Video on top. A german A77 preview by videoaktiv.

I am going to soon post a NEX-7 preview summary and my first fullframe rumors summary. In the meanwhile those are the latest hands-on, previews and news I found around the web:

A77 preview at Cameralabs (Click here): “Ultimately I don’t believe Sony has created a true semi-pro contender here. The small buffer, relatively limited number of cross-type AF sensors and viewfinder delay mean it won’t be ideal for pro action photographer, however tempted they might be by the 12fps rate. Some could make it work, depending on the situation, but put the A77 up against a Canon EOS 7D in a sports environment, and you’ll realise why the latter is a better choice. But outside of this specialist environment, there’s a lot to like about the A77, and it’ll put existing mid-range models under a lot of pressure. Cameras like the EOS 60D and especially the Nikon D7000 look quite under-featured in comparison. Perhaps Sony’s cleverest move though was developing an aspirational kit lens that’s relatively affordable. It may not zoom as long as rival kit lenses, but it’s wider, quicker, quieter and crucially brighter. A very classy move that’ll attract a lot of educated buyers”

NEX-7 preview at Cameralabs (Click here): “Personally speaking I can’t wait to test one, along with the new SLT-A77 which it was launched alongside. As Canon and Nikon continue to avoid the increasingly popular and lucrative ILC market, Sony is taking the bull by the horns and giving the Micro Four Thirds camp serious food for thought.”

NEX-7 at Photographyreview (Click here): “The most interesting question for me is the positioning of the new NEX-7. The price sets it apart from previous NEX cameras as well as even the most expensive Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras, which top out at $900. The high resolution and $1200 MSRP make it look like Sony is aiming the NEX-7 at pros and enthusiasts with Leica-envy – the same photographers who are all over the Fujifilm X100 ($1199). And that’s pretty interesting because the NEX-7 costs a hell of a lot less than the Leica M9 ($7750) and looks like a whole lot more camera than the fixed-lens Fujifilm X100.”

More news:
“Sony – please add gain control to A77 sound” at Photoclubalpha (Click here).
NEX-7 at Cameraitmedia.
A NEX comparison table at Sony Japan.
A77 image samples at Chip.de.

While I am still waiting to see more A77 and NEX-7 review there is one camera I can highly recommend you without any major doubt. And that is the new Sony NEX-5n (Click here to preorder it). Those are the reasons why:

1) Sensor: The performance of the Sony NEX-5n sensor is amazing! There is no doubt that it is a High ISO king! (See Noise test at Focus Numerique and comparison at EosHD.) It has also another advantage, the sensor is the same of the [shoplink 7207]Sony NEX-C3[/shoplink]. It means that Sony had quite some time to tweak the sensor performance and to bring it on it’s best level with the new Sony NEX-5n imaging processor.

2) Compact: Unlike the NEX-7 the NEX-5n fits in your pocket (with the 16mm pancake). Click here ot see the NEX-7 versus NEX-5N size comparison.

3) External viewfinder: If you really need the NEX-7 viewfinder…you can buy it! The new external viewfinder has the same quality of the NEX-7 viewfinder. And it has two advantages. First, you can remove it if you need to carry a compact camera, ad Second…you can upgrade! Yes, whenever Sony will announce a new better viewfinder you can buy it to upgrade your NEX-5n. That is not possible with the NEX-7!

4) Stealth Rollei experience: As you know the external viewfinder can be tilted so that you can look vertically inside the EVF. What I always liked about the [shoplink 8590 ebay]Rolleiflex (Click here to see those cameras)[/shoplink] is that you don’t look straight to the photographic subject. It has a nice psychological side effect. If for example you want to take a picture of a person (street photography) the subject will not immediately feel like he is being observed. Your eyes are focused on your “feet” not on his face! Click here to see the tilt movement of the NEX-5n external EVF.

5) Availability: The A77 and NEX-7 will be start to ship in October and November. And history tells us that most of us will have to wait until December-January before we can get it for real! But the NEX-5n will be available in a couple of weeks!

6) Price: The NEX-7 and the A77 are quite expensive. Not so the Sony NEX-5n! It’s a real bargain for what it can do!

Now I am very tempted to buy the NEX-5n instead of the NEX-7. And as I said the NEX-5n will be in Stock very soon. Preorder it now at:
Sony NEX-5N with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, and Sonystore.

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ALL Preorder links:
Sony A77 with 16-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A77 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A65 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only), Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A65 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only), Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-7 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-7 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, BHphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, and Sonystore.
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 E-mount at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.
Sony 50mm f/1.8 at BHphoto (notification only), Adorama and Sonystore.
Sony 55-210mm E-mount at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.

A big question we all have in these days is: Will the NEX-7 deliver better image results than the A77 because it has no translucent mirror? And it seems like the answer could be…YES!
Our friend Ray from Thesybersite.com (Click here). He used the [shoplink 3617]Sony A55[/shoplink] to take a couple of images with the translucent mirror and an image without the mirror (yes he removed the mirror!). In short:

1. The mirror reduces the amount of light reaching the sensor by about 1/2 stop.
2. The mirror reduces image detail (Around 5 % loss of detail).
3. Purple fringing is not influenced in any way by the SLT mirror.

Please take a look at his test at Thesybersite.com (Click here) to see the images and make an opinion for yourself!

ALL Preorder links:
Sony A77 with 16-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A77 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A65 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only), Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A65 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only), Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-7 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-7 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, BHphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, and Sonystore.
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 E-mount at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.
Sony 50mm f/1.8 at BHphoto (notification only), Adorama and Sonystore.
Sony 55-210mm E-mount at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.

Demonstration movie for Sony SLT-A77 – Motor sport from Nick Webster on Vimeo.

ThePictureDesk (Click here) shot the very first concert with the Sony A77.

Images of the Sony presentation in Greece and some A77 image samples at DSLRmagazine (Click here to read the translation).

A resolution and ISO comparison at SLRclub (Translated).

A Hands-on video at Alphatutorials (Click here).

Kirk Tuck explains you at Visualsciencelab (Click here) why “Sony gets it when everyone else is stuck at 2004“. According to him “The real story, besides the translucent mirror, is all about the EVF and that’s where the revolution exists. While most of the old timers who grew up with luxuriously bright prism finders will howl in derision the reality is that a superbly made EVF has many advantages.” He ends the article with the following statement: “If this camera, with its 24 megapixels, 60fps video and miracle finder actually works as well as it’s spec’d, and the images are commensurate in quality to their pixel quantity, and the asking price is around $1500,  then why the hell wouldn’t we buy it? “. And now read the full article at Visualsciencelab!

And David Kilpatrick explains at Photoclubalpha (Click here) how Sony should change their transparent mirror position in order to eliminate the ghosting effect: “So, Sony, when you make you that full-frame EVF camera change the entire approach. Position the SLT mirror so it reflects the image sideways, upways or downways! And put the SENSOR where it receives the image from the REFLECTED lightpath. Make the mirror reflect 70% of the light and transmit 30%, instead of the other way round.” Read the full article at Photoclubalpha!

ALL Preorder links:
Sony A77 with 16-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A77 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A65 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only), Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony A65 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only), Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-7 body only at Amazon, Adorama, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-7 with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, BHphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N with 18-55mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, Jessops UK and Sonystore.
Sony NEX-5N at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto, and Sonystore.
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 E-mount at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.
Sony 50mm f/1.8 at BHphoto (notification only), Adorama and Sonystore.
Sony 55-210mm E-mount at Amazon, Adorama, Bhphoto (notification only) and Sonystore.