Samyang announces plenty of new A and E-mount lenses!

Samyang just made a huge lens announcement and we have plenty of new lenses for both A and E mount cameras! We also have some lenses covering the Full Frame sensor area of the A7-A7r cameras. Here are all the lenses with preorder links to the BHphoto preorder page (Click on the blue link to see the direct preorder page with pricing info):

8mm f/2.8 UMC Fish-Eye as Sony E mount (Click here).
10mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS CS lens as Sony E mount (Click here) and as Sony A mount (Click here).
12mm f/2.0 NCS CS lens as Sony E mount (Click here).
8mm T3.1 Cine UMC Fish-Eye II lens as Sony E mount (Click here).
24mm f/1.4 ED AS IF UMC lens as Sony E-mount (Click here).
35mm f/1.4 AS UMC lens as Sony E-mount (Click here)

Sony Japan officially launches the PRO support service.

Sony Japan officially launched the Sony PRO support. The admission fee is 5,000 YEN ($50) and the annual fee 100 Yen ($1). This is what you will receive in exchange:

  • 50% discounts on repairs
  • discount on Image sensor cleaning
  • you will receive rented equipment while your gets repaired
  • discount on product purchase
  • extra information (?)
  • dedicated support

Let me know if you can find the PRO support advertised in other countries! Thanks!

UPDATE: The same service is offered via Sony Hong Kong.

Sony A7-A7r, NEX-5T/R and NEX-6 firmware announced!!!!

It’s here! The new Sony firmware has been announced and I kindly ask you to check the most important of the new additions: The Image quality improvement of the A7-A7r cameras. Let’s see if it’s a “real” noticeable improvement! Here are the download links:

A7R
Mac – Sony US, Sony Germany, Sony UK, Sony France, Sony Spain, Sony Italy, Sony Holland, Sony Belgium, Sony Austria, Sony Switzerland, Sony Finland, Sony Sweden, Sony Norway, Sony Portugal, Sony Australia
Windows – Sony US, Sony Germany, Sony UK, Sony France, Sony Spain, Sony Italy, Sony Holland, Sony Belgium, Sony Austria, Sony Switzerland, Sony Finland, Sony Sweden, Sony Norway, Sony Portugal, Sony Australia

A7
Mac – Sony US, Sony Germany, Sony UK, Sony France, Sony Spain, Sony Italy, Sony Holland, Sony Belgium, Sony Austria, Sony Switzerland, Sony Finland, Sony Sweden, Sony Norway, Sony Portugal, Sony Australia
Windows – Sony US, Sony Germany, Sony UK, Sony France, Sony Spain, Sony Italy, Sony Holland, Sony Belgium, Sony Austria, Sony Switzerland, Sony Finland, Sony Sweden, Sony Norway, Sony Portugal, Sony Australia

NEX5R
Mac – Sony US, Sony Australia
Windows – Sony US, Sony Australia

NEX5T
Mac – Sony US, Sony Australia
Windows – Sony US, Sony Australia

NEX6
Mac – Sony US, Sony Australia
Windows – Sony US, Sony Australia

–

Thanks Puggs for the links!

New A9 design sketches from Robert Russell (Just an imagination).

Industrial Designer Robert Russell designed a possible A7 successor camera with a different and more “rounded” design. This is pure imagination and not based on any real or rumored camera. Here is his text:

Sketches for a new design direction for the SONY A7/A7R (by Robert Russell)

I feel a camera of this importance should reflect that in its physical appearance as well as its revolutionary concept. my primary effort was to eliminate the “boxy” look and feel to the camera. I kept the functions/controls in their existing locations and tried to only effect the styling of the body. I have also improved the grip and finger placement for comfort as well as for access to controls. Also I placed a thumb rest on the left side of the body for additional stability, particularly when using prime lenses.
I have not physically held an A7, but I own and love my NEX-7! The A7 is such an exciting camera I hope some day to own one. I follow all rumor sites (Sony Alpha Rumors) and press releases from SONY and have a great admiration for its products and overall design philosophy.

Please let me know your thoughts on my ideas.

Please do not use/publish these images without the permission from Robert Russell (russell.design@comcast.net).

Tuesday March 18 at 1:00pm EST: Live Discussion with Mark Weir!

Tomorrow (March 18 at 1:00pm EST) BHphoto will host a Live Stream Event about the Sony A7 series. You can read more about the event and submit your questions on that BHphoto page (Click here). The guest list includes Mark Weir from Sony, Pulitzer prize winner and Sony A7r user Brian Smith.

Let’s hope Mark Weir will take the chance to talk about both Sony A and E-mount strategies! Be sure to send in the “right” questions :)

—Current Sony US deals:

Sony A99:
A99 with a free(!) grip for $2299 at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and Sony Store (Click bere).
Buy.com (now Rakuten) is selling the Sony A99 for $1,899.99 only. The offer runs out of time within the next couple of hours.

Sony A7 and A7r:
A7-A7r up to $650 savings are still running at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and Sony Store (Click bere).
You can trade it any camera you have (also a $10 cheap used compact) and get a $300 credit for the A7 or A7r purchase at Focuscamera (Click here) , Adorama (Click here) or BHphoto (Click here).

Sony RX10 and RX100II:
Save $240 on Select Accessories with the Purchase of the Sony RX10 Digital Camera at Amazon and SonyStore.
Save up to $550 on Select Sony Accessories with Sony RX1 Series Camera Purchase at Amazon.

“Old” NEX series:
Total of $398.90 free extras comes along the NEX-6 body at BHphoto (Click here).
Sony NEX-6 double lens kit for $869 via third party resellers at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony NEX-7 with two lenses and extras for $899 (substract the $100 gift card) at BHphoto (Click here).
NEX-3n with kit lens is again back in Stock for $299 only at Amazon US (Click here).