(SR4) Sony photo product announcement on February 20th?

I told you the real new camera and lens stuff from Sony is coming soon and after all the big CES and CP+ show. I just got an email saying that a new announcement may be scheduled for February 20th. New NEX-3n, new SLT A38 (and maybe the A58 too) could be announced. I am investigating this and ask my sources if they can confirm the rumor. Thanks!

UPDATE: One new anonymous source confirmed the date. Other sources confirmed there is indeed a camera announcement to come soon.

And you readers should stay tuned on SAR and if you still haven’t done it than subscribe our RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter stream (Click here). And join our very active Facebook comunity (Click here)!

(SR5) Bigger announcements coming in March-April. And the three SLT models will be…

Hi!

CES and CP+ shows are over and ironically it is now that rumors will get more interetsing. Major announcements are schedule for March-April and as I told you Sony will start from the bottom entry level stuff and announce more advanced stuff in summer and autumn. For now I can confirm that three SLT models will be announced this year, the first will be the A38, followed by the A58 (both in March-April). And the second half of the year will bring us the new A78. The lenses to come will be the 50mm Zeiss, the 70-200mm, the 70-400mm and a new 18-135mm DT lens.

Soon to come on SAR is a NEX rumors. So stay tuned! Don’t miss any rumor and subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here)!

 

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!

(SR2) Zeiss SSM f/1.4 to be priced a little bit above $1,500?

An anonymous source (Thanks a lot!) just shared a new info about the new Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 SSM lens. He said the lens price will be a tiny bit over $1,500! This is double the price of the manual Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 lens that is available for Canon or Nikon mount (here at amazon). But of course this lens has AF, SSM and is weather sealed!

Now, as I told you this is from one anonymous source and the info may not be correct. But, let’s imagine that is the real final price:

Should Sony stick to the classic A7x-A6xxx design or also try to do something else?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

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!

Hot! New Sony E-mount roadmap.

Dear Japanese readers! We really need your help on this! The image on top shows the new Sony E-mount roadmap info that has been just posted by Sony Japan. It says that from now on we can expect Sony to release a minimum of five new E-mount lenses every year. And this year one Zeiss and one G lens will come too. By the way, let’s not forget that three “extra” Zeiss primes designed for Sony E-mount and Fuji X mount will come too!

And yes, there is no sign at all of a possible A-mount roadmap :(

Thanks all the super fast and gentle SAR readers that helped me to translate this!

Important message to a source…

Sorry SAR reader to bother you. An important anonymous source just sent me an info via contact form and I have no other way to contact him than writing a public post.

Dear Source: The link is not working. Can you provide me the info via other resources? You have a text or screenshot to share? Create a fake gmail account if you want to contact me anonymously. Thanks! I can tell you is that your info is 100% correct. Not 80-90%. Got exactly the same info from other sources too.

P.S.: Again sorry readers if I have to do that and you don’t know what’s going on. It’s delicate and a very long term rumor that I am working on since a few months now.

 

You will love this: Three new E-mount lenses from Sigma!

Guys! You are going to love this news! As I anticpiated last week the current 30mm and 19mm f/2.8 primes have been updated. And there is a new 60mm f/2.8 E-mount too. Click on the pictures on top to see a larger view of the new lenses. And here is the official Sigma press release:

Important note: Sorry guys, the 30mm f/1.4 lens announced by Sigma today is NOT coming for A-mount. The first official press release contained an error. Again, this was an OFFICIAL press text containing the error and not SAR.

YOKOHAMA, Japan Jan. 29, 2013Sigma Corporation of America a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced the release of four new lenses for the ART product line, including three lenses for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras and one lens for DSLR cameras with APS-C size sensors. This announcement comes at the start of the CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show 2013 this week in Yokohama, Japan.

The new and updated Sigma lenses include the 30mm F1.4 DC HSM, which will be available in Sigma, Canon and Nikon mounts, and the 30mm F2.8 DN, 19mm F2.8 DN and 60mm F2.8 DN lenses, which are available for both Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-Mount camera systems. Pricing and availability on all of these lenses has yet to be announced.

The 60mm F2.8 DN lens is entirely new to the Sigma lineup, while the 30mm F1.4 DC HSM and the 30mm F2.8 DN and 19mm F2.8 DN lenses are existing focal lengths that have been redesigned with enhanced optical performance and included as part of Sigma’s new Global Visioncategory restructuring. All three DN lenses incorporate telecentric optical designs and a linear, auto focusing motor that ensures accurate and quiet focusing for video recording. They also boast metal exteriors and a simply shaped focus ring, with varying textures to distinguish each part of the lens. In addition, DN users can choose between a black or silver finish to match their favorite equipment.

“We’re really proud of the super sharp lenses we’ve produced in the past year and these new Art lenses will continue to impress our fans and critics alike. They’re ideal for the landscape, portrait, still-life, close-up and casual photographer who values creative, dramatic outcomes above compactness and multifunction,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “The lenses are entirely made in Japan and they boast the new product line’s sleek design and enhanced quality control. We’re quite proud of these changes – and additions – to our lens lineup; they’re further evidence of Sigma’s forethought in this fast-moving industry.”Here are more details on these new lenses from Sigma:

  • 60mm F2.8 DN – Featuring the natural perspective of mid-range telephoto lenses, together with a shallow depth of field, this lens allows the photographer to capture a single part of a subject with great bokeh effects. It has an angle of view equivalent to 120mm on the Micro Four Thirds system and 90mm on the E-mount system (35mm equivalent focal length). The minimum focusing distance is 19.7 inches; the maximum magnification is 1:7.2. This lens also contains Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass, which helps minimize axial and transverse chromatic aberration.
  • Sigma 19mm F2.8 DN – This high-performance, wide-angle telephoto lens has an angle of view equivalent to 38mm on the Micro Four Thirds system and 28.5mm on the E-mount system (35mm equivalent focal length). As a wide-angle lens with excellent mobility, it is ideal for studio photography, architecture and starry skies. Its minimum focusing distance is 7.9 inches and its maximum magnification is 1:7.4.
  • Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN – This high-performance, standard telephoto lens has an angle of view equivalent to 60mm on the Micro Four Thirds system and 45mm on the E-mount system (35mm equivalent focal length). This lens, which is perfect for casual and formal portraiture, documentary photography, travelogues and everyday shooting, includes a double-sided aspherical lens that enhances its optical performance. Its minimum focusing distance of 11.8 inches and its maximum magnification is 1:8.1.

For information about Sigma Corporation of America, visit www.sigmaphoto.com. For the full press releases for each of these new lenses, visit Sigma’s news section at www.sigmaphoto.com/sigma-news.

Sigma 60mm F2.8 DN specifications
Lens type Prime lens
Max Format size APS-C / DX
Focal length 60 mm
Image stabilisation No
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds, Sony E (NEX)
Aperture
Maximum aperture F2.8
Minimum aperture F22.0
Aperture ring No
Focus
Autofocus Yes
Motor type Micromotor
Full time manual Unknown
Distance scale No
DoF scale No
Physical
Sealing No
Hood supplied No
Tripod collar No

 

 

 

Next major Sony announcement in March-April…

 Image on top: The new 20mm lens (preorder at BHphoto)

For the record, the new 20mm pancake and new SLT firmware is all what Sony will show for the CP+ show in Yokohama that will start this week. The real major news like NEX-3n, A38 and A38 camera will be announced in March-April only. Also the new E and A mount lenses will be announced in the same period. I am now going to prepare a more detailed roundup of the rumored new cameras and lenses.

By the way, I am actually very busy working on new rumors. In these days I had again lot of talk about the next 12-16 months Sony strategy. If some of you have some more bits to share you can contact me anonymousely by using the contact form on this site or by sending me an email at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com.

Reminder: Don’t miss any rumor about the Sony NEX and SLT world. Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here)!