The Canon G1 X you see here will soon get a new competition from Sony!

That “news” came as a BIG surprise for me. According to some of my very trusted sources Sony is almost ready to launch a completely new product, a compact camera with fixed lens and…APS-C sensor! In 2005 Sony announced the [shoplink 11547 ebay]DSC-R1 (here on eBay)[/shoplink] which had a large 5x zoom. But the new camera has a compact zoom lens. Currently only the Canon G1 X (pictured on top) has a similar product with 4X zoom, while the Sigma DP series the Fuji X100 and Leica X1 do use a fixed prime lens.

The sources explicitly told me that the very interesting thing is the new compact zoom pancake lens that will come along the new camera. It will allow an extremely compact size and in short future “could” be offered as “separate lens” for the NEX system too! Can’t wait to see this!

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!

One of my very trusted sources told me that the next Sony compact cameras will have a new “Pixel Binning” feature. For those of you not knowing what this is here is the wikipedia description: “binning is the procedure of combining a cluster of pixels into a single pixel. As such, in 2×2 binning, an array of 4 pixels becomes a single larger pixel,^[1] reducing the overall number of pixels. This aggregation reduces the impact of read noise on the processed image at the cost of a lower resolution.“.

This is an interesting news because it is also a feature many of you requested for the future NEX and SLT cameras. I don’t know yet if that feature will be exclusive for compact camera or if it will be implemented in future system cameras too. I would certainly welcome that feature on my future A99 :)

Carl Garrard got an update about the A600 rumor. In very last moment Sony opted for the 16.2 Megapixel sensor instead of the rumor 18.4 Megapixel sensor. This happens because of the high demand of the 16.2mp sensor from other manufacturers so that the 18.4mp sensor wasn’t put to production. The good news is that the 16.2mp sensor was upgraded!

Please keep in mind that the rumor is coming via Carl’s source. So I cannot tell you if the rumor is correct or not. Anyway, I am sure the A57 and probably the NEX-F3 are coming soon (March 13th). I also heard about unknown other camera coming soon. This may or may not include that A600 model.

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 5509][/shoplink]
The current last announced model with optical viewfinder: The [shoplink 5509]Sony A580[/shoplink]
My friend Carl Garrard (Click here) got some interesting tidbits from an “old” source with good reputation. According to him there will be a new [shoplink 5509]A580 DSLR[/shoplink] successor. The real big news here is that Sony didn’t give up the Optical Viewfinder cameras: “I was told that for now Sony’s reaction to gathered marketplace demand is to keep traditional and non traditional DSLRS in the fold, but that only two OVF DSLRS would stay in the lineup. Priority is now given to SLT but that OVF are not yet out of the lineup. At least not yet. Apparently this is a pretty sudden switch in strategy, according to him.”

I know the A57 is coming and a source also told me there is one more camera coming too but I don’t know the specs yet. I hope my soruces can confirm soon if that rumor is true or not. I would certainly be happy if it would be correct! Here are the specs Carl got from his source.

• -New body design, similar to [shoplink 8459]A65[/shoplink] in size
• -Larger brighter OVF than the A580 (still penta-mirror, cost savings) at .92x magnification “w/data overlay” @ 97% coverage
• -Similar live view system as the A450 (away goes the second sensor and mechanisms that cost extra money), more traditional  main sensor live view with faster contrast detect AF than previous Sony DSLRS, this time for all lenses
• -updated 18.4 mp APS-C CMOS sensor
• -up to 8fps capture with full metering and af capabilities (A580 could do only 5fps with metering/af)
• -same battery as A580, A65, A77
• -new “wide coverage” 15 point AF system (new type with 5 cross type sensors)
• -full 1080p HD video will be included (no specifics on this)
• -Dual card slots (no specifics on type)
• -New pop up flash (not sure how this will work, assume bounce and regular?)
• -Silver and Black model (depending on territory)
• -New quieter mirror box mechanism and shutter
• -First curtain electronic shutter mode
• -Moisture/dust preventive measures (but not moisture or dust resistant)
• -3 custom function buttons
• -Updated Quick Navi Menu interface (assume like A65’s which isn’t true quick navi like A900/etc.)
• -Dual control wheels, rear is scroll and click type
• -Due this year before fall

Let’s cross the fingers!

P.S.: Don’t forget there is a huge Sony announcement day o March 13! The A57 is coming (and maybe NEX stuff too!).

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 8459][/shoplink]

The A57 will look 99% like the current [shoplink 8459]Sony A65[/shoplink]

I just got more rumors about the A57 which will be announced on March 13. The most important news is that it has almost the same body of the [shoplink 8459]Sony A65[/shoplink]. And here are some updated specs:
Sony ExmorHD 16 megapixel sensor (guess it’s the same of the [shoplink 7207]Sony NEX-C3[/shoplink]).
ISO 100 up to 16.000 (with 25.600 multishot)
12 frames per second
It has FullHD 60p AVCHD 2.0 recording
Compared to the A77 the A57 has less good electronic viewfinder (but sources told us it’s still very good and difference is minimal). No weather sealed body.  There is also a new battery grip for the A57 (yep, it isn’t compatible with the A77 grip). It has a swivel screen. No top LCD and no GPS.

And as I told you a couple of days ago a new NEX-F3 and a new NEX camcorder are also coming soon (don’t know if they will be announced the same day of the A57). I am still struggling to get more reliable info about the lenses. Hope you sources can send me more about that soon!
—

P.S.: The A77 body only is back in Stock at Amazon (Click here). And so the kit version (Click here).

I really don’t know what to think about this. A readers sent me that image showing an all silver NEX-7. I have no info yet if that is just a Photoshop work or a true camera. And I don’t know if it would make sense or not to offer a silver edition.

Here is the NEX-7 search links status check:
[shoplist 8454]

Our friends over at Photorumors got the news that on April 1st Sony will increase the price on all Sony lenses.I hope this is really an April joke! This is the price change list they got from their sources:

Some sources told me about possible future price increases because of the current weak dollar (or strong yen). There will be definitely no new price changes in Europe and Asia.