You can now enter the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards. Via ePhotozine: “The 2012 competition sees new categories including Nature & Wildlife’ been introduced to the Professional competition and ‘Enhanced’, ‘Split Second’ and ‘Low- light’ been added to the Open competition. Photographers under the age of 20 can enter the new Youth competition and the Moving Image Awards now features six categories. Entries for the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards close on 04 January 2012. For more information please visit the World Photo website.“

This page gets continually updated! Keep checking for news (latest added news on top of each category).

You can already preorder the new stuff!

Sony NEX-C3 BLACK at Amazon (Click here).
Sony NEX-C3 SILVER at Amazon (Click here).
Sony NEX-C3 PINK at Amazon (Click here).
Sony A35 body at Amazon (Click here).
Sony A35 with kit lens at Amazon (Click here).
Sony 30mm macro at Amazon (Click here).

Previews

Sony A35: toma de contacto (Quesabesde).
Sony NEX-C3: toma de contacto (Quesabesde).
NEX-C3 First look at Amateur Photgrapher.
Full NEX-C3 review at Focus Numerique (Click here ot read the google english translation).
First look on Photoreview.
HOT: Sony NEX-C3 preview at DPreview.
HOT: Sony A35 preview at DPreview.

Image samples

A35 image samples at Dpreview, Imaging Resource (Studio test).
NEX-C3 image samples at Dpreview, Focus Numerique (ISO comparison with the Panasonic G3 and Olympus E-PL2), Imaging Resource (Studio test).

Highlights

HOT: Sony officially announced that the new NEX-3/5 firmware will come on June 20th!
“A firmware upgrade (Version 4) adds the new ‘Picture Effect’ function to existing NEX-5 and NEX-3 cameras. It also adds a Peaking function to assist with more precise manual focusing. This upgrade will be available June 20thand can be downloaded from: (www.esupport.sony.com). ”
And so for the A33/55:
“Available beginning June 20th, a firmware update for existing α33 and α55 cameras adds several creative and operational enhancements. Support for the ‘Picture Effect’ function featured on the new α35 model is now offered. High-Speed Synch is supported during wireless operation with a compatible external flash (α55 only). Ergonomics are further improved with revised menus and a new mode that lets users switch shooting parameters overlaid on-screen for clear, uncluttered composition. The a33 and a55camera’s Digital Level Gauge can also be displayed when shooting via the optional CLM-V55 external LCD monitor. Frequently used features can now be custom-assigned to the D-RANGE button for rapid, menu-free access.”
See the picture effects at Dpreview.
NEX-C3 ships in late July or August, and will be offered with those familiar 18-55mm and 16mm kit lenses for $649 and $599, respectively. Bodies paired with the zoom will be available in black, pink, and silver, while the camera in the fixed-lens kit will only ship in black.
The A35 will hit stores in August for $699 with an 18-55mm kit lens, or $599 for the body. There’s also a new 30mm f/3.5 macro lens ($249, October) and a larger external flash ($149, August) for the NEX series
Sony says the new NEX-C3 cam is designed to fill the gap between point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras, and is the smallest body to pack an APS-C sensor.
Price in Europe: Alpha 35 body 600 €. With 18-55mm lens 700 €. With 18-55mm+55-200mm 900 €
Price in Europe: NEX-C3 + 16mm for 580 €. With 18-55 mm for 630 €. Double kit for 730 €
The flash costs 150 Euro.

Links to Press release

NEX-C3, A35 and macro lens at Photoscala.
Sony NEX-C3, 30mm Macro Lens & F20S Flash Announced (Photographybay).
A35 article on Amateur Photographer.
NEX-C3 article on Amateur Photographer.
Article on Engadget.
Sony NEX-C3 at Imaging Resource.
Sony Alpha NEX-C3 : fiche technique (Alpha Numerique).
A35 at Alpha-Photo.at.
Sony A35 at Imaging Resource.
Sony Alpha 35 : fiche technique (AlphaNumerique)
HVL-F20S pour NEX : et le flash devient accessoire pour 150 euros (Focus Numerique)

Youtube-Vimeo

Sony NEX-C3 video at Quesbesde.
Sony A35 video at Quesabesde.
Japanese NEX-C3 commercial (Youtube).
Hands-on video on CNET.
Sony Alpha NEX-C3 Hands-On Preview (Youtube).
Sony Nex C3 Alfa 35 primi scatti test (Youtube).

Poll

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Sony officially announced that the new NEX-3/5 firmware will come on June 20th!
“A firmware upgrade (Version 4) adds the new ‘Picture Effect’ function to existing NEX-5 and NEX-3 cameras. It also adds a Peaking function to assist with more precise manual focusing. This upgrade will be available June 20thand can be downloaded from: (www.esupport.sony.com). ”

And so for the A33/55:
“Available beginning June 20th, a firmware update for existing α33 and α55 cameras adds several creative and operational enhancements. Support for the ‘Picture Effect’ function featured on the new α35 model is now offered. High-Speed Synch is supported during wireless operation with a compatible external flash (α55 only). Ergonomics are further improved with revised menus and a new mode that lets users switch shooting parameters overlaid on-screen for clear, uncluttered composition. The a33 and a55camera’s Digital Level Gauge can also be displayed when shooting via the optional CLM-V55 external LCD monitor. Frequently used features can now be custom-assigned to the D-RANGE button for rapid, menu-free access.“

NEX-FS100 First Official Unboxing. Direct links for preorders check at [shopcountry 6170].

Tempus NEX Sony NEX Intervalometer Remote (SonyAlphaNex).

Sony presented two new CCD for compact cameras. A 16mp 1/2.3″ CCD and a 10mp 1/2.93″ CCD (Photographyblog).

Short Sony CLM-V55 LCD Screen review (Photocomment). Direct search links at [shopcountry 7157].

Sony HVL-F43AM test (Lowyat). Direct search links at [shopcountry 5995].

Sony 35mm f/1.8 lens tested at lenstip. Direct search links at [shopcountry 6422].

Which digital camera functions best on a microscope? (Lmscope.com) and…Sony NEX-5 and Sony NEX-3 in microscopy (again Lmscope).

New pop-up LCD protection (DC.watch).

Alpha-numérique vous invite au Salon de la Photo 2011

A new layout for our friends website http://www.sonyrumors.net/.

Noktor annouced via Twitter (Click here) that the 50mm f/0.95 for NEX will cost $1.000. The lens will have the same optical design as the current Micro Four Thirds version. Only the look will be different. They are accepting preorders on their website: http://noktor.com/products.php. This is the fastest E-mount lens currently available. If you need a fast lens like that your other alternatives are the [shoplink 7140 ebay]Canon 50mm f/0.95 (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 7142 ebay]Leica 50mm f/0.95 (Click here to see ebay auctions)[/shoplink]. They deliver a better image quality but 1) you need an adapter 2) They are very expensive!

The lens is made by the Hong Kong company SLRmagic which already sells the [shoplink 7109 ebay]35mm f/1.7 for NEX on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

The japanese company Yasuhara announced a new amcro lens for NEX named “Nanoha”. It has a 5x magnification and can take spectacular photos (Click here to see their online gallery).  The Nonoha’s website says about the lens: “The magnification is much more than ordinary macro lens. The magnification is up to x5. It means 1 pixel on the picture is about 1 micrometer on the shooting target. With NANOHA, you can find small wonders easily without using microscopes. And we added some patented features for your good shooting.”

Yasuhara is a one man company that made Cameras and Lenses compatible with the Leica M-system ([shoplink 7085 ebay]CLick here to see some of their stuff on eBay[/shoplink]). They know will release that lens for mirrorles systems + two more lenses during the year 2011.

Sony published the detailed financial report. There are couple of info regarding the digital camera segment:
1) The expected operating income increase is partially offset by the negative impact of the Earthquake, which is anticipated to primarily affect components and compact digital cameras.
2) In the CPD segment, sales decreased due to lower sales of products such as components and compact digital cameras. This decrease was partially offset by higher sales of interchangeable single lens cameras.

My guess is that Sony NEX cameras were much more successful than they had expected. At least in Japan were we can see the exact sales (See BCNranking) we can notice that Sony NEX cameras are selling more than Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras. That’s a huge surprise if you do consider the lack of lenses for the E-mount system.

Source: http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/financial/fr/index.html

P.S.: You can see on Amazon that most cameras in the TOP 20 are compacts:
Amazon US rankings (Click here)
Amazon DE rankings (Click here)
Amazon UK rankings (Click here)
Amazon FR rankings (Click here)
Amazon IT rankings (Click here)