Sony Japan Announced a New 5G Transmitter for Alpha Cameras
Sony announced the PDT-FP1 portable data transmitter for Alpha cameras in Japan. Promising high-speed and low-latency video transmission using 5G wireless communications, the PDT-FP1 transfers data directly from a camera to an FTP server. The PDT-FP1 reduces the time required for data transfer, speeding up various content workflows.
Sony says the device has a “unique antenna structure and arrangement” that improves communication performance. The PDT-FP1 supports domestic (Japanese) and international 5G millimeter wave bands, standalone 5G communication, and sub6 wireless communication. Alongside the built-in eSIM, users can also insert a SIM card into the device.
A pre-installed proprietary app delivers a visualization of the current network, showing users the communication status, performance, and if there are any interruptions to uploading or downloading.
The PDT-FP1 sports a newly developed cooling fan and heat sink to ensure high performance even when under high load. Per Sony research, the device remains sufficiently cool when used in ambient temperatures as warm as 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Users can adjust the cooling fan, selecting from cooling priority and silent priority depending on the shooting situation. There’s also an “auto” mode.
When users connect the PDT-FP1 to a compatible Sony camera, they can import their photos and videos to the unit and automatically transfer the data to a specified FTP server or cloud service provided by Sony. This could be very useful for event and sports photographers, allowing them to shoot unencumbered and then very quickly send a large batch of photos and videos from the field.
The device sports a 6.1-inch OLED display, which helps monitor transfers and adjust settings but makes it rather large to have connected to a camera. The PDT-FP1 includes a LAN terminal, two USB Type-C ports, and a full-size HDMI Type-A port. Users can transmit data or live stream from one USB-C port and charge using the other. The device also includes 256GB of built-in storage, which can be expanded another 1TB using a microSD card. The PDT-FP1 runs on Android 13 and is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform.
Beyond cellular connectivity, the transmitter includes Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax), and GPS (A-GPS, A-GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, and QZSS). Up to 10 devices can be connected simultaneously using Wi-Fi.
Sony says the internal 5,000mAh lithium-ion battery delivers about four hours of continuous transmission to an FTP over LTE and approximately two hours when uploading video via HDMI. The device can stay on standby for up to 600 hours.
The Sony PDT-FP1 is not currently available for sale, and it’s unclear if it will ever come to the North American market. It is slated to go up for pre-order on February 7 in Japan for 159,500 Yen, which is around $1,080.
Image credits: Sony
