Sony AX100 Hands-On Field Test by TheCameraStoreTV.

Great Sony Easter specials running at Sony Australia.
American photographer Mary Ellen Mark is announced as the recipient of the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards’ Outstanding Contribution to Photography award (Worldphoto)
A6000 image samples by Pantip.
Test du Sony 18-105 mm f/4 G OSS E PZ (Digitbox FR).
Russar+ lens releases (Shop Lomo).
Sigma 18-35mm lens tested at Photoreview.

Richard: “I wondered if your readers would be interested in what I have put together for product photography..http://www.flickr.com/photos/melting_bloke/sets/72157641407451984/“. The system is a rollei x-act2 technical camera with very large tilt/shift capability. Originally designed around medium format, the use of the sony A7R instead of 6×4.5 film or medium format digital backs delivers very high res product photography with the capability to get very large tilt/swing and shift movements due to the sensor being a 1.5x crop of medium format. The system uses medium format lenses from Schneider, which in my opinion are the next step up from Zeiss in terms of medium format glass and deliver enough resolution to cater for the badboy A7R sensor.
I use the A7R for photographing and testing Dog Schidt Optiks lenses since the 36mpx sensor is about the most demanding full frame sensor there is.
Here is a shot of a DSO lens taken using the system:- http://www.flickr.com/photos/melting_bloke/12450571104/in/set-72157641404155735”

Anonymous: “Lauren Fiasconaro ( http://laurenfiasconaro.com/ ) a fine art photography student at Pratt University in New York City has just completed her thesis series ‘Terra Mortalis’. This project explores the fragile threads of life which our earth has and the effects that mankind has done to directly affect its mortality. The digital photography in Lauren’s project were all captured using Sony gear ( Sony A580, Sony NEX7, and Sony A7R). Lauren will be graduating this May with a BFA in Photography and a double minor in Art History and Sustainability.”

Edward: “Last week I converted a Sony A7 into Full-Spectrum. So far I’ve concentrated on the infra-red abilities, but I hope to do more soon. With it’s EVF and great lens compatability the A7 makes a great camera to convert, so I thought some of your readers might appreciate my first impressions review here: http://infraedd.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/cameras-sony-a7-converted-to-full.html“

I just got this picture and the full specs of the soon to be announced Mitakon 50mm f/0.95 Full Frame E-mount lens!  Like I already told you before the lens will be unveiled on April 20th and costs $799 only. It’s Mitakon second E-mount lens after the [shoplink 14656 ebay]35mm f/0.95 lens for ASP-C E-mount cameras (they are on auction here on eBay)[/shoplink] which unlike the new 50mm lens doesn’t cover the FF sensor area. Image samples of the soon to come 50mm lens can be seen on that SAR post (Click here).

The lens will ship in May and these are the specs:
Lens mount: Sony FE
Focal length: 50mm
Optics: 10 Elements (7 groups)
Image cover: 35mm full frame
Max. Aperture: f/0.95
Min. Aperture: f/16
Filter size: 58mm
Lens size: 87mm (L) x 68.5mm (diameter)
Weight: 720g.

Preorders will be taken from April 20th at eBay MXcamera. WIll link to the exact page as soon as it’s online!

Here is the lens design:

Ricoh announced the new Pentax 645Z medium format camera. It becomes the cheapest digital medium format camera ever released and it can be preordered at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).

There are a couple of interesting Sony related news:
– First, Sony is literally conquering the full medium format digital camera market in one single strike! Hasselblad, Phase One and now Pentax use the newly developed and first ever CMOS sensor with 50Mp. Sony just had to make one sensor to wipe out the sensor competition from that market!
– The Sony sensor is the first CMOS sensor in the MF market, it’s the first sensor that allows useable High ISO with the new Pentax going up to 204,800 ISO!
– If the rumor is correct than the Sony [shoplink 25383 ebay]Mamiya 7 alike (here on eBay)[/shoplink] digital mirrorless medium format camera will cost less than the Pentax (less than $8,500).

Full press release of the new 645Z:

Sony released a new firmware update for your QX10/100 camera:
QX10 firmware download page at Sony DE, UK, FR, ES, IT, NL, BE, AT, CH, FI, SE, NO, PT.
QX100 firmware download page at Sony DE, UK, FR, ES, IT, NL, BE, AT, CH, FI, SE, NO, PT.

Benefits and improvements
– “Half-Press” function for the shutter button has been added*
– “NFC One-touch connection” has been improved (Requires PlayMemories Mobile app version 4.2 or later).
– ISO Setting has been added
– MP4 Movie Recording size changes from 1440 x 1080(30p) to 1920 x 1080 (30p)

Ulysses Japan announced a new A7/A7r/A7s leather case. It costs around 15,336 – 16,848 yen. Don’t know when this will go for sale outside Japan.

Here are the current worldwide available leather cases that will also work fine on your new A7s :)

Gariz leather case in [shoplink 23521 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 23522 ebay]Brown (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 23523 ebay]Orange (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 23524 ebay]Red (Click here)[/shoplink].
Leather Explorer has A7-A7r leather cases in [shoplink 24599 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24600 ebay]Black-Metallic (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24601 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink].
Dignis has A7-A7r leather cases in [shoplink 24602 ebay]Black-Red (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24603 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24604 ebay]Red (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24605 ebay]Yellow (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24606 ebay]Brown (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24607 ebay]Dark Brown (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 24608 ebay]Khaki (Click here)[/shoplink].
Ciesta leather case in [shoplink 24609 ebay]Brown (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24610 ebay]Dark Brown (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24611 ebay]Black Red (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 24612 ebay]Vegetable Leather (Click here)[/shoplink].
Kaza has them in [shoplink 24615 ebay]Vintage Brown (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 24616 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink].

Sigma announced the release of the USB dock for Sigma A-mount lenses. Price will be $59 but there is no preorder option yet. With the dock you can perform lens firmware updates and customize autofocus and OS! It will work with the new superb 50mm f/1.4 ART lens too. The lens can be preorderd in USA at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here). And since today also in UK at Wexphotographic (Click here).

Source: Sigma Japan.

Jvdas Berra
SLT-A55 + SAL5018 – México
Jvdas Berra Photographer, https://www.behance.net/jvdas

These are some of this week most liked pictures on the SAR readers facebook wall (Click here). As usual feel free to share your pics and like those from others!