First Mitakon 35mm f/0.95 review by Chris. RAW files for download and testing included.

[shoplink 14656 ebay][/shoplink]

Our reader Chris made the very first review of the Mitakon 35mm f/0.95 E-mount lens ([shoplink 14656 ebay]Click here to grab one of the three lenses for sale on eBay right now[/shoplink]).

Here is Chris first impression review:

I received my black Mitakon 35mm f/0.95 today and took a bunch of unboxing and night test shots. More test shots coming tomorrow.

Some general design comments:
The lens is built like a tank, all metal body and weighs a whopping 707g (my 50mm Voigtlander + the adapter weighs 535g.) The hood seems to be a generic vented hood, aluminum but has some minor finish issues. I’ll likely buy a higher-quality brand-name hood. Same goes for the cap, generic and functional but a mismatch to the quality of the body. The glass is high quality and the lens fits my NEX-7 body perfectly.
Both focus and aperture are dampened but do not have clicks (good for video!) Aperture seems stiffer. Aperture goes from 0.95-16 in about 90 degrees of ring rotation. Focus goes from infinity to 1’/.3m in about 100 degrees of focus ring rotation. Yay for close focus and stop at infinity.
Vignetting is ok, definitely noticeable wide open but not unusual for such a wide lens (comparable, in my estimation, to the Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 m43 lens).
Definitely need more time to take test shots.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4964431908002.2200471.1215264081&type=1&l=cff004b3a0

and RAW full-size pics at:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v123p87s79qpqhb/XaNPKd2xow

Thanks Chris!

[shoplink 14656 ebay]Click here to see the acutions and price of the new Mitakon 35mm lens on eBay[/shoplink].

(SR3) NEX-FS700: 4K upgrade coming this Thursday?

After all that Photokina buzz we can finally start with a new bunch of rumors. The first news is related to the Sony NEX-FS700 camera. An anonymous source just told me that there will be a new 4K upgrade coming on Thursday! Leòt’s hope this is true!

To all sources: I am collecting rumors about the next Sony FF and APSC cameras including the possible Full Frame E-mount and new lenses. As you know you can drop anonymous and untraceable messages by using the contact form you see on the right sidebar. Or contact me directly at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com. Thanks!

 

A close eye on the new A-mount Sigma lenses (via Photoclubalpha).

David Kilpatrick from Photoclubalpha (Click here) wrote an interesting article about Sigma. The three new A-mount lenses bring many innovations and David is talking about every detail. Particularly the 35mm f/1.4 is getting a lot of attentions. Sigma said it will beat the image quality of the Nikon 35mm f/1.4 lens.

Reminder, these are the thre new Sigma lenses (no preorder and price available yet):
17-70mm F2.8-4 DC OS MACRO– This new Contemporary lens is designed for cameras with an APS-c sensor and covers a range equivalent to 25.5 to 105mm on a 35mm camera. An upgrade to its predecessor, which was released in December 2009, this general purpose lens offers a new design and a more compact build.
35mm F1.4 DG HSM– This Art lens provides photographers with a state-of-the-art alternative to the more conventional 50mm. This lens’ axial chromatic aberration is minimized, which renders a cool and smooth out-of-focus image. At low apertures, it can perform like a wide-angle lens; when opened up to F1.4, it will provide background bokeh and make the subject pop like a mid-range telephoto lens.
120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM – With redesigned mechanics and performance, this Sports lens is an update from its predecessor released in February 2011. This high-performance lens eases difficult shooting conditions by offering a maximum focal length of 300mm and a wide-open aperture of F2.8. This lens, like the other Sports category lenses to come, is dust and moisture resistant, and allows users to adjust the focus speed and the focus limiter via a button on the lens.

Links to some A-mount Sigma lenses:
Sigma 10mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 8-16mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 17-50mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 28mm at BHphoto.
Sigma 50-150mm at BHphoto.
Sigma 50-500mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 50mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 105mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 12-24mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 24-70mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 70-200mm at Amazon and BHphoto.
Sigma 70-300mm at Amazon and BHphoto.

Sony patent shows a new curved sensor technology.

Egami (Translation here) spotted a new Sony patent describing a curved sensor technology. Having a curved sensor allows an increase in the lens performance and reduces the size of the lens. Egami speculates that this may be ideal for the future Full Frame NEX-9 camera. But of course, if you bring a camera with a sensor like this current A or E mount lenses wouldn’t work. I highly doubt the NEX-9 will have a sensor like this.

POLL: What Sony camera do you want as next?

Dear SAR readers!

Photokina is now over but I am already receiving the next generation of rumors. Meantime I will take the chance to ask you to send me your suggestion of camera Sony should release as next. I will make you an example of cameras Sony could/should make:
NEX-9 FF camera for $3000
Sony A1 SLT with 36 MPX sensor for $3000
Sony A95 SLT with 18 MP FF sensor for $1800
RX10 APS-C fixed lenscamera for $999

Please write the most important key aspects only like “NEX or SLT”, “APS-C or FF”, megapixel number and price. After that I will sum your suggestions in one big poll where SAR readers can select the prefered options. Let’s see what SAR readers want from Sony!

First Cine 35mm T/0.95 test on the NEX-7 and VG900 (3Dkraft).

Image courtesy: 3Dkraft

3Dkraft (Click here) tested the new HyperPrime CINE 35mm T0.95 prototype lens on the NEX-7 and on the first Full Frame VG900. This Cine lens for E-mount should arrive in 2013. The tester published some image samples an the results are promising. It’s interesting to see that lens on the VG900. Of course there is a lot of vignetting to see. I hope Sony and other third party lens manufacturer are thinking on making native FF E-mount lenses!

List to current SLRmagic lenses for NEX:
[shoplink 11187 ebay]SLR Magic 35mm f/1.7 MC (here on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 11186 ebay]SLR Magic Toy Lens 28mm Bokehmorphic lens (here on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 11185 ebay]SLR Magic HyperPrime 50mm f/0.95 (here on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 11186 ebay]SLR Magic 28mm f/2.8 lens (here on eBay)[/shoplink].

Hot! First Hasselblad design of a new A-mount FF(?) camera!

What you see here on top is the design of the future Hasselblad A-mount camera. There is no info yet whether this camera will be DSLR (optical viewfinder) or SLT (electronic viewfinder). Nor do we have an info about the sensor size although my high guess is on FF sensor size. All we know is that Hasselblad confirmed that “new products for DSLR and compact camera segments” are coming soon.

Until now Hasselblad only made digital Medium Format cameras with optical viewfinders like the [shoplink 14314 ebay]Hasselblad H series (to see here on eBay)[/shoplink]. But I guess Hasselblad will rely on the Sony SLT technology and “only” add their own design on this. The right question may be…will it be based on the new A99 or on the next to come A1 (36MPx?) FF camera? If you are visiting Photokina try to squeeze out some info from the Hasselblad managers. Offer them a couple of Weizenbiers and they will talk!


A99 body Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Wex UK, Wex Germany, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH and more links at Alphacameradeals.
A99 with kit lens links Alphacameradeals.
RX1 Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Wex UK ,Wex Germany and more links at Alphacameradeals.
NEX-6 body Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Wex UK, Wex Germany Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH and more links at Alphacameradeals.
NEX-6 with kit lens Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Wex Uk ,Wex Germany and more links at Alphacameradeals.
NEX-VG900 Amazon, BHphoto, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH, Wex Uk and more links at Alphacameradeals.
NEX-VG30 Adorama, Amazon, BHphoto, Wex UK, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH, and more links at Alphacameradeals.
Sony E-mount 16-50mm Amazon, Adorama, Wex UK, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH, and more links at Alphacameradeals .
Sony E-mount 35mm Amazon, Adorama, Wex UK, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH, and more links at Alphacameradeals.
Sony E-mount 10-18mm Amazon, Adorama, Wex UK, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH, and more links at Alphacameradeals.
Sony A-mount 300mm f/2.8 Amazon, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH.