DxOmark tests the Sony FE 24-240mm zoom: “convenient and good value choice”.

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DxOmark (Click here) posted the full Sony FE 24-240mm lens test. They write:

Costing $998, the FE 24-240mm is not very cheap, but packing a massive 10x focal range, Sony’s OSS image stabilization and dust/moisture resistant construction, you get a lot of lens for your money.
While offering a versatile all-in-one solution for wide-angle or long telephoto shots without having to change lenses, the FE 24-240mm is not the strongest optically and ranks in the lower half of our lens database. That said, the image quality delivered by the FE 24-240mm is good for a superzoom, and as we’ve seen in the Sony FE 24-240mm vs Nikon 28-300mm analysis, the Sony is as good in most areas and actually slightly better than the Nikon at the wider apertures.
The FE 24-240mm’s performance is also better at the wider focal lengths between 24-50mm. Zoom in further to the telephoto focal lengths and Sharpness and Transmission start to suffer somewhat, which has affected its overall score. Head-to-head against the $1,498 FE 70-200mm f4 G OSS, the analysis showed that much better performance is available from a dedicated telephoto zoom with more homogenous sharpness across the entire frame. At the wider focal lengths, however, the FE 24-240mm actually displays better edge sharpness than the FE 28-70mm standard zoom, which covers a much shorter focal range. So if you’re looking for a good quality standard zoom with the added versatility of being able to shoot telephoto without changing lenses, the FE 24-240mm is a convenient and good value choice for Sony A7 shooters.

Sony 24-240mm FE lens store links:
USA: Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, FocusCamera, Sony US.
Europe: Sony Germany, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, FI, NO, PT.
Asia: Digitalrev, CameraPRO, Sony Australia.

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Gariz launches the gorgeous Alcantara case for the A7 cameras.

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[shoplink 36899 ebay]alcantaraA7_top[/shoplink]

Gariz launched an extremely gorgeous Alcantara version of their A7II case. You can already buy it here:
On eBay  in [shoplink 36899 ebay]Black (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 36900 ebay]Red (Click here)[/shoplink].
On Amazon US in Black (Click here) and Red (Click here).

Alcantara is not leather and has the following advantages:
– It feels like leather but it is not.
– Increased durability and stain resistance over leather
– It doesn’t make you sweat.
– It’s flame retardant in case your camera gets launched in an open fire :)

P:S.: Alcantara is composed of about 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane and is very much used in Sports cars because it feels good but you don’t sweat in it.

[shoplink 36899 ebay]alcantaraA7[/shoplink]
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(SR3) Sony A7rII with 36MP sensor, IBIS and faster AF

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A7r

After one of my trusted sources told me that Sony was already producing the A7rII things got a bit silent here. I believe Sony will make a “silent” announcement of the camera just like it happened with the A7II. This means no bloggers and almost no photographers will be able to get their hands on the camera in advance. And if you remember the A7II got announced in Japan only at first.

According to a person who was able to get in contact with a person from Sony Japan this is what to expect with the A7rII:

 It has same 36Mp sensor and from what I’ve been told it will have EFCS and IBIS and faster AF.

The A7000 (or whatever the final name will be) is coming in mid-June. So let’s hope the A7rII is coming too and will not get any delay like it happened with the A7000. Remember while the A7000 release info should finally be the right one I am yet not(!) sure when the A7rII is coming.

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Sony has a new 12 MP RGBW Sensor for the next iPhone.

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While this news is not directly related to the Alpha World it’s still interesting to hear about Sony’s future sensor tech. Feng.com reports that the next generation of Apple iPhones will use a brand new 12 Megapixel RGBW Sony sensor. The “W” stands for “White” pixels and it allows to increase the sensitivity which is a weak point of current smartphone photocameras. Usually those RGBW sensors have as a consequence that the pixels size decreased and therefore the image quality gets poorer. But Sony claims they solved this with a new kind of technology (not explained yet):

While the individual pixels of the Sony models are extremely minute at 1.12μm, the incorporation of the “RBGW Coding” function has realized a SN ratio (signal-to-noise ratio) equivalent to that of a unit pixel size of 1.4μm under conventional methods, which in turn has enables the image sensors to achieve a higher resolution at a more compact size.

Don’t know if that RGBW sensor tech will be applied on future APS-C or FF sensors too.

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Sony Tidbits…

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How to Make the World’s Greatest Sandwich… from Gary Yost on Vimeo.

Gary (video on top): “Hey there… I’m a DP who usually uses big cameras from Black Magic, Sony F55, etc.  I recently bought an RX100m3 to see if it could function as a b-cam and was so impressed by it that I decided to shoot a little test using just the RX100 — mostly to see how well the XAVCS files could take a grade in Davinci Resolve. Well… it’s freakin amazing.  What a little powerhouse! Here’s the result.  Entirely shot with the RX100m3 with the exception of the first shot, an aerial made with a DJI Inspire. Enjoy, and feel free to link to it if you like it. https://vimeo.com/128085280”

FE 55mm lens review at Admiringlight
A7II review at Epicmirrorless.
Sony Artisan Profile: Caroline Jensen (Sony Blog).
Shogun Firmware Update V6.21 (Atomos).
Sigma 18-35mm ART lens issues (SonyAlphaForum).
Einfach nur genial: Das Sonnar T* FE 2,8/35 ZA an der Sony alpha 7 – Teil 2 (Joerghaag).

Blue Eden: “We shot this sailing over a week in Phuket and the Phi Phi islands using a Sony a7s and Nikon D800.  Check it out, and hope you can feature it if you like it :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQVO76h-p7Q“

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Sony US removes the A7II camera from their store (likely a mistake)

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SAR reader Wes (Thanks!) noted that Sony US (Click here) completely removed the A7II preorder option. It’s highly likely that Sony just made a mistake here. Or they are preparing some new kind of deal on it? Let’s hope that’s the case :)

Reminder: Sony refurbished FE cameras/lenses list with 1 year warranty and 30 day return guarantee from Secondipity:
$600 off on the A7s (Click here).
[shoplink 36776 ebay]$400 off on the Zeiss 24-70mm FE lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36792 ebay]$330 off on the 18-200mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36791 ebay]$300 off on the Sony A7II with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36781 ebay]$270 off on the NEX-F3 with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36777 ebay]$260 off on the Sony A6000 double lens kit (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36779 ebay]$230 off on the Sony FE 28-70mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36787 ebay]$200 off on the Sony A5100 double lens kit (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36778 ebay]$200 off on the Sony A7II body (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36782 ebay]$270 off on the Sony A7II with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36780 ebay]$170 off on the Sony 55-210mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36780 ebay]$170 off on the Sony 55-210mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36786 ebay]$120 off on the Sony A5000 with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36785 ebay]$100 off on the Sony A5100 with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36789 ebay]$100 off on the Sony A7 body (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36790 ebay]$100 off on the Sony NEX-3n with kit lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36788 ebay]$90 off on the 20mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36783 ebay]$80 off on the Sony 30mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 36784 ebay]$20 off on the Sony 50mm lens (Click here)[/shoplink].

Not that the same stuff can be found on their Amazon store too (Click here).

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Highly interesting: Sony publishes Sony Alpha Report: Focus on E-mount ecosystem.

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Our reader Joe (Thanks!) sent us the link to the newly published detailed Sony electronics presentation: sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/info/irday2015electronics_presenE.pdf. Here are the key info:

1) Sony is selling less fixed lens cameras but selling more system cameras and high end fixed lens cameras
2) The earnings volume is slightly dropping but the profit is growing
3) Sony forecasts an increase of both Interchangeable camera and lens sales.

Bildschirmfoto 2015-05-27 um 08.54.08

4) Focus is on premium products. Expansion of the professional camera product lineup (Alpha Cameras and Lenses and premium fixed lens cameras).
5) Apply high-end tech in consumer models
6) Establish an Ecosystem of strong differentiated products centered around the Alpha System

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7) Focus on 4K, High Frame rate and wide color Gamut technology

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8) there will be 20 FE lenses by early 2016
9) One of the competitive advantages of the Alpha Lenses is word’s highest resolution. Editor’s note: Sounds like they are ready for the 50+MP camera :)
10) Reading all files it’s clear that Sony will focus on “Alpha” system in the sense of E-mount and not A-mount (that’s my interpretation).
11) Sony has 60% of the mirrorless system camera market.

Bildschirmfoto 2015-05-27 um 09.16.19

In Summary: Sony will push the E-mount system, launch plenty of high end products (A7 and maybe a future A9 series) with world leading innovations. Focus is on High resolution, High ISO, High Speed and 4K technologies. Also likely to be pushed is the RX system while there is no word in those documents what’s going to happen with A-mount.

What are you first impressions about Sony’s strategy?

 

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