Bloomberg reports that Sony said it would post a net loss of 230 billion yen ($2.1 billion) this fiscal year because it was writing down the value of its faltering smartphone business. ony widened its net loss forecast and said it won’t pay an annual dividend for the first time since its 1958 listing.
Sony’s mobile division is squeezed between the Appls/Samsung premium smartphone leaders and the new “Chinese” low cost smartphone companies. Sony probably should look over at Panasonic’s excellent CM1 if they want to grab some attention on their Xperia line. The New York Times reports:

Sony said it would focus more on its phones on the higher end and cut the number of phones in its midrange lineup. It also said it would change the strategy for the division. Kazuo Hirai, Sony’s president and chief executive, said at a news conference Wednesday that the company would cut the division’s work force by 15 percent, or about 1,000 workers.

Anyhow, this bad news has nothing to do with the imaging business which is doing pretty fine! I think at worse Sony will have to get rid of the smartphone division but sincerely, I don’t think this will happen.

Today Zeiss posted that new Loxia Lens video. Didn’t know you need a special Zeiss key to “De-Click” the lenses. Checked the preorder stores and indeed you can now preorder the key (for $28), the hood and cap for the new Loxia lenses too:

Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar T* Lens for Sony E Mount at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon T* Lens for Sony E Mount at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Zeiss Lens Hood for Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar T* Lens at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Zeiss Lens Hood for Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon T* Lens at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Zeiss 52mm Front Lens Cap for Touit and Loxia Lenses at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Zeiss De-Click Key for Loxia Lenses (5-Piece Set) at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Zeiss Rear Lens Cap for Loxia E-Mount Lenses at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).

Well, I am happy to see that I am not the only one have big “???” over the A-mount future. Matt Granger made this great video to try to give us an answer about that question. Well Sony officially says:

1) A-mount body and lens development will continue. But they cannot share any details about the future roadmap.
2) E-mount has a roadmap because it’s anew system and they need to create confidence. While A-mount is already a “mature” system therefore no roadmap is needed.

But as Matt noticed it’s very strange Sony did not show A-mount stuff at all during Photokina. No A77II, the two A99 camera hidden…why don’t you wanna promote those Sony?

P.S.: Thanks Matt for your work! I am very curious to read SAR readers comments on your video :)

Image courtesy: ePhotozine.

Tokina is displaying two lenses they have already shown earlier this year at the CP+ shows. The 11-20mm f/2.8 PRO DX (APS-C) aspherical SD (IF) lens, and the AT-X 24-70mm f/2.8 PRO FX (Full-frame) aspherical SD (IF) lens. These lenses feature SD technology – Super Low Dispersion – designed to reduce chromatic aberrations. The lenses also feature internal focus (IF). (Source: ePhotozine)

Sony is shareholder of Tokina so I guess theses will be available in A-mount versions too!

BestMirrorlessCameraReviews posted an interview with three Sony managers. And let’s start with one of the key info regarding A-mount. Mr. Aoki from Sony said:

For the moment, we cannot see mirrorless technology overtaking the translucent sensor technology. Therefore, we want to keep developing both the A mount system and the E mount system. And in Europe, thanks to the Minolta heritage, many customers own Alpha lenses and these customers still want to use their lenses on current Alpha bodies. That’s why this summer we announced the Alpha 77 MK II and we strongly believe that its performance is very good.

There is no word about future A-mount camera and lens development yet but at least we finally got an official statement from Sony about A-mount.

And here are some more key info

1) “when we launched the A7 and A7r, half of the lenses we announced yesterday hadn’t yet been decided”

2) FE lens design development take: “One year to two years. For the easier ones, it takes around one year.”

3) About curved sensor camera: “At this stage there is no product plan in the pipeline for a curved sensor. It’s maybe a long-term development so we can’t give you any more details“. SAR note: Keep ind mind two months ago Sony said mass production for a curved FF sensor is ready. SAR also spotted the patents for an RX with curved sensor. So I tink they have a product in pipeline but just want not to spill out the surprise ;)

4) “we have a 40% market share in the mirrorless segment”

5) It’s the kind of product that drives the mirrorless market: “Looking at the European market, the popular mirrorless products are always high-value cameras like the Fuji X-T1 or the Panasonic GH4 or the Olympus OM-D and our Alpha 7. All products are in the high-end segment”

6) About the A7 success story: “From a reputation point of view, very much so. It really did more than we expected. From a business point of view, because of this price point, it is of course not the kind of product that sells to millions but it is on track.”

7) Some fun: When asked about the future products Mr. Aoki answered: “You better visit SonyAlphaRumors for that!” SAR note: Suprised you know me! I am honored :)
And here is the more “serious” answer: “Our spirit keeps pushing us to challenge the market. That’s why we are developing unique products and unique features. We are not sure if our customers or the market will be excited, but at least we will challenge.”

Thanks BestMirrorlessCameraReviews!

P.S.: Gosh! Over 700 comments now on our A-mount frustration post!

New Sony stuff preorders:
Zeiss 16-35mm FE at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Sony Store US.
Zeiss 16-35mm FE in Europe at Sony DE, UK, ES, IT, FR, CH, AT, NL, BE, FI, SE, NO, PT.
28-135mm powerzoom in Europe at Sony DE, UK, ES, IT, FR, CH, AT, NL, BE, FI, SE, NO, PT.
Sony FS7 4K camcorder at Adorama.
HVL-F32M Flash at Adorama, BHphoto.
HVL-F32M Flash in Europe at Sony DE, IT,
Sony RMT-VP1K Wireless Remote Commander & Receiver Kit at Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony XLR-K2M XLR Adaptor Kit (with microphone) at Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony LCS-PSC7 System Bag (Black) at BHphoto.

Loxia at BHphoto:
Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon T* Lens for Sony E Mount (Click here).
Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar T* Lens for Sony E Mount (Click here)

Image courtesy: ePhotozine.

Samyang announced the new Samyang 50mm f/1.4 AS UMC full-frame lens. It comes for both Sony A and E-mount! The lens features 8 aperture blades, manual focus, 9 elements in 6 groups, 1 Asph. element, and 1 Hybrid Asph. element. There is no info yet about price and availability. But it shoudl cost $549 just like the previously released CINE lens version (here on BHphoto).

P.S.: ePhotozine also has hands-on picture with the 12mm Full Frame lens.

Image courtesy: DSLRmagazine

A very exciting new lens is the 15-30mm f/2.8 DI VC USD lens. And I have been told by trusted sources this lens is definitely coming as A-mount too. The Spanish DSLRmagazine is the first website to report a hands-on of the prototype. This is what they write:

– Is less bigger than it looks on the official pictures
– The Tamron is the first of a new kind of lenses with much more elegant design and new high optical performance
– The Tamron feels of very high quality and solid in your hand. Definitely better than any other Tamron lens made in the past
– The hood can be retracted
– Tamron goal was to deliver a lens of higher quality than those of Canon and Nikon.

Reminder: Press release of the new Tamron lens can be read here on SAR.

Here are imaes from DSLRmagazine and ePhotozine. Click on them to enlarge the image size: