The devices should become official in the near future, so stay tuned!