Ricoh buys Pentax!!!

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That’s almost unbelievable! A company with a minimal camera division like Ricoh just bought the Pentax imaging division from Hoya! You can read the full press release here: hoya.co.jp (pdf file!). As you know both Ricoh and Pentax are currently using Sony sensors. By merging the two camera division the Ricoh-Pentax will probably become much stronger and this means more competition for Sony (In the DSLR segment Pentax is currently on 4th place right behind Sony). Ricoh is quite an innovative camera maker (see the interesting althaugh not perfect [shoplink 7499 ebay]GXR modular system[/shoplink]) and Pentax is well know for their “photographer oriented” camera design. Those are two characteristics Sony should learn from!

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(SR4) Ultrawide G lens (SR2) Possible Zeiss lens roadmap

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[shoplink 7489 ebay][/shoplink] Pictured on top: The [shoplink 7489 ebay]Sony DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6[/shoplink]. There will be a similar zoom for fullframe within 2011.

It’s very difficult for me to get reliable info about the upcoming lenses. This because the recent Earthquake in Japan changed the plan of all camera manufactors (Sony and Zeiss). As I already told you the 500mm f/4.0 G lens has been delayed and I have to check what of the orgiginal 4-5 planed Fullframe lenses will be announced within 2011. But there is one small reliable info I can share with you today. Sony should release a premium ultrawide G fullframe zoom within end 2011. I have been told it is “along the lines of the [shoplink 7489 ebay]11-18[/shoplink] but much higher quality, and not DT” Check the 11-18 Sont DT lens at [shopcountry 7489].

One more rumor (SR2)
I ask my sources if they know something about that Zeiss lens roadmap I got from a new source:
14mm Distagon f/2.8
28mm Distagon f/2
35mm Distagon f/1.4
200mm ApoSonnar f/2

Would love this to be true!!! If you know more about the lens roadmap feel free to drop me a text at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com or use the contact form on the right sidebar (it’s anonymous!)

The current Zeiss fullframe lenses are the:
– SAL-1635Z 16-35mm f/2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* (Check those direct search links for price and specs: [shopcountry 7490])
– SAL-24F20Z Sony Distagon T* 24mm f/2 SSM (Price and specs: [shopcountry 7497])
– SAL-2470Z 24-70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* (Price and specs: [shopcountry 7491])
– SAL-85F14Z Telephoto 85mm f/1.4 Carl Zeiss Planar T* (Price and specs: [shopcountry 7492])
– SAL-135F18Z 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* (Price and specs: [shopcountry 7493])

I would buy the....

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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 (60-80% the rumor is correct)
SR5=almost certainly correct!

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(SR3) 36 Megapixel sensor for one of the fullframe prototypes

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Day after day I am receiving new tidbits of rumors about the Fullframe strategy. And I will soon have more news for those waiting for more NEX-7 and A77 info.

A new source told me one of the prototypes has a 36 megapixel sensor. At first Sony had problems with overheating in 40+C conditions but they managed it to solve them. A trusted source told me that all fullframe camera will have the same tilt-swivel solution you have seen on the A77 picture. Whenever I look at that pic I have to say that it looks like it could break very easily! Hope I am wrong :)

And as I already told you there will be more than one fullframe cameras announced in 2012. They will all be Translucent, have built-in GPS and be optimized for video. I have been told that the video quality will be lot better than the [shoplink 6340]Canon 5D markII (Click here to see that cam on Amazon)[/shoplink].

One more thing: I want to thank all the sources for sending me rumors. Please understand that I usually try to doublecheck rumors before to post them And if I can’t than I will publish them with low rumor ranking (SR2 or SR3). But I will keep your (fake) names in mind and if rumors turn out to be true you will automatically become a trusted source :) P.S.: Got some strange rumors about the NEX pro having a curious “mount solution”. If you have some info about that camera drop me a line. Thanks!

 

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(SR4) Sony testing various fullframe prototypes. Nikon DX3 competitor coming (with built-in grip)

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[shoplink 7471 ebay]

[/shoplink] Image on top shows the [shoplink 7471 ebay]Nikon D3X[/shoplink] which could get competition from Sony!

As you know Nikon fullframe cameras do use sensors made by Sony. (UPDATE: Nikon says their FF sensors do have a custom design but the D3X sensor and [shoplink 3032]A900[/shoplink] sensor are very similar in specs). And we always had the feeling that Sony isn’t seriously competing against the famous partner. But this could change soon! According to our sources Sony is testing different fullframe prototypes. And we know for sure that at least two FF cameras will be announced in 2012. One of the tested prototypes is a high resolution camera with built-in grip aimed to compete against the [shoplink 7471 ebay]Nikon D3X[/shoplink] and [shoplink 7472 ebay]Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III[/shoplink]. Sounds like Sony is really planing to enter the (High) PRO market! One of our sources told us the prototype is based on the new Translucent technology and has a very high resolution sensor (Close to 40 megapixel!). Please keep in mind that we are talking about prototypes so specs are not 100% definitive yet. But I will keep you updated with all the news I can get.

P.S.: I also have a question for my sources, will Nikon still have a “priority” on the new generation of Sony sensors or will Sony don’t give any advantage to Nikon anymore? Thanks!

Linsk to the cameras mentioned in that post:
Nikon D3X at [shopcountry 7471] Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III at [shopcountry 7472]

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 TidBits

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The video on top shows a (funny) mechanical Intervalometer (Via SonyAlphaNex).

A full Sony NEX-C3 Review at korean SLRclub. But they post the korean text as JPEG so google translation tool will not work :(
Take a look at those search links ot see if NEX-C3 preorders are available at [shopcountry 7207].

Le Sony Alpha 55 à l’épreuve du (tout) terrain (Alpha Numerique).

Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 at BHinsights.

As you know the A77 will have USB 3.0. And there are more and more products coming. Lexar’s just announced the USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader.

Sony A55 HDR test at DC.watch.

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(SR3) Smoke about a third Alpha camera (to be announced along A65 and A77)

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[shoplink 5509 ebay][/shoplink]The image on top shows the last Sony camera with optical viewfinder. The [shoplink 5509 ebay]Sony A580 (Click here to see the cam[/shoplink]).

I finally recovered from my long trip on the dolomites. It has been an amazing experience but I don’t want to talk with you about that :)
Last week you saw the very first picture of the A77 and A65 production models. But there is also a rumor that is “work in progress”, something I am not sure yet but I want to share here anyway (with an SR3 value -> see rumor classification at the bottom of the post). A week ago a known source told me that Sony may changed the decision to release translucent cameras only. He said there could be an optical viewfinder DSRL announced along the A77 and A65. And yesterday another source told me that there should be a third Alpha camera announced along the A77 and A65.
Now, I don’t know if there is a correlation between the two rumors, please if you are an optical viewfinder fan don’t be to excited yet. Is till do believe there will be no new OVF camera. But I do hope that after reading this post my trusted sources will tell me more about that mysterious third Alpha camera.
Anyway, I know that most of our readers are still hoping that Sony will continue to release OVF cameras. But I do believe EVF are the future and solution like the hybrid viewfinder on the [shoplink 6075 ebay]Fuji X100 (Click here to see that cam)[/shoplink] are not the future. All depends from the EVF quality which has to be improved (current EVF quality is insufficient). And I think also Canon and Nikon will go this route sooner or later!

P.S.: Those are the links to the latest OVF cameras:
Last APS-C camera was the Sony A580 at [shopcountry 5509] Last FF camera was the Sony A850 at [shopcountry 3028] (now discontinued)

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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Samyang 35mm and Tokina 11-16mm reviews

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[shoplink 7453 ebay][/shoplink] If you want to get a good manual lens for a cheap price Samyang is really the best! And the latest test of the new Samyang 35mm f/1.4 lens on Photozone (Click here) confirms that those lenses are very good performers! The lens has been tested on an APS-C Canon camera but the results will not differ when used on your Sony APS-C camera: “Samyang continues to surprise us regarding the quality of their recently released products. The full format Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AS UMC is capable of delivering a very high quality straight from f/1.4“…”It may be a surprising news but this is somewhat superior to the mighty Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 USM L
So this is definitely a highly recommended lens and it is in Stock for $499 at Amazon (Click here), branded with the name Rokinon on [shoplink 7453 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and branded with the name Samyang on [shoplink 7380 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
The real bargain is the 85mm f/1.4 you can get for $274 on Amazon (Click here), branded with the name Rokinon on [shoplink 7456 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and branded with the name Samyang on [shoplink 7454 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Kurt Munger (Click here) posted a full review of the Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8 lens: “The Tokina performs superbly at the shorter focal lengths, with sharp centers that nearly match the mid-sections and corners when stopped down.  It has some of the sharpest corners of any super wide zoom I’ve ever tested, and that’s saying something!“.
Check the price and availability fo the lens at [shopcountry 7457] (Those are all direct Tokina search links).

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