Small surprise: Today Sigma announced the new MC-11 electronic adapter. It comes in two versions: Canon EF to Sony E-mount and Sigma SA to Sony E-mount. It allows you to use full electronic aperture, IBIS and autofocus control.

UPDATE: That news was officially posted first on many Spanish sites like Quesabesde and DSLRmagazine. It now has been removed on request from Sigma. probably Sigma Spain did a mistake to post the news before the official announcement date which could be February 23.

For the more than 80,000 photographs that have been necessary for filming this timelapse, it has been entirely using technology Zeiss and Sony Alpha 7 Series

Marc Galer posted new 85mm image samples:
Monkeys: https://flic.kr/s/aHsktb5bu7
Portraits: https://flic.kr/s/aHsktM7qzZ
Sony tease 4K 120fps RAW shooting for the F55 cinema camera (Newsshooter).
Sony A7 Battery Charger (multiple charger) at SonyAlphaForum.
Nikon 55mm f3.5 + Zhongyi Lens Turbo II image samples on Flickr.

Tom: “I thought I’d share my article with you on “Why I’m Going Mirrorless”: http://www.disneytouristblog.com/going-mirrorless-tom-bricker-1/ I’m a professional photographer/blogger, specializing in Disney theme parks, so that’s the perspective I bring to the table in sharing the pros & cons of my transition thus far. ”

SAR deal: “You save 72% on the DENOISE projects professional software (Click here to get the discount and see the final price). This software, 100% developed in Germany, removes all forms of image noise: luminance noise, colour noise, banding, hot pixels & more. It can be used as a stand-alone Program or Plug-in (on both, Windows or Mac). You can  learn more about the software here and order it here.“

First confession: My very first digital system camera was the [shoplink 45006 ebay]Pentax K-10[/shoplink]. And I loved that camera. So I am happy to see Pentax joining the Full Frame crowd today with the new K-1 (full specs at BHphoto). From a Sony perspective the news matters because:

1. There is a new competition in the Full Frame world (finally something beyond the usual Canon-Nikon stuff)
2. The Pentax K-1 uses the Sony A7r 36MP sensor (with ISO that goes up to 204800)
3. The K-1 uses a 5 axis stabilization. But unlike Sony Pentax uses it also for two additional features: High res mode and Astrotracing!

Let’s take a close look to the K-1 unique features that Sony should or should not copy :)

1) High Resolution images created with the sensor shift tech:
Dpreview writes:
“As this list of spec highlights should make clear, the K-1 makes the most of its moveable sensor. As well as the image stabilization, which is rated to an impressive 5 stops, the camera offers a host of other clever features. These include anti-aliasing filter simulation which vibrates the sensor during exposure to intentionally blur high frequency detail across multiple pixels, to avoid moiré. Then there’s the Pixel Shift Resolution mode that increases color resolution by shooting four consecutive images with the sensor moved by one pixel – effectively canceling the Bayer color filter array and lowering noise by image averaging.

2) Astrotracer
Dpreview writes:
The other sensor-shift modes are also clever: the K-1 includes Horizon Correction, which rotates the sensor if you hold the camera slightly off-level, and the Astrotracer system that uses the sensor’s movement to cancel-out the effect of the Earth’s rotation when taking images of stars (something it can calculate using its GPS).”

3) It also has a unique Flexible-tilt LCD.
You can how it works on that Cnet video:

4) Special Operation Assist Lights on the body
Petapixel writes:
Another DSLR first is the special Operation Assist Lights on the body, which are small white LEDs that help you work the camera’s controls while shooting in low-light environments. The lights help you do things such as change lenses, swap memory cards, and use the interface on the back of the camera, all without having to use external illumination or the bright LCD menu.

From the four “innovation” I mentioned here 1) and 4) would be nice to have on the next A7rm3!

P.S.: There is a roundup of K-1 videos you can watch at SonyAlphaForum.

image sample shot on the new Laowa 12mm lens

First an important personal note: Due to personal matters I was offline for 24 hours. So I missed to update my yesterdays rumor with the news discovered by our readers. So if you got the feeling I don’t wanted to update the post know that I simply was offline due an unexpected private urgency

New Laowa 12mm f/2.8 A and E-mount Full Frame lens is coming

Our reader Mistral got the full news about the lens:
This is a “distrotion free 12mm f/2.8” Full Frame lens. It will be available for in both Sony A and E mounts. The main specifications of the prototype from Venus Optics are the following:

Image circle: 24×36
Field of view: 121.96°
Optical formula: 16 elements, including 2 aspherical elements and 3 elements made of glass with anomalous dispersion, in 10 groups
Number of aperture blades : 7
Aperture range: f/2.8 – f/22
Manual focus
Minimum focusing distance: 0.18m
Maximum magnification: 0.2x
Maximum diameter: 74.8mm
Length: 82.2mm
Weight: circa 570g.

On Valentine’s Day, symbolically, Venus Optics published a batch of 16 pictures, taken with a Laowa Zero-D 12mm f/2.8 mounted on a Sony Alpha 7R camera, on the Chinese forum Xitek: http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1546399-1-1-1.html

These pictures can be downloaded in full 7,360 x 4,912 resolution either as an archive from a file server in China: https://yunpan.cn/OcxFvqkZuapr7H   password: fba4

or from the following Flickr album: https://flic.kr/s/aHsktT3YMW

–

Thanks again Mistral!

Sony A7 camera series and ZEISS Milvus lenses – A perfect fit for budget conscious video productions

Loose parts inside A7S after warranty service (SonyAlphaForum).
This is the NEX-7 design patent.
Vile Rumor (Ex-NEX) at TheOnlinePhotographer.
Rx100 sharper than 24-70 FE @ 70mm (SonyAlphaForum).

Karsten: “At a reception last week we presented the trailer of an upcoming theatre premiere. 90% were shot with the Sony A7s combined with Atomos Shogun. We used only three lenses: Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8, Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 and Minolta Rokkor MC 58mm f1.2. We loved the work with this exceptional cam which offers a great price-performance-ratio. Perhaps it is interesting for you and your readers? Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHVHdAxsMXU”

‎Stan Moniz‎: “https://youtu.be/ugUYSXMbhSY. A short time-lapse film shot with the Sony a7rii and Sony Playmemories Time-lapse downloadable application. Shot at the most unusual geologic wonders in the California Desert, The Trona Pinnacles. With its alien landscape and dark skies it was a perfect place to shoot a collection of time-lapse pieces to further test out the easy to use Playmemories Time-lapse app. Visit: www.stanmoniz.com to see more videos and imagery of the night sky.”

‎Baris: “https://vimeo.com/153884462. Here is a short film testing the slog profile on rx100m4.”

SAR deal: “You save 72% on the DENOISE projects professional software (Click here to get the discount and see the final price). This software, 100% developed in Germany, removes all forms of image noise: luminance noise, colour noise, banding, hot pixels & more. It can be used as a stand-alone Program or Plug-in (on both, Windows or Mac). You can  learn more about the software here and order it here.”

A6300 and Sony GM lens EU preorder links:
A6300 body at Calumetphoto.de. Amazon.de. WexUK. Jessops.
A6300 with kit lens at Calumetphoto.de. Amazon.de. WexUK. Jessops.
24-70mm f/2.8 GM FE at  Calumetphoto.de. WexUK. Jessops.
85mm f/1.4 GM FE at Calumetphoto.de. WexUK. Jessops.