Sony Alpha digital cameras

David Kilpatrick thoughts about the Sony strategy (NEX-F3 review at Cnet USA)

May 20, 2012
reviews
94 Comments

A huge discussion about Sony unsatisfying firmware update strategy followed the latest NEX-7 Redneck article. David Kilpatrick explained at Photoclubalpha (Click here) what’s going on with Sony: “Sony does listen, but it listens harder to new potential buyers than to existing owners. It listens to the untapped market, to the people who buy someone else’s camera instead of Sony. After all, it’s already got the existing owners. It only needs to listen to them as far as the next camera upgrade goes for the proportion who will be likely to change frequently.” And indeed he starts to talk about the new F3 and A37 cameras: “The new NEX-F3 is a perfect instance of listen to the unconverted market.” And at the end he says: “All Sony’s advances are geared to making these larger format cameras more satisfying to the upgrading user.Now we just wait for them to produce 2012′s models designed to keep the upgrading Alpha and NEX user equally happy.” Couldn’t agree more!!! :)

Lori Grunin from Cnet USA (Click here) posted the first full Sony NEX-F3 review: “Though it doesn’t wow us for any particular aspect, the Sony Alpha NEX-F3 is a nice overall package for photographers looking for something with better photo quality and more flexible than a point-and-shoot.”

Preorders:
A37 is available for preorder at Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here)
NEX-F3 is available for preorder at Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here)
Sony 18-200mm NEX lens preorder at BHphoto (Click here).
Sony 18-135mm A mount lens preorder at BHphoto (Click here).

Sony NEX-7 Redneck edition by LL.

May 19, 2012
news
92 Comments

[shoplink 8454][/shoplink]

Luminous Landscape (Click here) posted a very well written article about the NEX-7 video button issue. As you know it’s very easy to press the video button which is placed on the grip. And many here and on other websites asked Sony to release a firmware upgrade which could allow to disable or lock this button. After nine months there is still no answer from Sony and I 100% agree with Mark Dubovoy when he writes that this is “Unacceptable because when I spend my hard earned dollars on a product and the product has an obvious flaw that can probably be easily fixed by a simple firmware update, I feel that the company owes it to their customers to provide a fix as soon as possible.”

Marc now reports that he has found a “redneck” solution that makes uses of a rubber grommet mounted around the video button.

Michale Reichmann goes further in his Sony critic by pointing two more big issues we NEX-7 owners have to deal with:
“There is one other aspect to this issue that was also apparent since day one, and has been known to cause cardiac arrest among NEX-7 owners. This problem is that the NEX-7 inexplicably maintains two separate directory structures for its video and stills files. So, when you first discover that you have shot 20 minutes of the inside of your camera bag, and you delete the offending video to clear room on the card, the camera displays – DELETING IMAGES. Note the plural!? Even if you are just deleting one video file, or one still image, it says IMAGES. Heart attack number one.
Heart attack number two is that after you delete the offending video file and then press PLAY the screen displays NO IMAGES, even if you have shot hundreds of raws or JPGs on the same card. The reason for this is that there are separate directories for the two types of files. The simple solution is to shoot a quick still, and now the stills directory of files becomes available. There is also a convoluted way through the menus, but life is too short to delve into Sony menu land unless one really has to.”

I know Sony is working on the release of the NEX-7 firmware update. Let’s hope Sony has already implemented the fix for the here mentioned issues! They really can’t afford to lack of support for the probably most sold Sony camera ever. The camera is on top of all sales ranking at Amazon US (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon DE (Click here) and Amazon FR (Click here). Is Sony going to listen to all of these great amount of customers?

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 now in Stock in USA and Europe!

May 18, 2012
deals
49 Comments

Sigma has annoucned that the Sigma Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM is now available in Sony fit. The lens is right now in Stock at Amazon US (Click here) and Adorama (Click here). In Europe at Amazon DE (Click here) and Amazon FR (Click here).

Sigma Press Release
“105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Medium telephoto macro lens incorporating Sigma’s Optical Stabiliser
The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce that the Sigma MACRO 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is now available in Sony AF fit.

The successor to the Sigma MACRO 105mm F2.8 EX DG, introduced to market in June 2004, this large aperture medium telephoto macro lens incorporates the latest optical design technology, offering advanced performance for close-up photography. A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and one high refractive index SLD lens provide excellent correction for all types of aberration and distortion.
A floating focusing system moves two different lens groups in the optical path to different positions. This system compensates for astigmatic aberration and spherical aberration and provides extremely high optical performance from infinity to 1:1 Macro.
The Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting, providing high contrast images. It is also possible to use this lens with Sigma’s optional APO Tele Converters. Sigma’s own proprietary OS (Optical Stabiliser) function helps with handheld close-up photography and the HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures quiet and high speed autofocus as well as full-time manual focus capability.
This lens features a splash resistant design for use in harsh conditions and a rounded 9 blade diaphragm creating a smooth blur to the out of focus areas of the image.“

(SR5) New E-mount lenses coming along the NEX-F5!

May 18, 2012
rumors
110 Comments

Top sources unveiled that the NEX-F5 will be announced sometimes this summer. They also confirmed now that there will be new E-mount lenses too. And one of them expressly said: “I am talking about very high stuff, not a cheap 18-200mm lens like we had it now” …LOL :) About time!

P.S.: The Sony NEX-5n $50 rebate will end soon at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here)! And the super nice and cheap 50mm is back in Stock via J&R at Amazon (Click here).

Sony NEX-7 with Canon FD and Contax G lens test…

May 17, 2012
reviews
21 Comments

Yesterdays NEX-F3 announcement may not be a hell of a story but we alreayd have a hell of a NEX-7 :) Here is a list of the latest news and test done with the camera. On top you can watch the video of Doug Kaye and Frederick Van Johnson discussing the NEX-7. The NEX lens range may be limited but you cans till use plenty of third party lenses on the cameras:
Björn Utpott (Click here) tested the Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 lens on the NEX-7: “If you don’t mind the weight though, you’ll end up with a lens that not only has an impressive aperture number inscribed on the barrel, but one that actually produces fine images at that aperture.”
All Canon FD lenses can be found [shoplink 12631 ebay]here on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Photoheadonline tested the Contax 28mm G (Click here), the Contax 35mm G (Click here) and the Contax 90mm G (Click here).
All Contax G lenses can be found [shoplink 12632 ebay]here on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Reghardware (Click here) posted a full NEX-7 review: “The camera is not flawless but is commendable, as it arguably delivers the best image and video quality of its class. But this comes at a price and in this respect I’m unconvinced that is particularly good value for money, especially when up against its stablemate, the NEX-5N”

Street portraits: Nikon D800 with 50mm f1.8G, Sony Nex-7 and 50mm f1.8 OSS by Mike Kobal (Click here).

Sony NEX-7 shop search links at [shopcountry 8454].

Sony press release aftermath…(Updated with Adorama preorders)

May 17, 2012
news
103 Comments

It’s pretty obvious that most SonyAlphaRumors readers are not particularly excited about the new Sony stuff. The A37, the NEX-F3 and the two newly announced slow zooms are not relevant news for us already owning NEX and Alpha cameras. I understand the call for new NEX and Alpha lenses and new FF stuff. But you should not get too frustrated. All that kind of stuff is coming within the next 3-4 months. So you really don’t have to wait a long time anymore!

Coming back to today’s announcement I have to say that overall the A37 and NEX-F3 are nice cameras. I am a bit less happy about the lenses :)

A bit more links: A37 impression video at ThePhoBlographer (Click here). Press text at Digitalcameraworld, ePhotozine.

Sony A37 and NEX-F3 officially announced!

May 16, 2012
news
142 Comments

Previews:
A37: Dpreview, Imaging Resource, Digitalcamerareview, ThePhoBlographer, Techradar, Pocket Lint.
NEX-F3: Dpreview, Techradar, Focus Numerique (French), Imaging Resource, ThePhoBlographer, Pocket Lint.
A37 and NEX-F3 hands-on at Engadget.

Interesting notes:
If you were wondering what’s the difference between the enw 18-200mm lens and the old 18-200mm lens read Asai’s (Sony manager) statement at Amateur Photographer: “Costing £670, the new 18-200mm will be £30 cheaper than the existing version. However, it does not offer the same level of image stabilisation and its minimum close focusing distance is 30cm, compared to 50cm on the current model, said Asai.”

Image samples:
A37: Imaging Resource,
NEX-F3: Dpreview, Imaging Resource, Flickr Australia.

Press release:
A37: Dpreview, Focus Numerique (French), Photoscala (German), DC.watch (japanese).
NEX-F3: Dpreview, Focus Numerique (French), Photoscala (German), DC.watch (japanese).

Video:

POLL:
So you had now plenty of time to reader previews and watch image samples. Here is the question:

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P.S.: Sorry for the 30minutes delay after the announcement but my computer completely freezed and died. I am so frustrated, have to buy a new one I guess. This one is so old now :(