(SR2) The next “chinese” A99 rumor

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An unknown source of the Chinese forum Xitek (Click here) posted a full Sony A99 and some other rumors:

The A99 has 24 MPX sensor and 102 AF point (I already posted this months ago)
It has touch screen and a 3 million EVF
Announced in September at Photokina and price $2.800 (I already posted this last month)
The body is larger than the A77 (I already posted this last month)
Basically the only news which I didn’t post before on SAR and the source added is the 3 Million dot EVF.

The source also said the [shoplink 8454]NEX-7[/shoplink] and [shoplink 8461]A77[/shoplink] will be updated next year. There will be also an updated 50mm f/1.4 SSM, 70-200mm f/2.8 SSM and a 135 Zeiss lens. The new 50mm Zeiss will be f/1.2.

As usual take these “sources” with a grain of salt. They often mix existing rumors with some “inventet” stuff. Anyway, I once found the exact NEX-7 specs on a forum like that and they were right. That’s why I am posting this, you never know it can be true!

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Sony TidBits (with SAR readers mail and work)

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a work done with the Sony A77

Fujinon 60mm F2.4 vs Sony 50mm F1.8 Sneak Peek at Photoheadonline (Click here).
100 Tips from a Professional Photographer (Gizmodo).
E-M5 versus NEX-5N versus G5 at Itmedia (Click here).
Sports Photography with the NEX-7: An exciting, humbling, frustrating, mind-blowing experience. By Matthew Durr at Steve Huff (Click here).
5 Life Lessons from 2012 Sony World Photography Award Winner Tobias Bräuning at Sony Blog (Click here).
Photography and Travel – A personal experience and some tips by Frank (Click here).
Sigma 19mm lens tested at Optyczne (Click here): “It’s a little worse than his brother’s optical focal length of 30 mm.
Nanoha 5x macro test with the NEX-7 at Lensrentals (Click here).
Sony NEX-7 with Canon FD 28mm f/2.8 at Leica Boss (Click here).
K-5 vs NEX-5N – Round 2 at Pentaxforums (Click here).

SAR readers mail:
LG mail: habe kürzlich nochmal die Sony NEX-7 zum Einsatz gebracht – diesmal auf eine etwas “andere Art” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv6kFLLscUo
Panda mail:Sigma France just told me that the new (weather sealed) 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro is available in Sony mount since the beginning of the week (30/04/2012).
However, the 150mm and 180mm macro lenses are not planned in Sony mount. Actually, I asked about the availability of these three macro lenses on Monday and they replied yesterday.
Since the Sony mount isn’t officially listed on Sigma’s website, I thought I could share this news.”
Cotton mail: https://vimeo.com/41160656 . You were very kind to link to my last video shot with the A77, just wanted you to see what I did with the NEX VG-20, which I promised to do.
OneGuy mail:The Red (camcorder maker)  is selling OLED EVF for $3,000 http://www.red.com/store/products/red-pro-evf Looking at the specs, I am 100% sure it’s the same EVF as is on Sony’s site (not the one in A77, but the second one, 720p, one) http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/cx_news/vol66/pdf/ecx331_332a.pdf $3,000 :) Gotta love the “pro” manufacturers .. they will charge “pros” $3,000 for an EVF which basically has the same technology inside  that is $350 on consumer models (5N’s external EVF). http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/819651-REG/Sony_FDA_EV1S_Electronic_Viewfinder_for_NEX_5N.html
Jouni mail: The following video has been shot mainly in the Sony Nex-7 camera: In April of ski trek to Sweden Abisko mountains. Hike came from the very beginning of challenges, since the second sled drawbars were forgotten at home! However, we left the hike, followed by a second sled with the tension rope …http://youtu.be/I5XFSIdIyIc?hd=1

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(SR3) A99 and Nikon D600 will share same 24 Megapixel sensor? Leica uses Sony. Canon makes Mirrorless.

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Her are a bunch of news from competitors that are particularly interesting for us:

First: The Leica X2 (Click here) uses the Sony 16.2 Megapixel sensor (same of the A57) Second: Canon could announce their NEX system competition in June (via CanonWatch).

But it is the Third news that really matters most. Nikonrumors posted the possible D600 specs and it really sounds like it will indeed share the same 24 Megapixel Sony sensor. Both, the Nikon D600 and A99 will be announced in late August/early September. The only difference is that Nikon has some own proprietary tweaks on it. From the specs we know the Sony will have more than double the frame rate of the D600 (10 or 12 fps versus 5fps) and more than double the AF points (rumored 101 versus 39 focus points). The big deal with the Nikon is that it is rumored to cost less than $2.000. I hope at that point that the A99 will also stay in the same price league. If Sony shares the sensor with Nikon but keeps the price above the Nikon than the SLT technology might not be enough to justify the price difference. I certainly hope the D600 rumor is correct because it means we can hope the A99 will be priced damn low!!!

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Sony Q4 results: Digital camera sales fell by 22.5% because of the Thailand flood.

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Image courtesy: Photoscala

Sony just issued the new Q4 report (Click here to download). During the last three months of 2011 digital camera sales fell by 22.5%. Overall Sony sold 21 Million digital cameras in 2012. That’s 3 million less than expected. A bad news but certainly not a Sony’s fault. The Thai flood affected almost all companies (Nikon, Canon and so on). The new Sony CEO Hirai wants to reinforce the imaging business and bring it back to profit within 2012.

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A critic of the Sony strategy by Photojottings.

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Sony is active on three fornts, the NEX system, the APS-C system and the Full Frame system. But despite all the (well deserved) merit for launching new tehcnologies (like SLT or mirrorless) there are still many things that we are missing. Sony is still very slow in releaseing new NEX lenses while they are (too?) fast in releaseing new NEX cameras. All current FUll Frame models are disocntinued but there is no new A99 camera yet, we still need more lenses (primes and zooms) for the SLT system and so on.

Photojottings (Click here) analyzed the past and present Sony camera/lens strategy and came out with a very provocative statement: “My hope is that Sony abandons the full frame market, (too heavy, too expensive, totally unnecessary now for good images) and concentrates its resources on bringing out more inexpensive, but excellent quality lenses for its APS-C market, and making the NEX cameras capable of phase detect focusing without the adapter, with the addition of more great lenses like the [shoplink 8448]CZ 24/1.8[/shoplink], and a high quality zoom or two.

What’s your opinion on that???

P.S:: Good Luck in finding the “old” FF DSLR:
Sony A900 [shopcountry 3032].
Sony A850 [shopcountry 3028].

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(SR5) New Sony RGBW sensor coming in compact camera by end of the year!

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From time to time I post patents describing many new technologies like organic sensors and “foveon” alike vertical alligned pixels and so on. But as you know most of the time these patents just remain….patents. Now many top sources confirmed that there will be a new sensor design made for compact cameras. Sony will launch some compact cameras (with small sensor) by end of the year having a new RGBW sensor. It means it will have Red-Greeen-Blue and White sensible pixels. That new pattern will allow an increased dynamic range. I have no clue yet if that kind of sensor will sooner or later also find his way on larger APS-C an FF sensor. Certainly not within this year!

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