ThePhoBlographer (Click here) compared the ISO results of the A77 with the Pentax K5. As you may know also the (in my opinion very good) K5 uses a Sony sensor. The reviewer writes: “The A77 has two things working against it in these tests, I believe. First is the fact that the sensor has a significantly higher megapixel count than the Pentax K-5, and cramming more pixels onto an APS-C sensor will generally add to the noise. The other issue I noticed though, is the inability to be able to turn off noise reduction.”
Do you agree?

Speaking of Sony sensors used by other brands Dpreview (Click here) just published the full Nikon D800 review which they say uses a Nikon designed sensor. As I told you many times this sensor is basically a Sony sensor with Nikon engineered tweaks. Let’s see if Sony will release a similar high reoslution camera in 2013!

Image courtesy: Photozone.

Klaus from Photozone is really doing an amazing job by testing lenses on his new Sony NEX-7. He just published the next lens review (Click here). As you know the NEX-7 requires tp quality lenses to get out the most from the super resolution 24 Megapixel sensor. Klaus tried the new Voigtlander Heliar 75mm f/1.8, a $759.95 M-mount lens (here at Amazon). Good to hear that this is a lens that does a good job: “On Sony NEX (APS-C) the full format lens delivers pretty good results from a user perspective. At large apertures the center performance is fine, and that’s where it counts here, whereas the border performance is rather soft.”

Klaus still has to test the Zeiss 24mm lens which I expect to be best overall performer on the NEX-7. Too bad it’s still hard to find in some countries (like USA). Here are some search links. Good Luck!
Zeiss for NEX at [shopcountry 8450].
NEX-7 at [shopcountry 8454].
Voigtlander 75mm on [shoplink 12505 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

It’s Sunday and time to see some more “relaxing” reviews. Let’s see how good the brand new A57 is! The camera itself is already in Stock at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and in Europa at Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon Germany (Click here) and Amazon France (Click here).

On top of this post you will find the latest review from that crazy horse of Kai. Kai is known to not really like the current electronic viewfinder technology but at the end he damn likes the new A57!
And below you will find one more A57 video review by our reader John Sison! Well done John!

I hope you are having a nice weekend. Just came back home and made a short roundup of the very latest Alpha lens tests. Let’s start with a bit unexpected and positively surprising review: Carl Garrard (Click here) tested the Konica Minolta 100-300mm APO D f4.5-5.6 Lens:”The coatings on this lens  and the APO elements produce some of the finest image quality I’ve seen from any DSLR lens in quite some time. My advice is to scoop up an APO D 100-300mm before they are gone.”
Great to see how good the Minolta lens on modern camera works. But they are really difficult to find. There are just few of them on [shoplink 12495 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

And here are two more reviews of more “Modern” lenses:
Photographyblog (Click here) reviewed the 50mm f/1.8 lens: “The Sony DT 50mm F1.8 SAM is a worthwhile addition to your camera bag given its budget price tag – if only it was full-frame compatible too…”
Photographyblog (Click here) also tested the 16-50mm lens: “Perhaps the only fly in the ointment is an apparent lack of sharpness at F2.8 that runs throughout the zoom range – you really need to stop down to F4 to achieve an acceptable level of sharpness. Despite this flaw, we can still highly recommend the Sony DT 16-50mm”

You ever wanted to know which one is the best lens to use on a [shoplink 8454]Sony NEX-7[/shoplink]? Lensrentals (Click here) posted a complete unexpected test result. He measured the resolution of all currently available NEX lenses including a Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux with Fotodiox adapter. And at f/2.8 and f/4.0 aperture there is a super unexpected winner….the Sigma 30mm f/2.8 lens which costs $199 only (at Amazon).
Lensrentals writes: “The Sigma is really amazing. Obviously it’s not really a wide aperture prime, with a maximum aperture of f/2.8, but it gives world-class resolution. The Sony 24mm f/1.8 is not the bargain the Sigma is, but from f/2.2 on it has amazing center resolution, although it lags behind the other two in the corners.”

Damn, that is such a surprise! I hope Klaus at Photozone will ahve the chance to confirm these results soon! Meantime I give you the links to the two Sigma lenses:
The 30mm lens is in Stock at Amazon US (Click here), Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon FR (Click here).
The 19mm lens is in Stock at Amazon US (Click here), Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon FR (Click here).

Cheap!!!

P.S.: NEX-7 in Stock status link check: [shopcountry 8454].

That lens alone makes it worth to buy the [shoplink 8454]NEX-7[/shoplink]. And if you need to read a real review of that jewel go at Photographyblog (Click here). They rated the lens as “Essential” and they write: “With great build quality, fast auto-focusing and incredible image quality, this is one lens that we’re very sad to send back to Sony.”

The Zeiss lens proves that it is possible to make a great lens for a high resolution sensor like the 24 Megapixel used for the NEX-7. So please Sony, do release some other new Zeiss!

Oh, and don’t forget to send this lens to our American cousins too! They still struggle to find it in Stock somewhere. It’s only available way overpriced at Amazon (Click here) and [shoplink 8450 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. ut at least the other much expected lens (the 50mm) is in Stock and shipping at Amazon (Click here).

Reminder: Sony launched a new rebate action on the NEX-5n in USA stores. You can get it for $50 less than usual at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here). And do not forget to pair this camera with the finally now in Stock 50mm f/1.8 lens (Click here to grab it at Amazon).