A source at Nikongear spilled out the possible Nikon D850 specs. And it really seems like it will NOT use the same Sony A7rII sensor. Instead it will feature a Sony made (and Nikon tweaked?) 46 megapixel Full Frame sensor. It is highly likely that the new Sony A7rIII which is probably going to be announced in early 2018 will feature an even higher resolution sensor (something between 60-70MP) and not this new 46MP sensor.

These are the other specs from the same source:

10 fps (without battery pack)
together with fast AF this will be a sports capable camera with 46 Megapixels resolution
(appears to adapt something of the D500 concept for FX)
NOT compatible with MB-D12, there will be a new dedicated battery-pack
They expect the first samples to be available in October
Pricing will be about 1000 Euros above the D810 which will remain available in parallel

Thanks Bill on Dpreview forum for this.

Fuji GFX vs Sony A7rII

So far all past Sony medium format rumors from non-verified sources were incorrect. But never the less I am going to publish this because it sounds a bit more “reasonable” and I would like to kickstart a discussion on this:

Many cameras are tested and never brought to market, so this might be the case with this design. I have knowledge of a lens design that uses a new mount that will accommodate the 53×40 sensor and a shorter flange distance.
I would like this mount to come to market, so the more you can poll people on price and design, it will help management here to make the decision.

Of course this isn’t a rumor from our trusted verified sources and that’s why you shouldn’t get too excited about that info yet. But I am certain Sony is considering all options on the table. A couple of considerations:

1. Sony is super busy with FE lens developement and has yet paused APS-C E-mount and A-mount lens development. A commitment to a new Medium Format system would certainly make not be a good news for those waiting to get new non-FE lenses…
2. Image quality from Full Frame cameras are already terrific. Do we really need super expensive medium format cameras that are not even “real” medium formats? Note: The 44x33mm sensor used by the Fuji GFX and Hasselblad X1D are barely close to “real” classic medium format sensor size. The sensor is also “only” 1.7x times larger than FF.
3. The 44x33mm medium format world is a very small niche and already crowded with options (Fuji GFX, Hasselblad X1D, Pentax 645Z, Leica S). So if at all Sony should really go for the much larger 54x40mm sensor?
4. Probably a RX medium format camera with fixed lens and priced below the current GFX and X1D would be a more unique and sensible proposal?

Here are my two questions to SAR readers  (Discuss the matter below and think a bit before to vote):

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Hopefully this can help Sony to get a clue about what has to be done…

A source talked to a Zeiss manager who shared insights of the E-mount Zeiss strategy:

1. Leadership believes that people/the market for mirror less want small and light.
2. About the new 135mm f/2.8: It was much easier to make an f2.8 and make  it quickly before competition from Sony or other brands  and maintain a high quality zeiss level image.
3. If they made a 135 f1.8 (Otus quality!) with auto focus people still would not buy because the price would be near $5,500.00 usd.
4. Professionals are not on board with the mirror less yet and there for will not spend the money for professional otus level glass.

I understand that Zeiss wants to find a niche in the E-mount segment. And making Otus alike autofocus lenses will have to face three problems: 1) High price 2) Sony GM competition 3) Sigma will soon join the FE system with high quality low-priced fast prime lenses anyway

So the question is:

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Preorders:
Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 lens at Adorama and Bhphoto.
Zeiss Batis 135mm lens shade at Adorama and Bhphoto.

Anankhepi spotted something interesting on the soon to be released new Nikon D850. He speculates this might be a hybrid EVF and OVF viewfinder. This would allow the Nikon to have the best of both world’s: The accurate and fast phase detection performance and the benefits of the mirrorless systems like focus peaking, WYSIWYG, and so on.

The screw holes on the image above seem to be eye detection sensors to activate the EVF screen. This is Nikon’s patent about this:

What does it mean for Sony? That the technological difference between the DSLR and Mirrorless system cameras is evaporating. It means more pressure on Sony because their distinctive E-mount arguments are now weaker. And at the end this is good news for us because Sony has to fight back with a really good and not overpriced Sony A7III, A7rIII and A7sIII camera.

UPDATE: Seems like Anankhepi and Angry Photographers speculation was wrong. The D850 is more likely to use a classic optical viewfinder only.

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original image via NR

I know with all those rumors it’s hard to keep track about what we can expect in 2017. Therefore I made this roundup of the so far more reliable rumors for products to be announced the second half of this year. Some changes still can happen for a variety of reasons so I expect around 80% of the following info to be correct:

Sony A7III:
Sony’s next FF E-mount camera should be the new Sony A7III. It will be announced around November at earliest. Shipment likely in early 2018. Specs known so far: 24MP, 4K and much improved AF (could be the same A9 autofocus system)

Sony compact cameras:
Sony registered two new cameras. One camera has the code “WW620081”. That camera got already registered two months ago. The “WW6” code is usually used for RX camera. The second code is “WW173777”. That kind of code is used for compact fixed lens cameras (non-RX).

Sony 135mm GM:
To be announced in late 2017-eary 2018. Aperture unconfirmed yet but I guess it’s f/1.8

Sony 400mm GM:
To be announced within 2-4 months. Aperture unclear yet.

Zeiss Batis and Loxia:
I have no specs yet about the upcoming lenses but there should be at leats one more lens announcement this year.

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 FE and FE zoom:
Announcement deayed to late 2017 for the 35mm f/1.4 FE. The second lens might be a zoom but it’s uncear if it will be announced along the 35mm prime or some times later

Voigtlander FE:
40mm f/1.2 wi be released in late 2017. After that we wil get the 35mm f/1.4 lens too.

Tokina FE:
They plan to release a new Super Wide and a fast wide FE autofocus lens by late 2017. A Standard zoom is expected to be released in 2018.

Surprises for 2017:
I heard there will be at least one more Sony FE lens announced in 2017. But there may be some lenses that will ship in 2018 only.

For 2018:
Sony A7rIII and A7sIII are more likely to be announced in 2018.

An anonymous source sent me this first image of the pre-fina IRIX E-mount adapter version (Thanks!). He told me this:

First image of the Irix original adapter for Sony. Infinity focus works, chip for focus confirmation too. And is wheater sealed.
Prices will be below $100.
Press release will be available in around a month.

The adapter is made to support Canon/Nikon IRIX lenses on E-mount cameras. I guess that you can use also original Canon/Nikon lenses on it.

IRIX lenses are currently on sale at Amazon US, Amazon DE, Amazon UK.

Thanks to our more experienced readers we can share some additional info on the Sony patent describing a set of medium format camera lenses designed for a curved sensor:

1) The patent describes a broad use for this camera: “is applied to a telescope, a digital camera, etc.“. This is usual on patents because you want to cover as much areas of use as possible. An example is that on any camera patent Sony writes the camera could have a CCD or CMOS sensor even if all their new cameras keep using CMOS sensor only.
But that this is unlikely a pure astronomical camera is somehow proved by the fact that the patent also shows non-telephoto lenses which certainly are not ideal for industrial astronomy use (example is the 50mm FF equivalent lens which makes much more sense on classic photo cameras).

2) These are the five lenses patented for a 645 medium format camera with curved sensor. But first another important note: Sony Patents almost always have unusual focal length specs that will be rounded up once the lens gets produced (a 84mm lens will become 85mm or 258mm can become 250mm or 260mm). Also be aware that those are focal lengths on a 645 and not an FF camera. A 85mm lens is actually a 50mm lens (0.62 crop). So here are the patented lens specs:

• 387mm f/2.8 (lens length: 679mm) – in Full Frame terms this is a 240mm f/1.7 (using online calculator)
• 323mm f/2.8 (lens length: 576mm) – in Full Frame terms this is a 200mm f/1.7
• 258mm f/2.8 (lens length: 380mm) – in Full Frame terms this is a 160mm f/1.7
• 161mm f/2.8 – in Full Frame terms this is a 100mm f/1.7
• 84mm f/2.9 (lens length: 123mm) – in Full Frame terms this is a 52mm f/1.7 (it would be 2cm longer than the Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 FE)

Mistral shared to use these drawings from the patent and added the lens specs info (Thanks):

What’s clear form the patent is:

1. that these lenses do have a very simple design (thanks to the curved sensor)
2. that they are big lenses but also very fast (f/1.7 FF equivalent)
3. made for high Resolution sensors (thanksto their very high MTF)

No consumer available camera on the market so far could compete against this beast.