Image source Fotointern.ch.

Zeiss is well know for their CP Cine Lenses (here at BHphoto). And at the recent NABshow Zeiss announced the new CZ.2 28-80 T2.9 which will also be sold as E-mount lens. It has the following features:

1) It has what ZEISS calls a “sweet spot effect” (uniformity of illumination)
2) Covers the Full Frame area (good for the VG900!)
3) it is conform to “4K production standards”
4) Front diameter is 95mm and wight is 2.5 to 2.8 kilograms (5.5 to 6.2 pounds).

That massive huge lens isn’t really cheap. It costs €14,900 or US$19,900 (excluding VAT).

(Source: Fdtimes).

[shoplink 18056 ebay][/shoplink]

(UPDATED) The Chinese company making the adapters contact us to say that these first Nikon to NEX “Lens Turbo” adapters are still NOT IN STOCK. The auction can be found here on [shoplink 18056 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. Please be aware that these do not ship.

As you know the “Lens Turbo” works like the well known “Speed Booster” from metabones.

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P.S: Thanks to the anonymous source for sending me this!

Sony today announced the new HX50V compact camera. The camera features a 20 Megapixel 1/2.3″ BSI sensor. And has a huge 24-720mm f/3.5-6.3 zoom. The full press release can be read at Dpreview, ThePhoBlographer, some image samples at Photographyblog and preorders at Amazon and SonyStore.

What’s more important for us is that Zeiss will have an announcement on May 7th. Be sure to be on SAR that day!

The 30mm f/1.4 Canon mount version

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SAR reader Okie-Centric (Thanks!) got an answer from Sigma about their new 30mm f/1.4 lens not being available as A-mount versions:

“Upon inquiring about the future of Sigma A-Mount lenses, got this response. There was a little back & forth too. Now I like Sigma all the more, for their quick and personal response(s)…..
Good morning,
We will still be making Sony mount for some of the new Global Vision lenses. The new 35mm as well as the new 17-70 both have Sony versions. The new 120-300 won’t be in Sony, but the older version wasn’t either. The only upgraded lens that has dropped Sony was the new 30mm and from I can tell, that was due to the older version selling poorly. Our parent company didn’t see the demand for the lens and therefore decided not to produce it.
Please be assured that going forward, Sigma will still be producing lenses for Sony cameras, however which new lenses get made in Sony are determined on a case by case basis.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Have a great day!
Sincerely,
——-(name removed)
SIGMA Corporation of America”

That’s bad news. By the way, the old 30mm lens version wans’t really a good quality lens (see test at Photozone). That could also be a reaosn why they didn’t sell many A-mount lenses!

P.S.: The new 35mm f/1.4 will ship next week according to BHphoto (Click here).

The first A58 unboxing video :)

Dyxum forum member “guy” announced a new The alpha shutter count tool. You can see the tool at http://tools.science.si/index.php. Cool thing he did here!

Sony WX200 review at ePhotozine.
SLT-A58 image samples at Imaging Resource.
French test of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens at LeMondeDeLaPhoto.
Camera Pi – DSLR Camera with Embedded Computer (DavidHunt).
Sony NEX-3n review at Engadget.
Sony NEX-6 review at Imaging Resource.
Lensbaby for Sony Alpha review at ThePhoBlographer.
20mm pancake review at ePhotozine.
50mm f/1.8 E-mount lens review at ePhotozine.
New blog about the Sony Action Cam: http://sonyactioncam2.blogspot.com/
Sony explains XAVC on youtube.

DeoTech is going to ship the new Contax G to NEX adapter from April 20th. Here are some links to videos showing some Contax lenses on the NEX:
28mm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZCmjzwg6V0
35mm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tz9Yx7ruKo
45mm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uGMyLDlp1s
90mm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC_fWkEj2Ls

Here is the list of great G lenses with links to eBay price:
Hologon 16mm; 1:8 on [shoplink 16235 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] -> (will not work on the DEO TECHART adapter).
Biogon T* 21 mm; 1:2,8 on [shoplink 16236 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] -> (will not work on the DEO TECHART adapter).
Biogon T* 28 mm; 1:2,8 on [shoplink 16237 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Planar T* 35 mm; 1:2,0 on [shoplink 16238 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Planar T* 45 mm; 1:2,0 on [shoplink 16239 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sonnar T* 90 mm; 1:2,8 on [shoplink 16240 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Vario-Sonnar T* 35 – 70 mm; 1:3,5-5,6 on [shoplink 16241 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

The Echo in the Light (ULTRA Music Festival) from Brandon Li on Vimeo.

Dave: “I also wanted to share my work with you and your readers. My first camera was a Sony a100 bought in 2006. I moved onto the a700 soon after it became available and then the a77 after my a700 was stolen. So all of the photos on my website were shot using one of these three cameras. I shoot only in RAW and continue to be amazed by all the information I can pull out of these Sony sensors. http://www.davelongmedia.com/“

David: “I shot my second video job last week for a Lounge/Bar in Toronto with the a99, here’s the video: http://www.sin3rgy-creative.com/portfolio/skky-lounge-promo/ ‎
I shot the entire video in HD at 60p, it’s a huge advantage over all other FF DSLRs because they can’t do 1080p at 60p, only 720 at 60 frames/second. Because of that I was able to do very nice slow motion shots.”

Martin: “Sony Alpha 99 Training. Hier einmal die beiden Links:
http://blog.martindoersch.at/2013/02/praxistraining-fotografie-sony-nex-5r-nex-6/
http://blog.martindoersch.at/2013/03/praxistraining-fotografie-sony-slt-a99-video2brain/“

Jim: “Dear Sony Alpha Rumors,
Some of your readers may be interested in my side-by-side test of the A77 and the RX-100 in a real-life situation. I’ve posted a lot of information about the A700 and the A77 already. Check out my blog posts about these, too. http://jimmartinphotoblog.blogspot.de/2013/03/testing-sony-rx100-at-zoo.html“

Baron: “Hi Andrea, how are you?
Please share this video with the world. We used the Sony SLT A99 to film the Royal Salute Polo Cup, Malaysia. Lenses used were Sony 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 and Sony 24-70mm F/2.8 ZA. Here is the video: http://vimeo.com/62416804. The entire polo match was shot using the Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G telephoto lens. This lens shines for use in outdoor sports, wildlife situations. I don’t recommend this lens for indoor use as it is a little slow (F4.5-5.6). Unless you are willing to compensate with a high ISO, the 70-300mm should be used for brightly lit situations. Shot at 60 frames per second with the A99, edited smoothly with Edius, no file formats issues. Perfect playback and editing of footage shot at 60 frames per second with the A99.”

Luis: “This one is a BTS for a photography workshop inspired in Mad Men. Again it’s all shoot with my Sony A77, a Sigma 30mm f1.4 and a Tamron 60mm f2.0.
https://vimeo.com/55425154. Then there’s this one, a day in the company of a friend of mine who’s a bike courier in my home town in Portugal. This one has some clips from a Canon MkII but most of the footage is from my Sony A77 and a RX100. https://vimeo.com/60198481”

Vaclav: “The NEX6 review in Czech: http://www.digimanie.cz/art_doc-57FC1A81576114D7C1257B2C005CDAAF.html”

Aleksey: “Last summer at the Sony SLT-A77V I filmed timelaps. Video was shot 3 months. Used the 50mm and 18-50mm. Some plans have been photographed on Minolta Z3 :) I am used the photographs only. Since you periodically publish these videos I thought that you may be Interested. http://youtu.be/oYHM_B2xTLI”

Anonymous: “Budget underwater housing from Meike. Found this while I was looking for UW housing for my NEX 6. They currently only hold housing for NEX 3 & 5 for under 100€: http://www.mkgrip.com/en/products.aspx?typeid=84”

Doug: “Sony NEX-6 versus NEX-7: http://www.blogarithms.com/index.php/archives/2013/04/07/nex-6-or-7/.
Sony E-Mount Lenses: http://www.blogarithms.com/index.php/archives/2013/04/07/nex-lenses/
Sony NEX-7: 3-Part Review: http://www.blogarithms.com/index.php/archives/2012/07/03/sony-nex-7-tests/“