The Sony mount confusion dismantled by Imaging Resource.

Image courtesy: Imaging Resource.

The recent decision from Sony to drop the “NEX” brand dramatically increased the confusion on their camera and lens lineup. And apparently the recent mess on text and description at Sony EU sites supports this statement :)
That’s why Imaging Resource tried to get through the labyrinth created by Sony to explain how we should “understand” the new Sony strategy. IR does a good job explaining Sony’s plan but the problem is that the mass is likely not going to understand Sony’s marketing anyway :)

Sony launches new firmware update for the QX10 and QX100.

Sony announced the new firmware for the QX10 and QX100. Download links: Firmware for Mac (Click here) and for Windows (Click here).

Improvements after firmware upgrade

  • ISO Setting added
  • Movie Recording size changed: MP4 1440 x 1080(30p) to MP4 1920 x 1080(30p)
  • Shutter Speed Priority Shooting mode added (DSC-QX100 only)

Here are all direct links to QX in USA/Canada:
QX100: Amazon (Click here), SonyUS (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), SonyCA (Click here).
Soft Carrying Case for DSC-QX100 at Amazon (Click here).
Black QX10: Amazon (Click here)SonyUS (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), SonyCA (Click here).
White QX10: Amazon (Click here)SonyUS (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here).
Soft Carrying Case for DSC-QX10 Amazon (Click here).
Xperia Z case with QX mount on Amazon (Click here).

Here are all direct links to the QX in Europe:
Black QX100 at SonyDE, Amazon.de (via DealsRunner), Amazon France (via DL), SonyUK, SonyES, SonyIT, SonyNL, SonyBESonyAT, SonyCH, SonySE, SonyFI, SonyNo.
Black QX10 at SonyDE, Amazon.de (via DealsRunner), Amazon France (via DL), SonyUK, SonyES, SonyIT, SonyNL, SonyBESonyAT, SonyCH, SonySE, SonyFI, SonyNo.
White QX10 at SonyDE, Amazon.de (via DealsRunner), Amazon France (via DL), SonyUK, SonyES, SonyIT, SonyNL, SonyBESonyAT, SonyCH, SonySE, SonyFI, SonyNo.
Xperia Z1 at SonyDE, SonyUK, SonyES, SonyIT, SonyNL, SonyBESonyAT, SonyCH, SonySE, SonyFI, SonyNo.

Zeiss officially launches the 50mm f/2.8 Touit macro lens ($999 at BHphoto).

Today Zeiss launched the new 50mm f/2.8 macro Touit lens for Sony E-mount APS-C cameras. You can already preorder the lens for $999 at BHphoto (Click here).

This is the official Press Text:

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 30.01.2014 – More and more photographers are taking advantage of the growing possibilities afforded by compact system cameras with APS-C sensors. With the Touit 2.8/12 and Touit 1.8/32, ZEISS already offers two lenses with E- and X-mount that suffice in meeting the demands of ambitious photographers. Now, the new ZEISS Touit 2.8/50M expands the Touit family to include longer focal lengths as well as close-up coverage. 

The Touit 2.8/50M offers a magnification power of 1:1. As a result, the photographed object appears on the camera sensor in its original size. Details that cannot be seen with the naked eye become impressively visible at short shooting distances. This new Touit is therefore following in very large footsteps: ZEISS macro lenses with a magnification power of 1:2, such as the Makro-Planar T* 2/100 and Makro-Planar T* 2/50, have already established themselves as top macro lenses among SLR lenses.

Thanks to its moderate telephoto focal length, the Touit 2.8/50M is also perfect as a portrait lens. When allowing for a crop factor of 1.5, the angular field corresponds to a full-frame-equivalent focal length of 75 mm. Here, too, the lens’s enormous versatility pays off. The lens covers distances from infinity to a magnification power of 1:1. The Touit 2.8/50M is a versatile lens that harmonizes very well with the flexible application of compact APS-C system cameras. Its imaging power makes it an ideal choice for close-ups and portraits.

The Touit 2.8/50M also employs the floating elements design from ZEISS. This enables the lens to achieve a consistently high imaging performance, including up to the minimum object distance (MOD). The exceptional image quality remains consistent, independent of the focus setting. Two aspheres – lens elements number three and four – deliver an important contribution to the high image quality. Two additional lens elements with low dispersion – lens elements number two and nine – help ensure that the lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberrations are kept to a minimum.

A round iris with a total of nine blades gives areas of the motif outside the focus a soft and very natural-looking character. Focused objects before a blurry background are clearly accentuated, creating a harmonious and balanced bokeh. Excellent sharpness along all f-stops rounds off the performance spectrum of the Touit 2.8/50M.

“The new Touit 2.8/50M is for photographers who already use our other two Touit lenses; it’s the ideal complement to their portfolio. Owners of APS-C system cameras with Sony E- or Fujifilm X-mounts who are looking for a new high-end lens will also want to use the Touit 2.8/50M. Whether a photographer has an eye for the smallest details or likes sharp portraits and pleasing bokeh, our new all-around Touit will definitely be at the top of their wish list,” says Dr. Michael Pollmann, Product and Program Manager from ZEISS Camera Lenses.

The Touit 2.8/50M with E and X mount will be available worldwide in March 2014. The recommended sales price will be about EUR 755 (excl. VAT.)* or US$ 999 (excl. VAT)*.

Sony buys Nintendo chip factory to increase the CMOS sensor production.

One of the few areas where Sony is doing really well is imaging sensor production. And today Sony announced the acquisition of the Tsuruoka fab from Nintendo! The fab used to make chips for Nintendo game console (Source: Image Sensor World). Sony reports:

This planned investment forms part of Sony’s mid- to long-term plan to increase its total production capacity for image sensors from the current capacity of approximately 60,000 wafers per month to approximately 75,000 wafers per month.Following the acquisition, Sony intends to convert part of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment that Sony is scheduled to acquire from Renesas Yamagata Semiconductor to CMOS image sensor manufacturing equipment, and also to install new manufacturing equipment for CMOS image sensors in Yamagata TEC. Yamagata TEC will primarily engage in the manufacture of photodiodes and wiring processes for stacked CMOS image sensors.

Now what we need from Sony is an increased lens production capability too and some really great new camera to put Nikon and Canon in the shadow.

 

POLL: What Sony should “copy” from the new Fuji X-T1…


Source: Camerasize.

We are all eagerly waiting to see how the new NEX-6/7 successor will be. And as Sony’s High End APS-C model it will have to compete against the just announced new Fuji X-T1 (specs and images at Amazon).

Well, the camera has a couple of features that some future A7000 or A9000 owners (whatever name it will have) could like to have on their Sony too. Like the “world’s fastest AF of 0.08 seconds”, freezeproof body or the huge 0.77x and 2,36m dot viewfinder.

Now, let me know what’s the new X-T1 feature the Sony NEX-6/7 successor should absolutely have:

If the rumored Sony A7sIII turn out to be true: Do you like the camera?

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P.S.: Full Fuji coverage at MirrorlessRumors.com.

Sony TidBits…(new Sony Global Ambassadors programme)


The QX100 Lens Camera Comes to Life – A New Look at the Smart Lens

Sony Global Ambassadors programme presentation at Photoclubalpha:

A new global initiative sees Sony working closely with some of the world’s top photographers and industry leaders to celebrate the beauty of photography. Inaugural participants in the Global Imaging Ambassadors programme include William Klein and photographers from the leading international photo agency, Panos Pictures.

Year of the Alpha – 365 days of Sony Alpha Photography’ at Yearofthealpha.com.
Sony RX10 review at Trustedreviews.

Taran: “I recently went to rajastan, new york, and london over the holidays… All my recent shots are NEX in my photostream…http://www.flickr.com/photos/artistwithlight

Tommy:I would like to share my joy of being a early adopter of SEL2470Z in China.
Sony China Online Store sent out an email to who registered their A7 purchase to Sony Club, saying only 50 SEL2470Z was available. It looks like to be a nice holiday companion with my A7. Hence I phoned them and set the order immediately.
It arrived last night with a special golden-style gift wrap, a Sony USB2.0 8G thumb driver, a Zeiss lens clean set. The package of the lens is very similar to SEL5518Z As photo below shows:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovenemesis/12116615065/
It comes with a lens hood and case, too.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovenemesis/12117254115/
Its main purpose is to replace my A-mount APS-C SAL1680Z because it has very difficulty to find a LA-EA4 adopter in China for at least a month.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovenemesis/12118060276/
You can see it’s a bit taller than SAL1680Z.

Since I’m busying packaging, I don’t have time to extensively test this lens. But here’s a few things I would like to share:
1. It’s probably the heaviest FE lens for A7 now. I feel more comfortable by holding it zoom rings in one hand, rather than area close to the body.
2. Its zoom and focus rings feels just right. After playing for a while, I can zoom to the exact number I want completely blindly. :)
3. Lens hood seems to be uneasy to mount. At least not as fluent as SEL55F18Z.
4. The minimum focus distance is 40mm. 5mm larger than SEL2870.

At the very end, I hope European will see this zooming lens very soon on shelf. It could be a very attractive option for A7/A7r users.”

Moody’s cuts Sony’s credit rating to junk (BBC)

BBC reports that “Sony, has had its credit rating cut to junk status by ratings agency Moody’s.“. The current critical financial situation has little to do with the camera business. Their weak point is the TV and PC business. And:

The ratings agency said that while Sony had taken steps to cut costs and improve profitability, the benefits of those steps were emerging “slowly” and its key segments “seem unlikely to soon regain the robust profit levels seen historically”.

As usual with rating systems, take them with a grain of salt. Sony’s difficult situation is not a real news yet and I am pretty confident they will recover from that situation. Just to say that I am not worried at all :)