Sony ILX-LR1: Small, Full-Frame Camera for Drones—How Much?

Your eyes in the skies are getting an upgrade, with Sony taking its expertise in making full-frame cameras and putting it into a small body, featuring a device that is meant for drones to use. The ILX-LR1 is a one-of-a-kind camera not because it is small, but because it is created to upgrade your drone's camera to a 4K-ready full-frame device that is also as light as it comes.

Sony ILX-LR1: A Small, Full-Frame Camera for Drones

Sony recently unveiled a massive upgrade for drones, with the company calling it the ILX-LR1, and while it may not be the most catchy of names, it brings significant features that would make you take a second look at it. First off, it features a compact body that has an e-mount interchangeable lens, with its size at approximately 3.94 x 2.91 x 1.67 inches (width, height, and depth respectively) only.

On a more iconic note, the ILX-LR1 only weighs 0.53 pounds. The company was able to achieve this by ridding the upgrade camera of the weight-adding tech in the device, having no monitors, viewfinders, or battery.

For its power, users need to hook it up to their drone's power supply to function.

The stock lens that it offers is a 35-millimeter, already featuring a full-frame image sensor. It can capture 4K (3840 x 2160p) with its 1.38-inch Exmore R CMOS sensor, promising to get the "finest details."

Additionally, Sony claims that it has a wide ISO range from 100 to 32,000.

Upgrade Your Drone's Camera, But How Much?

This is an iconic upgrade for the drone cameras available in the market now, with Sony being a notable name in the camera industry. However, hold on to your seats, as TechRadar said that reports claimed the Sony ILX-LR1 will cost users as much as $2,950 for the device, and would be available by December to the US region only.

Drones and its Cameras

The "eyes in the skies" would not be called this way without a way or device that can transmit visual data to its owners whenever taking flight. Early drones and modern ones all share a common ground, having spinning propellers that are a massive need for flying, as well as cameras that are mostly used for capturing data or used by operators for seeing from above.

Drones come in all sorts of forms, designs, and sizes, and it would still depend on the users' needs in choosing which device to purchase. There are various drones available in the market, including the ones from DJI's famed Mini and Mavic lineup that package in a Full HD (1920x1080p) camera, or Sony's famed Airpeak ARS-S1, a drone that can carry its Alpha cameras.

While most users are already content with their stock drones, countless accessories can help enhance the features of one's ultimate flying device. With Sony's introduction of the ILX-LR1, the drone world is getting a new accessory that could help enhance the video quality, capturing full-frame in its compact body, while also being lightweight.