Image on top shows the current 16-35mm f/4.0 Zeiss FE lens

I got one more confirmation the 16-35mm f/2.8 GM lens has been developed by Sony. There is even an indirect confirmation from a Sony photographer at the Photokina show (youtube video here in German). When showing the 16-35mm f/4.0 lens he says: “Here we have a 16-35 f4. For the beginning. I didn’t say that…”

I just wonder when Sony will announce the lens. Why? because just recently Sony had to delay the 70-200mm GM shipment by up to three months! Don’t know if there is a production chain issue or really a high demand as stated by Sony.

The three current GM lenses are:
24-70mm GM store links: [shopcountry 47915].
85mm GM store links: [shopcountry 48072]
70-200mm GM store links: [shopcountry 48791]

SAR reader Andras sent me that picture of the Sony A68 having the new Sony menu. Apparently the new A68 Stock is shipping with that newer interface. I am wondering if current A68 owners will get a firmware update soon to get the new menu too.

Dan M Lee visited the Sony booth at the PhotoPlus show in New York. And the Sony folks there told him that:

“Sony ARE going to refresh A Mount glass“.

And from the Tamron guys he heard this:

“Tamron “may” have a new 70-200mm SP f2.8 on the way for A Mount along with 24-70mm“

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Sony A99II at BHphoto, Adorama. Amazon. Calumet Germany and WexUK.

As I’ve told you previously there is one more Sony announcement that will happen in November. I got two messages from new sources:

Source 1:

“http://www.inter-bee.com/en/ announcement coming, e-mount camcorder”

Source 2:

“In case you didn’t know already, I just got confirmation on the upcoming Sony event mid November where they will announce their new fs7ii camera :)”

Trusted sources confirmed that this Sony announcement is not about a new A7 or A9 camera. So it is very possible the these two new sources are spot on with their info.

A rumor on Diyphotography hinted about the possibility that Sigma may quit their A-mount lens production:

“According to our source, Sony makes a fraction of the business for Sigma. They also note that Sigma wants more focus in their factories on their cine line, and resources are shifting.”

But asked by Photoscala Sigma Germany stated that the “suggestion” about them stopping their A-mount lens production as a whole are untrue and they will keep making A-mount lenses. The only thing they did is stop producing a few older A-mount lenses:

105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro
70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX DG HSM OS FLD
150mm F2.8 APO EX DG OS HSM Macro
12-24mm f/4.5–5.6 AF II DG HSM

Sigma also said that while it’s true that demand on A-mount lenses decreased the past years there could be also a return of interest thanks to the new A99II.

To paraphrase Mark Twain: The reports of A-mount being death are greatly exaggerated …. :)

Important rumor correction: The next Sony announcement will not take place this week but in 2-3 weeks (UPDATE: between mid October and early November is the new info). Thanks to the feedback of various sources we learned there was an internal miscomunication at Sony (Thanks the two sources pointing out this). Sorry to say you have to wait a tiny bit more!

I can also confirm this is not an announcement about a new A7 camera. If you are waiting for a new A7markIII you will have to wait til 2017.

Just a curiosity: Seems like Sony lately is in for at least one announcement per month: 50mm Zeiss FE in July, 50mm macro in August, A99II and 18-100mm in September and A6500 in October…

We always got reliable rumors about the Loxia and Batis lens specs and launch date. But it looks like Zeiss delayed the next upcoming Batis lens launch. Sources didn’t tell us the reason. We can only speculate: Easiest guess is that Zeiss wants to use production resources for the already available lenses first. Also note that the new Loxia announced in September is set to ship in late December only.