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“Old School” meets modern times with the launch of the new A-series IQ3 100MP System. Phase One writes:

The A-series Camera System is as innovative as it is simple. Making no sacrifice at the expense of image quality, the system embraces the excellence of decades-old analogue technology and pairs it with unmatched digital integration. Combining the best optical components with the ultimate digital technology, while maintaining precision simplicity, ensures quality is always number one. Not only does this system take full advantage of the image quality inherent to the IQ3 100MP Digital Back, but it delivers it in lighter and smaller precision mechanics.

You can buy [shoplink 44647 ebay]Alpa cameras on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. But that’s not where you will spend most of your money. It’s the IQ3 100MP back that will cost you $43,990 (Samys price).

via Mirrorlessrumors.

The 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lens is te only lens bloggers and reviewers were not allowed to share image samples. But a few image samples can be seen on that page (check the tags to find the right pictures). The full specs and features of the lens can be found on that Sony page.

Preorders (start on Feb 10):
A6300 body at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
A6300 with kit lens at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
24-70mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
85mm f/1.4 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
70-200mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto.
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter at BHphoto.
Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter BHphoto.

Samyang announced two new Cine lenses for Sony A and E-mount! Here are the full specs:

via ePhotozine.

Back at the D5 presentation in early January Niokon brought some solid (?!?!?!) “arguments” why mirrorless camera cannot match the performance of PRO DSLR cameras. You can see the short Nikon talk video here on SAF (watch from min 8).

During the A6300 presnetation Sony accepted the Nikon challenge and listen to what they said from minute 9.30:

That hurts Nikon :)

Preorders (start on Feb 10):
A6300 body at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
A6300 with kit lens at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
24-70mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
85mm f/1.4 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
70-200mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto.
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter at BHphoto.
Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter BHphoto.

Motoyuji Ohtake got interviewed twice via Dpreview and Imaging Resource. Here are some key info:

1. High resolution lenses: Mr. Ohtake made it clear that those lenses are designed for the future high reoslution cameras. The current FE (non GM) lenses are good enough for 40MP sensors. “For the G Master lenses we decided we would assess the spatial frequency at 50 lines per mm. Usually lens makers, including ourselves, evaluate lenses at 10 and 30 lpmm (or 10, 20 and 40 for Carl Zeiss-branded optics).“
2. Bokeh: “We developed a way to evaluate bokeh and were able to make a simulation. This meant we didn’t have to build a lens to see how it performed, we could now computer model it before taking a design too far.“
3. New own designed mold-machine was developed for the 85mm FE GM “Sony’s approach to eliminating the problem was to design and build their own mold-making machine, one that allows creation of aspheric lens molds that don’t have the previously-characteristic ridges present in the first place. Lenses produced from such molds have a surface roughness of only 0.01 microns. That’s a factor of 2 or 3 better than current technology used by the rest of the industry. Because they are so incredibly smooth right out of the micro-lathe machine, it’s a much more production-oriented process than the manual polishing approach Panasonic developed. This should translate into lower production costs, and ultimately, more Sony lenses at modest price points able to take advantage of the technology.”
4. Sony delayed the 85mm FE GM planed autumn launch to “wait” for the new machine “It’s an interesting side note that the ultimate design of the 85mm f/1.4 G-Master lens had to wait for this new aspheric technology to be deveoped before the design could be completed. Wanting beautiful bokeh, the lens designers could see no other alternative to using conventionally-polished aspherical lens elements to build it with. The problem is that would have made the lens huge and heavy, with a very complex optical formula. What was needed was aspheric technology that could avoid the onion-ring problem from the get-go, so the lens designers had to wait until the lens-fabrication people could solve the surface-finish problem. All told, the combination of surface finish and extreme-molding capabilities took 3 to 4 years to develop.”
5. There is also one more very criptic answer from Sony about the future of APS-C lenses: ‘The focus elements are light, so it’s easier to design. We have all these focus motor technologies in-house and we’d like to try them in APS-C lenses if that’s what the Product Planning team says is required.” That answer really avoids…to answer if they are currently developing “native” APS-C E-mount lenses.

Preorders (start on Feb 10):
A6300 body at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
A6300 with kit lens at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
24-70mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
85mm f/1.4 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
70-200mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto.
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter at BHphoto.
Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter BHphoto.

Preorders:
A6300 body at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
A6300 with kit lens at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
24-70mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
85mm f/1.4 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
70-200mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto.
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter at BHphoto.
Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter BHphoto.

A6300 Key specs:
new 24MP sensor
11fps
4D focus
4K video (no pixel binnning 14 stops dynamic range, 100MPS)
world’s fastest af 0,05 sec
425 phase detect AF points
silent shooting
Ships in March for $1000 (body only)
Full press text here on SAR.
A6300 page at Sony.net.

Sony new GM lens line:
SSM focus, scaled up from smaller lenses for F2.8 glass
Three lenses announced:
24-70mm f/2.8 for $2200
70-200mm f/2.8  ships in may (Price to be determinated)
85mm f/1.4 for $1800 ships in March
Two teleconverters 1.4x, 2x will be available for the 70-200.
New 24-70mm vs old by Tony Northup.
Images samples by David from Imaging-resource!

Sony press notes:
Sony A6000 has been the number one selling camera ever
40% growth in lens sales on yearly basis
Here’s the 85mm F1.4 circular aperture in action (Dpreview tweet).
Here’s what the 24-70 F2.8 looks like all chopped up (Dpreview tweet).
Live tweets by Hugh Brownstone.

Full video of the Sony press event via Imaging Resource:

Kenta Honjo got interviewed by BH. Check it out!

Preorders:
A6300 body at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
A6300 with kit lens at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
24-70mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
85mm f/1.4 GM FE at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK.
70-200mm f/2.8 GM FE at BHphoto.
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter at BHphoto.
Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter BHphoto.