Sony is ready to launch a bunch of new 8K sensors and a new 8K codec in 2019. This post sums up all the many info we leaked the past weeks:

New XEVC 8K codec (article and detailed images here):
8k at 24fps, 12 bit and 240Mbps peak bitrate.

New Full Frame sensors:
IMX435 is a new 36Mp 8K sensor (article here)
IMX551 is a new 60MP 8k sensor (article here)
IMX455 is a stripped down version of the IMX551 (article here).

APS-C sensors (article and detailed specs here):
IMX510: 32MP, 16 bit…
IMX571: 26MP, dual gain ISO, 16 bit stills

All the sensor mentioned here are open for sale to third-party manufacturers. But To use the full potential you need to buy the rights to use the Sony proprietary SLVS-EC interface. Sony itself might use those sensors or a customized variation of those sensors.

One of my sources just sent me this video of the new 50mm f/1.0 Full Frame autofocus E-mount lens! This lens is rumored to be made by Yongnou but this has yet to be confirmed. They already make AF lenses for Canon and Nikon (they are on sale here on Amazon US, Amazon DE). I assume it’s very likely they are could make this lens. It’s also a nice to have a direct competition of the Nikon which will launch the 58mm f/0,95 lens this January but will be available as manual focus lens only. Of course, I don’t expect Yongnou to match the Nikon in terms of quality…but the Nikon also is rumored ot cost around $6,000 while Yongnou lens will be a lot cheaper.

The lens is rumored to be launched sometimes in early 2019. If you can find an image of that lens please drop me a message at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com. Thanks!

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Note: Unlike reported on the previous rumor the lens isn’t f/1.1 but f/1.0.

Other rumor sites keep deliberately posting specs and images they found on this Weibo page. That page has a history for posting fakes and nevertheless the other rumor sites post info from the site as “rumor”.

Again, if you see those images and specs on a so-called rumor site know that they are using you for pure clickbait reason. They know the specs and images are made up but they want to sell it to you as legit “rumor”.

Those sites are now spamming forums and facebook groups with that A7000 spec list and images. If you see them please warn the people who the source is 100% fake.

Here are the FAKE and purely made up specs:

ILCE-7000 (first to launch in the new product line-up)
32MP Exmor RS APS-C CMOS with DRAM
New Ultra Fast LSI
Blackout-free Shooting
New BIONZ X
925-point PDAF, 60fps AE/AF
10fps/16Bit Mechanical Shutter
20fps/14Bit Electronic Shutter
30fps/12Bit AE-L/AF-C E.S.
Electronic Shutter Speeds up to 1/32000s
4K/60p 10Bit Super35mm Video
4K/24p 10Bit 2.4:1 WDR Movie
ISO 64-64000
580g

Some asked me what’s the difference between some of my rumors that were wrong and those other “rumors”. The difference is simple: I don’t post rumors I know for sure that are wrong. I don’t use sources who have a long list of FAKES to post rumors on my site.

The only reason why I am posting this today is that people kept me asking if those rumors they see on the web are legit. No they are not, because the source used for this has a year long history of creating fake specs and images for fun.

The fake A5500 inmages

There are other rumor sites that keep reposting FAKE rumors they found on a specific Weibo site. First they reposted a fake rumor about an A7sIII announcement in January which is 100% NOT going to happen.

Yesterday the same account posted FAKE A5300 specs and those FAKE images:

A5300
Dramatically improved 4D AF system
693 point PDAF
AE/AF 6/10fps continuous
26MP Exmor R sensor
16Bit compressed RAW with selectable compression ratio
Super-sampled 4K video up to 30p with no crop
FHD/60p,120p with no crop
3inch 1.44m dot 3-way tilt touch screen
NP-FZ100 battery
500-650USD

I repeat it, the so called rumor sites reposting these rumors are doing this for pure CLIKBAIT reasons because they know exactly that account has a history of posting continous fakes.

I will have soon SR5 news about the A7000 As7III and other lenses! Stay tuned!

Our Asian source sent us the info about two new APS-C sensors. The first (IMX510) is a High End sensor and the second (IMX571) and Entry Level sensor:

APS-C Exmor RS sensor IMX510:

Effective pixel 32MP (3:2 APS-C)
Total Pixel 40MP
3.45um Pixel Size
16Bit ADC
SLVS-EC
DRAM

6930×4620/10.23fps/16Bit
6930×4620/24.02fps/14Bit
6930×4620/60.05fps/11Bit

Maybe for the A6700 (or A7000)?

IMX571CQJ sensor for new entry level mirrorless cameras:

4-lane SLVS-EC
Low power dual gain ISO100/640
Vertical low-pass filter
On-chip PDAF
16/14bit stills with no high speed continuous
30fps black-out free live view + AE/AF
Video mode with vertical binning/line-skipping
6240×1170/3:1/120fps/10Bit
6240×1755/2:1/60fps/11Bit
6240×3510/1:1/30fps/11Bit

X-OCN Still Picture Format:

16Bit Compressed RAW
26MP:
XT Profile: 15MB
ST Profile: 10MB
LT Profile: 5MB

A reliable Asian Source sent me this image showing the f/1.1 aperture of a new 50mm f/1.1 FE autofocus lens that will be announced soon. It is made by a Chinese manufacturer. I am yet not 100% sure about the brand but it’s rumored that this might be made by Yongnuo. They already make AF lenses for Canon and Nikon (they are on sale here on Amazon US, Amazon DE).

Image on top shows A7000 mockup made by one of our readers

At last we got some new SR5 ranked info: A couple of journalists told me they got invited to a Sony event in mid January. They haven’t been told if there will be new products but usually at such major Journalists gatherings Sony announces new gear…not always but 90% of the time! At Photokina we had a Sony meeting with NO product announcement which hopefully should already account for the 10% :)

Now what can we expect? Let’s start with a fact: Sony just registered a new camera code “WW 715296” in Asia. Which means one new system camera is coming for sure very soon (Note: Nokishita clearly said this is a sytem camera and not a fixed lens or A-mount camera).

My bet goes on the new Sony A7000 which is rumored to be announced before the Sony A7sIII. New E-mount lenses should be announced too. So While I am not sure about what will be announced this is my best guess:

Sony A7000
New 24MP sensor
5,6 Milion dot EVF
EVF in the center of the camera
A9 layout body
4k 60 p recording
New improved autofocus (A9 alike)

New APS-C lens (no specs)
Sony 135mm f/1.8 GM
Sony 35mm f/1.8 G

The Sony A7sIII is more likely to be introduced at NAB show in April.