It’s Saturday and I actually had the plan to go out with my family. But an anonymous source just sent me those images (via Cnbeta.com) I have to post straight away :) Tech freaks will be happy to see the details of the world first Sony APCS (active pixel color sampling) sensor! The full document can be download here. Be kind note :) If that news is helpful for you link back to SAR when reposting, retweet it and like it on facebook. Thanks!

Like I told you a couple of days ago this is a 1.5inch sensor likely to be introduced in early 2015 in some video cam. The Sony sensor has the world first sensor capable of capturing the full color spectrum info in one single pixel. Sigmas Foveon sensor used on DP cameras uses three layered RGB pixel ordered vertically but the new Sony sensor has just one single layer. The sensor is also capable of Global Shutter and 2K recording at crazy 16,000 frames per second.

Today I got those detailed graphs showing how the sensor works. “Structure 1” shows how there is a color filter on top of the sensor that moves horizontally. There are three different exposures for each color (Red-Green-Blue). It’s basically a “color HDR” picture instead of a “dynamic range HDR” picture :)

The sensor has a native ISO of 5120 and an impressive dynamic range of 127,69DB at that setting.

On paper that’s a hell of a sensor! Having the full color info in one a single pixel allows to have larger pixel compared to modern RGB Bayer sensors (which means less noise or higher resolution possible at same noise level). It also doesn’t need an Anti Aliasing filter anymore (increases per pixel sharpness and gets rid of moirè issues). Global Shutter is also an amazing feature (faster frames per second, no more jello effects). The only question is how this triple exposure time will work on moving subjects and long exposure shots. But I guess Sony knows well how to overcome this. Now I am curious to read the comments of SAR experts on this! Comment here or on our new SonyAlphaForum!

It’s likely that future Alpha Camera will use that kind of sensor too! Stay tuned on SonyAlphaRumors because there is really an amazing amount of rumors to come!

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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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A FAKE rendering of a possible Sony 85mm f/1.8 FE lens (Source: Xitek.).

I keep receiving confirmations from different sources that Sony will launch a new 85mm Zeiss FE prime lens in 2015. It should ship late 2015 at best. I am yet not sure about the aperture but it is defintiley faster than f/1.8 of the Zeiss FE 55m lens!!! Only issues, I have been told it’s also more expensive than the 55mm FE :(
Anyway, if you need a budget 85mm E-mount lens do not forget you have the manual focusing Samyang 85mm f/1.4 E-mount on [shoplink 30515 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] or at Amazon (Click here). Very cheap!

Let’s just speculate with the specs and price yet:

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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
SR5=almost certainly correct!

Important Note: I got this image from Cnbeta. But I already saw patents of that tech before and that’s why I rate the rumors with SR4!

Sony kills the long Bayer Sensor story:
If  what you see here on top will become true than this will change the photography industry! Say goodbye to the classic RGB Bayer sensors because Sony is going to announce a new “Active-Pixel Color Sampling sensor (APCS)” in 2015! The specs sheet above shows the new 1.5 inch sensor with 4,8 million pixels. And I guess some of you would think that’s way to low but here comes the big news:

Every single pixel can take the full color info with the help of an electrified moving color filter!
How this works in detail is yet not described on that paper. But basically instead of having four pixels “RGBG” interpolated into one single pixel information (as it happens on usual Bayer sensors) every pixel on the APCS sensor grabs the full color information. On paper there is no need of interpolation (we still don’t know exactly how this works). But please keep in mind that in real world the difference may be much smaller (current RGB sensors indeed also uses all sort of interpolations to increase resolution).
This is a more advanced solution than Sigmas Foveon sensor used on DP cameras. Sigma uses three vertically ordered R-G-B layers. But also here you need to merge three pixel information into one and you also struggle with noise level because electrons get absorbed (or lost) on each layer.

Positive effects of such a sensor design are:
– Bigger pixels compared to same resolution Bayer sensor. This means more electrons captured and therefore higher dynamic range and lower noise (crazy ISO possible…even crazier than those of the Sony A7s).
– No moire issues anymore. No Anti Aliasing filter needed (increases per pixel sharpness).
– That tech also allows to make crazy high megapixel sensor. For example if you keep an Sony’s APCS pixel size same as the current Sony A7r 36MP RGB pixel size sensor you could in theory make a much higher resolution sensor with same noise level.
– Less pixels to read means also faster processing and readout.
– You actually can have a “full-monochrome” sensor :)

Other key features of the new APCS sensor:
– Electronic Global shutter. No more “jello” effect on videos!
– Records 2K with 16,000 frames per second (processor doesn’t have to be interpolate between RGBG pixels and therefore can use full power to read out more frames per second!). Note that the current Arri Phantom Flex shoots 4K at 1,000 frames per second.

When are we going to see that sensor?
I believe that sensor will make it into a Z4 phone first. “Classic” Alpha photocameras will get the same sensor tech on APS-C and FF sensors later!

What I know beside that spec sheet:
Trusted sources told me “complete new” sensor tech would be introduced on the verge between end 2015 and early 2016. I also saw plenty of sensors describing such kind of pixels with electronic color filter. I will now try to collect some of them to show them to you in a future post. So while I posted this rumor with an SR4 ranking only (see ranking description below) I have a strong feeling this rumor is true. I will wait for my trusted sources to upgrade this to SR5 as soon as I can!

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SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!

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Body of the current A7/s/r series

That this kind of rumors I am 99% certain it’s going to become true! According to many of my very best sources Sony is preparing a huge special event in late January early February (right before CP+). Unlike (the rather boring) Photokina there will be much more exciting news at CP+. There will be (at least) one new FF E-mount camera with those characteristics:

1) First of a complete new generation of interchangeable Full Frame E-mount camera(s). Which means the tech is redesigned from ground up!
2) Complete new sensors (this means brand new tech and huge bump forward in quality). I hope to get details about that soon but it should have “many” Megapixels.
3) Use of an advanced version of the hybrid A6000 autofocus system.
4) Unlike the current A7 series this new generation of FF E-mount cameras are made for the very PRO market! Designed to challenge the best DSLR cameras on market like the Nikon D810 or Canon 5DmarkIII (on aspects like autofocus, reliability, build quality and features).

Also lenses to come too: New FE lenses will be announced along the new camera launch (including one lens that has no specs on the official roadmap).
Possible surprises: I also got word about other cameras (1 A-mount and 1 E-mount). But sources didn’t tell me if those will be announced at the same event too.

I am yet not sure if that camera is a A7/s/r replacement or (more likely) a new sort of A9 PRO camera series. I also have been told those cameras will be displayed at the CP+ show in Japan which starts on February 12. Don’t know yet when the exact announcement date is (maybe late January already?). I am working to get the details about those cameras and with a bit of look I can unveil some more details soon. To not miss any of them quickly subscribe our social network:
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More tidbits about the new camera: I have been told the A7 camera series was a Sony “attempt” to study the market. This new PRO FE camera was developed with maximum possible resources and tech knowledge. It will be Sony’s first serious camera to fight against the big ones. We will finally see if Mirrorless can succeed against DSLR cameras when it comes to “grab” the professional market. That camera is also the main reason why Sony is launching their PRO service all over the world (article on SAR here). It’s also very likely there will be different variations of that new camera generations coming during 2015 and 2016.

What are you hoping for? While I am working to get 100% reliable specs on the camera just let us all know in our comment system and/or on our SonyAlphaForum how you would like that new camera to be…more megapixels than the A7r? Bigger than the A7 series? “Rangefinder” design? HYbrid EVF/OVF?

…Stay tuned ;)

And if you have some “rumor” to share just send me an anonymous messages here:

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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
SR5=almost certainly correct!

Hot: The full Black Friday deals can be seen on at that Amazon US page (Click here to see the long list).

The following rumor is not coming from my trusted sources so just like the all other low ranked rumors take them with a grain of salt. The interesting part of the rumor is that it’s about the APS-C E-mount lens roadmap. Something that is highly needed! So let me know if that Fake or True roadmap would make you happy or not! The anonymous source said those are the lenses to be released in 2015:
25 f1.4
16-50 f2.8 – 4
50-150 f4-5.6

All those three lenses would be nice to have but I still miss a fast portrait lens. Hope that Sony will do that too! You can also discuss the lens roadmap on our SonyAlphaForum.

One more thing: I have very big SR5 rumors I am working on. Please be patient because I am trying to use my 100% reliable info to get as much as I can from other sources. All I can say know is that very big stuff is coming from Sony in very early 2015. To not miss any of them quickly subscribe our social network:
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If you have some “rumor” to share just send me an anonymous messages here:

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

If Sony is going to make this for real it will change the way we used to take photo! What you see here is a Sony sensor that can change the shutter time of each single pixel on a sensor! It means areas of the sensor gathering more light will have a short exposure time and darker areas will get a longer exposure!

Unlike HDR shots where you take multiple and in time separated pictures on the new Sony sensor all this happens simultaneously:

You will no more have to struggle with extreme highlights or too dark areas. Everything on the image will get the exact light that is needed. There may be one single limit on that. If you take a picture of a fast moving object the image can result in a mess. But Sony is working on that too with the implementation of a special HDR Blending/Blur correcting unit:

Of course this sensor would work perfectly fine for sports photographer too if they turn off the asynchronous per pixel shutter option. Really smart from Sony!

Full PDF file of the patent at SonyAlphaForum.

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Image of the Canon 6D sensor.

My friend Steve from CanonWatch got a quite strange rumor. According to one of his sources Canon will announce a new DSLR in 2015 which uses a Sony Full Frame and Foveon alike sensor! I haven’t heard any word about this from my trusted sources. But I can confirm a really completely new Sony sensor will be launched in 2015. Maybe the sensor is that good that Canon cannot keep up and has to buy the Sony sensors just like other companies often do?

I think it would be wiser for Sony to use the new generation sensor for their own new FF cameras. Although Sony could do a lot of $$$ selling sensors to Canon…