Tha A99 will be based on the same SLT technology of the [shoplink 8461]A77[/shoplink]
The Nikon D800 (Click here) is out and the Canon 5DmarkIII is also coming soon. And yes, we Sony users are suffering while waiting to get our hands on the A99. As I told you months ago the full-frame roadmap has been postponed and the A99 which was due for this Spring will now be announced in September and the other full-frame cameras will follow in 2013. I really hope that “he who laughs last, laughs best.” :)

Sony is currently evaluating the [shoplink 8461]A77[/shoplink] success and limits. They really want to get a step forward in quality and usability of the A99. And finally I got first bits of news about the full frame camera. I have been told that photographers are already busy testing the A99 in the field. It has a new 24 Megapixel sensor based on the same technology of the A77 Exmor HD sensor (Note: It’s not the same [shoplink 3032]A900[/shoplink] sensor). And of course it is an SLT camera with  (improved) electronic viewfinder. I got the exact ISO range of the camera. It goes from ISO 100 up to ISO 25.600. The sources told me that the final version will very likely have an extendable range down to ISO 50 and up to 102500. They haven’t compared the images yet but they are pretty sure it will beat the Nikon D800 at high ISO and per pixel sharpness. There were long discussions inside Sony if they should use a 24 or 28 megapixel sensor. Sony choose the 24 megapixel sensor to have less noise and greater fps speed.

In general sources told me that SAR readers should not expect a revolutionary camera but rather a great evolution of what you saw on the A77. I am now trying to get more specs about the camera but please keep in mind that we are talking about specs from a prototype! So there could be small changes and that’s why I posted this with SR4 and not SR5 value (see the rumor ranking explanation at the bottom of the post if you don’t know what this means).

One more thing: The Nikon D800 sells like hotcakes ( See rankings at Amazon USA (Click here), Amazon Germany (Click here) and Amazon Japan (Click here)) and is using a Sony produced 36 megapixels sensor. The same sensor can be used by Sony in 2013 only (yeah Nikon has an exclusivity on it).

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 7207 ebay][/shoplink]

Image on top: The [shoplink 7207 ebay]NEX-C3[/shoplink] that could soon be replaced by the NEX-F3

As I told you last week Sony is going to have a big announcement day on March 13th! We know that the A57 is coming for sure but what about other cameras and lenses? Trusted sources now told me that a [shoplink 7207 ebay]Sony NEX-C3[/shoplink] successor is coming soon (NEX-F3?) and a new NEX camcorder will also come right before the NAB show in April. I have no final specs right now but this is going to be a very busy time here on SAR…so stay tuned!Oh, and I really hope Sony will announce the new NEX lenses too! We alreayd have plenty of NEX cameras but so few NEX lenses :(

Message for Sony fullframe developers and marketing guys: The Nikon D800 is an incredible hotseller at Amazon USA (Click here), Amazon Germany (Click here) and Amazon Japan (Click here). Who said you can’t make money with FF? Just do it right :)

Guys! Mark that day…March 13! That is the day when Sony will announce the new Sony A57 camera with 16 Megapixel sensor. I don’t know if there will be some other new products like lenses or NEX cameras. I heard of a new NEX camera coming in April but maybe it’s going to be announce on the same day as the A57?

What we know so far about the A57:
16 megapixel ExmorHD sensor
100-16.000 ISO (up to 25.600 with MultiNR)
12fps
Same menu and focusing of the [shoplink 8461]Sony A77[/shoplink]
Swifel screen
No top LCD
No GPS
New battery grip
Not the same EVF as the A77/A65
Price: Same as the A55 (Check: [shopcountry 3617])

Stay tuned on SAR!!!

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!

I got dozen emails from sources and will try to give you an exact overview of what it’s coming soon! It’s going to be busy here on SonyAlphaRumors :)

A99
Let’s start with a small news about the A99: Sony confirmed at Dpreview that “it will be making a full-frame replacement for its flagship A900 DSLR.”. It’s not a big news but I take the chance to remind you the A99 with 24 Megapixel will arrive in September. The other Full Frame camera with 36 megapixel will arrive in early/mid 2013. Yes, it’s the same sensor of the Nikon D800 (Click here to check specs).

A57
1) First a small questions to trusted sources. A new source just told me that the A57 will not accept the A77 battery grip. Can you confirm or deny this? UPDATE: A few sources confirmed the A57 battery grip is not the same as of the A77
2) SR5: trusted sources told me that the camera can go up to 16.000 ISO.

I got many other rumors I am checking now. Stay tuned on SonyAlphaRumors. Will give you many updates soon!

[shoplink 3617][/shoplink]

The [shoplink 3617]Sony A55[/shoplink] will soon be replaced by the A57

For the source: A new source sent us some info about the A57. I want to thank him for that and also add a private message. Sorry for not posting this earlier but I always try to double check info before to post a rumor. Want to avoid to post false rumors. As you can imagine sometimes I get “fake rumors”. One more question…when is the A57 coming?

For the readers: The new A57 will use a 16 megapixel sensor and has the 12fps function of the A77. It also uses the same battery as the A77. Menu structure is again the same of the A77… same focusing modes as A77. The EVF looks similar to the A77 (might not be but very good) and the response time an manual mode very fast with no lag on settings. It has a swivel screen that looks very much like the same as the A77 and an ISO button on top.

UPDATE: Trusted sources confirmed the specs (with only a small correction). The A57 Specs are right! No articulated LCD screen but swivable. A77 Vertical Grip fits on the A57. No Top LCD.NO GPS. Finally exciting times are ahead of us. I also heard about a new NEX camera but don’t know if it will be announced yet and be available in April. Or if it will be announced in April and available in April.

UPDATE_2: No magnesium alloy!

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Sony A77 in stock status check: [shopcountry 8461].

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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!

One of the FALSE rumors that were spreading around the web was that the new Fuji X PRo 1 would have an organic sensor (see picture on top). It turned out to be false. But…

…now one of my best(!) sources has informed me me that Sony already has working prototypes of organic sensors! They will not hit the market this year, but they will in 2013. In general, Sony plans to bring major advances and more deeply expressed “sensor paradigm shifts” from the end of 2013 forwards with new Foveon-like sensors and organic materials allowing them to go well beyond the 100 megapixel barrier on a full-frame sensor. Sony has already officially announced that they will display a 100 megapixel sensor this year. The current (medium) format camera with the highest pixel resolution is the “Mamiya DM-Series 80Mp DSLR Camera Kit with 80mm LS Lens”. Price: $34,495.00 at Bhphoto (Click here).

I haven’t been told which camera will use this new generation sensor first. But let me dream for a moment. Imagine a full-frame NEX-9 camera with that sensor. I bet it would kick Fuji new Amazon hotseller (clcik to see ranking) in the butt ;)

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!

The french magazine Chasseur Magazine unveiled the future Nikon D800 specs and as I told you over 6 months ago it uses the new Sony 36 Megapixel Full Frame sensor!

Here are the specs of the sensor:
CMOS Full Frame with 36-megapixel
This Exmor sensor provides high dynamic range and low noise images.
Expect grain free images, printed in A2 up to ISO 1600.
The D800 will range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (extended modes ISO 50, 12800 and 25600).
Full HD 1080p in 30p, 25p and 24 p. There will be a PCM recorder.
Like the D4, the Nikon D800 will be able to output uncompressed video on its HDMI port.

Of course Nikon is using their own Expeed engine to elaborate JPEG images and Video stream. As a filmmaker I like the uncompressed clean HDMI output and hope Sony will take notice of that :)

What matters for you to know is that the next Sony Full Frame camera will NOT use that sensor. It will have a newly designed 24 Megapixel sensor and I honestly welcome that news. Don’t like that Megapixel race and 24 megapixel should allow more per pixel sharpness and much higher ISO. Anyway, I expect one more Sony Full Frame camera to be unveiled in early 2013 having the same 36 Megapixel sensor.