The video on top is part of the full A77 review from David Dugdale (Click here to read it). He tested the camera with the old 1.03 firmware! So some of the issues he found have been fixed (like responsiveness and lagging). He likes the Canon more than the Sony, and I am curious to hear what you reader think about the review. I bet there will be a huge discussion! :)

David Kilpatrick from Photoclubalpha (Click here) says about the new 1.04 firmware: “No significant improvement can be detected so far in image quality despite the claims, at least with the 100 or so test shots we’ve taken at different ISOs using a Color Checker, and other spot checks for Low/Normal/High NR. But there are so many modes on the A77 including panoramas, multishot, DRO, that the improvement may well be specific functions which Sony will explain in more detail.”

There is a new spanish A77 review at pixel-depot (Click here to read the translation): “The image quality is, after upgrading the firmware of the camera, excellent, superior to that offered by other APS sensor DSLR models, but Sony can still improve the response to high ISO as ISO 4000 from the noise signal is appreciable.”

In Stock status:
There is not a lot to say. The A77 is out of Stock almost everywhere. You can still find som cameras on eBay. In USA at [shoplink 10487 ebay]Willoughbyscamera (but you pay $400 extra)[/shoplink], In Europe at Amazon Germany, [shoplink 10485 ebay]Foto Neuber Germany[/shoplink], in Italy at [shoplink 10486 ebay]Aggiudicato[/shoplink] and at Digitalrev (PAL version!). Check for more (pre-)orders at [shopcountry 8461].

SAR reader mails:
Tony: “Hi Andrea: I have just don a long 3-part review of the 5n vs. A77 vs. NEX 7 on my website. You can access it here: http://www.thistonybridge.com/newsletter”
Matt: “just wanted to share this video I made with the A77 w/ stock lens… I’m using it to film college basketball (VCU Rams) and this video really shows off its autofocus capabilities, which I think a lot of sports photographers are curious about… share if you wish! http://www.vcuramnation.com/2011/12/video-vcu-defeats-south-florida/”
Ricky: “Hello Andrea, I took a lot of shots a couple of weeks ago at the Edgewood Texas Heritage Festival with my A77 and Tamron 18-250 and they came out great. Thought you might put a link to the page where I have them.  There are three boxes on the page. The top box is from 2010 and was taken with my now sold SLT-A33 and 18-55 kit lens. The next two lower boxes are slideshows from two weeks ago with the A77. It was cloudy a lot of the day and many are shot with the  ISO multishot feature that shoots up to six shot and puts them into one to reduce noise. All were shot JPEG and I reduced them down in FastStone Photo Resizer: http://razzledazzleart.com/EdgewoodFestival2010.aspx“

A new week started and I am glad that I can share two good news:

1) The first batch of A77 cameras produced in Japan arrived in Asia. You can see a picture of the package (Click here) and a picture of the camera (Click here). It says “Made in Japan” and no more “Made in Thailand“. Now let’s hope Sony will also send them soon in Europa and USA too. Amazon Japan (Click here) now says the A77 will be back in Stock in two weeks. Check the A77 in Stock status at [shopcountry 8461].
2) Henrik sent me the screenshot you see on top to proof that Sony Denmark shipped his Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 for NEX lens! If you preordered the lens than you will might get it that week. Otherwise check the preorder info at [shopcountry 8450].

The video on top shows you the latest A65 video review form Digitalrev. But there is one good news I have to share. The Sony A65 will be back in Stock on December 9 at Amazon US (Click here). The camera has been stock for two weeks now and I don’t know if that is part of a new Stock of cameras coming out from the new Chomburi factory in Thailand.
P.S: Also the new 16-50mm f/2.8 lens is in Stock at Amazon (Click here).

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A65 shop links: [shopcountry 8459].
A77 shop links: [shopcountry 8461].

Autumn – Getting Cinematic with the Sony NEX-5N from Manuel A. Calle on Vimeo.

I promise, soon I will show you my first professional work done with my [shoplink 8452]NEX-5n[/shoplink] and amazing tiny and sexy [shoplink 9725 ebay]Voigtlaender Nokton 35mm f/1.4 lens (Click here to see them on eBay)[/shoplink]. Meanwhile I collected some news and tests I found on the web (Thanks to all readers for sending me links!).

The probably most interesting of all new reviews has been made by Dearsusans (Click here). The articles name is “Slow food review” and contains plenty of amazing photos. He compared the NEX-5n with his Mamiya 7 which is an amazing camera. I know that because I own one ([shoplink 10414 ebay]Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink]. Really worthy to be seen!

If you liked the video I posted on top of the article TheDigitalVisual explains you how to get this cinematic look on the NEX-5n!

Also the big newspaper do like the Sony camera: Sony’s NEX-5N versus Nikon’s J1 at The Wall Street Journal. Guess who wins ;)

Than a short summary of other links: Full review at SonyAlphaLab. Sony NEX-5n vs Nikon D700 High ISO comparison at kimletkeman. Aquatica Announces Housing for Sony NEX-5n (divephotoguide). Thai NEX-5n review at Pantip.

And last but not least….Pocket Lint (Click here) voted the NEX-5n as camera of the year!

Shopping note: You will not see any price drop soon even for Christmas time. Sony has not enough stock reserve because of the production stop in Thailand. But even the current price-quality balance of the Sony NEX-5n really beats the rest of the mirrorless world (and probably most of the DSLR world). So it gets certainly highly recommended by me!

Click here to check the NEX-5n price and availability: [shoplink 8452]

According to The Verge Sony USA COO Phil Molyneux said that the NEX-7 will arrive in January. And Financial Times reports another statement from Phil M.: “We’re furiously working to transfer production back to Japan and into China, so I think we’ll see better availability going into January“. Currently Sony is having a reserve of NEX-C3 and NEX-5n cameras but the NEX-5n stocks could be empty soon!

The last info I got from my top sources said that the A77 will be back in Stock in January and the NEX-7 in February. And yes, Sony underestimated the A77 and NEX-7 production. The cameras got more preorders than they thought and in some countries the A77 and NEX-7 request has been four times higher than expected. I hope that Sony will be able to catch up again the momentum. Really pity for them that they miss the Christmas sales. The A65 and A77 are out of Stock in most countries. Only the new NEX-5n and the lenses will be available by Christmas time. Check out the links to find out what’s available and what not:

A77 at [shopcountry 8461]
A65 at [shopcountry 8459].
Sony NEX-7 [shopcountry 8454].
Sony NEX-5n [shopcountry 8452].
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8450].
Sony 50mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8448].
Sony 55-210mm [shopcountry 8444].
NEX-5n viewfinder [shopcountry 9110].

P.S.: Sony A77 and A65 firmware donwloads are now available at all local Sony websites. Example:
Germany: http://www.sony.de/support/de/product/SLT-A77V/downloads/FW_A77_V104_WIN#benefits
Netherland: http://www.sony.nl/support/nl/product/SLT-A77V

The firmware has been released by Sony Asia (Click here).

SLT-A65 Firmware Upgrade
Ver.1.04 (Microsoft Windows)
http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/478855
Ver.1.04 (Apple Macintosh)
http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/478884

SLT-A77V Firmware Upgrade
Ver.1.04 (Microsoft Windows)
http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/478891
Ver.1.04 (Apple Macintosh)
http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/478893

Here is the improvement list:
1) Added support for auto-correction lens: Vario-Sonnar T * DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z) and DT 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 (SAL16105)
2) Improved usability
3) Improved Quality
4) Improvement Response

If you have some time to test the new firmware let us know if you see some some REAL improvement! Thanks!

If you are on the waiting list for a new A77 or NEX-7 camera than we have some good news folks! Bloomberg reports: “After floods in Thailand halted image-sensor output at factories in the country, production will be shifted to a plant in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, in the beginning of next year, spokesman Hiroshi Okubo said. The effect of the floods “wasn’t as bad” as the company estimated three weeks ago, Yoshioka said.”

I hope this is not only a too optimistic statement to assure the markets and shareholders. Anyway I have been told that Sony will soon release a new press release. Let’s hope they can now give us a more precise idea of when the new cameras will be in Stock. My latest info I got days ago said that the A77 will be back in Stock in January and the NEX-7 will start worldwide shipment in February.

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P.S.: I made a quick shop checks and it looks like our UK readers are the luckiest guys out there. They have the A77 body in Stock at Warehouseexpress (Click here) and the 16-50 kit version in Stock at Jessops (Click here). And there are also two refurbished A77 bodies in Stock at [shoplink 10311 ebay]Cameracenter on eBay UK (Click here)[/shoplink].