DxO about the Sigma 18-35mm lens: “Unrivalled Standard Zoom”

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DxOmark tested the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens:

The Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 DC HSM A remains an outstanding example of what’s achievable with modern lens designs. And at $799, it’s reasonably accessible in price as well.

The Lens also got tested at Dpreview (Click here). The Lens earned a Gold Award and the DP team writes:

Its relatively narrow zoom range is undeniably a little restrictive, but on the other hand, the image quality it can offer over that range is absolutely stellar. It’s let down a little by inconsistent autofocus, which makes it difficult to get consistently sharp results every time when shooting wide open. But if you’re prepared to live with this, the 18-35mm is capable of delivering truly exceptional results.

You can preorder the lens at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here). There is even a price drop on the lens at Amazon UK. But there is still not exact release date info from Sigma! And that’s really annoying!

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Sony and Olympus will share mirrorless distribution and tech.

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All the best Olympus E-M1 tech explained by TheCameraStoreTV

In an interview at with Olympus president Sasa confirmed at JP (Click here) that Sony and Olympus will tighten their relation ship in the mirrorless camera business. In Short this means that they will share components between their cameras to lower the costs. And also integrate the distribution network.

In short, what are the tech Olympus can hand over to Sony? Here is a list:
– The great 5 axis on sensor stabilization (likely coming on the new generation A-mount cameras in February)
– Their contrast autofocus tech
– Their Zuiko Lens design epxerience
– Their JPG engine (which is a tiny bit better than the Sony engine)
– The freezproof body design (see the new Olympus E-M1).

I have to say this is a nice list of things we need to get built-in in our future Sony cameras!

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Sony A7r first time in Stock in Germany, Italy, Spain and more EU countries!

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For the first time the A7r is IN STOCK! in most European countries: At Sony Germany (Click here), Sony France (Click here), Sony Italy (Click here), Sony Spain (Click here), Sony Netherland (Click here), Sony Belgium (Click here), Sony Switzerland (Click here), Sony Austria (Click here), Sony Sweden (Click here), Sony Finland (Click here), Sony Norway (Click here) and Sony Portugal (via Christiano Ronaldo ;).

 

Specs and Preorders in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,  WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony  DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT
Zeiss 24-70mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, SE, PT
Sony G 28-70mm lens at Sony DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO.

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Good news for USA: Large Stock A7-A7r and Zeiss 35mm arrived in Stores. Will ship soon.

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I got some good info for USA readers. “Sources” told me that major online Stores received a large Stock of A7, A7r cameras and Zeiss 35mm lens. They will ship to you the coming days already! In Short this means there is no delay at all. Wait for your postman! :)

All that stuff will shipped to you this or next week:
Sony A7r will ship regularly before or on December 1 at Amazon , Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS, Focuscamera.
Sony A7 body and kit version will ship regularly before or on December 1 at Amazon , Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS, Focuscamera.
Zeiss 35mm will ship regularly before or on December 1 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS, Focuscamera.
Vertical grip will ship regularly before or on December 1 at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.

Coming later:
Zeiss 55mm lens will ship after December 22 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS, Focuscamera.
Zeiss 24-70mm will ship early February at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS, Focuscamera.

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New A7/A7r legacy lens test By Frank Doorhof and The.me (Lens compensation app)

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Plenty of SAR readers are now receiving their A7-A7r cameras. And I guess most of them will use third-party lenses on their camera. Not all of them know that Sony has launched a new APP called “Lens Compensation” (available here). As you can see from the video on top this may be THE solution to fix most of the issues you can have on some wide angle glass. The problem now is that Sony still has to update it to make it work with our A7-A7r cameras! Let’s hope Sony will updated the APP with RAW support and also a database with some legacy lens settings!

Meantime let’s check out the new legacy lens test posted by two photographers:

Karel Van Wolferen:
KVW wrote an article about the A7r with a ton of legacy lenses at The.me (Click here).

The A7R is on the right track for people like me and others who believe in detail. I have not yet seen any large prints from it — and isn’t that among the main aims of good photography. Let me say that my hope have been given a lift.

Frank Doorhof:
He tested the A7r with Leica R glass (read here). According to Frank both, the 50mm f2.0 with Kipon and on the R4 a 135mm lens render a sort of 3D feeling image. He also tested the Zeiss Jenna 135mm f4 and a Petri 50mm (read here):

as mentioned before according to some people (actually a lot of people) the 36mp sensors would only perform well with top glass, this sample proves that you can actually get great performing glass for a small budget and it really shines on a camera like the A7r, I’m 100% sure that the lack of the AA filter helps a lot by the way.

Specs and Preorders in US and Canada:
Dedicated Sony announcement page at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony A7r body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS. TheCameraStore Canada.
Sony RX10 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 24-70mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 35mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 55mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
70-200mm A-mount at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony A to E adapter with mirror at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
A7/A7r leather case at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
A7/A7r vertical grip at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony W Series Battery Charger at Amazon, BHphoto.
Sony FA-CS1M Off-Camera Shoe at BHphoto.
Semi-Hard LCD Screen Protector for A7-A7r at Amazon, BHphoto.

Specs and Preorders in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,  WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony  DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT
Zeiss 24-70mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, SE, PT
Sony G 28-70mm lens at Sony DE, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO.

Asia:
A7r at Digitalrev.
A7 at Digitalrev, Amazon Cina.
A7 with 28-70mm lens at Digitalrev.

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Sony A9r and A6r without EVF (rendering by Xitek).

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I guess quite many SAR reader would like to have an A7r alike camera without that EVF bump on top. The Chinese friends over at Xitek designed it especially for you to show you how it would look! Obviously this is a pure imaginative rendering but I am sure some of you would like it to see as a REAL thing!

On top you see a so called A9r. And here below the more NEX-7 alike A6r camera:

 

And here another version:

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