Sony A9 Buffer by Jason Lanier and A9 review by Mark Galer

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Jason Lanier posted this short A9 buffer test which once agains shows the impressive speed of the camera:

And Marc Galer posted a video preview of the A9 with a set of full size images on Flickr:

This is a new A9 video from Sony:

Sony A9:
Sony A9 at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon, BestBuy. FocusCamera. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.
Sony A9 with Grip Extension Kit at BHphoto, Adorama and Amazon.
Note: US readers preordering the A9 at BHphoto or Adorama using our links (and our affiliated links only!) have a chance to win a Sony A9.

100-400mm GM:
Sony 100-400mm GM at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.

Sony A9 accessories:
Sony A9 battery grip at Adorama, Bhphoto, Amazon. Wex UK. Jessops.
Sony A9 Glass screen protector at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon.
NP-FZ100 battery for the A9 at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon. Jessops.
GP-EX1 grip at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon. Wex UK.
FDA-EP18 eye cup at Adorama, BHphoto.
MQZ1 multi battery charger at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon. Wex UK.
BCQZ1 Z-series Battery Charger at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon.

Join our new Sony A9 Facebook group!

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Sony 12-24mm FE G lens size comparison with Sigma and Nikon

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Base image via CameraSize with Sigma lens addition from me:
Sigma 12-24mm on the left, Sony 12-24mm and Nikon 12-24mm on the right (The Nikon is quite an old lens)

Preorders:
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
Sony 12-24mm f/4.0 at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.

Let’s focus on the new 12-24mm FE G lens. Specs and image samples can be found at Sony.net. Helpful hands-on videos of this lens by Max Yuryev and Dan Watson.

Curiosities:
– The lens weights half as much as the Sigma 12-24mm or Canon 11-24mm lens! And MTF graph is on par with the Sigma…promising!
– It is only priced $100 more than the Sigma. This is just to say that unusual for Sony pricing seems to be fair in this case :)
– Just like the new 16-35mm GM also the 12-24mm lens has a new fly by wire focus mechanism
– In first testings this lens is surprisingly resistant to flare. Unusual for such a wide angle zoom.

Our reader Joe noted that: “Sony 12-24/4.0 + Sony A7r2 weigh 1.19kilos Sigma 12-24/4.0 alone weighs 1.15 kilos 🤣” Image via Wei:

And here is the comparison with the Canon 11-24mm lens which costs $2,700 and weights twice as much. At last we can say Sony is cheap compared to a Canon lens :)

 

 

 

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Dpreview says the A9 speed comes at the cost of over one stop dynamic range compared to the A7rIi

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Dpreview analyzed the dynamic range performance of the Sony a9 and concluded:

We suspect the higher readout speed is leading to greater noise. In other words, it appears this sensor was likely optimized for speed at the expense of low ISO dynamic range.
There is little to no difference in base ISO dynamic range in different drive modes. So the good news is that the drop to 12-bit in continuous drive comes at no cost. The bad news is that the 14-bit Raws aren’t any better than the 12-bit ones.

But it has to be noted that the “cost” is quite small. Still the article is interesting because it explains how to get the best quality out of the Sony A9:

This means that if you’re shooting in conditions demanding high ISO, for any given focal plane exposure you may wish to at least increase in-camera amplification to ISO 640 to get most tones above the noise floor, if your scene demands the extra amplification to get a usable image. Dropping below ISO 640 to preserve highlights, and then raising shadows afterwards, will come at a greater noise cost than, say, Sony’s own a7R II.
Interestingly, this means there’s little advantage to those large (47MB) uncompressed 14-bit Raw files, save for the lack of compression artifacts. In a perfect world, Sony would have offered a 12-bit Raw mode with a lossless compression curve (without that second stage of localized compression that leads to edge artifacts) for smaller file sizes with minimal loss in quality.

Overall, the A9 is a camera made for sports photographers and for those who seek speed. And 1 stop loss of dynamic range will hardly be noticeable or important to them. If Dynamic Range is what you need then buy the A7rII or have the patience to wait for the A7rIII :)

UPDATE: SteveGJ made an interesting comment on Dpreview findings:

There’s a lot of rubbish some people talk about 12 vs 14 bit RAW files. The fact is, by the time you get to about 800 ISO even the best FF cameras only have about 10 bits worth of dynamic range (at the pixel level) so 12 bits are ample as the bottom 2 will just be noise anyway. It will only be at very low ISOs where you might see some difference, and then only if the sensor has low read noise. Of course you get a bit more back when downsizing, but RAW files contain per-pixel data.
On an ISO-invariant sensor you lose one bit of resolution for every doubling of ISO speed anyway, so even 12 bits becomes irrelevant. Of course this camera is clearly not ISO invariant as it’s probably optimised for higher ISOs needed for action photography (the Canon & Nikon equivalents to the same), so it might be that the loss of (bit) resolution doesn’t follow that precise model, but it’s true in general.

Sony A9:
Sony A9 at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon, BestBuy. FocusCamera. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.
Sony A9 with Grip Extension Kit at BHphoto, Adorama and Amazon.
Note: US readers preordering the A9 at BHphoto or Adorama using our links (and our affiliated links only!) have a chance to win a Sony A9.

100-400mm GM:
Sony 100-400mm GM at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.

Sony A9 accessories:
Sony A9 battery grip at Adorama, Bhphoto, Amazon. Wex UK. Jessops.
Sony A9 Glass screen protector at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon.
NP-FZ100 battery for the A9 at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon. Jessops.
GP-EX1 grip at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon. Wex UK.
FDA-EP18 eye cup at Adorama, BHphoto.
MQZ1 multi battery charger at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon. Wex UK.
BCQZ1 Z-series Battery Charger at Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon.

Join our new Sony A9 Facebook group!

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Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM size comparison and unique new focus mechanism info

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image via CameraSize

This comparison shows the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 on the left (790g and $1,999), the new Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM in the center (680g and $2,199) and the Nikon 16-35mm f/4.0 on the right (680g and $1,100). Note: there is no Nikon 16-35mm f/2.8 zoom.

The full specs, image samples and MTF graph of the new GM lens can be found at Sony.net. Helpful hands-on videos of this lens by Max Yuryev and Dan Watson.

A couple of interesting news about the lens:
– It is the first Sony lens with a new fly by wire mechanism. It allows reliable manual focusing! The info comes via Max Yuryev.
– Unusual for a wide angle zoom is that it has a 11-blade circular aperture which contributes to even greater bokeh quality
– The new GM lens weights only 160g more than the slower Zeiss 16-35mm f/4.0 lens. Good job Sony!

Preorders:
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
Sony 12-24mm f/4.0 at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.

Full specs and features of the lens can be read at sony.com/electronics/camera-lenses/sel1635gm/specifications#features

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Sony 16-35mm GM and 12-24mm G officially announced!

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Sony just announced the new 16-35mm GM and 12-24mm FE lenses. The full press text can be read on that page at SonyAlphaRumors. More info here:

Preorders:
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
Sony 12-24mm f/4.0 at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.

Official press pages:
16-35mm GM at Sony.net and 12-24mm at Sony.net.

Previews and Hands-on:
Techradar, Dpreview. CameraLabs (12-24mm). CameraLabs (16-35mm) Photorec. Imaging Resource (16-35mm). Imaging Resource (12-24mm). ThePhoBlographer (16-35mm). ThePhoBlographer (12-24mm).

Early curiosities and findings:
– New 16-35mm GM lens has a new fly by wire focus ring mechanism. Optimized for manual focusing!
– 12-24mm is surprisingly resistant to flare (unusual for such a wide angle zoom)
– 12-24mm lens weights half compared to the Sigma 12-24mm and Canon 11-24mm lens competition

Image samples:
16-35mm at Sony.net. Dan Watson. Dpreview.
12-24mm at Sony.net. Dan Watson. Dpreview.

Press text:
Photolari (Spanish). Photoscala (German).

Interview with Mark Weir:

Videos:

12-24 F4 Review by Max Yuryev:

16-35 2.8 GM Review by Max Yuryev:

Lens hands-on by Dan Watson:

Interview at BH:

MTF chart (Click on it to enlarge)

16-35mm:

12-24mm:

Product Images:

Poll:

What lens will you buy?

View Results

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Press text: Sony Introduces Two New Wide-Angle Full-Frame E-Mount Lenses

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Preorders:
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
Sony 12-24mm f/4.0 at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.

Sony Introduces Two New Wide-Angle Full-Frame E-Mount Lenses

New 16-35mm F2.8 GM Completes the E-mount F2.8 G Master “trinity”; 12-24mm F4 G covers widest angle among all full-frame E-mount lenses

SAN DIEGO, May 17, 2017 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today announced two new additions to their growing lineup of full-frame E-mount lenses.

The new lenses include the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM large aperture wide-angle zoom lens (model SEL1635GM) and the FE 12-24mm F4 G ultra wide-angle zoom lens (model SEL1224G). The FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens brings the incredible high-resolution and beautiful bokeh of Sony’s flagship G Master series to a wide 16-35mm focal length for exceptional landscapes, cityscapes, portraits and more, while the 12-24mm F4 G, Sony’s widest full-frame E-mount lens to date, offers a dynamic new perspective for all Sony E-mount shooters. In total, Sony’s full-frame E-mount lens lineup now covers from ultra-wide 12mm to super-telephoto 800mm (with teleconverter) focal length range.

New FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-Angle Zoom Lens

The new FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM wide-angle zoom joins the acclaimed FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM and FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS to round out Sony’s lineup of F2.8 large aperture zoom lenses. Equipped with a variety of Sony’s most advanced lens technologies, it’s the first wide-angle G Master model, making it ideal for an extensive variety of shooting situations – landscapes, architecture, close up portraits, sports, action and much more. It’s also exceptionally lightweight and compact, maximizing portability and usability.

The new lens features exceptional corner-to-corner sharpness, with an optical design that includes five aspherical elements, two of which are Sony’s original XA (extreme aspherical) elements that reduce aberration and delivers the ultimate resolution throughout the entire zoom and aperture range. The front XA element on the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM is the largest XA element ever produced, ensuring optimum quality. Additionally, two ED (Extra-low-Dispersion) glass elements keep chromatic aberration to a minimum while maximizing resolution, and Sony’s original Nano AR coating suppresses internal reflections to ensure excellent image contrast and clarity.

The lens features a near circular aperture shape at all settings, and the combination of the aforementioned XA element with its 11 blade aperture design produces images with sharply focused subjects and beautifully defocused backgrounds or “bokeh”. It also has two DDSSMs (Direct Drive SSM) that compose a floating focusing system and ensure that AF acquisition is speedy and quiet, making it an ideal choice for shooting still images as well as movies.
The FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM is also dust and moisture resistant1, has a fluorine coating on the front lens that helps to both prevent dust or grease marks and remove them easily if they do become a trouble. There’s also a customizable focus hold button and a hood release button.

New FE 12-24mm F4 G Ultra-Wide-Angle Zoom Lens

A uniquely designed ultra wide-angle zoom lens, the new FE 12-24mm F4 G lens produces outstanding image quality in a compact, lightweight design, weighing in at approximately 20 oz. Sony’s widest full-frame E-mount lens, it offers a dynamic perspective for landscape, architecture and interior photography, and is well-suited for both stills and video shooting.

The lens features an innovative optical design with four aspherical elements that ensure excellent corner to corner sharpness and resolution. Additionally, the lens has three ED glass elements and one Super ED glass element that minimize chromatic aberration throughout the entire image, and also includes Sony’s original Nano AR coating.

The new FE 12-24mm F4 G lens includes a DDSSM (Direct Drive SSM) for fast, quiet and precise AF performance, plus a customizable focus hold button and focus mode switch. It’s also dust and moisture resistant.

Pricing & Availability

The new FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Wide-angle Zoom Lens will ship this August and will be sold for about $2,200 US and $3,000 CA.

The new FE 12-24mm F4 G Ultra Wide-angle Zoom Lens will ship this July sold for about $1,700 US and $2,300 CA.

A variety of exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with these new lenses and other Sony α products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com (https://alphauniverse.com), Sony’s community site built to educate, inspire and showcase all fans and customers of the Sony α brand.

Content is also available at the global Sony Photo Gallery (https://www.sony.net/Products/di_photo-gallery/) and the Sony Camera Channel on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL06nPE7_lzPhzIhPzzmEIAA0YPWqR7KN). Detailed information pages within Sony.com for the new products can be found at:

(US) – FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM (http://www.sony.com/electronics/camera-lenses/sel1635gm)
(US) – FE 12-24mm F4 G (http://www.sony.com/electronics/camera-lenses/sel1224g)

 

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