The Sony 35mm f/1.8 DT SAM has been tested at Photozone (Click here): “The Sony 35mm f/1.8 DT SAM may be a budget-oriented prime lens but regarding its performance it may even be a viable option for enthusiasts. Resolution-wise it delivers a very solid performance.” And the last statement will cause a huge discussion here: “It may surprise you but regarding the sum of its optical qualities it is actually a better choice than the “mighty” (albeit outdated) Sony 35mm f/1.4 G – Sony’s professional grade full format 35mm lens.“.

That’s a huge surprise if you do consider the big price difference:
Check the 35mm f/1.8 DT price at [shopcountry 6422].
Check the 35mm f/1.4 G price at [shopcountry 7016].

Surprised? I certainly do hope Sony (or Zeiss) will soon release a new 35mm lens!

The video on top and the video you can find here on vimeo are the first shot with the [shoplink 7358 ebay]SLRMagic 28mm f/2.8 pancake[/shoplink]. It doesn’t look bad at all or not? By the way, I have been told by the guys from SLRmagic that this lens is not the Mitakon 28mm f/2.8. It’s an improved verison of it.

You can get that lens on [shoplink 7358 ebay]eBay only (Click here)[/shoplink].

As you know tomorrow Sony will release the new Sony NEX-3/5 firmware update. And there is already a user in Thailand that had the chance to download it and try it. Check here at Fotorelax Forum.

Those are a few examples of the new picture effects (Click on it to enlarge the image):

[shoplink 3060][/shoplink]
While I am still fighting with the comment and contact form issues o SonyAlphaRumors I found that new Sony 18-200mm NEX lens review at SLRgear (Click here): “The Sony 18-200mm ƒ/3.5-6.3 E is a no-brainer of an upgrade. Offering better performance than the kit lens, with more reach to boot, it’s an obvious choice, so long as you don’t mind carrying around a system that’s more lens than camera.”
You can check the price of the lens by clicking those direct search links to [shopcountry 3060].

And a Panasonic G3 versus NEX-5 comparison has been posted by Digitalcamerainfo (Click here).

Editor’s note: We are three people working to fix the current issues on the comment system and contact form. It’s now 48 hours that we are searching for the erroneous code. I am now close to learn my laptop how to fly (when launched outside the window). Anyway, found some help by more experienced programmers and they should fix the problem within tomorrow. I am crossing the fingers!!! :(

Andrew Reid from EosHD (Click here) compared the [shoplink 7344]Sony HX9v[/shoplink] vs [shoplink 7345]Canon 600D[/shoplink] video quality: “The new Sony HX9v compact out-resolves the 600D’s video mode for resolution, and has 1080/60p. It is also a lot closer to a DSLR in terms of dynamic range than I expected it would be. It fits in my pocket and has a stabilised 24-380mm lens.”

This is just to show the power and knowledge from Sony regarding the video technology. Let’s hope the A77 will become THE camera that features full manual video controls and decent quality (at least better than the [shoplink 6954]Canon 7D[/shoplink] please!).

Links:
Check the Sony HX9v price at [shopcountry 7344]

The video on top shows a peaking mode test made with the new Sony-NEX-C3 and an old manual lens, the Jupiter 85mm f/2.0 ([shoplink 7265 ebay]Click here to see the lens on eBay[/shoplink]). The tester said: “It’s really great if you use manual lenses“. The red highlights indicate where the image is sharp (easy!). All manual lens owner will be very happy with the new feature! And as you know the peaking mode will be available for NEX-3/5 user with the new firmware update which is coming on June 20th.

Luminous Landscape had the chance to play around with the tiny NEX-C3. But their article is by way the most interesting hands-on I found on the web (well done guys!). They wrote a couple of things I want to remark here. I want to hear your opinion on that!

This is the list of issues with the NEX-C3:

1) To make the C3 even smaller Sony has made a few design changes, not all of which I think are for the good. The SD card slot no longer shares the battery compartment, having its own bottom panel door. This is fine as far as it goes, but it does mean that if the camera is on a tripod or a mount accessory is attached, it will have to be removed.

2) The more cramped grip of the C3 as compared to the NEX-5 means that one is forced to hold the camera more tightly, and I constantly found myself accidentally pressing the bottom soft key with my palm, something that never happened with the NEX-5.

3) The NEX bodies are very small. But as already mentioned the lenses are still APS-C sized. To keep them within reason in terms of size they have modest maximum apertures. Even the pancake 16mm is just an f/2.8. So indoors, instead of ISO 400, for example, the C3 would have to shot at ISO1600 to ISO 3200, thus cutting its larger sensor advantage considerably. In my view the NEX series desperately needs faster lenses. But, to keep size down they should be primes.

4) Overall I find the NEX interface to be the least friendly and most unintuitive of any current camera. It neither aids the beginner not comforts the more advanced user.

5) When the NEX-5 was introduced I expressed my disappointment that an EVF was not available, but expected that one would be forthcoming. But a year later Sony has failed to satisfy this hope. The lack of an accessory EVF is to my mind a serious handycap for the NEX line thus far.

I recommend you to read the full artcile at Luminous Landscape (Click here). I think those are all valid point and I hope Sony will address them soon. The NEX-7 will maybe go in the right direction and solve some of those problems. And the Zeiss 24mm f/1.7 will be a welcome addition to the lens lineup. But we absolutely need more pancakes and a more professional camera as soon as possible! Thanks Luminous Landscape, and thanks Soy for listening ;)