New QX accessories for tablets and new QX cameras coming soon.

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The QX series may have nothing to do with out Alpha Cameras but few of us would have bet on the future of the concept. Well, as reported here oN SAR the QX sales are very strong and Sony will keep developing the idea further. The image on top has been leaked at Xperia Blog and shows the new SPA-TA1 tablet attachment. And new QX cameras (and firmware update for current QX owners) should come too!

It may be that one day Sony will sell more of these kind of camera than our “old” DSLR/Mirrorless cameras ? We will see…

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POLL: What Sony should “copy” from the new Fuji X-T1…

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Source: Camerasize.

We are all eagerly waiting to see how the new NEX-6/7 successor will be. And as Sony’s High End APS-C model it will have to compete against the just announced new Fuji X-T1 (specs and images at Amazon).

Well, the camera has a couple of features that some future A7000 or A9000 owners (whatever name it will have) could like to have on their Sony too. Like the “world’s fastest AF of 0.08 seconds”, freezeproof body or the huge 0.77x and 2,36m dot viewfinder.

Now, let me know what’s the new X-T1 feature the Sony NEX-6/7 successor should absolutely have:

If the rumored Sony A7sIII turn out to be true: Do you like the camera?

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P.S.: Full Fuji coverage at MirrorlessRumors.com.

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(SR4) A77 successor price set at 1.200 Euro.

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Small update about the A77 successor. The camera will sell in JUne for 1.200 Euro body only. And as I told you before there will be no A65 successor. This is likely the only ASP-C A-mount camera coming in 2014.

Still no time table for the Full Frame A-mount. Althaugh Sony already said they will launch a 4K FF camera soon (likely at the NAB show in April).

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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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Sony A7-A7r SAR readers tests and samples!

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First Test Video with Sony A7R from Luke Holley on Vimeo.

Wilson: I have written a review of A7r with 3 Canon lenses, 2 ZE Zeiss lenses, Zenitar Fish eye, Leica Noctilux, 2 VM lenses and a hasselblad medium format lens. Tho it’s in Chinese, I think it might be useful for everyone just to look at the photos. Below is the link to my blog post and my Flickr.
http://teenymylife.blogspot.hk/2014/01/sony-a7r.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/i-loved-yesterday/”

Thodiris: “I did some portraits with the Sony A7r, the Carl Zeiss 35mm/f2.8 and the Minolta MD 50mm/f1.4 – you can see them here: http://thodorismarkou.com/blog/2014/01/samira-meets-the-sony-a7r-portraits/”

George: “Some thoughts about the A7+ AF adapter + Contax lenses on my blog http://www.photosynthesis.gr/photoblog/?p=1170”

Eddy: “I was in ‘Val di Sole’ last week… :-) Once again for a week on snowshoes. I had the A7R with me (with the LA-EA4 + 24mm f2 CZ). I’ve put up a short review at Dyxum: http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/a7r-one-week-in-the-cold-snow_topic104112_post1246150.html#1246150. And the complete series of pictures is here: http://www.thelightpoet.be/2014/01/snowshoes-new-year-2014/”

Carl: “So I just managed to sell my old 5d, and ordered my A7r. And I am very excited. But what things should I get for it? I am not talking straight photography stuff, like tripods and lenses. For example the battery ”only” last 300 photos roughly for it. Now that is fine for most daytime photographers, but for travelers that is close to nothing (especially with memory cards of today). So I have been trying to google myself through the information web to find basically nothing. Like most people know batteries has Volt and mAh. Volt is the charge out rate if I am not mistaking, and mAh is the longevity. But this is not always the same. I could get more photos with my 7,2V 2000 mAh after market batteries for my 5d, but filming was much better on the 7,4V 1600 mAh. Well that is just one thing, but we’ll worth posting if anyone actually know which or what battery to pick to prefer.”

Desy: “Here is a styled maternity shoot I did for the Sony A7! Used the Zeiss 35mm 2.8 and the 55mm 1.8! http://desycheng.com/love1/2014/1/5/parker-mackenzie”

Javier: “Hola te pongo enlace a un video casero hecho integro con sony A7 y zeiss 35 mm, solo con el microfono del cuerpo de la cámara (algnas tomas con mucho viento y no entra el ruido al micro!). Un video informal pero con una gran cálidad y fluidez de trabajo. Para trabajos familiares pero con resultados profesionales. En clave de humor: http://youtu.be/HKt3M0nZHTA”

Ron: “Thought your readers might be interested to see what the Sony A7 can do with recording live music. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Z4RxzRdr1lLfzQVh6V4SRy5SK0d4Ifp“

David: “I played around with the MD Rokkor 28/2.8 on the Sony Alpha, here is a mini review: http://davidtanzer.net/md_rokkor_28_alpha_7”

Rawfa: “I’ve contributed with a music video shot with the A7 a while ago and now I’ve just posted a very very quick comparison between the Sony A7 with a regular Pentax PK adapter on full frame mode and the Sony A7 with a Lens Turbo (the “generic” speed booster) on APS-C mode. Here you go http://www.getdpi.com/forum/sony/49901-sony-a7-vs-lens-turbo-speed-booster.html#post562816”

Brian: “I’ve put together a pretty thorough guide to lens mount adapter for Sony A7 and A7R here: http://briansmith.com/sony-a7-a7r-lens-mount-adapters/”

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Specs and Store Links in US and Canada:
Dedicated Sony announcement page at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony A7r body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony RX10 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 24-70mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 35mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 55mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
70-200mm A-mount at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony A to E adapter with mirror at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
A7/A7r leather case at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
A7/A7r vertical grip at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony W Series Battery Charger at Amazon, BHphoto.
Sony FA-CS1M Off-Camera Shoe at BHphoto.
Semi-Hard LCD Screen Protector for A7-A7r at Amazon, BHphoto.

Specs and Store Links in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT
Zeiss 24-70mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, SE, PT
Sony G 28-70mm lens at Sony DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO.

Asia:
A7r at Digitalrev.
A7 at Digitalrev, Amazon Cina.
A7 with 28-70mm lens at Digitalrev.

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Sony TidBits…(new Sony Global Ambassadors programme)

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The QX100 Lens Camera Comes to Life – A New Look at the Smart Lens

Sony Global Ambassadors programme presentation at Photoclubalpha:

A new global initiative sees Sony working closely with some of the world’s top photographers and industry leaders to celebrate the beauty of photography. Inaugural participants in the Global Imaging Ambassadors programme include William Klein and photographers from the leading international photo agency, Panos Pictures.

Year of the Alpha – 365 days of Sony Alpha Photography’ at Yearofthealpha.com.
Sony RX10 review at Trustedreviews.

Taran: “I recently went to rajastan, new york, and london over the holidays… All my recent shots are NEX in my photostream…http://www.flickr.com/photos/artistwithlight”

Tommy: “I would like to share my joy of being a early adopter of SEL2470Z in China.
Sony China Online Store sent out an email to who registered their A7 purchase to Sony Club, saying only 50 SEL2470Z was available. It looks like to be a nice holiday companion with my A7. Hence I phoned them and set the order immediately.
It arrived last night with a special golden-style gift wrap, a Sony USB2.0 8G thumb driver, a Zeiss lens clean set. The package of the lens is very similar to SEL5518Z As photo below shows:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovenemesis/12116615065/
It comes with a lens hood and case, too.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovenemesis/12117254115/
Its main purpose is to replace my A-mount APS-C SAL1680Z because it has very difficulty to find a LA-EA4 adopter in China for at least a month.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovenemesis/12118060276/
You can see it’s a bit taller than SAL1680Z.

Since I’m busying packaging, I don’t have time to extensively test this lens. But here’s a few things I would like to share:
1. It’s probably the heaviest FE lens for A7 now. I feel more comfortable by holding it zoom rings in one hand, rather than area close to the body.
2. Its zoom and focus rings feels just right. After playing for a while, I can zoom to the exact number I want completely blindly. :)
3. Lens hood seems to be uneasy to mount. At least not as fluent as SEL55F18Z.
4. The minimum focus distance is 40mm. 5mm larger than SEL2870.

At the very end, I hope European will see this zooming lens very soon on shelf. It could be a very attractive option for A7/A7r users.”

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Moody’s cuts Sony’s credit rating to junk (BBC)

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BBC reports that “Sony, has had its credit rating cut to junk status by ratings agency Moody’s.“. The current critical financial situation has little to do with the camera business. Their weak point is the TV and PC business. And:

The ratings agency said that while Sony had taken steps to cut costs and improve profitability, the benefits of those steps were emerging “slowly” and its key segments “seem unlikely to soon regain the robust profit levels seen historically”.

As usual with rating systems, take them with a grain of salt. Sony’s difficult situation is not a real news yet and I am pretty confident they will recover from that situation. Just to say that I am not worried at all :)

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More job cuts at Sony (including one camera factory)

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A rumored possible FE mount roadmap.

AP reports that Sony will cut jobs in five Japanese factories. One of them makes compact cameras and some interchangeable lenses.

I read some comments on forums saying that this could affect or reduce the interchangeable lens production. I can tell you what I heard from my trusted sources is quite the opposite! Sony is trying to increase their lens production capability. The job cut news has nothing to do with their future lens strategy.

I hope Sony can find a way to increase their lens production without compromising the production quality. We really need so many lenses for the new FE system and obviously also the A-mount system lacks of some important lenses (primes for example). I am pretty sure Sony doesn’t make a lot of money on the cameras itself. They make more money on lenses and accessories. Less cameras and more lenses…that should be their motto :)

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