My mix of prediction and rumors for 2015 (A9, A99II, RX2, A7000 and more).

One of the weird A9 photoshopped cameras floating on the web.

So you want to know what I think could be announced in 2015 based on the rumors and “feelings” I have? Here is my list with the most likely announcements on top:

90% chance – New Loxia FF E-mount lenses:
At least two new lenses will be announced in 2015. Not yet sure about the focal length but a 85mm and a 24mm version could come as next.

90% chance – Sony High Megapixel E-mount FF camera:
I don’t know if it will be called A9 or A7rII or what. But I really think the rumors about that camera are true and that it will raise the Megapixel bar above the current 36Mp Sony sensor used by the A7r and Nikon DSLR cameras. When is it coming? Around mid 2015 is the most likely timeframe for the release.

90% chance – One surprise:
More about it in a soon to be posted rumor ;)

90% chance – E-mount camcorders:
There is at least one more to come priced below the FS7.

75% chance – Fast 85mm FE:
Announcement late 2015. And of course there will be the FE lenses already announced at Photokina plus new FE lenses that will be announced late 2015 but to be released in 2016 only.

75% chance – Sony RX2:
If the rumors and patents we got are correct than this should be the RX2 will feature the first curved Full Frame sensor of the world. Sony said it’s production ready and we also spotted official Sony patent describing the sensor and the lens designed for it (35mm f/1.8). Around mid-end 2015 is the most likely timeframe for the release.

75% chance – Sony A7000:
High End APS-C E-mount camera with 5 axis stabilization. Around early-mid 2015 is the most likely timeframe for the release.

75% chance – New A-mount “updated” lenses:
Sony seems to be focused on update some of the current A-mount lenses rather than introduce completely new lenses.

60% chance – Sony A99II:
Actually in a “normal condition” I would rate the rumor much higher. But seeing how Sony is focusing on E-mount first I don’t know when they will decide to release the new A-mount FF. So let’s keep the rate at a save 60%. Around mid-late 2015 is the most likely timeframe for the release.

60% chance – Sony A3100:
E-mount APS-C entry level and DSLR styled camera. Around early-mid 2015 is the most likely timeframe for the release.

50% chance – Updted A7s and A7r with 5 axis:
Sony did it with the A7II. Although I have no rumors about that yet I think it

50% chance – RX20:
4K updated version.

30% chance – RXm:
Fixed lens medium format camera.

Extremely unlikely to happen:
A-mount FF with integrated vertical grip, Interchangeable medium format system camera.

 

It’s always hard to guess what’s coming in future. One thing I am sure about is that it’s going to be again a very exciting year of rumors and news :)

Sony FS7 4K E-mount test roundup and firmware upgrade.

Climbing the Cathedral – a Sony FS7 first impression from Nino Leitner on Vimeo.

Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Review at Zach Ashcraft Photo Video.
Extensive review at Cinema5D.
Sony FS7, Alpha7S, Canon C300: color science comparison (Part 1) at Keyframe.tv.
New FS7 rig by Tilta (Newsshooter).
Odyssey 7Q recorder adds FS7 support (Newsshooter).
Sony PXW-FS7 Hands-on Video by Adorama on Youtube.

P.S.: Sony FS7 4K E-mount camcorder is now in Stock at BHphoto (Click here).

Nikon confirms they will have a High Megapixel FF sensor (Sony made?) camera soon.

sony-sensor

In an Interview with DC.watch both Canon (here) and Nikon (here) confirmed that the intorduction of new High Megapixel FF cameras is veeeery likely to happen soon. This confirms the rumors I post for many months now that Sony will launch a new High megapixel FF sensor (46MP?) in 2015. I am sure the Soy A9 E-mount camera will use it (or whatever the final name will be). I see it highly likely Nikon will use the same sensor. A bit less likely but not entirely impossible is that Canon will use that sensor too. Recently Canon uses the RX100 sensor insider their [shoplink 32018 ebay]G7X compact camera[/shoplink].

(SR2) Possible A-mount roadmap? Two A-mount cameras and SSM weather sealed primes in 2015. A77II replacement in 2016.

It’s hard to get info about the A-mount future simply because Sony is yet focused to broaden the E-mount lens range and cementing the E-mount success. All I got in these days is a message from an anonymous source which as usual we have to take for what it is. A yet completely unconfirmed but hopefully true rumor:

1) The ICLA-77M2 is the last a-mount with the old Steady Shot system. It could not be held for the new technology and make release in H1 of FY14. We know that a missed release would have caused damage to the a-mount user base, since we are not doing entry-level a-mounts to fill the gaps anymore.

2) FY15 will see two SLTs with 5 axis and the ICLA-77M2 AF module.

3) The replacement for the 77M2 will come in FY16 H1 and it will not be called the 77M3 ;)  This tech changeover is why the 77M2 has been less featured.  We will re-emphasize the line with the 5 axis introduction.

4) SSM primes all with environmental seals FY15 H2

The source also said that “we have fewer cameras coming but we will make them worth waiting for“.

Let’s hope You source are one of the few telling us the truth on the A-mount future :)

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Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!

First images of the FE 21mm f/2.8 lens made by Zhongyi.

FE21

What you see her eon top is the prototype of a new 21mm f/2.8 Full Frame E-mount lens developed by Zhongyi. That is the company that already makes the following Sony products:
The 50mm f/0.95 FE lens ([shoplink 31838 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink]).
The 35mm f/0.95 E-mount APS-C lens ([shoplink 31839 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink]).
The Speedbooster clone, Turbo adapter ([shoplink 31840 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink]).

A Zhongyi company responsible wrote on Xitek. that this FE21/F2.8 lens is optimized to be used on the A7r. It means that unlike so many other wide angle lenses it has no magenta shift issue. Those are the lens specs:

21mm
f/2.8
manual focus ring
manual aperture ring
72mm filter size
weight is 290 gram
Price is 1900 Yuan (around 300 dollars)

The lens is heavier than similar Konica or Contax lenses because the corner image quality is better (says Zhongyi). Here are some image samples taken with the lens (Click on the image to enlarge)

test4 test3 test2 test1

—-

Thanks TDTW

(SR5) Ulterior confirmations: New Camcorder(s) at CES and new Cameras&Lenses at CP+.

Got a couple of feedbacks from trusted source about the next CES (January 6) and CP+ (February 12) events. They do confirm new camcorder(s) are going to be announced at CES in Las Vegas while new Cameras and Lenses will be announced at CP+ show in Yokohama.

While I am yet not sure which camera will be announced at CP+ (A7000 or A9 or both?) the FE lenses that Sony will release are known. The rumored price info is (source SAR article with VBL):
– 28mm f/2.0 G should cost 499 Euro (February shipment)
– 35mm f/1.4 Zeiss should cost 1399 Euro (March shipment)
– 90mm f/2.8 G macro should cost 999 Euro (March shipment)
– 24-240mm f/3.5-6.4 should cost 1099 Euro (March shipment)
– both converters should cost 229 Euro each (March shipment)

Take the price info as a SR3 rumor only. Click on the image to see a full size version:
sony-lens-future-fe-mount-2014 sony-fe-35mm-1-4-lens sony-fe-90mm-f2-8-macro-len-ssony-fe-24-240mm-zoom-lens sony-fe-28mm-prime-

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And if you have some “rumor” to share just send me an anonymous messages here:

Error: Contact form not found.

Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!