(SR4) Sony A77 firmware update coming soon?

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User of the russian Sony forum spotted an image of the new A77 1.08 firmware update. There is also yet no info about the improvements.

Thanks to our russian sources for sending me the link!

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Message to sources: You can send me more info anonymously by using the contact form you see on the very right of your browser. You can also contact me directly at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com.
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Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!

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Good news: Sony surprises with first-quarter profit!

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Finally some good news about the Financial situation: The company posted net income of 26.8 billion yen ($261 million) in the three months ended June, compared with 3.5 billion yen a year earlier (Source: Bloomberg). And if we look at the Imaging Division there are some good news too. While the overall sales decreased because of the global shrinking compact camera market the income increased. This means Sony is selling less compact cameras but more high end (and profitable) system cameras.
This is what Sony writes about the Imaging Division:
Sales:
decreased 9.0% year-on-year (a 10% decrease on a constant currency basis) to 164.6 billion yen (1,630 million U.S. dollars). This decrease was primarily due to a significant decrease in unit sales of compact digital cameras reflecting a contraction of this market.
Operating income:
increased 8.3 billion yen year-on-year to 17.4 billion yen (172 million U.S. dollars). This increase was mainly due to a reduction in selling, general and administrative expenses in the current quarter, partially offset by the above-mentioned decrease in sales.

Foecast:

Sales are expected to be below the May forecast primarily due to anticipated lower sales in emerging market countries. Operating income is expected to remain unchanged from the May forecast due to the above-mentioned decrease in sales being offset primarily by cost reductions.
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Sony TidBits…

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Sony Shootout feat Blackmagic (a6000, AX100, A7, FS100, Nex-5t, BMCC, BMPCC)

A7S Silent Shutter Mode: The Leica Killer that even Steve Austin Can’t Hear (PmrPhoto).
A77II test at Photoreview.
Sony A3000 review at CameraLabs.
We see how good the Alpha 7S really is – in a cinema (RedShark).
Working with the Sony A7 and A7R (Photofocus).
Polish A77II test at Optyczne.
Japanese RX100m3 test at DC.watch.
Japanese 50mm f/1.8 lens test at Ascii.
Japanese A7s test at Gizmodo.

Ian: “this leather case looks pretty decent. I may try this out for my new A7s…which is amazing by the way (Etsy.com).”

Anonymous: “Nissin i40 Sony version is ready to delivery: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nissin-Digital/403086046406602”

SJ: “This is my wedding in France video realized only with Sony VG 30, Sony Nex 5T and Sony lenses. Sony 18-105 f/4, 16-50 f/3.5-5.6 and 35mm f/1.8.
I hope you will like this: https://vimeo.com/101443026”

Gaz: “Sony A7s now in stock at CameraWorld UK.”

Joe: “Great Sony A7s review video showing various locations in Tokyo. Has 65,000 views and over 1000 likes so far. Great breakdancing and low light and slow motion.
Sony a7S Camera 24 to 120fps Japan May 2014 | YAK…: http://youtu.be/oIb0BoCfYo8“

Heather & Mat: “Here is our mini project called Through the Cat’s Eye in which we took a series of portraits of cats in low-light situations to capture their dilated pupils. The results are quite interesting! (Bestmirrorlesscamerareviews).“

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Ending tomorrow: Savings on Sigma A-mount lenses!

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Until July 31 you can save up to $130 on these lenses:
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM (Click here). $850 with coupon code 1SGMAJUL99
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM (Click here). $350 with coupon code 1SGMAJUL99
Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG APO OS HSM (Click here). $739 with coupon code 1SGMAJUL99

And these are the current Sony deals on Amazon US:
Save $380 on the Sony VGC99AM Vertical Grip with Sony A99 Digital SLR Purchase
Get up to $375 Toward a Sony a7 Camera or Lens with a Qualifying DSLR Trade-in
Buy a Qualifying Sony a7 Series Camera and Save on Select Lenses and Accessories
Buy a Qualifying Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera and Save up to $200 on Select Sony Lenses
Save up to $200 on Select Sony Lenses with a Qualifying Sony Compact System Camera Purchase
Save $50 on Select Sony RX Series Digital Cameras
Save $50 and Get a Free Case with Sony QX Lens-Style Cameras

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The Photokina rumors so far: Light field camera, RX1s curved sensor, A99II, FE Zeiss, FF E-mount, A5100 and more!

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6 weeks to go until the big Photokina event and it’s time to sum up the rumors about the next Sony products. Please note that some of these rumored products may be announced a couple of months after Photokina as I heard there will be another big announcement in early 2015. Here is the list of the rumored new Sony cameras and lenses with the probability of being announced (at Photokina or later) marked in “%”. I hope sources can tell me what’s right and what’s not right on that list after reading it :)

99% 16-35mm f/4.0 FE Zeiss: Definitely coming at Photokina (full article here).
99% Sony A5100: definitely coming at Photokina (full article here).
90% Sony RX1s: with curved FF sensor and 35mm f/1.8 Zeiss. If it doesn’t come at Photokina it will be certainly be announced a couple of months later (full article here).
90% QX 30: with 30x zoom coming at Photokina (full article here).
90% Sigma lenses: 24mm f/1.4 at Photokina and 85mm f/1.4 in 2015 (full article here).
90% Full Frame: At least one new Full Frame camera. Either a new A99II or another new FE model (or maybe both?) (full article here).
90% Sony G macro: To be announced at Photokina. Chinese source said it’s 90mm (35% chance this is correct) (full article here).
90% Zeiss FE manual: Maximum of five fast prime and manual focusing FE lenses to come (full article here).
90% Zeiss FE (autofocus) prime: To be announced at Photokina. “Chinese” source said it’s 35mm f/1.4 (30% chance this is correct). (full article here).
65% 20mm pancake: Updated version for APS-C E-mount (full article here).
65% Zeiss 135mm f/1.8: A-mount updated with SSM. 85mm A-mount update in 2015  (full article here).
50% Black and White FF: If it comes it’s likely to be a special edition RX FF camera (full article here).
50% Light field: Sony patented many different Light field sensor cameras. It may be shows as prototype at Photokina (full article here).
50% A-mount 24-105mm f/4.0: Coming along the A99II (full article here).
40% A5: Super compact and $1,000 Full Frame E-mount camera (full article here).
35% Sony medium format: Should be mirrorless and feature the 50MP Sony sensor (full article here).
30% 400mm f/4.0 A-mount: Should come at Photokina (full article here).
30% SAL 70-200 f/2.0: Great aperture but is it real? (full article here).
30% rotating semi transparent mirror: There is a patent, but don’t know if they make it (full article here).
15% NEX-7 successor: Don’t think this is coming (full article here).

Keep in mind: Some of those product may not be announced at Photokina but a couple of months later. And of course these are rumors so some of them may never become true. And because we can never be sure of what’s coming from Sony here is also a list of “impossible” rumors:

Dreams and surprises:
Low and High End A-mount FF cameras
Foveon sensor (would be surprised to see it coming now as I heard it’s scheduled for late 2015 early 2016 release)
Very High End E-mount camera (A9)

And what are you hoping to see from Sony?

Reminder: You really cannot afford to miss any of the upcoming Photokina rumors! So be sure to not miss any of them by following use here:
RSS feed: http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/feed/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonyalpharumors
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SonyAlphaRumors
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/104216500156717934391/posts

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Guess what’s the most popular system camera at Amazon US (It’s not a Canon, it’s not a Full Frame, it’s not a new Sony)

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This isn’t a big news but if you think about it it’s actually a milestone for Sony:

For weeks now the most sold system camera at Amazon US is the Sony NEX-6! It’s five years I am wiring on SAR now and I have never seen a non-Canon/Nikon system camera on top of the Amazon US ranking! The US market has been always very conservative and not mirrorless friendly. I think Sony just changed this…

P.S.: $70 off on the A6000 as [shoplink 27765 ebay]body only (here one Bay)[/shoplink] and with [shoplink 27766 ebay]kit lens (here on eBay)[/shoplink].

These are the current Sony deals on Amazon US:
Save $380 on the Sony VGC99AM Vertical Grip with Sony A99 Digital SLR Purchase
Get up to $375 Toward a Sony a7 Camera or Lens with a Qualifying DSLR Trade-in
Buy a Qualifying Sony a7 Series Camera and Save on Select Lenses and Accessories
Buy a Qualifying Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera and Save up to $200 on Select Sony Lenses
Save up to $200 on Select Sony Lenses with a Qualifying Sony Compact System Camera Purchase
Save $50 on Select Sony RX Series Digital Cameras
Save $50 and Get a Free Case with Sony QX Lens-Style Cameras

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Sigma Cine Lenses and Samyang 50mm f/1.2 coming.

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Samyang just “re-confirmed” the 50mm f/1.2 development rumor they started over a year ago.

Let me catch up with two small Third Party Lens maker rumors:

1) Sigma Rumors says it’s likely Sigma will make Cine Lenses soon.

2) And Samyang itself confirmed they will deifnitely launch a new 50mm f/1.2 lens (via Photorumors).

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I like Rokinon/Samyang lenses a lot and I recommend you the following two lenses for Alpha mount:
1) The 35mm f/1.4: In US you can find it as Rokinon at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and on [shoplink 7453 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. In Europe the name is Samyang and you can find it on [shoplink 7380 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and with the name Wallimex again on [shoplink 7831 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
2) The 85mm f/1.4: You can get for $274 on Amazon (Click here), branded with the name Rokinon on [shoplink 7456 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and branded with the name Samyang on [shoplink 7454 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

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