Hi!

Let me begin with a personal note. After posting my direct message to one of my sources on SAR I got few critics from readers and I am here to explain you a couple of things:

1) A critic was that I posted the message to the source to make some sensationalism.
What can I say….most sources uses the anonymous contact form and sometimes the only way to ask them something is to post a message on SAR. That’s it, there is no other way. If you feel like I am not honest than simply ignore this website. But 99% of you know me well for being the first posting correct rumors like for example about the SLT technology. I remember how many attacked me when I insisted for one year that Sony would launch a SLT camera. Same for NEX and same for the FF NEX I am talking about now. Even recently when I said the VG900 with FF sensor would be launched I remember plenty of posts saying I was “sensationalist” because FF NEX is not possible..where are you now? :)

2) Another critic said…just post everything you know!
There are two reasons why I dont’ do this:
a) If I would post everything my credibility of this site would be like zero. You are here not because you want to hear all the rumors I get (many of them are simply not correct). You are here to get a possibly reliable idea of what’s coming next. Of course I am not perfect! Sometimes even trusted sources get not so correct information and many sources do not speak English and it’s not easy to translate correctly their message.
b) I have some key info that I do not post yet because I use it to check if rumors I get from other sources are correct or not. In the long term it’s very important for me to have multiple sources rather than be “sensationalist” and post everything I get at the moment I get it. This measure has many benefits a) I can recognize which new source is a “real” source b) In the long term I can count on multiple sources c) I can check if Sony (or someone else) is deliberately spreading out false info.

The current Sony rumor situation:
So please just accept that I need time to give you SR4-5 rumors. Sony indeed completely revolutionized their roadmap. And while I am waiting to get more info all I can tell for now is that it sounds like a very good and clear roadmap made to sincerely compete against the big ones. With the current economic situation Sony simply has to be as honest as possible with what they can or can’t do. As I told you before an SLT camera with the same 36MP sensor used by the Nikon D800 wouldn’t have been the dealbreaker. Simply because it comes long time after the D800 release and it would have been probably be as (or more) expensive as the Nikon. That’s why I can say it with a SR5 reliability that the A1X 36MPX SLT FF camera prototype has not been approved for final market release and mass production. And there is also no plan to introduce a cheaper A95 SLT FF. For the first half of the year you can expect the launch of plenty of A and E mount lenses, certainly an entry level NEX and two (or more) APS-C SLT cameras. The revolutionized roadmap I talked you before will take effect from end 2013 towards. And all I can promise is to post some of that highly sensible info as soon as I have the feeling I am correct about it. Once again, I repeat…there is reason to hope for some very nice surprise! Also Canon and Nikon guys may love what’s coming :)

So stay tuned on SAR, you will NOT regret it!

Big hug from Andrea!

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Join our little new eBay search tool project Slidoo.com . There will be soon an amazon version and a dedicated Sony search page. Thanks :)

Sorry dear SAR readers. I just got an important rumor from an anonymous source and I want to contact him back. So the following message is for him:

First: I can confirm that I got similar rumors from two other sources.

Second: You may create a fake gmail account and contact me at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com? I have some questions regarding that high end NEX and other rumors I got from other sources.

SAR readers: I promise to post the rumor as soon as I can. But I have to be carefull. Some rumors are so important that I want to make no mistake when posting it!

Image on top: The Tamron 18-270mm lens for Sony.

The weekend is coming but I am not done with SR5 rumors :)

According to trusted sources Sony will announce new A-mount lenses in early 2013. One of the new lenses that will be announced in Q1 is the new 18-270mm DT lens. This will be Sony’s version of the Tamron 18-270mm lens ([shoplink 15847 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink]).

We will also have the new Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 and the new 70-200mm f/2.8. What I don’t know yet is if all these lenses will be announce together or one after another on separate days. We can also expect new E-mount lenses. I am working to get the specs…stay tuned on SAR…I  will hopefully post the coming weeks! Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here)!

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P.S.: I don’t know the price of the lens but we have many Zeiss 50mm lenses for different mounts and I thought it would be nice to give you an overview:
[shoplink 14186 ebay]Zeiss Normal 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar T* for Canon (see auctions on eBay)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 14187 ebay]Zeiss Normal 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar T* for Nikon (see auctions on eBay)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 14188 ebay]Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 50mm f/1.4 50/1.4 LTM (see auctions on eBay)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 14190 ebay]Zeiss Normal 50mm f/1.4 for Contax (see auctions on eBay)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 14189 ebay]Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/50 ZF 50mm F1.4 Nikon Ai-S (see auctions on eBay)[/shoplink]

As you see the price range is soemwhere between $500 and $800. Of course these are all manual focusing lenses and do have a different design. But I hope the price will be a bit below the $1.000 mark.

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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!

It doesn’t happen very often that I post SR5 ranked rumors on such long term Sony roadmaps. But I am now 99% sure of it! Sony completely changed the Full Frame roadmap! This means that also the rumored A1X SLT FF prototype camera with 36 MPX and no AA filter is not going to be released as it is. There will be..drastic(!) changes. Sony is now developing a unique and completely innovative FF range. The goal is to differentiate Sony FF cameras further from Canon and Nikon FF products. The next bunch of FF cameras is now being developed and Sony still hasn’t approved the final production of anyone of these cameras.

I am working on the details of the roadmap but as I told you there is no 100% approved camera yet. That’s why it’s quite difficult to give you reliable specs! All I am sure of is that, the next FF cameras will be quite different from a camera like the new [shoplink 14165]Sony A99[/shoplink].

UPDATE: As usual some people do misinterpret rumors that’s why I wanna say it clear and loudly: Both E and A mount systems will be kept well alive and improved!!! What’s changing is some technology used for the E and A mount. Actually, I think the new tech will bring even more “appeal” to both system! Exact the opposite of what some whiner wrote in the comments! Trust me, it’s a good news!

Stay tuned on SAR…follow the FF roadmap rumors that I will hopefully post the coming weeks! Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here)!

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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!

[shoplink 15741 ebay][/shoplink]

The A77 “Superkit” at [shoplink 15741 ebay]Beachcamera[/shoplink]

An anonymous source told us that Sony will release a new firmware update for the A77 in January. This rumor hasn’t been confirmed yet by any of my trusted sources. So keep your feet’s on ground. I hope to get a confirmation of the rumor soon. The source didn’t tell us what kind of improvements the fw update will bring. I guess…that I will let you guess :)

EU: Cheapest A77 price for A99 body in UK at [shoplink 15740 ebay]Wowcamera (on eBay)[/shoplink]. Full A77 ebay auctions overview on Slidoo.
US: A77 Superkits at [shoplink 15741 ebay]Beachcamera (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 15742 ebay]Buydi (Click here)[/shoplink]. A77 Superkits with lens at A77 at [shoplink 15743 ebay]Beachcamera (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 15744 ebay]Buydi (Click here)[/shoplink]. Full A77 ebay auctions overview on Slidoo.

Reminder: For sure that by early 2013 Sony Japan will release a new firmware update that will add the support of the following lenses on the A99: SAL85f14Z, SAL135f18Z, SAL70300G, SAL70200G, SAL100f28 Makro.

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Stay tuned on SAR, subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here)!

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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!

As I told you this week Sony is on the verge of big decisions. And they are testing many FF prototypes some of them are quite different from what we have seen on the market the last years. All I can anticipate with a certain reliability is that Sony will definitely introduce plenty of new APS-C SLT and NEX cameras the first half of 2013. And I am almost certain no new Full Frame SLT or NEX camera will be announced during that time. The High END FF prototype and the other FF prototypes I heard of are still being evaluated and tested and Sony still has to take the final decision about their possible release time and final specs.

In short, Sony has to decide if they want to take a more revolutionary path or a more evolutionary approach. My suggestion to Sony, do that what will really set a difference from Canon and Nikon. No more half heart games.

P.S.: I am 100% sure there will be no more optical viewfinder FF cameras. So don’t keep asking me that anymore :) P.S: One A900 demo (new condition) A900 for sale on eBay (via Slidoo).

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Stay tuned on SAR, subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here)!

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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!

DxOmark (Click here) published the full NEX-6 sensor test and it’s probably even not worth it to click on the link to read their article :)
This because the NEX-6 has exactly the same performance of the NEX-5r and the NEX-5n.

And here are two more NEX reviews: NEX-6 at Camerahoarders and NEX-5r at Photographyblog. And two NEX-6 demo ktis are for sale on eBay US (via Slidoo).