Current cameras are packed with wireless tech from NFC, to Bluetooth, to WiFi – yet somehow connecting wirelessly to get your images and videos off many cameras continues to be a chore, with a jumble of half-baked apps.
But Sony has just announced a solution for any photographer or filmmaker out in the field who wants a fast, convenient way to send their content to an FTP server or Sony's cloud services – the Sony PDT-FP1.
This new portable data transmitter can connect directly to a Sony camera and beam any captured content using 5G, with a maximum upload speed of 1.1 GB/s and download of 8.1 GB/s.
Sony says the transmitter supports a wide range of bands including "domestic and international 5G millimeter wave band, Sub6 communication, standalone 5G communication, local 5G", so it can be used nearly anywhere in the world. The transmitter can also take two SIM cards (one regular and one eSIM) and can switch between them for the best signal or different locations.
The PDT-FP1 comes equipped with ports for USB Type-C, LAN, and HDMI. There is also an additional USB-C charging port so it is possible to power the device separately while also transferring data, which will come in especially handy for any livestreaming.
Finally, there is a 1/4-inch screw hole for mounting the transmitter to a rig, with the transmitter weighing approximately 308g.
The case houses a cooling fan and heatsink to keep the temperature of the transmitter at a minimum, while transferring files and should be possible to use in temperatures of up to 104ºF / 40ºC. This fan can be tweaked depending on your needs, and set to silent if you are concerned about it being picked up on any audio.
Is this a Sony Xperia phone in a cool new case? Quite possibly – the device runs on Android with a SnapDragon 8 processor inside, but right now it is still unclear if you can also play Candy Crush while you wait for your files to upload or if the PDT-FP1 is locked down to its intended task.
The transmitter has a 6.1-inch screen that can be used to display content from the camera, as well as live waveforms of upload speeds. There is a 256GB internal memory, although this can be expanded to 1TB with a microSD card for transferring files from a camera to before transfer. The PDT-FP1 is powered by a 5,000mAh battery, which Sony claims with enable up to 4 hours total transfer time when using 5G, and 600 hours of standby.
The Sony PDT-FP1 is only listed on Sony's Japanese website right now, with a launch date of March 22 (pre-orders starting February 07) and a suggested retail price of ¥159,500 yen (approximately $1,080 / £850 / AU$1,640).
For more on Sony check out our guide to the best Sony camera and the best Sony lenses
