Ming Thein reviewed the new Loxia 21mm f/2.8 FE lens. And the conclusions are quite favorable:

“it is already remarkably sharp in the center at maximum aperture, and taking into account some field curvature, the edges, too. By f5.6 it is very difficult to find fault with anywhere in the frame – longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberration are very well controlled and there is little evidence of smearing in the corners. I wouldn’t call it apochromatic, but it’s really not far off. Colors are deep and saturated, and in the typical Zeiss manner, microcontrast simply pops.

The Zeiss has the level of clarity we have come to expect from their best lenses, and is a perfect partner for the whole philosophy of ‘smaller, lighter, no optical compromises’ – it is a little jewel of a lens, and built to last a lifetime. It takes filters, and is my choice when working stopped down on a tripod or if weight is a priority.”

Loxia 21mm FE lens at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here). In Europe at WexUK (Click here).

Federico (Thanks!) sent me the link to that video and wrote:

You should check the following link to a video of Sony’s launch event in Korea, where they allowed video recording of the PPT presentation, where local mkt figures clearly show some interesting data on growth and mkt share, they also show an MTF chart comparison between the fixed 35mm F2 lens on the new RX1Rmk2 vs. an equivalent Leica lens of the same specs, and more interestingly, between the 5:00 and 7:00 minute marks, a hands on demo of the improved AF, where the presenter not only demos how the hunting AF has been improved (he even performs a demo of the issue with the older RX1R), but also how the AF-C uses the 399 phase-detection points for face following.
They don’t demo the AF performance under dark conditions, which is really where I’d like to see it, but it’s pretty good nonetheless.
I recognize the girl from the face-following AF-C demo, she’s in the Mktg Dept. for Cyber-shot in Sony’s Global HQ in Tokyo.
It’d be great if one of your followers would translate the many interesting data on this video that’s in Korean…!!!

P.S.: Dpreview posted a set of RX1rII image samples.

The new RX1RII will ship tomorrow at Amazon US (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).

A couple of days ago Sony released a major firmware upgrade for the A7II (Download for Windows / Mac). And here are a few early tests with the new firmware.

Raúl A. Sanjur González sent me this video (embedded on top) :

Nothing fancy. Just a comparison of AF speed between FW1.21 and F2.0 using the ILCE-7M2, LA-EA1 (APS-C) and SSM/SAM lenses (SAL50F14Z and SAL85F28 respectively). A77M2 is still ahead in terms of overall functionality (Tracking, performance, etc) but this is a very good option for Dual System users like me who keeps both A and E-mount cameras and lenses.

Some initial testing with adapted Canon lenses and two adapters on the Sony A7 II with Firmware 2.0 by Admiring Light:

I feel that the Firmware 2.0 truly makes many Canon lenses viable for everyday use on the Sony A7 II. You’re not going to get fully native speed and compatibility, but provided the lens works well with the adapter, you won’t be too far off in most cases. It’s a dramatic change for the better in using Canon lenses, and it opens up some options for the focal lengths that are lacking in the Sony FE lineup, or are too expensive to bother with. It really opens up the use of Canon lenses for everyday use on this camera and the A7R II, and vastly expands the available lenses that can be easily used with full autofocus capabilities.

On Monday Metabones will releasea new firmware to fix an issue with the A7II af performance (SonyAlphaForum).
Sony a7 II firmware 2.0 uncompressed Raw samples (Dpreview).
An Article Talking about a Major Omission to the Sony a7ii firmware upgrade (TheCameraProject).
A7ii review after 24 hours of installing Version 2.0 on Youtube.

Sony A7II store price check at [shopcountry 42630].

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DxOmark (Click here) tested the Sony PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS E-mount lens. And the surprise is that it is as good as the Zeiss 16-70mm lens:

It might not have the Zeiss badge, but the [shoplink 42649]Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS[/shoplink] has good center sharpness throughout the whole zoom range, and that includes the initial aperture where zooms like this are usually poor, and particularly so at the longer end of the range. The downside is that it’s not as well corrected in other areas as the Sony Zeiss E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS, with which it is often compared. It still wouldn’t be an easy choice, even taking into account the $400 premium for the Zeiss. However the longer reach of the Sony is attractive, and for video users especially, the power zoom option may just swing it.

Find the lens on [shopcountry 42649].

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Sony keeps winning all kind of different Dpreview awards. Today the Sony A7II got selected as the best camera of the year in the $1200-2000 price range:

Unlike the Samsung and the Panasonic, the [shoplink 42630]Sony a7 II[/shoplink] brings a full-frame sensor to the party while still maintaining a relatively small form factor (at the expense of larger lenses, of course). The in-body image stabilization is excellent, and the phase detection AF system ensures swift, accurate autofocus. The a7 II’s sensor is superb too, both in terms of resolution and dynamic range. And the recent addition of an uncompressed Raw option makes it all the more powerful photographic tool.

Sony A7II store price check at [shopcountry 42630].

And I have the strong feeling the A7rII will win the upcoming $2,000+ competition ;)

Imaging Resource tested the different LPF (low pass filter) settings:

“The trade-off between moiré and overall sharpness is evident, especially in the first example with the bottle label.”

Dpreview added the studio test scene and the RX1rII shows an impressive tack sharp resolution.

The new RX1RII will ship starting from next week at Amazon US (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).

Cinema5D published the first impression review of the new FS5 4K E-mount camcorder:

The Sony FS5 is a well balanced package for the documentary/wedding/indie/news shooter cameraman. For those who are looking for an easy to use large sensor solution, be it “full auto mode” or “full auto focus” this is a very good alternative.
On the other hand, the advanced shooter will not feel neglected and be able to take control on most if not all camera functions in a manual way. As with most of Sony’s latest products, this one will receive a firmware update soon after its release to answer some of the shortcomings already found since the time it was announced. Sony also promised to introduce a future RAW recording capability for this camera at a later stage. Exciting.

Newsshooter pointed out one limitation of the camera

Last week we published news that the Sony FS5 won’t allow simultaneous recording of 4K internally to SD card, and externally to an external recorder at the same time. This means that anyone wanting to record to an external 4K recorder like the Atomos Shogun and at the same time internally to SD card for backup is out of luck.

There is also a Sony FS5 4K Hands on Video at Adorama Blog.

The new E-Mount 4K camcorder can be preordered in two versions:
FS5 body only at Adorama and BHphoto.
FS5 body with kti lens at Adorama and BHphoto.