[shoplink 9899 ebay][/shoplink]

I guess not all of you know that you can use Micro Four Thirds lenses on your NEX camera by using a [shoplink 9898 ebay]m43 to NEX adapter (Click here to see that on eBay)[/shoplink]. During the last weeks I received three different mails from people testing the new [shoplink 9899 ebay]Samyang 7.5mm compact fisheye lens for m43[/shoplink] on NEX cameras:

Mail 1:
“Via adapter , Horizontal Field of View: 185,4 , effective Focal .Lengh: 8,1 m.m
360º virual reality sample 1 @ f:11.:http://www.aragon360grados.byethost24.com/naranjorabadaffc/naranjorabada2.html
360º virual reality sample 2 @ f:11: http://www.aragon360grados.byethost24.com/rabadaordesa/rabadaordesa.html
both: 4 photos + 2.
I send you caps
Cheers.”

Mail 2:
“The new Samyang 7,5/3,5 fisheye lens is the perfect lens for spherical panos on a Nex camera, spherical panos can be done with just 4 photos, to use this lens in a Nex body you need to shave the shade, recalibrate focus and use a m4/3 to Nex adapter, this adapter works better if screwed to the lens mount, a couple of handheld samples, at 200iso http://www.360cities.net/image/palmtrees-at-travalon-elche and 3200iso http://www.360cities.net/image/nex5-samyang-75-test-torrellano-spain”

Mail 3:
“I tested it very fast over NEX with sunshade and this [shoplink 9898 ebay]m43 to NEX adapter on eBay[/shoplink]. With this adapter doesn´t focus at infity   >-(  so my test is at f:22 to get decent focus, my DIY pano head not exactly calibrated.Tried pano with 3 photos but not enough. Ptgui dates:max width x heigh pano pixels:8772 x 4386 (nex 5),focal lengh:7,9 m.m. HFV:166,4
I´ll test lens on m4/3 body to know if de focus failure is about the lens or adapter…
link to panorama 50% quality and one photo:http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Q8JCLTJ7
You can follow it here:http://www.panoguide.com/forums/tipsntricks/9644/?page=3”

P.S.: Links to the [shoplink 9899 ebay]Samyang fisheye lens on eBay[/shoplink].

Digitalversus (Click here) posted a full NEX-7 review: “Sony’s new NEX-7 is a very well-designed expert-level camera with a customisable interface, a high-def electronic viewfinder and an excellent build and finish. However, Sony’s NEX lenses aren’t good enough to get the best out of the 24-Megapixel sensor. We also found that noise wasn’t handled quite as well in this model.” Anyway, the reviewer liked the camera that much that he gave her 5 stars out of 5!.

Digitalcamerainfo (Click here) previewed the NEX-7: “Is it worth the hefty price difference compared to the mid-range NEX-5N? We won’t have a definitive answer to that question until we get both cameras and run them through our full review process, but we can say that the NEX-7 does offer quite a bit for the money. Whether Sony can squeeze the best out of such a high-megapixel image sensor remains to be seen, however.”

Steve Huff (Click here) tested the Sony NEX-7 with wide angle Leica lenses. He also compared it with the Ricoh GXR A12.

Sony NEX-7 with Rokkor-M Konica and Contax Lens (SonyAlphaNex).

And here are all NEX cameras and lens preorder links (Click on shopname to check price and availability):
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].

[shoplink 9812 ebay][/shoplink]

For weeks Rob Skeoch from ThePictureDesk (Click here) is heavily testing the [shoplink 8454]Sony NEX-7[/shoplink]. I have some doubt that Rob will ever return the camera to Sony :)
He posted a couple of interesting articles about the NEX-7 and Zeiss ZM combination:

1) Sony NEX7 with Zeiss M-mount 18mm ZM (ThePictureDesk). Lens specs and price on [shoplink 9803 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
2) Sony NEX7 with Zeiss M-mount 21mm ZM (ThePictureDesk). Lens specs and price on [shoplink 9804 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
3) Sony NEX7 with Zeiss M-mount 25mm ZM (ThePictureDesk). Lens specs and price on [shoplink 9805 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
4) Sony NEX7 with Zeiss M-mount 28mm ZM (ThePictureDesk). Lens specs and price on [shoplink 9806 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
5) Sony NEX7 with Zeiss M-mount 35mm ZM (ThePictureDesk). Lens specs and price on [shoplink 9808 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
6) Sony NEX7 with Zeiss M-mount 50mm ZM Sonnar (ThePictureDesk). Lens specs and price on [shoplink 9809 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
7) Sony NEX7 with Zeiss M-mount 85mm ZM (ThePictureDesk). Lens specs and price on [shoplink 9810 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

The Zeiss ZM is an amazing fulflrame film system. Sony should take inspiration from the [shoplink 9812 ebay]ZM camera and ZM lenses[/shoplink] for their new fullframe NEX system!

[shoplink 8459][/shoplink]
Photographyblog (Click here) posted the next Sony review. That time they tested the new Sony A65, the little sister (with the same sensor) of the A77. And the camera gets Highly Recommended! Here is the reason: “Image quality is excellent, with results from the 24.3 APS-C sensor easily rivalling the DSLR competition. The OLED viewfinder is simply the best EVF that we’ve ever had the pleasure of using. The A65 is still a fantastic SLT camera that is a genuine threat to the more conventional prosumer DSLRs on the market.”
The A65 is in Stock almost everywhere in the world now: Check at [shopcountry 8452].

And there is also a new NEX-5n review at Pocket-Lint (Click here): “The NEX-5N has two major things going for it: image quality and its HD movie mode. There’s no other compact system camera out there that can better the 5N’s images (except, perhaps, for the as-yet-untested NEX-7), though the distortion at wide-angle settings can make for edge softness issues. As for the second point: the 1080p movie mode is exceptional in quality, control and performance terms. In fact we’d go as far as saying there’s no other CSC out there at this price point that’s as good in this department.“.
I own the NEX-5n and also highly recommend it: [shopcountry 8459].

And here are two more links about the A77. First an A77 versus A700 image comparison at Dpreview forum and than ISO samples at Photographybay.

[shoplink 8452][/shoplink]
Photographyblog (Click here) posted a new full Sony NEX-5n review: “It may not be the smallest (at least with a lens attached) or sexiest compact system camera on the market, but a winning combination of excellent image quality even in low-light, a refined and customisable interface, and fast and responsive operation does make the Sony NEX-5N one of our current favourites. Highly Recommended!”

While I fully agree with Photographyblog when they say that the camera has an excellent image quality I do not agree with the lack of sexiness! I use the NEX-5n with the also highly recommended [shoplink 9725 ebay]Voigtlaender Nokton 35mm f/1.4 lens (Click here to see them on eBay)[/shoplink]. It’s a terrific sexy combination! I am currently to busy to post a review now but as soon as I am back from my NYC work trip I will shows you a first preview of my NEX-5n+Nokton kit. Maybe we should do a sexiness contest to see which lens looks better on the NEX :) Do you have some ideas?

P.S.: You need an [shoplink 7984 ebay]M-mount to NEX adapter (Click here to see the list on eBay)[/shoplink] to use the Voigtlaender Nokton 35mm lens!

The Sony NEX-5n is in Stock at [shopcountry 8452]. And there is also that nice (a bit expensive) NEX-5n viewfinder [shopcountry 9110].

And the new NEX lenses can be (pre-)ordered here:
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8450].
Sony 50mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8448].
Sony 55-210mm [shopcountry 8444].

Luminous Landscape (Click here) posted a full Sony DT 16–50mm f/2.8 and LA-EA2 adapter review: “As with all new Sony Translucent mirror equipped cameras there is a light loss of between one third and one half stop. Some people are concerned about this. Well, in this day of noiseless ISO 800 cameras, and decent image quality up to ISO 6400, if a third of a stop concerns you then you definitely shouldn’t buy an EA2 or any Sony camera using this technology. On the other hand, if you are a sensible photographer who is more concerned with practicing their art and craft then the loss of less than 1/2 EV shouldn’t be of concern.”

Soundimageplus (Click here) made a Sony NEX-C3 and 5n High ISO noise test: “However the NEX-5n is definitely “cleaner”. I thought at first that it had smudged more detail, but if you look at the middle word on the headstock, the 5n has actually recorded more detail.”

You can now download the new Image Data Converter v4 (Click here to download). DK from Photoclubalpha (Click here) explains you the changes.

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New [shoplink 8461]Sony A77[/shoplink] reviews are coming in from all sides. The next one is from Pocket-Lint (Click here). The camera earns 4.5 stars of 5 and earns a “hot Product” status: “Super-fast and super-sleek: Sony’s SLT-A77 is a grand replacement for the long discontinued A700 model. The camera’s OLED viewfinder is fantastic (though still not perfection), and the camera’s 12fps burst mode and clever continuous autofocus are matched with a sterling all-round performance. The A77 will put SLT cameras firmly on the map.”

I have heard that the Thailand flood will soon also affect the A77 shipments. There are plenty of A77 in Stock now in Europe and Asia but there might be a shortage of cameras in a couple of weeks. The only big country that has no A77 in Stock is USA. The good news is that Amazon US is shipping their A77 preorders (and has the A65 in Stock here).

Here are all the A77 links I usually check to see where the camera is in Stock. As usual click on the shop name to check the availability and price:
[shoplist 8461]