Sony A77II gets tested at Dpreview.

Dpreview (Click here) posted the full Sony A77II review. The camera earned the Silver Award for the following reason:

The Sony a77 II is the perfect choice for those seeking pro-grade shooting and AF speeds for well-under pro-grade prices. No moving mirror means the a77 II can successfully use continuous AF during both 12fps bursts and video capture, a major advantage over many of its DSLR competitors. And in-body image stabilization helps to keep both stills and video a bit more stable than the competition. Subject tracking, one of the a77 II’s most anticipated features, is unfortunately, not very reliable. And high ISO images have a tendency to be fairly noisy. Build quality and ergonomics, however, are very good. Overall, the a77 II offers a lot of camera, for a very reasonable price.

The A77II got announced exactly one year ago at the Sony World Photography Award. And today Sony will indeed announce new cameras again…but no A-mount today?

LOL: Naked guy says RX100m3 is radioactive :)

A paranoic-vegan naked guy (let me have some fun describing him) made that very (un)scientific test to claim the [shoplink 35573 ebay]RX100m3[/shoplink] is a dangerous radioactive camera. And he used a $34 ghost hunting Gauss Master (here on Amazon) to measure the radiation (LOL!).
I saw the video posted on some forums and thought it would be good the debunk the myth also with the little help of Marc Morris. He commented the video and said:

Remarkable paranoia. I’m impressed with your commitment but remain thoroughly UNswayed. All communicative products have screens of various properties and have EMR output that is negligible at best. Your HDTV makes the camera look like a piker, your cellphone is ALWAYS on and and is either on or near your person: no lead carrier blocks the radiation you’re so frightened of. It’s unavoidable. Most Gaussmeters of the cost effective variety will give seriously false readings when placed too closely to portable electronics like a cell phone or a camera: you are using a device that is not built to measure portable electronics accurately. What that thing is saying is that this RX100M3 is putting out a reading that meets the average reading of a hair dryer at normal usage distances, or that of standing underneath a transmission line outside a home (http://www.arpansa.gov.au/radiationprotection/factsheets/is_magfields.cfm). Asinine. The camera in its most nuclear phase could not do so. Prolonged exposure would mean hours set aside, of days and days on end of looking through the viewfinder without blinking, when in fact it is for mere seconds at a time and it would take months of work to have looked through the viewfinder for an hour in total. The premise and the good will are noted and lauded. The lack of thorough education is, on the other hand, absolutely not.

So please don’t be scared by the video. Just don’t use your RX100m3 while drying your hair and you will be fine :)

Disclosure:
Dear vegan readers, I am not anti Vegan and I only tried to make some fun. So please take it easy.

New Sony 30x camera hands-on roundup. And interesting Sony marketing forecast.

WX500
Image courtesy: ePhotozine

The new Sony 30x zoom compact cameras got a hands-on by many reviewers:
HX90V Hands-On Photos at ePhotozine, Amateur Photographer and Photographyblog.
WX500 Hands-On Photos at ePhotozine , Amateur Photographer and Photographyblog.

And the preorder ars up at:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V for $428 at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500 Digital Camera for $328 at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).

The interetsing part is that I received a document disclosing why those 30x zoom cameras are important for Sony:

fixed-lens

I am yet not sure but the graph is likely to show the market in Canada. Sony expects that 45% of the compact camera market will be “owned” by High Zoom cameras.

First Drone video shoot at night with the A7s.


Moonriders
from Christian Mülhauser on Vimeo.

If I am not mistaken this is the very first (or one of the first) Drone videos shoot at moonlight. And of course the author used the Sony A7s to make the video. Such kind of videos would be impossible to make if there wouldn’t be the A7s on this world :)

Sony A7s store links:
Sony A7s in USA/CA at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Sony USA, Sony Canada.
Sony A7s in Eu at Sony DE, UK, ES, FR, IT, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, NO, FI, PL. And Wex UK.
A7s Gariz leather case in [shoplink 27569 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 27570 ebay]Brown (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 27571 ebay]Red (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 27572 ebay]Orange (Click here)[/shoplink].

Triple FE lens review: 55mm, 16-35mm and 70-200mm.

Bildschirmfoto 2015-04-02 um 12.04.24
The lens size comparison via Camerasize.

Photoreview tested the Zeiss 16-35mm lens and writes:

Subjective assessments of test shots showed the review lens to be a good performer, delivering good centre-of-field sharpness, well-resolved detail and accurate colour rendition. Quite a lot of corner softening was found at the shorter focal lengths, probably caused by curvature of field, which is not uncommon in ultra-wide-angle lenses. Stopping down largely eliminated it.However, even at the smallest aperture settings, there was high enough resolution for the lens to be useful, which makes this lens a good choice for landscape photography.

SLRgear reviewed the Sony FE 70-200mm lens:

Optically, the lens is very good and carries many of the technical bells and whistles that an enthusiast to professional photographer demands — good image stabilization and well-built construction (though we have our doubts about the lens’s purported dust and moisture resistance). But for all other avenues, the 70-200 ƒ/4 FE lens is solid choice for Sony mirrorless shooters looking for a high performance telephoto zoom.

Mirrorlessons tested the 55mm FE lens:

I think that the 55mm paired with any of the Sony A7 cameras produces a fantastic combo and I wouldn’t renounce it even now. It was also very helpful for the last wedding I shot in Italy. The only lens I could perhaps consider to replace the 55mm is the Loxia 2/50. The quality is basically the same and I really liked my time with the two Loxia lenses when I reviewed them in November last year. But there is no question that autofocus is a nice feature to have.

16-35mm Zeiss FE lens store links:
USA/Canada  at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Sony Store US, Sony Canada.
Europe at Sony DE, UK, ES, IT, FR, CH, AT, NL, BE, FI, SE, NO, PT.
Australia and Asia at Sony AUS, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.
Sony 70-200mm FE lens store links:
USA at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), SonyStore (Click here).
In Europe at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, AT, NL, BE, CH, FI, SE, PT
Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 lens store links:
USA/Canada: Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonyStore US and Sonystore Canada.
Europe: Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT

Diglloyd: “The (FE) system mediocrity ends now with the Sony/Zeiss FE 35mm f/1.4 Distagon”.

Bildschirmfoto 2015-04-09 um 09.09.51
FE Distagon by SLRclub.

Note for US readers: A couple of Distagon lenses are in Stock at Amazon US (Click here). Refurbished 55mm FE for $749 on [shoplink 35281 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Many bloggers and photographers are testing the new FE lenses. Time for a new roundup:

Diglloyd is testing the new Zeiss Distagon FE 35mm lens.

A camera system needs at least one outstanding lens that makes owning that system worthwhile. Or rather, a lens that is so appealing that the camera body becomes an accessory.
Until now, that Sony A7 series platform has been a study in “good enough”. That system mediocrity ends now with the Sony/Zeiss FE 35mm f/1.4 Distagon. The question is whether lens siblings of similar quality will emerge to complete the nucleus of a complete system that demanding photographers hunger for.
Dang, where is that 50 or 80 megapixel Sony A9 with real 14-bit files?

Just a note for Digglloyd. Do not forget there is an excellent 55mm FE lens in the line up :)

Steve Huff tested the FE 28mm lens:

As for this 28mm, it is to me, a no brainer at $450. You will not find a better new production 28mm for full frame for this price, period. While not perfect due to the distortion that is present without correction or using a lens profile, it is easily overcome. Shoot JPEG and they are perfect out of the camera. Shoot RAW and you will need to apply the camera lens profile to fix the distortion, but when it is fixed the images will be gorgeous.

Amateur Photographer also tested the 28mm lens:

This 28mm lens may not be quite as optically stunning as the Zeiss-branded 55mm f/1.8 or 35mm f/2.8, but it’s still pretty sharp wide open, and once it’s stopped down to normal working apertures of, say, f/5.6 to f/11, it’s very good indeed. It’s also small and light enough to slip into your bag and carry around, where larger lenses may be left behind.

Mark Galer is testing the 90mm macro lens:

This is sharpest lens I have tested since the original 55 and 35 mm primes. It is sharp at maximum aperture and stacks up well with the 55 F1.8. I like the fact that the Focus ring, when put in Manual Focus, has definite stops and was surprised that it was not as heavy as it looks. It is well balanced lens on the A7R. Sony’s Eye AF was quick and accurate – even with such a narrow depth of field. I posted two full size JPEGs to a Flickr album so Alpha users can pixel peep.

Amateur Photographer reviewed the 24-240mm lens:

In essence, the 24-240mm has the quality of a good kit lens, but with a focal length that can’t be equalled without a significant financial, and backbreaking, investment in extra glass. Those who demand the best image quality already know the downside to travel-zoom lenses, and this Sony 24-240mm optic certainly won’t be for them, but as a travel companion I think this will form a good partnership, especially with the Alpha 7 II and its advanced image stabilisation system.

More tests:
Sony FE 28mm f/2 Samples Gallery (Dpreview).
Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS real-world samples posted (Dpreview).
28mm FE review at SLRclub.
35mm f/1.4 FE review at SLRclub.
Distagon image samples by Paulferzoco.

All new FE lens preorder links:
In USA at:
Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 FE at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, FocusCamera, Sony US.
Sony 90mm f/2.8 FE at Amazon, Adorama, BHphotoFocusCamera, Sony US.
Sony 24-240mm FE at Amazon, Adorama, BHphotoFocusCamera, Sony US.
Sony 28mm f/2.0 FE at Amazon, Adorama, BHphotoFocusCamera, Sony US.
Sony Fisheye Conversion Lens for FE 28mm F/2 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony Ultra-Wide Conversion Lens for FE 28mm F/2 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony Fisheye Converter for E 16mm F/2.8 and E 20mm F/2.8 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony Ultra-Wide Converter for E 16mm F2.8 and E 20mm F2.8 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
In Europe at:
Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 FE at Sony Germany, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
Sony 90mm f/2.8 FE at Sony Germany, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
Sony 24-240mm FE at Sony Germany, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
Sony 28mm f/2.0 FE at Sony Germany, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
Wide Angle converter at Sony Germany, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
Fisheye converter at Sony Germany, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
Wide angle converter for 16 and 20mm lenses at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
Fisheye converter for 16 and 20mm lenses at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
In Asia/Australia at:
Sony 24-240mm FE lens at Digitalrev, CameraPRO, Sony Australia.
Sony 28mm FE lens at Digitalrev, Sony Australia.
Sony 90mm FE lens at Digitalrev, Sony Australia.
Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 FE lens at Digitalrev, Sony Australia.
Wide angle converter for 16 and 20mm lenses at Digitalrev, Sony Australia.
Fisheye converter for 16 and 20mm lenses at Digitalrev, Sony Australia.