Back in January Sony officially announced it will release a major firmware update for the FX3 and FX30 in September 2024 (or later). It will include:

• Addition of Shutter Angle: Users will be able to choose from both Shutter Speed/Shutter Angle similar to what is available with the FX6
• Ability to add clip flags to mark shots
• SRT/RTMP/RTMPS support for live streaming via the Creator’s App

Chris Brockhurst met with the Sony FX3 developer and he displayed to him an FX3 with the beta verison of this new firmware. You can see the video on his IG channel:

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A post shared by Chris Brockhurst (@chrisbrockhurst)

Dear Sony…try hard ot release this firmware sooner than expected …and with no bugs liek we had on the A7sIII and A1 firmware udpate!

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Thanks to our reader Hannes for spotting and hsaring this!

So folks, it’s time to look ahead because it appears we are going to get two more announcements from Sony in May and June. Trusted sources confirmed the ZV-E10II will be announced in May along a new APS-C E-mount kit lens optimized for “Vloggers”. In June we should get the 85mm f/1.4 GMII. I am still unsure about when the 24-70mm f/2.0 GM will be announced…but I guess it’s coming in June. After that…it’s firework times with new Full Frame cameras ;)

In May we will get:

• New Sony ZV-E10II: specs not known yet but I guess it’s a specked down version of the A6700 with additional AI tech)
• New APS-C E-mount kit lens: optimized lens for vloggers

In June:

• New Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II: Optically superior lens to the original 85mm GM while also being more compact and lighter
• New Sony 24-70mm f/2.0 GM: Still unsure if it’s coming in May or June. But size will be about the Canon 28-70mm f/2.0 despite having 4mm more at the wide end.

Summer:

• First Full Frame E-mount cameras: More details about that soon ;)
• New Full Frame E-mount lenses: More details about that soon ;)

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The Australian store Georges already listed the upcoming Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF II lens. The price is 728 ASUD which is about 470 USD. The lens comprises 13 elements arranged in 9 groups, featuring 4 extra-low dispersion (ED) glasses and 2 aspherical glasses.

On the stores page you can find some image samples shot with this lens. I guess this means the lens will be announced within days!

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Thanks to the tipster!

Sigma issued a new firmware updates for the following two lenses:

• 60-600mm FE (firmware download here).
• 150-600mm FE (firmware download here).

Benefits:

• An issue where autofocus occasionally fails to focus when digital zoom is enabled.
• Compatibility with continuous shooting of up to approximately 120 frames per second has been added for the focus modes (AF-S/DMF/MF) on Sony α9 III cameras.

120fps still not supported in AF-C mode…but that’s Sony’s policy to limit third party lenses speed at 15fps in AF-C mode :(

Here are the winners of the Tipa Awards 2024:. I don’t like that award because it looks like they created so many “artificial” categories so that every n manufacturer can claim at least one prize. For example when we talk about choosing the best of the best cameras we have categories like “professional” “high-end professional” “hybrid professional” and “high-end” camera ?!?!?!?!!?

Camera Awards

Best Professional M43 Camera: Panasonic G9 II
Best APS-C Entry Camera: Canon EOS R100
Best APS-C Professional Camera: Sony A6700
Best Full-Frame Professional Camera: Nikon Z f
Best Full-Frame High-End Professional Camera: Nikon Z8
Best Full-Frame Photo/Video Professional Camera: Sony A9 III
Best High-End Camera: Leica M11-P
Best Compact Camera: Fujifilm X100VI
Best Professional Video Camera: RED V-RAPTOR 8K VV
Best Polaroid Camera: Polaroid I-2
Best Medium Format Camera: Fujifilm GFX100 II
Best Camera Phone: Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Lens Awards:

Best APS-C Wide-Angle Zoom Lens: Sigma 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary
Best APS-C Standard Lens: Viltrox AF 27mm f/1.2 Pro
Best Ultra-Wide Fixed Lens: Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF
Best Standard Fixed Lens: Voigtländer NOKTON 40mm F1.2 Aspherical
Best Telephoto Fixed Lens: Sony FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
Best Super Telephoto Fixed Lens: Sigma 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports
Best Professional Portrait Lens: Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
Best Wide-Angle Zoom Lens: Tamron 17-50mm F/4 Di III VXD
Best Macro Zoom Lens: Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II
Best Telephoto Zoom Lens: Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2
Best Super Telephoto Zoom Lens: Nikon S NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
Best Dual Purpose Zoom Lens: Canon RF24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z

You can now buy the new 7Artisans AF 27mm f/2.8 E-mount AF lens on Amazon US&EU (Click here).

SonyAlphaBlog already reviewed the lens and concluded:

The 7 Artisans 27mm F2.8 (129$) is a very good compact little lens form 7 artisans with very good performance overall in term of sharpness, AF, compactness. Its weak points are the vignetting and distortion. Color rendering and resistance to flare are good but could be improved but for 129$ it is a very nice performance

Compared to the TTArtisan 27mm F2.8 AF (133$) , the 7 Artisans is more enjoyable to use thanks to its better sharpness wide open and more efficient AF even if the TTArtisan is a little bit better in term of color rendition

CineD writes:

On the show floor at NAB 2024, we stopped by Blackmagic Design’s booth to learn more about their upcoming URSA Cine 17K from Business Development Manager Stuart Ashton. The camera is still under development and won’t start shipping before the end of this year, but we could still get an idea of what is all about. Let’s take a look!

I am impressed Blackmagic did this kind of effort. it might force the hand of the big guys like Sony to also make truly large sensor “affordable” cameras!