- Sony has debuted a new product to give visually impaired people the access to its point-and-shoot photography.
- This comes in the form of a new DSC-HX99RNV camera kit, which consists of a compact camera and a unique viewfinder.
- The viewfinder uses a free-focus retinal projection to help the visually impaired capture pictures.
This week Sony announced a rather interesting new product in the form of the DSC-HX99RNV camera kit. What makes this kit unique is that it is specifically designed to assist visually impaired people to take photographs.
The camera kit consists of a DSC-HX99 compact camera and QD Laser’s RETISSA NEOVIEWER. The latter element is what truly powers the experience, utilising laser retinal projection technology.
“Together, Sony and QD Laser are offering a new experience with focus-free retinal projection, allowing people with low vision a new, sharper way to view and photograph the world,” explained Sony in a press release.
Further unpacking the functionality, the Japanese camera maker says the DSC-HX99 is the Cyber-shot travel zoom model, covering wide-angle and super-telephoto photography, along with featuring a 24-720 mm (30x) zoom lens.
The QD Laser’s RETISSA NEOVIEWER viewfinder is classed as an accessory viewfinder for the camera.
“A digital image from the camera is directly projected to the retina through the RETISSA NEOVIEWER to see the surroundings, allowing the user to take a photo and record a video. Together, the technology offers a new way to view landscapes and people’s faces, read signs, and capture images through retinal projection. It is equipped with functions that allow you to enjoy full-fledged shooting, such as high-speed, high-precision AF performance and support for recording in RAW format,” adds Sony.
At the time of writing, local availability and pricing are yet to be determined, but Sony does plan to sell the kit for an estimated $600 (~R10 930). It is also on show in the US this week at the CSUN Technology Assistive Conference 2023 trade show in Anaheim, California.
