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Short update: New and old trusted sources confirmed the new NEX-C3 will be announced in April. It will feature the same [shoplink 3003]Sony NEX-5 sensor[/shoplink] but have an “imporved” body. Sounds like the NEX-3 will be definitely replaced.  A NEX-5 successor should be announced a few months later.

I ask my sources to send me rumors about the upcoming lenses that could be announced in April (Thanks!). I guess this is what most of us NEX owners are waiting for…new lenses!

There are a few price drops on the NEX-3 (probably because of the upcoming C3): [shopcountry 3000].

It’s not a secret anymore that Kodak will deifnitely close their CMOS sensor business. The news reinforces the rumor about the possible Leica and Sony sensor partnership. According to MirrorlessRumros.com Leica is working on a fullframe mirrorless system and they need CMOS sensors (not CCD!) for optimal liveview performance. So will Leica use Sony sensors?
Sony already stated that a fullframe NEX is an “option” and the rumored Leica-Sony partnership would create a top of the notch system! Imagine that, Leica and Zeiss fullframe lenses+Sony sensor performance. Who can keep up with that system? Canon, Nikon? No chance!

P.S.: The fullframe mirorrless Leica will be a [shoplink 5501]Leica M9[/shoplink] styled camera without rangefinder and cost 1.500 less! (So I have been told by my sources!)

Useful links:
– Leica M mount lenses at [shoplink 5182]eBay[/shoplink]
– Leica M9 at [shopcountry 5502]

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The japanese blog Egami found a new Nikon translucent mirror patent. The Patent No. 2011-28177 has been released on 2011/02/10 and the filing date is 2009/07/29. But there are a few crucial differences between the [shoplink 3617]Sony A33/55[/shoplink] solution and the Nikon patent. Egami highlighted them (attention, google translated text):

The mirror lockup is one of the most requested features on SonyAlphaRumors. See the poll results:

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The A77 is rumored to NOT have this feature. But I hope Sony will take it into consideration for the A99 fullframe translucent…

[shoplink 3000][/shoplink]Pictured above: The [shoplink 3000]Sony NEX-3[/shoplink]. It could be replaced soon?

And here we are with a new rumor from our top sources! According to them Sony will announce a new NEX camera in April. The camera will be a compact model like the current [shoplink 3003]NEX-3/5[/shoplink] but with more advanced controls and improved usability. The trusted sources didn’t share any details about the camera but we have a new source that claims to know the name. And because the source is new that part of the rumor is SR2 only. According to him the camera will be named “NEX-C3“. It is the [shoplink 3000]NEX-3[/shoplink] successor and the [shoplink 3003]NEX-5[/shoplink] replacement (the NEX-C5) will follow in September.

In US the NEX-3 just got a new instant rebates (Check yourself at Amazon (Click here) and Bhphoto (Click here).). This could be related to the NEX-3 successor rumor…

NEX-3 direct shop links at [shopcountry 3000]
NEX-5 direct shop links at [shopcountry 3003]

P.S.: What about the NEX-7? That camera could be announced along the Sony A77 in mid-summer! We are going to live a very exciting rumors and news time. Invite your friends to follow us! And join us at Facebook, Twitter and follow our RSS-feed!

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!

There is no doubt Sony is working on a “foveon-like” sensor. Every week we find new patents explaining the technology (Click here to read one patent example). The question now is: when are we going to see the first foveon camera from Sony? We just got an info from a new SonyAlphaRumors source. As usual take rumors from new sources with a grain of salt. That’s why the rumor has the value “SR2” (read the rumor classification explanation at the bottom of the post).

According to the new source there will be a new A770 announced in early 2012 (this is not the translucent A77!). It will use the same 15.2 mp Sigma SD1 foveon sensor. The test shows that it’s 24 mp to 25 mp equivalent (instead of 30 mp or 46 mp) to a conventional bayer sensor.

One more thing, the A770 does not have video recording feature.

List of useful links about the Sigma foveon sensor:
Sigma SD1 product page at BHphoto.
Sigma and Foveon discuss the forthcoming SD1 (Dpreview)
Carl Rytterfalk about the SD1
First SD1 image samples at shinzlogclips
A very interesting new interview at DSLRmagazine.
List of Sigma Foveon cameras at Amazon.

Stay tuned on SonyAlphaRumors because the next few months we will see many new REAL products from Sony. That includes Alpha and E-mount lenses but also new NEX and Alpha cameras. Don’t miss any rumors. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and follow our RSS-feed!

Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unkown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!