Sony reports a $312 million losss. But is doing good money with NEX cameras!

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If you download the Sony Q1 financial report (.pdf) you will see that Sony is still loosing money (particularly in the TV business). But there is one good news. They are no writing Black results in the Imaging division. Sony writes:

“Sales increased 7.6% year-on-year (a 12% increase on a constant currency basis) to 193.8 billion yen (2,453 million U.S. dollars). This increase was primarily due to a significant increase in sales of interchangeable single lens cameras reflecting higher demand…”

That Sony is doing money with the NEX cameras isn’t a surprise for anyone. But they would do even better if they had an larger E-mount lens range. Anyway those results may will start again the DSLR/SLT versus Mirrorless discussion. Some of you think they should stay into both systems, some of you think that Mirrorless only is where they should focus their resources…

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New Lens reviews (and US Sigma deal reminder)

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Short break from rumors! I have to catch up with some lens reviews posted by important reviewers:

Kurt Munger posted the full Sony DT 18-135mm lens review: “What’s actually welcome is the updated ‘SAM’ focusing (quieter and faster than the old ‘SAM’) with well implemented direct manual focusing, and the new metal mount; ok it’s cheap, but better than plastic.”

SLRgear posted the Sigma 30mm review: “It holds its own in our tests, providing a sharp image even wide open at ƒ/2.8, with only slightly notable chromatic aberration in the corners.”

David Kilpatrick tested the old and new Sigma ultra wide zooms: “The test made me even happier with the 8-16mm, especially with the thought that some modification could make it a unique lens to use on the Alpha 900 or a future full frame EVF model (A99)”

Speaking of Sigma lenses…don’t forget the USA deals are ongoing this month! You can get up to $200 instant savings on those lenses:
$50 off on the Sigma 10mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$50 off on the Sigma 8-16mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$50 off on the Sigma 17-50mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$50 off on the Sigma 28mm at BHphoto.
$100 off on the Sigma 50-150mm at BHphoto.
$150 off on the Sigma 50-500mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$50 off on the Sigma 50mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$200 off on the Sigma 105mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$75 off on the Sigma 12-24mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$75 off on the Sigma 24-70mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$100 off on the Sigma 70-200mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
$50 off on the Sigma 70-300mm at Amazon and BHphoto.

 

And now back to rumor work…

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(SR5) New 35mm f/1.8 lens for NEX coming!!!

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The new Sony 35mm f/1.8 lens is as big (or as small) as the 30mm Sigma lens you see here on top.

Super trusted sources just shared a next good news! A new 35mm f/1.8 lens for NEX will be announced along the new NEX-5R and NEX-6 cameras in September! And as I told you before of course along the 16-50mm and 11-18 pancake(!) lenses. I have been told that this lens has the size of the current Sigma 30mm f/2.8 lens…yes same size but it is faster! And it’s a lot smaller than the current [shoplink 8448]50mm f/1.8 tele lens[/shoplink]. I have no info about the price but this could be the ONE single lens ideal for 90% of the daily photography use. After all the most famous photographers used the standard 50mm focal length for their best stories.

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For reference:
The Sigma 30mm lens is in Stock at Amazon US (Click here), Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon FR (Click here).
The Sony 50mm f/1.8 lens at [shopcountry 8448]

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New NEX-7 Palm Grip and new NEX-7 review.

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At JimBuchananSpace you can find the pictures and description of the new NEX-7 Palm Grip. Smart Idea!

Chris Townsend posted his personal NEX-7 review: “Is the Sony NEX 7 the best camera for backpacking and hiking? I don’t know. It must be one of the best though, given the low weight and bulk and high image quality. It’s definitely a camera for photographers who want the best results and who are likely to make large prints or have images published.”

Zeiss Distagon T* 15mm f/2.8 vs Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 zoom and Samyang 14mm f/2.8 comparison (also on a NEX-7) at 3Dkraft.

Sony NEX-7 price check at [shopcountry 8454]. Zeiss 24mm in Stock status check at [shopcountry 8450].

A weird thing is that Amazon says the Zeiss lens has still not been released… :)

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(SR4) More A99 and NEX and lens rumor bits from Thailand…

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The Fotorelax forum user “StupidCupid” posted more info about the upcomign Sony release. I know he posted some correct rumo before so I am going to share it here on SAR. Thanks StupidCupid for everything you leak! You may post some A99 pics too? ;)

This is his own english text:
“I’ve got a very exciting rumors about A99, New Flash, New Lens and some NEX rumors.
A99 in summary.
Exciting Points.
Focus Point: 102.
Resolutions: 24Mpix.
Back Panel: Like A77.

Flash Hot Shoe: ISO Hot Shoe <— This is a very exciting one because Sony finally decide to step a bit backward to ISO Hot Shoe (but more universal).
2 Individual Slots: Can do simultaneous writing using one for Raw and the other for Jpeg or can set them to be one for photos and the other for Video recording.

A99 In Detail. 
A99 will offers 102 focus point and in a local point mode (where you can select one specific point to focus), only 40 + focus points will be selectable and all the neighbors focus point will work as focus assisting points.
For the 24Mpix, this is final and this will make High ISO shooter happy because at ISO 1600, the photo looks nearly noise-free and at ISO 3200, there will be only some noises in dark area.
For the Flash Hot Shoe, this is really unexpected. Sony will use ISO hotshoe for all their upcoming Alpha lines (not sure about NEX) that will make it more appealing than before. (Hopefully, there will be an adapter for using the old flashes.

New Flash with GN60. 
The new Flash with GN60 will be ISO hot shoe and rumored to have the same look as the Canon’s 580EXII (SAR: here ot see on Amazon) on the top part while maintaining the Quick Shift Bounce for Portrait with stance. Moreover, this flash will sports an array of LED under Flash lamp for continuous light (using for Video will be a lot more pleasurable).

50mm F/1.4 Zeiss. 
There is also a rumor of 50mm F/1.4 Carl Zeiss but may not debut with A99 (However, if it would be to debut with A99, it will be a very good combo).

300 F/2.8 Nano Coating. 
This news was written as a new 300mm with F/2.8 using a nano coating and the series is not a “G” series. It could be new series for the lens (This could be a technology trade between Nikon and Sony. This is not confirmed but very likely).

New 2 NEX body (There should be more lenses instead hahahaha). 
NEX-6 (This is the same news as in Alpha Rumors) will come with a lower Spec EVF but will also come with Wifi (work like eye-fi card) can set to upload automatically to Smart Devices (iOS / Android).
NEX-5R (R is not yet finalized but very likely will be) the same Wifi as in NEX-6.”

–

Again thanks StupidCupid! We hope to hear more from you soon!!!! P.S.: I am pretty sure most of the info he writes here is correct!

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Part two of the “Everyone Loves the RX100” reviews roundup :)

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Pop: Shot on Sony RX100 from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

It’s really amazing to see how well perceived the RX100 is. SAR readers sent me so many new reviews that I already have to post a next reviews wrap up! (By the way thanks for all the SAR readers help!).

First of all the RX100 sales success never stops. It still sells more than any other mirrorless or DSRL or High end compact camera at Amazon US (Click here to see the ranking) and slowly climbing the rankings at Amazon UK and Amazon Germany too. So let’s take a look at some of the most recent new tests:

The well know filmmaker and blogger Philip Bloom (Click here) usually tests heavy and expensive video stuff only but he could not resists to take a look at the Sony RX100 too: “This is aVERY small camera with a crap load of stuff in it and it does most of it, from what I have so far, very well. The best pocket camera I have used to date, beating my beloved Canon S100.” You can see some videos on his website (one of them I embedded on top of this post).

An enthusiastic review has been posted by the guys from The Verge (Click here): “Sony’s RX100 is nothing short of the best all-around compact camera I’ve ever seen. Where mirrorless cameras made waves by downsizing DSLR-quality photos into a package you could throw into your coat, the RX100 does the same for your jeans. It’s really no exaggeration to say that it produces images roughly on par with an average DSLR and kit lens combination, making this a revolutionary camera that means you’ll always be in a situation where you can take genuinely high quality pictures.”

That’s not all. Here is a super fast link roundup of more reviews:
Sample Photos at SonyAlphaLab. Sony RX100 Hands-On Review at Photographybay. The french website LesNumeriques posted the full RX100 review and the camera earned five stars out of five. There is also an English version of the same review at Digitalversus. RX100 review at DPS. New RX100 video by Outbackphoto. RX100 review at Trustedreviews, and in german at Der Spiegel. Another german Rx100 vs Fuji X10 comparison at SystemKameraBlog. Again another german review at Dkamera and Colorfoto.

You cna buy the lens by clicking those direct search links: RX100 at [shopcountry 13014].

And don’t forget that the super sexy RX100 Gariz case is already available in [shoplink 13071 ebay]Black on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and in [shoplink 13073 ebay]Brown on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]!

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