July 25, 2017 Today, I’m excited to announce our new Grip-Case Pro for the Sony A9 and Sony A7II Series of bodies. These Grip-Cases give your camera that extra height that is so needed for photographers with larger hands or those that wish these Sony bodies had more height for better holding larger Pro lenses. In addition, these new Grip-Cases give tons of protection, much improved grip and a unique look to your Sony camera body.
I personally use the A9 as my main system camera, and in my opinion, Sony should have made the body larger (more like the Leica SL) to help handle the Pro lenses on it. I am NOT a fan of the battery grips as they add too much bulk and weight to the camera, and totally change the size of camera bag that you can use. For this reason, I designed this new Grip-Case blending the design from our best selling Wood Grip and our best selling Fuji X100 series Grip-Case.
A source talked to a Zeiss manager who shared insights of the E-mount Zeiss strategy:
1. Leadership believes that people/the market for mirror less want small and light. 2. About the new 135mm f/2.8: It was much easier to make an f2.8 and make it quickly before competition from Sony or other brands and maintain a high quality zeiss level image. 3. If they made a 135 f1.8 (Otus quality!) with auto focus people still would not buy because the price would be near $5,500.00 usd. 4. Professionals are not on board with the mirror less yet and there for will not spend the money for professional otus level glass.
I understand that Zeiss wants to find a niche in the E-mount segment. And making Otus alike autofocus lenses will have to face three problems: 1) High price 2) Sony GM competition 3) Sigma will soon join the FE system with high quality low-priced fast prime lenses anyway
So the question is:
Loading ...
Preorders:
Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 lens at Adorama and Bhphoto.
Zeiss Batis 135mm lens shade at Adorama and Bhphoto.
We’ve all been there. You’re ready to shoot a gorgeous landscape, surging waterfall, or classic car… Suddenly you realize that reflection and haze are reducing detail and contrast, and the image is not as crisp as you know it could be. The solution used to be fumbling around for the right sized circular polarizer for your lens, but now with the new Polar Throttle, you can just dial in the CPL filter that’s built right into the lens adapter itself!
Anankhepi spotted something interesting on the soon to be released new Nikon D850. He speculates this might be a hybrid EVF and OVF viewfinder. This would allow the Nikon to have the best of both world’s: The accurate and fast phase detection performance and the benefits of the mirrorless systems like focus peaking, WYSIWYG, and so on.
The screw holes on the image above seem to be eye detection sensors to activate the EVF screen. This is Nikon’s patent about this:
What does it mean for Sony? That the technological difference between the DSLR and Mirrorless system cameras is evaporating. It means more pressure on Sony because their distinctive E-mount arguments are now weaker. And at the end this is good news for us because Sony has to fight back with a really good and not overpriced Sony A7III, A7rIII and A7sIII camera.
UPDATE: Seems like Anankhepi and Angry Photographers speculation was wrong. The D850 is more likely to use a classic optical viewfinder only.
Sony announced that the A7sII is the world’s first commercial camera mounted outside theInternationcal Space Station. Here is the press text:
Sony’s Full-Frame Mirrorless α7S II Shoots Astonishing 4K Videos from Outer Space First Commercial Camera Mounted Outside International Space Station
Tokyo, Japan – Sony today released a variety of immersive 4K (QFHD 3840×2160) footage from outer space recorded by the acclaimed α7S II full-frame mirrorless camera. This is the world’s first*1 commercial camera to be mounted outside of the International Space Station (ISS) used to capture video in 4K. The videos showcase the Japanese islands from outer space with footage taken during day and night, showing off its majestic snow-covered peaks and metropolitan lights right down to the differences in color tone. These were able to be captured by virtue of the α7S II’s high sensitivity performance as well as high resolution 4K recording capability.
The α7S II has been selected*2 as the camera for the new exterior platform on the ISS’s Japanese Experiment Module known as “KIBO”. As a result of various tests conducted by JAXA, it was confirmed that the α7S II possesses the durability and reliability to withstand the unique and unforgiving environment of outer space, including high vacuum, cosmic radiation, and abrupt temperature fluctuations.
The α7S II was carried to the ISS by the “KOUNOTORI” cargo transporter that launched from the Tanegashima Space Center on December 9, 2016, and was subsequently installed on February 8, 2017*3. From 400 km above the surface of the earth, the α7S II completes an orbit around the planet approximately once every 90 minutes, recording a variety of 4K videos and still images from outer space.
*1 As of July 27, 2017
*2 Selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
*3 With the FE PZ 28-135mm F4 G OSS power zoom lens
The α7S II boasts high sensitivity up to ISO 409600*4, wide dynamic range; 5-axis image stabilization; internal recording of 4K movies with full pixel readout and no pixel binning; and a 35 mm full-frame Exmor® CMOS image sensor packed into a compact body. It was honored as the top camera in its category at the prestigious EISA Awards (EUROPEAN PHOTO & VIDEO CAMERA 2016-2017), and its outstanding sensitivity in particular has met acclaim around the globe since its release. Its high sensitivity performance allows the camera to produce clear, high quality images with minimal noise, even in the extreme low light conditions of outer space. There is a lot of excitement around the camera’s ability to capture previously unobtainable footage such as the earth at night from space, and will take vivid 4K videos of sights such as cargo transporters like the “KOUNOTORI” approaching the ISS.
The immersive 4K videos captured by the α7S II have been released on the “α Universe” official site. The history of the α7S II’s implementation on the ISS can also be viewed on the site. Japanese: “α Universe” official site English: “α Universe” official site
*4 When set to expanded sensitivity mode.
Loading ...
