Sony Tidbits…


Sony a7S underwater macro footage by Kay Burn on
SonyAlphaForum

Sony A7II first impression review at Ilovehatephoto.
Legacy and ALT Lenses (SonyAlphaForum).
An Introduction to the Wide World of Lens Adapters for Video Production (BHphoto).
The 28mm FE is a very good lens with a “distortion compromise” (Diglloyd).
Great image smaples by Thai photographer Gift of Light on Pantip.
Invest in FE lenses (SonyAlphaForum).
Zeiss 24-70mm lens patent from Sony at Freepatentsonline.

Mick: “Hi. I’m a pro photographer. I’d describe myself as a working stiff. Not famous or rich but I make a living from it shooting mostly industrial and corporate photography. I used to use Canon exclusively until about a year ago and now I am using only Sony gear. I have written a blog entry about it though it’s mostly a lens focused article rather than camera focused I thought you and your readier might be interested: http://www.mickryan.com/blog/2015/5/19/going-solo-with-sony

Press: Sony Boasts Record Growth in Expanding Mirrorless Digital Camera Market!

Sony_ilc

While the Sony US website is still doing a big mess by NOT displaying the A6000 and A7r we have at least some other good news to report. Sony is growing fast in the US market as you can see from those charts. Here is the full official Sony press text:

SAN DIEGO, June 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Electronics – an overall leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer – is experiencing record growth in sales of mirrorless cameras, a rapidly expanding segment of the interchangeable lens camera (ILC) business.

Sonygrowth

According to The NPD Group, overall mirrorless camera revenue has grown 16.5%  over the past 12 months, with DSLR sales declining approximately 15% over the same period.  During this time, Sony has experienced a robust 66% boost in their company’s mirrorless camera sales, strengthening their dominant position as the #1 overall mirrorless brand, a position they have held for 4 consecutive years.

“Growth in the mirrorless segment shows this new technology and form factor are resonating with consumers,” said Ben Arnold, executive director, The NPD Group. “Going forward, mirrorless will continue to command a greater share of the interchangeable lens camera category.”

Sonyfirst

On top of the sales momentum, InfoTrends’ customer surveys demonstrate how strong innovation in the mirrorless space is continuing to attract a younger and more photo active ILC customer.  The latest data shows that over 61% of first time ILC buyers are under the age of 35, up from 54% approximately two years ago.  Key motivating factors for their photography include travel and family.

“First time buyers in today’s ILC market will play an integral part in future growth of the segment, especially considering the increasingly younger customers that are buying into new systems,” said Ed Lee, group director of the Consumer and Professional Imaging group at InfoTrends.

Events_Sony

This news comes on the heels of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) decision to recognize “Mirrorless” as the official term for interchangeable lens cameras that do not include a mirror mechanism.

“This information shines a spotlight on where the mirrorless market has been, where it is today, and the bright future it presents,” said Neal Manowitz, director of the still image business at Sony Electronics.  “Our business continues to thrive based on strong innovation and the unique value propositions we are delivering with products like the a7 series and the a6000.  Their impressive imaging credentials allow photo enthusiasts, hobbyist and professionals to capture content in ways they never before thought possible.”

Source: Prnewswire.com

Sony Tidbits…


Sony 28mm F2 Lens Review

Your instagram-photos at a museum, sold for 90k$ each, without your consent (TheNakedCamera).
Using a Hoodman with A7 Mk ii (SonyAlphaForum).
Zeiss Batis 25mm and 85mm hands-on, plus FE 28mm f/2 comparison (Steve Huff).
Unveiled: Sony NXCAM Camcorder HXR-NX100 (BH Explora).

Brian:The photographic artist, Carol Roullard, will be one of the featured artists at the HUD Gallery in Ventura, California. All her images were taken with a Sony A77 camera mounted on a microscope. She will display three large, 24” by 36” aluminum prints and several smaller pieces of her Micro-Crystal fine art photography. Her images are unique recordings of the minute crystals she grows and illuminates with polarized light. After years of experimentation, Ms. Roullard found that the Sony cameras were the best interchangeable lens cameras for recording high-resolution images of minute crystals. She has co-authored four Sony camera books and is currently working on her fifth book on the Sony a7 II camera. Examples of her work can be seen by visiting her web site www.CarolRoullardArt.com.
The show starts on Friday, June 5th with the show reception from 6-10pm and runs through the end of the month. For those who will be in Southern California during June, the HUD Gallery is at 1793 East Main Street Ventura, California 93001.  Check out their website for more information: http://www.dabart.me/the-hud/”

Still a mess on Sony US website: A6000 removed, most A7r orders canceled.

sonyUS

Sony Store US (Click here) is still a full mess: The A6000 and the A7r disappeared from the site. The A77II and A3000 listed but with preorder option deactivated. It may be that they are completely redoing the site before the next product announcement in mid June.

And most of the orders you placed to buy the $199 A7r got canceled. One of our readers just got this from Sony:

Dear Mxxxx,
We have canceled your order/item(s) due to item unavailability.
On occasion, popular items sell out before we can fulfill all orders. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience.

But some of the SAR readers were damn lucky and got the A7r for $199. Here is a screenshot from one of our readers:

Bildschirmfoto 2015-06-03 um 14.24.26

That guy uses the A7 as a helmet action camera!

A7II_actioncamera

Our reader Jason Chau spotted that amazing Action Camera setting done with the Sony A7 (A7II?). This is the first time ever I see a Full Frame camera used as a [shoplink 36890 ebay]helmet action cam[/shoplink]! Sell your GoPro guys, buy the Sony A7! :)

A7II_actioncamera2

I can’t wait to see the footage he took with that cybernetic helmet!

Reminder: Sony refurbished FE cameras/lenses list with 1 year warranty and 30 day return guarantee from Secondipity:

$600 off on the A7s (Click here).
[shoplink 36776 ebay]$400 off on the Zeiss 24-70mm FE lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36792 ebay]$330 off on the 18-200mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36791 ebay]$300 off on the Sony A7II with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36781 ebay]$270 off on the NEX-F3 with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36777 ebay]$260 off on the Sony A6000 double lens kit (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36779 ebay]$230 off on the Sony FE 28-70mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36787 ebay]$200 off on the Sony A5100 double lens kit (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36778 ebay]$200 off on the Sony A7II body (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36782 ebay]$270 off on the Sony A7II with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36780 ebay]$170 off on the Sony 55-210mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36780 ebay]$170 off on the Sony 55-210mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36786 ebay]$120 off on the Sony A5000 with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36785 ebay]$100 off on the Sony A5100 with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36789 ebay]$100 off on the Sony A7 body (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36790 ebay]$100 off on the Sony NEX-3n with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36788 ebay]$90 off on the 20mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36783 ebay]$80 off on the Sony 30mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36784 ebay]$20 off on the Sony 50mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].

Sony Tidbits…


Sony IBIS vs No IBIS Test Using the Sony a7ii and a7S

A7+Voigtländer 15mm UWA + a cheap Helicoid adapter to capture small details (SonyAlphaForum).
Sony 28mm review at ThePhoBlographer.
India Digital Camera market registered an annual shipments of 1.62 million units in CY 2014. Advanced Digital Camera recorded a substantial triple digit growth (6Wresearch).
SONY Fisheye converter SEL057FEC (Yodobashi).
The Orlando Eye at Night HD Time-Lapse (A7s video on youtube).

Mopswerk:As I saw the announcement about the over the top Price Tag of the new to be released Trioplan (at 1500 you’d easily get some other photo gear … :) ), I thought I had to post one taken with my old 50ies Trioplan: SonyAlphaForum.

James Ng‎:User review of a highend Sony Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 http://lbk.com.sg/…/…/344/sel35f14z-review-first-impressions. Join workshop, outing and gathering with us
http://lbk.com.sg/forum/events…

Amit:A music video I created once upon a time with the Sony A55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcmFaT-mLM8