Good news: Sony says Zeiss 55mm FE lens will ship on Dec 20. Bad news: Sony Korea teaser was for the 55mm FE lens :)

Sony Japan just announced that the Zeiss 55mm FE lens will ship from December 20 instead of the previously estimated January release period. And the 18-105mm PZ lens will ship from December 13.

Meantime we also learned that the Sony Korea teaser for a “new product release” was indeed for the Zeiss 55mm FE lens :(

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Specs and Preorders in US and Canada:
Dedicated Sony announcement page at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony A7r body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony RX10 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 24-70mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 35mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 55mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
70-200mm A-mount at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony A to E adapter with mirror at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
A7/A7r leather case at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
A7/A7r vertical grip at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony W Series Battery Charger at Amazon, BHphoto.
Sony FA-CS1M Off-Camera Shoe at BHphoto.
Semi-Hard LCD Screen Protector for A7-A7r at Amazon, BHphoto.

Specs and Preorders in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,  WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony  DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT
Zeiss 24-70mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, SE, PT
Sony G 28-70mm lens at Sony DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO.

Asia:
A7r at Digitalrev.
A7 at Digitalrev, Amazon Cina.
A7 with 28-70mm lens at Digitalrev.

 

 

Sony A7r camera of the year at Popphoto. Leica Boss says Sony is the new Leica.

Image courtesy: Popphoto

Popphoto (Click here) chose the Sony A7r as camera of the year 2013:

The Sony Alpha 7R represents not only the most substantial refinement of the interchangeable-lens compact (ILC) camera to date, but also a redefinition of the entire concept of the high-end system camera. The camera that best refined or redefined photography in 2013? Unquestionably, it is the diminutive (but full-frame) high-resolution Sony Alpha 7R.

So, is Sony the new Leica? LeicaBoss (Click here) writes:

The reality is that Leica is now a luxury brand, inaccessible to most photographers and impractical for still more. The real Leica Bosses had to find a niche that works for the brand. This focus is simply different than when they started out. The first 35mm cameras and lenses were a revolution and Leica was carrying the flag.
So now Sony is carrying the flag for the original vision of Oskar Barnack – and the release of the A7 and A7r represent a great milestone in this pursuit. BOOM.

Well done Sony! Cannot wait to see what you will bring us in 2014! :)

Specs and Preorders in US and Canada:
Dedicated Sony announcement page at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony A7r body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony RX10 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 24-70mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 35mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 55mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
70-200mm A-mount at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony A to E adapter with mirror at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
A7/A7r leather case at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
A7/A7r vertical grip at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony W Series Battery Charger at Amazon, BHphoto.
Sony FA-CS1M Off-Camera Shoe at BHphoto.
Semi-Hard LCD Screen Protector for A7-A7r at Amazon, BHphoto.

Specs and Preorders in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,  WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony  DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT
Zeiss 24-70mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, SE, PT
Sony G 28-70mm lens at Sony DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO.

Asia:
A7r at Digitalrev.
A7 at Digitalrev, Amazon Cina.
A7 with 28-70mm lens at Digitalrev.

HolyManta VND for E-Mount cameras.

HolyManta VND from Holymanta on Vimeo.

There is a new “unique” adapter for all E-mount camera owners. It’s made by HolyManta and you better watch the video to see what it is :)

PRESS TEXT: ”

The all-new HolyManta VND is finally available! With this lens adapter (initially for Canon EF lenses) setting manual exposure has newer been easier and quicker. Video filming has always been for restricted compared to photography in terms of exposure – due to the shutter which most often should be set to a 180 degrees angle. The built-in variable ND filter allows you set the perfect exposure in second without taking your eyes from the viewfinder, and inserting the dust protected filter now takes less then a second instead of almost minutes as with external filters.
For more info, please visit www.holymanta.com or send your question to info@holymanta.com

All the best
/The HolyManta team”

 

Interview with Sony A7-A7r developers: Faster lenses are in development!

DC.watch (google translation here) interviewed the Sony team who developed the A7-A7r cameras. As you can see from the picture this is quite a young team! If these guys are reading SAR than let me say one thing: Well done guys! You really did a great job! I can imagine it was quite a challenge (and an excitement) to create something completely new. Doesn’t happen very often in the camera industry where usually company tend to focus on conservative development of existing camera.

They have been interviewed by DC.watch and I will report some of the key info. The google translation tool is messing up a lot so please excuse me in advance if there is some mistake. Hope Japanese Friends can check up my text :)

These are the names and roles of the people on the picture:
Front row left (sitting): Sokabe Taku, the Responsible Designer
Front row middle (sitting): Sudo Takahiro, Design Leader
Front row right (sitting): Daisuke Sato, Product Planner
Back row left (standing): Hosoi Masaharu, Responsible for optical design.
Back row middle (standing): Hasegawa Yoichi, Responsible for autofocus design.
Back row right (standing): Foshan Sakiken, Responsible for quality design.

Some key info from the interview:
– They confirm the NEX name is gone forever. Everything is branded as ALPHA now.
– Right from the start the main goal was to create something small. A DSLR quality in a small package.
– One of the hardest challenges was to add the 1/8.000 shutter in such a small body
– The A7r contrast AF is faster than in other Sony mirrorless cameras due the new algorithm and Bionz X processor. AF is 35% faster than the one on the NEX-7. And that has been achieved by keeping a high accuracy
– The LAEA4 adapter and Sony A99 translucent tech are “almost” equal.
– EVF brightness has been increased by 30% and contrast is three times higher over the external FDA-EA1MK EVF.
– 4K video recording has not been added on the 7-series because of power consumption issues such as thermal dissipation.
– To place the EVF in the middle has the advantage on larger lenses that you are on the optical axis.
– The body would have become large with the EVF placed ion the corner like it is on the NEX-7.
– we are actively involved in the development of larger aperture lenses.

Again, thanks Sony guys for working hard to fulfill our …dreams :)

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Specs and Preorders in US and Canada:
Dedicated Sony announcement page at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony A7r body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony RX10 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 24-70mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 35mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 55mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
70-200mm A-mount at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony A to E adapter with mirror at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
A7/A7r leather case at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
A7/A7r vertical grip at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony W Series Battery Charger at Amazon, BHphoto.
Sony FA-CS1M Off-Camera Shoe at BHphoto.
Semi-Hard LCD Screen Protector for A7-A7r at Amazon, BHphoto.

Specs and Preorders in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,  WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony  DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT
Zeiss 24-70mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, SE, PT
Sony G 28-70mm lens at Sony DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO.

Asia:
A7r at Digitalrev.
A7 at Digitalrev, Amazon Cina.
A7 with 28-70mm lens at Digitalrev.

Sony and Olympus will share mirrorless distribution and tech.

All the best Olympus E-M1 tech explained by TheCameraStoreTV

In an interview at with Olympus president Sasa confirmed at JP (Click here) that Sony and Olympus will tighten their relation ship in the mirrorless camera business. In Short this means that they will share components between their cameras to lower the costs. And also integrate the distribution network.

In short, what are the tech Olympus can hand over to Sony? Here is a list:
– The great 5 axis on sensor stabilization (likely coming on the new generation A-mount cameras in February)
– Their contrast autofocus tech
– Their Zuiko Lens design epxerience
– Their JPG engine (which is a tiny bit better than the Sony engine)
– The freezproof body design (see the new Olympus E-M1).

I have to say this is a nice list of things we need to get built-in in our future Sony cameras!

Sony A9r and A6r without EVF (rendering by Xitek).

I guess quite many SAR reader would like to have an A7r alike camera without that EVF bump on top. The Chinese friends over at Xitek designed it especially for you to show you how it would look! Obviously this is a pure imaginative rendering but I am sure some of you would like it to see as a REAL thing!

On top you see a so called A9r. And here below the more NEX-7 alike A6r camera:

 

And here another version: