Sony is giving us a nice Christmas present today! They just released a new firmware update for the A7rII and A7sII which improves the 4K recording time when using the vertical grip. And it also adds a mysterious” Picture quality improvement”. UPDATE: It seems like they improved the automatic chromatic aberration correction.

A7rII download page at Sony.com (Click here).
A7sII download page at Sony.com (Click here).

BH Explora finally informed us that the new Sony A68 is going to be sold in USA too. But there is also a caveat: Preorders will be available on March 1 2016 only according to BHphoto (Click here). I do hope if the A99 successor is really coming that we wont have to wait that much to get it in our hands.

Sony Japan announced that it will postpone the RX1RII shipment start in Japan. And I got word from US and other Asian stores that also they will have to wait to get a new Stock of RX1rII cameras. The reason for the stop is unknown. And Sony also does not tell when they will resume sales.

UPDATE: An anonymous source (thanks!) told me: “The production of the RX1R2 is halted because of AF inconsistencies”

US stores also do not show the RX1RII in Stock anymore (Amazon US, Bhphoto and Adorama).

Sony released a new APP named “Sky HDR”. You can download it through Playmemories. That vidoe shows how it works:

And Spencer Pablo at Alphauniverse introduces you to the new APP.

Top 5 Problems / Downsides of the Sony A7s2 – A7sii

Lens options for shooting basketball action with the A6000 (Pmrphoto).
A7rii Crop mode ISO comparison on SonyAlphaForum.
Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/1.7 on A7r II at Mirrorlessons.
Sony Throne: This is the largest set of Sony cameras and lenses! (SonyAlphaForum)

Immodoc: “The world’s largest independent review series of Leica Mount lenses on the SONY A7R2
summarizes 5 35mm lenses:
#1: ZEISS Distagon 1,4/35
#2: VOIGTLÄNDER Nokton 1,2/35 V1
#3: LEICA Summicron 2/35 V4
#4: LEICA Summarit 2,5/35
#5: ZEISS Biogon 2/35
Details here: http://www.dslr-forum.de/showthread.php?t=910124&page=31
Lots of real world pics, no theory!”

Jim: “I just stumbled across this video, which was shot with the A7sII. The two guys say that in the first minute.
https://youtu.be/A62zHXInrRE”

Jan: “I just finished the timelapse from my town, hradec kralove: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajd0RQJn6Ks
it was shot on sony a5100 and nex-5n with 16mm f/2,8 SEL and 18-200mm f/3,5-6,3 OSS LE
i love those little cameras. there is no need for full frame, if you don’t have the budget for it. it isn’t about tools you use, but about the results you deliver.”

Today Sigma announced a new high quality protective filter made of Ceramic Glass that has the following key features:

1. It’s 10 times stronger than conventional filters
2. It’s scratch resistant
3. It’s water repellant (it also helps to easily remove fingerprints).
4. It’s coating’s antistatic function helps prevent static electricity from attracting dust and other particles.

There is yet no info about the pricing and shipment date of the new filter. A full intro video can be seen here:

Images by Amanda Stevens on Facebook

By mistake Amanda Stevens dropped the A7 inside a Lava flow on a volcano in Hawaii. And sorry to say but weather sealing cannot withstand it :)

Amanda writes:

“This is apparently what lava does to a camera…just thought you should know.”