While Sony seems to focus on the new FE lens launch other companies are throwing out their camera announcements. And there are some interesting news here:

The big FFs from Pentax:
Pentax announced that they will release their first digital Full Frame DSLR by end of 2015. As you know Pentax use Sony sensors on their APS-C DSLR so I guess it’s highly likely Pentax will use the new 46-50MP Sony FF sensor on that camera too! P.S.: The full Canon 50MP camera specs are out at CanonWatch.

Two news from Olympus:
The launched the new Air Clip (43rumors.com) that works just like the Sony QX1!
Their new E-M5II camera has a multishot trick to take 40 Megapixel images (43rumors.com). It uses the on sensor stabilization system to shift the sensor to take 8 shots in different position. I guess Sony could do the same on the A7II!

Samsung news:
Samsung launched the 4K APS-C NX500 (mirrorlessrumors.com). Something Sony should do soon too…launch a cheaper 4K camera.

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Sony Japan just published their official CP+ Sony event page (Click here). And it shows all the upcoming new FE lenses and converters in their final production version. There is also a text in Japanese:

The whole page shows the list of conferences and promotes all latest products like the A7II, A7s, A6000 and even (at last) A-mount (A77II).

There is no hint whatsoever for a possible new camera launch. As I told you previously it’s very likely Sony may announce new cameras few weeks AFTER the CP+.

The rumored lens price and launch date is:
Zeiss 35mm f/1.4: to ship in March 2015. 1399 Euro?
Sony 28mm f/2.0: to ship in February 2015. 499 Euro?
90mm f/2.8 G OSS macro: to ship in March 2015. 999 Euro?
24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS: to ship in March 2015. 1099 Euro?
converters for 229 Euro each?

Viltrox EF-NEX II Canon EF to Sony E-Mount Adapter Review & Unboxing

Sony a7R review at Graverholtfoto.
Sony 35/1.8 OSS review at Admiringlight.
Sony A7S Captures UK Night Shift Workers (Photographyblog).
Can Sony A7s Do Broadcast TV? NBC Promo Shot on Sony A7s & DJI Ronin (Cinema5D).
Sony A7 ii AutoFocus Tracking Testing – Hi Speed Shooting Train (SonyAlphaForum).
Zeiss 16-35mm FE review at SonyAlphaLab.
Sony a7II IBIS with a 16mm lens (Kasson).

Terrence: “Hooked up to Sony a7s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WrVpuiaFgE”

Eliot: “Longtime reader here! Wanted to share a short video my team and I shot on two of our lovely A7s bodies. My company, Parlor (weareparlor.com), focuses mainly on documentary-style productions for non-profits, small brands, restaurants, and artists. This project, for the United Coalition of Motor Club Safety, was perfect for the a7s. We had to travel light, fit in tight spaces, shoot in all kinds of weather, and most importantly- get beautiful, sharp, vibrant images.
I’m really proud of the result- it just went live today – and I would love if you could share it with fellow readers. I think it does a great job of showcasing the amazing potential of the a7s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BEt-fRhVts
We captured all media internally (unfortunately our Shogun arrived two weeks too late). Clips were recorded in S-Log2, then edited and graded in FCPX. We used Metabones adapters, both the speedster and smart adapter, to shoot with a small handful of lenses including the Tamron 24-70, Canon 100L, and Canon 20. The APS-C crop really opened up a world of potential with these guys- essentially doubling our available glass.”

Alex: “I just got my new A7 and took it to praque, I have written a short, slightly humorous review/turorial maybe you find the time to read it: http://passportsandlenses.com/how-to-take-pictures-of-your-girlfriend/“

Image courtesy: Lensrentals

Roger Cicala from Lensrentals disassembled the new Sony A7II and this are his findings:

It’s not surprising that the inside of the A7II is more complex than the previous A7 cameras. The in-body image stabilization takes up space and adds circuitry. The camera does largely retain its modular construction, but clearly is more complex to assemble and disassemble.
The A7II is clearly more robust than its predecessors, too. The lens mount seems designed to eliminate any wobbling or looseness that was noticed in previous models and the chassis seems stronger.
We don’t see any real increase in weather sealing, except around the battery door, and even that is incomplete. However, it is certainly possible that Sony has such tight plastic-on-plastic seals that they don’t think rubber gaskets are necessary. Like I said at the beginning, though, I’m pretty cynical about manufacturer’s weather sealing claims.

USA/Canada A7II links:
Sony Alpha a7II (Body Only) for $1,698 at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, SonyStore and Sony Store Canada.
Sony Alpha a7II with FE 28-70mm OSS Lens for $1,998 at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, SonyStore.
Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM II Lens for $1,148 at BHphoto.
EU A7II links:
Sony Alpha a7II (Body Only) for 1.799 Euro at Sony Germany, Sony UK, Jessops UK, Sony France, Sony Italy, Sony Spain, Sony Austria, Sony Switzerland, Sony Netherland, Sony Belgium, Sony Portugal, Sony Sweden, Sony Finland, Sony Norway.
Sony Alpha a7II with FE 28-70mm OSS Lens for 2.099 Euro at Amazon Germany, Wex UK, Jessops UK, Verkkokauppa.
Asian/Australia A7II link:
Sony A7II at Sony Store Australia, Digitalrev and Amazon Japan.
A7II Gariz case:
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Sony has a new idea to improve the image quality at very low light conditions. They propose a new tech that actually counts every single photo hitting the sensor:

“since a pixel signal is extremely weak when weak light is detected, it is desirable to reflect electrons generated from photoelectric conversion on intensity of the pixel signal while losing as few electrons as possible. In general, however, when electrons generated in a photodiode are transferred to a floating diffusion, carriers (electrons) are doped at an interface level generated due to a defect present on a gate oxide film interface (interface defect) of a transfer transistor.”

“there is provided an image sensor including pixels each configured to include a transfer transistor configured as an embedded channel type MOS transistor and to output a pixel signal based on a charge transferred to a floating diffusion from a photodiode by the transfer transistor in an on state, and a determination unit configured to convert the output pixel signal to a digital value, then compare the converted digital value to a threshold value, and thereby make a binary determination on presence or absence of incidence of a photon on the pixel that has generated the pixel signal. Accordingly, the image sensor that makes a binary determination on presence or absence of incidence of a photon on a pixel exhibits the effect of reducing influence of an interface state on the transfer transistor.”

We don’t know yet how big the improvement is. But maybe the day is not far away we will get a new A7sX with 1 million ISO :)

via Image Sensor World.

The new 70-300mm II A-mount lens will finally ship on February 20 at BHphoto (Click here) or February 24 at Amazon (Click here). The lens has been announced back in late November along the A7II.

And A-mount camera owners should know that two more “Updated” A-mount lenses will be shown at CP+ in February: