(SR5) Also A7s pricing and two new (FE?) lenses to be announced on April 30.

The official Sony FE lens roadmap.

According to one of our trusted sources (Thanks DrPhotorumor) Sony will also announce the final A7s pricing on May 1. Those interested to buy the camera will finally get preorder links on all major stores like Sony USAmazon and BHphoto..

The one more interesting rumor I got says that there will be two new lenses too. Well, we know the A77II will get a slightly updated kit lens but I hope this isn’t what the source meant so say :)

If the Sony roadmap didn’t fool us with the timing than these could be two new Zeiss FE lenses. I do hope sources can confirm or deny this after reading this post. Just drop me an anonymous message using the contact form on the top right of the browser or write me using a fake email account at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com. Thanks!

In summary this is what Sony could launch on May 1 10am London time:
Sony A77II: An “upgraded” version of the current A-mount A77. With new 24MP sensor and Wifi, faster Af and EVF.
Sony RX100M3: Features an amazing 2470mm f/1.8-2.8 lens and a pop-up viewfinder
Sony A7s: pricing.
Two lenses: Likely two new FE Zeiss?

Follow the announcement live at SonyAlphaRumors!
– 2am (02:00) San Francisco
– 5am (05:00) New York time
– 10 am (10:00) London time
– 11 am (11:00) Berlin time
– 8 pm (20:00) Tokyo time

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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!

(SR4) Sony product announcement on Wednesday afternooon (April 30)

The new A77II A-mount camera hinted by a Sony roadmap slide back in late 2013.

Small correction on the announcement date. A trusted source told me that Sony plans to unveil the new products on Wednesday afternoon at the London Gala for the Worldphoto event (Source: Worldphoto). Well previous rumors I got from Asia said announcement would be on May 1 and indeed in Asia it will be May 1 by then :)

I still have not the exact hour of the announcement but it should be around 10am May 1 (London time). Will let you know if I can find a stream of the event.

So far this is what we can expect to see:
Sony A77II: An “upgraded” version of the current A-mount A77. With new 24MP sensor and Wifi, faster Af and EVF.
Sony RX100M3: Features an amazing 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 lens and a pop-up viewfinder

I have been told there is more than that and I hope I can give you more details about that in a couple of hours!

Follow the announcement live at SonyAlphaRumors!
– 2am (02:00) San Francisco
– 5am (05:00) New York time
– 10 am (10:00) London time
– 11 am (11:00) Berlin time
– 8 pm (20:00) Tokyo time


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Just use these link to purchase whatever product you planned to purchase today: [shopcountry 8454] (Once clicked jump to every product you want).
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Thanks!

———
Message to sources: You can send me more info anonymously by using the contact form you see on the very right of your browser. You can also contact me directly at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com.
For readers: Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here) in order to not miss any news!
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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!

Zeiss 16-70mm E-mount lens discontinued? Replacement coming on May 1 in Asia (April 30 in Eu and AM)?

As you know last week I told you the 20mm E-mount pancake lens would likely be updated soon. Well, it seems like this could be not the only one lens being updated soon. There are reports on Dpreview forum with readers saying the lens has been told to be discontinued (including by BHphoto store). There may be a chance to see an updated version this week already when the A77II and RX100M3 will be announced on May 1.

P.S.: Thanks to the anonymous reader for sending me the links!

(SR4) Sony RX100M3 is coming now with popup viewfinder and new fast lens!

One of my trusted sources (Many Thanks!) just told me that the RX100M3 is indeed going to be announced next week on May 1. It will have a pop-up built-in viewfinder! It has a “different” lens. And indeed if you compare the two small images between the RX100/M2 and RX100M3 you will notice a small difference on the lens. Having a f/2.8 aperture at the tele end is really a huge improvement. And that pop up viewfinder is also an amazing addition. This two features alone will make it worth to upgrade from your current RX100!

Question to the source (and other sources): I know for certain there is more to come (beside the RX100M3 and A77II). Can you tell me more about that “other” stuff? Thanks :)

Follow the announcement live at SonyAlphaRumors!
– 2am (02:00) San Francisco
– 5am (05:00) New York time
– 10 am (10:00) London time
– 11 am (11:00) Berlin time
– 8 pm (20:00) Tokyo time


How to support SonyAlphaRumors:
Just use these link to purchase whatever product you planned to purchase today: [shopcountry 8454] (Once clicked jump to every product you want).
Make a one time donation I will directly use to pay the quite expensive bandwidth you consume in those rumor days:




Thanks!

———
Message to sources: You can send me more info anonymously by using the contact form you see on the very right of your browser. You can also contact me directly at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com.
For readers: Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here) in order to not miss any news!
——–

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!

(SR5) RX100M3 leaks out on official Sony manual!

Like I told you before Sony will announce more than just the A77II on May 1 at 10am London time. One of the smaller surprises could be the new Sony RX100M3 whose name just leaked out through a Sony manual (see screenshot on top). There are no specs or info yet but I am sure we will have them soon. But if you compare the images at the bottom you will see there seems to be a difference on the lens size suggesting that there may be some changes (hopefully the patented 28-100mm f/1.8-2.8 lens!). Meantime the current RX100II has already a [shoplink 26119 ebay]$100 off on eBay US (Click here)[/shoplink].

And from what I heard there will be ore surprises. So please stay tuned on SAR the next hours and days!

via Digicameinfo.

Follow the announcement live at SonyAlphaRumors!
– 2am (02:00) San Francisco
– 5am (05:00) New York time
– 10 am (10:00) London time
– 11 am (11:00) Berlin time
– 8 pm (20:00) Tokyo time

How to support SonyAlphaRumors:
Just use these link to purchase whatever product you planned to purchase today: [shopcountry 8454] (Once clicked jump to every product you want).
Make a one time donation I will directly use to pay the quite expensive bandwidth you consume in those rumor days:




Thanks!

———
Message to sources: You can send me more info anonymously by using the contact form you see on the very right of your browser. You can also contact me directly at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com.
For readers: Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here) in order to not miss any news!
——–

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!

Sony is very very very serious about the curved sensor tech! New official announcements.

Sony sensor tech. Image source: VLSI Symposia tipsheet

A couple of weeks ago I showed you two patents describing a Full Frame curved sensor and a 35mm f/1.8 lens designed for such a sensor. Usually when you see Sony patents you well know that it could take ages to see it applied on a real world mass product. Well this could be one of the few cases where a patent becomes “real” in a very short time.

First of all the prestigious site Nikkei Japan reports that Sony has developed a curved sensor that doubles the sensor sensitivity. And Nikkei doesn’t spread a news based on patent :) It means Sony is really ready to launch that kind of tech!

And than VLSI Symposia tipsheet (via ISW)explained better how this sensor works:

Curved CMOS Image System: When light transmitted by a lens strikes a perpendicular target such as a CMOS image sensor, it forms a circle of light called an image circle. It’s difficult for a flat (planar) CMOS image sensor to deliver high image sensitivity at high resolution (highly scaled pixel pitch) because of the fundamental physical limit known as quantum efficiency. To break through that physical limit and to achieve higher sensitivity anywhere within the image circle at higher resolution, Sony built and will describe an imaging system that comprises a hemispherically curved, back-illuminated CMOS image sensor (BIS) and integrated lens. It doubles the sensitivity at the edge of the image circle while increasing sensitivity at its center by a factor of 1.4, with a 5x reduction of dark current (Jd) compared to a planar BIS. Moreover, a common problem known as lens field curvature aberration (Afc) is mitigated by the curved sensor itself, and so the curved BIS enables higher system sensitivity with a brighter lens with a smaller F number (Fn) than is possible with a planar BIS. In addition, by controlling the tensile stress of the BIS chip to produce a curved shape in the first place, the energy band-gap (Eg) is widened and a lower Jd is achieved. (Paper T2.1, “A Novel Curved CMOS Image Sensor Integrated with Imaging System,” K. Itonaga et al., Sony)

And as you know an anonymous source said the RX2 with curved sensor tech and 35mm f/1.8 lens will be announced in summer. it has to be seen if Sony can use such a curved sensor on an interchangeable E-mount camera…

(SR4) 16-50mm lens gets small updated with the A77II released.

Sony will “update” the current A77 by releasing a new A77II A-mount camera next week (announcement around May 1-2). As I told you before this is an “upgraded” A77 which means it’s rumored to have an updated 24MP sensor, 11fps (new rumor), WiFi, improved EVF and I have been told very fast autofocusing. Also Body layout will remain similar to the A77.

A trusted source also added that there are some minor updates on the 16-50mm lens too which will marginally improve the image quality of the lens. The lens is going to be announced along the A77II.

———
Message to sources: You can send me more info anonymously by using the contact form you see on the very right of your browser. You can also contact me directly at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com.
For readers: Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here) in order to not miss any news!
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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!