[shoplink 7642 ebay][/shoplink] Image on top shows an adpater with built-in mirror from [shoplink 7642 ebay]Leica[/shoplink]…there is no image of the Sony adapter yet :))

A known source from the Thai Sony Alpha users’ forum fotorelax.com just told that the new LA-EA2 adapter for NEX (with SLT mirror inside) will be retailed for 13000 THB or around 436 USD. It is the same source that started talking about NEX adapter with SLT mirror just a day before I posted it here on SAR. Be reminded that NEX cameras are made in Thailand so rumors from there should be always taken seriously!

UPDATE: Our Thai friend “Lifeispixels” justs ent us more tidbits (Thanks!): “It’s confirmed there is a motor inside the adapter to drive all AF minolta and sony lens. The rumor also said the AF will be as quick as A77 but will consume battery like mad, probably you will need a 3rd battery pack. The new LA-EA2 adapter can be used with all current E mounted cameras (NEX-3,NEX-5,NEX-C3,NEX-5N and NEX-VG10, NEX-VG20. This adapter will have an SLT mirror to reflex the image to AF chamber to perform auto focus and has nothing to do with EVF. The target group of this adapter is NEX-FS100 users.”

P.S.: Check the price of the current Sony Alpha LA-EA1 Alpha to E-mount adapter at [shopcountry 7643].

Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources (60-80% the rumor is correct)
SR5=almost certainly correct!

Ylovephoto.com found that french A77 and A65 leak at the bottom of page 36 in Réponses Photo (a french magazine). And the September edition will contain the real pictures and specs ;)

According to our trusted sources Sony will announce the A77, A65, NEX-7, (probably a NEX-5N and VG20 too) and the new 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM and 24mm f/1.7 Zeiss E-mount lens (+ maybe 50mm and 55-210mm) on August 23/24! Maybe the reason why I go two dates is because all depends from the timezone you live (for example it could be August 24 in Japan and August 23 in USA). I should get the exact announcement time and the exact product list very soon. My sources already told to me that this is probably the biggest Sony photo announcement ever made! So stay tuned! I am sure we will have some exciting time here on SAR!

P.S: As you might remember Sony originally had the plan to announce all those products in early July but due the Tsunami tragedy the product roadmap shifted forward for almost 2 months. The new cameras should be in Stock by early October (at least in Asia), probably later in Europe and US!

Support this site: I am having a lot of fun to work on SAR. I don’t use dozens of banners and I don’t get paid by any company to do what I do. All the work you see here is made by me during my free time. If you want to help me to cover the monthly server costs there is an easy way: Click on affiliate links you see on that website like [shopcountry 3028] to buy whatever product you want (it doesn’t have to be a camera) and I will earn a small commission from it. You don’t pay any penny more on the items you buy and at the same time you support SonyAlphaRumors without me having to put 100 banners on my website. Cool or not? Thanks :)

Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources (60-80% the rumor is correct)
SR5=almost certainly correct!

We just got a confirmation that the 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM lens has 72mm filter size. But this post is more about an explanation I have to give you. Some of my trusted sources gave me slightly different specs (for example different filer size or SAM /SSM characteristics of the lens). The thing I may had to tell you more clearly is that usually Sony (like other companies) does develop a couple of slightly different prototypes. I know for example for SURE that there wee A77 camera with CF slot, A77 cameras with fixed LCD, and so on, but as you know the final A77 will have a tilting LCD and most likely no CF slot. What matters is that most of the core features are correct. I knew since almost nine months the A77 would have a 24 Megapixel sensor (and I have been the first to tell you that), since months I knew there is a 16-50mm kit lens, and so on. What changed in the meanwhile are the “minor” features (which are of course also very important).

I ask you to keep in mind that we are dealing with rumors here and not with official news. It’s not an easy job believe me, and I am learning more every day!

The trusted source that told me first about the 16-50mm lens performance wanted me to share you some updated info about the upcoming Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM lens:

He told me to reassure you that the 16-50mm lens is not a “reworked tamron”. ([shoplink 7824 ebay]Click here to see that lens on eBay[/shoplink]). Sony chose to start with 16mm (instead of the 17mm from the Tamron) to “prevent consumers from comparing to the existing tamron”. Yeah it is slightly vignetting at 16mm but don’t forget “The key word is “slightly”…not “extreme bad” vignetting!”. And what he tested “was a prototype. Not the final production model.”

Thanks “Source” for clarifying that! I am sure all our readers will appreciate it!

Now that is working fine! Yesterday we asked our sources if they can send us some more hands-on report about the new products and here we are with the very first short impressions shared by them:

1)  Translucent adapter
It delivers exactly the same autofocus performance as in the [shoplink 3617]A33/A55[/shoplink]

2) A77
The camera is soooooooooooo fast! The bad news is that [shoplink 7833 ebay]CF[/shoplink] was dropped at the last stage of design. The screen really is awesome. Another bad news is that price has gone up again likely retail at 1299$ body only.

3) NEX-7
Feels really nice in your hands and the built-in OLED viewfinder is a winner. It records video at 24p FX/PS 1080. The prototype photo is accurate! The controls do make a lot of sense when you know what all the buttons do.

4) 16-50mm SSM lens
It is SILENT! I didn’t notice any vignetting at 16mm but didn’t really look. And the lens is weather sealed (as is the a77+grip)

If you can add more info about the new products feel free to contact me by using the anonymous contact form on the right sidebar. As you already know it doesn’t require your name and email address and it doesn’t store the IP-address neither!

And to all our readers, feel free to make questions and the sources might will send me the answers!

Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources (60-80% the rumor is correct)
SR5=almost certainly correct!

Support this site: I am having a lot of fun to work on SAR. I don’t use dozens of banners and I don’t get paid by any company to do what I do. All the work you see here is made by me during my free time. If you want to help me to cover the monthly server costs there is an easy way: Click on affiliate links you see on that website like [shopcountry 3028] to buy whatever product you want (it doesn’t have to be a camera) and I will earn a small commission from it. You don’t pay any penny more on the items you buy and at the same time you support SonyAlphaRumors without me having to put 100 banners on my website. Cool or not? Thanks :)

One of our sources was so kind (Thanks!) to send us his first impression about the upcoming new 16-50mm SSM lens! He tested a prototype which is close to production model. Apparently the 16-50mm lens is suffering from slightly corner vignetting and corner softness at f/2.8. It is not too bad at all but just not perfect. The very good news is that at 17mm the lens is is perfect!

As you know the lens is a Sony (not a Zeiss) and it will have a price of 750 Euro ($799 dollars).

Some other source did test the lens and can confirm the quality report made by that source?

UPDATE: The source also said that Sony was (or is?) considering to make it 17-50mm (instead to start with 16mm) to increase the image quality. But the problem could be the fact that there is alreayd an excellent [shoplink 7824]Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR[/shoplink] for Sony! P.S: Click those links to see the Tamron for Sony: [shopcountry 7824].

Finally I got some NEX-7 specs to share with you!
1) The NEX-7 has a metal body
2) A new super fast contrast autofocus
3) Built-in 3 million dot OLED viewfinder
4) 24 Megapixel
5) ISO 100-25.600
6) 24p HD-video
7) Pop-up flash

I hope my sources can confirm if the the camera really has no FullHD recording! That would b a huge surprise! I hope this is just a typo from the rumor sender!

Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources (60-80% the rumor is correct)
SR5=almost certainly correct!

Support this site: I am having a lot of fun to work on SAR. I don’t use dozens of banners and I don’t get paid by any company to do what I do. All the work you see here is made by me during my free time. If you want to help me to cover the monthly server costs there is an easy way: Click on affiliate links you see on that website like [shopcountry 3028] to buy whatever product you want (it doesn’t have to be a camera) and I will earn a small commission from it. You don’t pay any penny more on the items you buy and at the same time you support SonyAlphaRumors without me having to put 100 banners on my website. Cool or not? Thanks :)