Samyang just released a new lens that will be available for both, A and E-mount camera owners. It’s the 10mm f/2.8 “ED AS NCS CS” lens. It covers the APS-C sensor area and is priced at around $400. It will ship from end January. Image samples can be seen at Samyangs website (Click here).

Samyang press release:

Prototype version of Samyang 10mm f/2.8 lens has been presented to the public on Photokina 2012 fairs. Samyang has stepped its gear and introduced a focused development program to obtain the highest possible optical parameters and reduce the product’s size at the same time. These efforts resulted in the latest version of Samyang 10 1:2.8 ED AS NCS CS lens featuring parameters and capabilities comparable to the best wide-angle prime and zoom lenses on the market.

Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS NCS CS is an ideal tool for indoor, architecture and landscape shooting. It provides an exceptionally wide field of view of up to 109.5 degrees and rectilinear image mapping function. Owing to a fast f/2.8 lens speed you can also use the lens in low light conditions. This is why it turns out a useful tool for sport photography and photojournalism purposes. The product’s optics comprises 14 elements divided into 10 groups, this includes 2 aspherical AS lenses and one lens made of extra-low dispersion glass. During development works on the prototype version the lens was fitted with an embedded lens hood which ensures more compact size of the lens and reduces its weight by approximately 160 grams*. * – applicable to a version with Canon E mount

NCS (Nano Coating System)

Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS NCS CS is the first Samyang Optics lens featuring a nano crystal anti-reflection coating system. This technology provides lower reflection factor than (U)MC system as the coating is now applied more evenly on the surface of the lens. Benefits brought by the nano crystal layer include better light transmission, increased resistance to reflections and higher contrast, and all of this translates into supreme optical resolution of the lens.

Imaging Resource posted a Q&A session with Sony. These are some of the most important info:

– Sony’s spirit is to create something new which never existed before. We (Sony) will keep on working to create that kind of product in the future, with that spirit.
– Every single RX1 lens-sensor gets adjusted with an accuracy less than one micron.
– There will be cheaper RX1 alike cameras
– Why are FE zooms that slow? Sony says “f/2.8 isn’t very reasonable, but f/4 is reasonable for every consumer in terms of pricing point, and also the size.”
– Sony is selling more QX cameras than expected
– The RX10 processor has less power consumption than the RX100MII. And therefore less overheating issues.

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Thanks Mistral for sharing the link!

Right now Sony-Zeiss-Samyang-Sigma-Voigtlander are probably using their best “minds” to figure out what FE lens they should add to their roadmap:

1) Sony already said they have three new FE lenses in 2014
– One Zeiss fast prime lens in 2014 (hurray!)
– One Zeiss f/4.0 wide angle zoom
– One G macro lens
– By end of 2015 a total of 15 lenses will be released (today’s five announced lenses included).

2) Zeiss also confirmed they will launch manual focusing lenses with electronic support

3) Samyang,Voigtlander and Sigma could launch proper FE designed lens (and not DSLR designed and FE adapted lenses)

But now it’s the SAR reader turn to come up with prime and zoom lens suggestions. Please comment this post with a short list of lenses that Sony,Zeiss or other manufacturers should make for the FE system. As usual please try to come up with lens specs that are realistic and be aware that you have to pay for quality and super specs :)

This for example would be my suggestion list:
Sony 12-24mm f/4.0 lens
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
Zeiss 35mm f/1.4
Sony 35mm f/3.5 pancake
Zeiss 50mm f/1.2
Zeiss 85mm f/1.4
Sony 135mm f/2.0 G lens

I will sum up your suggestions and launch a POLL next week to see what lens is needed most!!!

Seiko announced a new 12mm f/7.4 Fisheye for Sony E-mount. Photographyblog reports:

Toda Seiko has announced a diagonal fisheye lens for Fujifilm X-mount and Sony E-mount cameras. The Toda Seiko 12mm f/7.4 is a manual-focus lens with a fixed aperture, seven-layer muticoating and 4 lens elements in 4 groups. Weighing in at 220g, the lens has a total length of 58.5mm and maximum diameter of 65mm. In Japan, the Toda Seiko 12mm f/7.4 Diagonal Fisheye lens will be available for 24,800 yen.

As you see the Lunar is quite hot under rich and famous people :) Thanks Zhiyi for sharing the pic!

Note: I remind you that Hasselblad and Sony collaboration could finally bring us something…let’s say…more “useful”. A new sensor! Announcement should be made in 2014.

There are also new Lunar and Stellars on auction:
[shoplink 22672 ebay]Hasselblad Lunar on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 22673 ebay]Hasselblad Stellar on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

P.s.: Hasselblad unveils “Stellar Special Edition” in three new colors (Imaging Resource).

An Amish Man from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

NEX-5t review at Imaging Resource.
Sony RX10 vs RX100 II: Same Sensor, Same Image? (Digitalversus).
NEX-5t review at Steve Digicams.
Samyang 85mm T1.5 AS IF UMC Lens Review at ePhotozine.
Sony Announces Industrial BSI CMOS Sensor (Image Sensor World).
Sony Cyber-shot QX100 Review (ePhotozine).
RX100II test at Popphoto.
Camera360 for iPhone Finally Gets Updated to Support Sony QX Camera (App here on iTunes).
SEL30M35 30mm F3.5 macro lens review at Fiberstrobe.

Sony Japan just announced that the Zeiss 55mm FE lens will ship from December 20 instead of the previously estimated January release period. And the 18-105mm PZ lens will ship from December 13.

Meantime we also learned that the Sony Korea teaser for a “new product release” was indeed for the Zeiss 55mm FE lens :(

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Specs and Preorders in US and Canada:
Dedicated Sony announcement page at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony A7r body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony RX10 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 24-70mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 35mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 55mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
70-200mm A-mount at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony A to E adapter with mirror at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
A7/A7r leather case at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
A7/A7r vertical grip at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony W Series Battery Charger at Amazon, BHphoto.
Sony FA-CS1M Off-Camera Shoe at BHphoto.
Semi-Hard LCD Screen Protector for A7-A7r at Amazon, BHphoto.

Specs and Preorders in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,  WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony  DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT
Zeiss 24-70mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, SE, PT
Sony G 28-70mm lens at Sony DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO.

Asia:
A7r at Digitalrev.
A7 at Digitalrev, Amazon Cina.
A7 with 28-70mm lens at Digitalrev.