Something ia about to change at Sony!

The last six months I got a huge amount of rumors and hints about cameras. The NEX-FF, NEX-7 successor, A-mount mirrorless, A79 specs, Firmware update info. A lot of info and single pieces of information I often didn’t know how to order. I had questions like…what’s coming first? What tech will be used by what camera? It’s an incredibly hard job to get rumors and it’s even harder when Sony keeps changing roadmap and hiding things.

But the latest 24 hours were exciting(!!!) on the rumor work front. I got an 80% perfectly exactly clue about what’s going to happen the next 6 months. And I even got “evidence”…or better “pictures” that allowed me a breakthrough on the rumor front. Some questions are still left but I will sort them out in time. I will promise you an STORM of rumors on SonyAlphaRumors right after the QX camera announcement on Tuesday. The next 3-4 days I will work with all my sources to clear out all the questions that are left. Here are some hints about what’s coming. All SR5 guys!

1) There will me many new APS-C E-mount cameras and lenses in September. One of these cameras has a unique feature, and that camera will make you happy (if the price isn’t too high). And also Canon and Nikon owners will be motivated to switch and they can perfectly use all their lenses on it! Question left to answer: pricing and some specs. Lens availability (don’t know if lenses will be available yet or if these is just a roadmap announcement).

2) The NEX-FF is confirmed(!).  It is a pure NEX shape with more ergonomic grip. It is probably the most close guarded secret right now as so much development has gone into it. A source told me that it is some different from what you might expect. The project was near cancel several time and revived! Question left to answer: Announcement and specs (end 2013 or very early 2014?).

3) A-mount future: It’s moving more towards the PRO market and mirrorless tech. And Early 2014 is the most likely date to see the new generation APS-C and FF A-mount cameras. Questions left: Specs and final announcement date. New lenses coming too (at leats four within the next  six months).

4) Firmware updates and NEX-7 successor: The NEX-7 successor suffered from delays because the NEX team priority shifted towards the cameras that I described on point 1. This is also the same reason why major firmware upgrade for the A77, NEX-7 and A99 and so on have been delayed (this week firmware update was just a small update). Sony engineers worked hard for the ASP-C A-mount cameras and NEX-FF. I have been told that its very likely the after the announcement storm in September they will finalize the firmware update work. Questions left: NEX-7 successor specs and release date.

5) You remember the mistake made by one of my sources saying the A3000 has in Body IS and another source saying it has a higher resolution EVF? They read wrong data in the Sony menu-manual. Even that was actually not a mistake…these are the data from another camera that Sony put by mistake on menu ;)

If sources are reading this and can help me to get some answer contact me anonymously by using the contact form you see on the very right of your browser. You can also contact me directly at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com.

I will post pictures soon!!!

And that time I can prove what I am writing here. I got two pics confirming that the info I am sharing to you is correct. Sony did change the roadmap more than I thought and there are more surprises than expected. And suddenly everything makes a lot of sense (all the NEX-7 successor confusion, the firmware delay, the NEX-FF rumors, the A–mount mirrorless…. I really had one of the best days ever on SAR :)

I will share these pics with sources to discuss the details. Give me 3-4 days only to sort out some of the questions left. I will definitely post what I got after the QX camera announcement on Tuesday. And what you will see…I bet there will be more than 1,000 comments :)  Tomorrow I will give you a hint about one of the cameras that not only Sony but also Canon, Nikon and Pentax lens owners will be veeery happy to own (and still use their lenses!).

Stay tuned on SAR. It’s going to be a hell of a time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here) in order to not miss that news!

Greetings,

Andrea

—

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 long rumored 85mm f/1.8 just got leaked at Xitek? UPDATE_3: Trusted sources checked the image again. The image is close to the real lens but not the final production version. This will not be the final lens design!

I remind you to read the previous post. Astonishing rumors to be published soon on SAR! For the first time I have the feeling Sony has the chance to catch up with Nikon and Canon! And tell all Nikon-Canon-Pentax lens owners that they can use this 85mm Zeiss lens and their G-K or EF lens on the same camera…With AF!

—

UPDATED: This is the first picture of “FDR-AX1” 4K Camcorder.

(SR5) 4K Camcorder
One comes from a top trusted source -> Thanks AL ;) He says that Sony will soon announce the “FDR-AX1” 4K Camcorder. These are some specs:
XQD memory card
4K G-lens
XLR output
can switch between 4K and 2k
records in CAVC/S 4K HD
20x Optical zoom (fixed lens)
3x ND filter
Price….less than $5,000!

This is 4K for the mass! :)

—-

Something else: I got this rumor from an Asian source:

(SR1-SR2) Mid-frame camera (???)
This is a strange rumor I got. You may help me out on this. The anonymous (and unknown) source told me that:
“maybe there will be a mid-frame camera coming key word “box””
You may tell me what he means with that? UPDATE: Maybe he means Medium Format camera (or digital back).

For German readers: Gold Box deal on the A99: http://www.dealsrunner.com/deals/sony-a99-body–4

—

The last four weeks have been very busy for me. First I had a vacation that I mostly spent on rumor work and now one week of busy time for the company I work for. I am writing this because you have to know that this is a website driven by one man only (me) who writes in a terrible english (my native language are German and Italian) and by using my limited free time. So if the articles were worse than usual know that I was terribly busy the last month.

The good news for you is that I “was” busy. Starting from tomorrow I will have more time to work on rumors and on more decently written articles :)
Today I will contact all my trusted sources to get some details on the NEX-FF, RX and A-mount rumor front. All I can tell you for now is that Sony is spending more effort than usual to keep the secret around the new NEX-FF and A-mount products. And this is a good sign, it means something very important is going to happen soon.

So stay tuned on SAR and remember, QX lenscameras are coming next week (Sept. 4). And major pro camera and lens release is expected in late September. Be ready for an exciting time on SAR

Three more notes:
– I do agree with you. The A99, NEX-7 firmware update is disappointing
– A trusted sources that shared the wrong A3000 in body IS info sent me the “official” excuses because of the mistake (he read the wrong data on the menu-manual). Apologies accepted ;)
– Thank to all people who donated the money necessary to cover the server upgrade (and extra bandwidth costs). Future donations are no more needed to cover these costs. But if you want you can donate for the next SonyAlphaRumors redesign that I plan to do in late 2013. In very short what I will do is to improve the comment system, article readability and include more visibility for readers articles.

Thanks!

P.S.: To be very honest…I was close to a burn out lately. I hope the SAR redesign will make it easier for SAR readers to write articles without my approval. So that I can rest soemtimes…

BGR (Click here) reports that the new QX lens series will be called “ExpressOn”. UDPATE: But a source just told me this isn’t correct. Literally the source said: “some idiot is mispronouncing the code name“. LOL :)

Reminder: Sony will soon launch two “lens-cameras”:
1) One is the “Lens-camera” with RX100MII sensor and  Zeiss lens ($750 here on Amazon). On the pictures it is the bigger lens. As you know the RX100 is the most praised high end compact camera and features a large 1 inch sensor which is the same size used by the Nikon 1 system. Now you can have that kind of Image Quality on your iPhone or Android Smartphone!
2) The second model will feature a 10xzoom lens with 1/2,3 inch 18 megapixel CMOS sensor (the image with the f/3,3-5.9 lens). It’s basically the same sensor and lens of the Sony WX150 ($400 on Amazon).