(SR5) EXCLUSIVE: First User reviews about the new adapter, A77, NEX-7 and 16-50mm lens!
Now that is working fine! Yesterday we asked our sources if they can send us some more hands-on report about the new products and here we are with the very first short impressions shared by them:
1) Translucent adapter
It delivers exactly the same autofocus performance as in the A33/A55
2) A77
The camera is soooooooooooo fast! The bad news is that CF was dropped at the last stage of design. The screen really is awesome. Another bad news is that price has gone up again likely retail at 1299$ body only.
3) NEX-7
Feels really nice in your hands and the built-in OLED viewfinder is a winner. It records video at 24p FX/PS 1080. The prototype photo is accurate! The controls do make a lot of sense when you know what all the buttons do.
4) 16-50mm SSM lens
It is SILENT! I didn’t notice any vignetting at 16mm but didn’t really look. And the lens is weather sealed (as is the a77+grip)
If you can add more info about the new products feel free to contact me by using the anonymous contact form on the right sidebar. As you already know it doesn’t require your name and email address and it doesn’t store the IP-address neither!
And to all our readers, feel free to make questions and the sources might will send me the answers!
Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources (60-80% the rumor is correct)
SR5=almost certainly correct!
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Pacman
2 years ago |A good photographer does not complain! at least for me I’m not a photographer I’m a boxer and I never complain who ever my opponents would be. bring it on! LOL…
aperture-arts
2 years ago |Relax folks! This is a rumor site and not the final retail brochure!
Milos Janata
2 years ago |w8 a moment. Is it 12fps at 24 mpx or in crop mode? Remember A35 rumors…
Cesc
2 years ago |It’s really bad news if finally CF support has been dropped.
I don’t believe SD nor MS are cards prosumer are shooting with.
loverhd
2 years ago |FullHD Video only 24 fps, no 50/60 fps – for me it is a big disappointment. If so, Panasonic GH2 seems better choice for photo+video home use.
Houckster
2 years ago |I had a feeling that $1000 for the A77 body was too good to be true and now I can’t use my CF memory. That’s a $400 price increase when the price of the SDHC memory is added in. Two bad pieces of news in the same day. I may be using my A700 longer than I’d hoped.
I won’t be surprised if the final price is probably in the $1500-$1700 range when it’s finally in stores.
Pei
2 years ago |Class 10 SDHC are $25 for 16GB, $50 for 32GB. Why do you need $400 worth of SDHC memory? That’s 400GB.
Roman
2 years ago |Cheap class 10 SDHC? Don’t make me laugh. Even quite fast Sony CF 400x card on my Sony A700 is limitation in some situations. For A77 with data stream of 24 MPx at 12 fps you need really, really fast card. And for video recording are 16 or 32 GB cards rather small. Conclusion is obvious…
Wing Wong
2 years ago |+1. My 600X CF cards are crying.
The idea of shooting with SDHC Class 10 makes me wonder why Sony would drop CF… What about the A99 FF replacement? Is it going SDHC as well!?
The price bump would not be a surprise, given the recent posted losses…
Dulaney Ward
2 years ago |I suspect it will be ca $1200.
Brett
2 years ago |Well, I’m not the slightest bit surprised at the new price. $1,000 was too low for a camera that was designed to compete with the Canon 7D at $1,600, and Nikon D300s. It wouldn’t be taken seriously. At that price it’s competition would be the 60D and Nikon D7000. Now of course it has to live up to the price, and even at $1,300, it’s still $300 less tha the 7D and D300s. So I think the new price point makes alot more sence. And I’m sure most of you who were prepared to pay $1,000 will pay the extra $300, if, it’s as good as the “rumors” are saying.
horst
2 years ago |The only news I care about – the Nex 7 rendering being called accurate !
Thanks Andrea !
Any chance to find out if the upcoming Nex 5 and 7 have a fully articulated display ?
Zak
2 years ago |Andrea, did your source say the nex-7 CAN record 24 1080p, or it ONLY records 24 1080p? thank you
admin
2 years ago |It can record 24p. Don’t think it ONLY records that!
Zak
2 years ago |Thank you so much for your reply
Pascal Jappy
2 years ago |What about stabilization? Is that restricted to the A77 or will the NEX-7 have it as well? Thank you.
Rushmore
2 years ago |I don’t mind it’s 1299 and actually I wouldn’t mind paying 1699 as long as we get
A77
-Great Image Quality
( Pictures from Fuji X100 looks like hi-res video. And from what I hear they use the latest SONY sensor. So I am very curious to see actual IQ of A77. And obviously this will be my major decision factor. )
-Fast & Accurate AF system
-Super Responsive Body
-EVF with no lag
(Prefer OVF but it seems like it’s not happening… may be A950 will have it….)
-HD 24P
carminda
2 years ago |can’t wait!!!
Crazy
2 years ago |COMON MAN NO COMPACT FLASH??
noobidoo
2 years ago |Any news on the A65?
DigiFilm
2 years ago |Wah Wah Wah Wah Wah. Why don’t you all go buy those perfect Canikons that are so affordable so I don’t have to read all this whining and maybe I won’t have to wait as long to get one. For the specs the price sound reasonable. Who cares about outdated CF cards. There’s also no compartment for 35mm film. Sorry, had to vent. All these comments are bringing my mood down.
Canada/Mike
2 years ago |You don’t have to read anything you don’t want to! Your the one reading the comments ! WAH WAH WAH WAH
Cesc
2 years ago |CF cards outdated?
Well, I’m using 16GB 600x cards. Do you have an SD card so fast?
Please, inform yourself before give your (misinformed) opinion.
We’re talking about a prosumer camera. Prosumer and professional cameras need CF cards.
albin
2 years ago |I am failing to understand how dropping CF card is a killer for the A77 but no one even think of the fact that the NEX 7 was never planed to be released with a CF card slot… even though it uses the same huge sensor and will have a very fast FPS rate.
CF is just a storage facility, that’s all, get over it.
It is just a bit of a bummer that we will need to buy new cards but at least we will be able to read them straight on our laptops and not have to carry cable around.
Now thinking about it this is the best news we could hope, us laptop users, put the card in, done. no cable form camera/card reader to computer, simple.
I’ll like this.
kalpurush :)
2 years ago |I like too
Andy
2 years ago |sorry Cesc you need a bit of your own medicine and inform yourself
sdxc 2TB and up to 312 MB /sec
cf 600X = 90MB /sec
yep CF outdated
Eric
2 years ago |Here are some more things that annoy me with the NEX-5 and I’m hoping will get fixed with the NEX-7:
1. Clean HDMI out. Currently, the NEX-5 cannot output the full 1920x1080p video through its mini-HDMI port, so we cannot use an external recorder for higher video quality.
2. When I try browsing through photos and videos (directly on the camera with the Play button), it can only display photos, or can only display videos – but not both. I must manually switch the viewing mode in the menu. So this isn’t very intuitive and should be fixed.
3. Start-up time needs to be a bit faster. Currently, on the NEX-5 it takes about 1 second. Should be down to about 0.3-0.5 of a second in the NEX-7.
That one second always makes miss an opportunity of an important moment.
4. The bundled shoulder-strap is too short, and not very comfortable.
5. When I try to manually focus on a subject, the magnified view that pops up to assist me is OK for none-moving objects, but many people complain that this magnified view mechanism is too slow for getting a sharp focus on moving objects. The Leica M9, for example, has a much better way of getting a quick manual focus, even on moving subjects. And yes, I know I can use the new peaking feature, but it’s not a great solution.
6. When using the flash, the shutter’s speed is limited to only 1/160th of a second. Maybe the NEX-7 could offer a faster flash sync?
7. The control wheel can be heard during video footage when adjusting the EV setting. Should be more silent. And I’ve already mentioned in a previous comment that the video feature needs manual control for Aperture and Shutter.
8. The shutter is very audible when taking a photo. I like that it’s substantial and feels that I’m using a pro camera and not a small Point&Shoot, but the sound that it makes could be with less presence.
9. The grip is small (height-wise). My pinky is always situated below the grip instead of on the grip. I know that the whole idea of the NEX-5 is its small size with big features, but for me it would be more comfortable to have a grip area with more height, so that all 3 fingers rest on the grip in a natural way (the index finger usually hovers on the top side around the shutter button, and the thumb is of course on the back-side of the camera).
10. The flash extension should be a standard accessory, and not just in certain bundles.
11. Would have been nice to have the external mic bundled as well.
Most people just buy a body+lens bundle and add an SD card. They don’t wanna spend more money on extra lenses and accessories. They can barely afford the bundle itself.
hiepphotog
2 years ago |All of your points are pretty valid, except for 5. I don’t know how Sony would be able to improve your MF skill. Skilled MF users learn to predict the movement, and pre-focus. Comparing to the RF focus, I think peaking is still better in general,though might not be as precise in some situations. RF mechanical focus system is OVF and is prone to focus shift. While NEX-7 will be EVF and guarantees against focus shift. I assume the new EVF would provide a clearer and better view, but nailing people in motion is your job.
Anonymous
2 years ago |1. Clean HDMI out. Currently, the NEX-5 cannot output the full 1920x1080p video through its mini-HDMI port, so we cannot use an external recorder for higher video quality.
This is primarily a photographic stills tool. Sony would be cutting sales from the Sony NEX video cameras if they did this.
4. The bundled shoulder-strap is too short, and not very comfortable.
Sony makes money by selling optional higher quality straps so they purposely include crappy straps.
7. The control wheel can be heard during video footage when adjusting the EV setting. Should be more silent. And I’ve already mentioned in a previous comment that the video feature needs manual control for Aperture and Shutter.
This is primarily a photographic stills tool. Sony would be cutting sales from the Sony NEX video cameras if they did this.
9. The grip is small (height-wise). My pinky is always situated below the grip instead of on the grip. I know that the whole idea of the NEX-5 is its small size with big features, but for me it would be more comfortable to have a grip area with more height, so that all 3 fingers rest on the grip in a natural way (the index finger usually hovers on the top side around the shutter button, and the thumb is of course on the back-side of the camera).
The point of the NEX is to be as small as possible. That’s what differentiates it from the alpha line. Don’t like it? Then the NEX isn’t for you. That’s like buying a motorcycle and complaining you can’t drive around with your kids in it.
1.5 Crop
2 years ago |Nice job, but where is the next gen NEX-5 news?
SLTPro
2 years ago |I’m thinking it’s about time somebody leaked a video of the A77 in action!! Come on, you mystery testers blatantly read this forum! Sony won’t care it’ll be good publicity!
SLTPro
2 years ago |Oh and as for the CF support..ffs. Get with the times!! The whole point of the new Pro level SLT is to make a stupidly fast “chuckable” rugged camera for prosumers and professionals. Why save all the weight and size with the SLT design to put a massive outdated card format in there! As long as SD can keep up with 24MP at 12FPS (and on paper it can) then it’s fast enough!
Gene Stoesser
2 years ago |If Sony is going to charge $1299.00 for body only.
I can get a nikon d7000 W/18-105mm lens on sale for that.
I can’t use my sony or minolta lens with it, but might
think about changing what I buy if any further price
increases. Maybe wait to look at the new d4 nikon
And just sell my sony lens.
Anthony Burokas
2 years ago |I just rented an a55 for 2 weeks on a trip and had numerous white balance errors in single shots but most evident in 3fps continuous mode. Seems others have this problem too. That the a55 has been out so long and there’s nu update or fix makes me less enthused with an a77.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1037&message=38982734
The bottom tilt swivel is stupid wonky. I’ve been using cameras with side tilt swivel screens, including prosumer & professional video and bottom tilt swivel is just stupid (on a tripod- can’t see it from the front, shooting portrait- swing it out and your arm blocks the screen)
Then look at the Grip accessory- nearly renders the tilt-swivel completely ineffective. Mount it to the side (like nearly every camcorder made for over a decade) and it’d work fine. It’s just another case of Sony doing it different just to be different.
The sweep panorama failed to produce acceptable results for me about 75% of the time- visible seams, choppy lines, and even impressionistic art.
I was really hoping to be blown away by all the unique capabilities of the Alpha line and make good use of my existing Minolta glass, but if the a77 just continues the trend of the existing Sony cameras (and the limited 24p 1080 mode is also a stinker in my book) then I’ll most certainly be looking elsewhere.
It’s a shame because I was sooooo looking forward to this camera.
Grrrrrrr.
Joel
2 years ago |You’ve had a chance to talk to people who have handled the A77, and all they’ve said is that it’s “soooooooooooooo fast” and that the screen is really good? WTF? Can we have some accurate specs please? How many AF points? How many FPS can I shoot at? Whats the highest clean ISO it can shoot at?
Till then, I don’t believe that you’re actually talking to real testers.
Joel
2 years ago |Yep, for those whining about the camera not supporting CF, have you fools actually taken a look at the SD UHS specs? Is 720Mb/s not fast enough for you?
pancanikonpus
2 years ago |lol… so funny reading you guys comments. cannot wait for the 1st full review!
Zstan
2 years ago |Exactly. Complaining about stuffs which don’t even exist on the shelves yet.
I wonder how those nikon users waiting for the d400 are feeling now when there’s not even a single leak on nikon rumours.
Mike
2 years ago |It has a Thumbwheel! A small step for Sony, but a big one for the user – Great!
A700 owner
2 years ago |I don’t get the guys defending SD cards. If you say that CF is outdated, you’re simply an idiot. CF cards has double the speed compared to SD. They are more durable and won’t brake as easily (they are also less easy to loose because of the bigger size). SD cards are for compact cameras and entry level DSLRs. No serious photographer will ever want to use SD over CF cards!
No CF + price increase + no flip up mirror = I’m out.
I won’t be giving Sony my money, that’s for sure. I’ll sit tight and wait for the FF cameras next year. If they turn out to be as big of a disappointment, I’m jumping ship..
Anonymous
2 years ago |“No serious photographer will ever want to use SD over CF cards!”
Is this a joke? A real photographer wouldn’t care about what memory storage a camera uses. It’s clear you’re just a gearfag/pixelpeeper/camera-collector.
SLTPro
2 years ago |@A700 Listen buddy, there’s no need to start calling people idiots, just because a particular storage medium suits them better. My paying clients couldn’t give a monkeys f*** what I’m using to store my images as long it meets my requirements which it does! I don’t lose cards because I look after them and their size actually makes them durable. What I do agree is that were in a transition phase so Sony shouldn’t have dropped CF from what is a transitional camera. I’m sure CF will be dropped for the new FF cameras as the new CFast standard which has none of the CF limitations may be ready. Personally I would just like twin slots for backup, I would prefer these as SD because I shoot light and don’t want to carry 8 CF cards round with me!
Dutchie
2 years ago |Wouldn’t the A77 be cheaper to build because it would be using an EVF? If the price is going up (and present Nikon / Canon might just get a bit cheaper) I am tempted to choose a camera that still has a OVF….
Rumours……. We shall see
Sol
2 years ago |Got to say, I’m wondering if this latest on “no CF cards” can be correct.
Really makes no senses. Especially considering that Sony was part of a consortium that less than a year a go, helped to create a new faster standard for CF card design. Why would their next major, semi-pro camera release not included this new card standard???
Food for thought folks.
Bob
2 years ago |Andrea – Thanks for the latest info. Looked up 32GB Sony SD cards and they are 100 US dollars each. A great deal faster than any CF card and require less space. I am a wildlife photographer and the change in cards do not matter. Speed does for the action shots. 3 cards, 2 additional batteries and I am set to go. If the specs are correct(the main ones) and it out preforms the a700(know it will) my only question is When can we pre-order. Just wish sigma would get their act together and make the 300-800mm f5,6 in the A Mount!! Another thought would like a 2nd sd card slot for video that would be awesome!
Houckster
2 years ago |Bob, you say the Sony SD cars “are a great deal faster than any CF card”. Are you sure? The last CF card I bought was rated at 90MB and the fastest SDHC card I can find now is 45MB.
kuzlik
2 years ago |1299$ body only — more realistic price for this camera
Terryfried
2 years ago |Houckster
CF has reached its limit.
SD has just pased it and in the futue will go alll the way up to 350MBs
size limit is 2TB but cost is curent size restricter but as with all cards cost will come down and size up untill the limit is reached. for example of typical curent SD cards se below.
http://www.ukdigital.co.uk/panasonic-32gb-sdhc-uhs-1-class-10-card.html