Sony Alpha and NEX camera production stopped because of the flood in Thailand!

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[shoplink 8454][/shoplink]

The huge flood that devasted some regions in Thailand caused the production stop of the Sony factory in Ayutthaya. The japanese magazine Pen (via Amateur Photographer) today reports: “The factory has stopped operation since 6 Oct and the company said it will stop operation until 14.” and that “Operation may resume on Oct 17 depending on the situation“.

Reminder: On October 10th Bloomberg said that “Sony Corp.’s factory in Ayutthaya, which produces digital cameras and lenses, hasn’t suffered major damage from flooding and is operating as normal, Yasuhiro Okada, a Tokyo-based spokesman for the electronics maker, said earlier this week.

Acccoring to info I got from my sources there are still some Stocks of [shoplink 8452]NEX-5n[/shoplink], [shoplink 8461]A77[/shoplink] and [shoplink 8459]A65[/shoplink] cameras that have already been shipped to worldwide dealers. But it’s very likely that the [shoplink 8454]NEX-7[/shoplink] shipment will be delayed. I repeat this is an unofficial news based on rumors. I hope to get real “facts” soon.

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Sony answers your A77 questions (video)

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On Youtube (see video on top) and on Flickr (Click here) Sony answered many of your A77 questions.

A couple of interesting news:
– There is no way to increase the buffer via firmware. There are hardware limitations.
– “Although we recognize the value,the a77 does not include user adjustable mic input level control“. If they “recognize the value” does it mean it’s coming via firmware upgrade? :)

But what’s missing is any statement about the recent bugs. P.S.: Only very few stores are having the A77 in Stock. Check at [shopcountry 8461]. The reason for the delay is the flood in Thailand that made collapse the whole transport system.

All other new Sony cameras and lenses links:
A65 at [shopcountry 8459].
Sony NEX-7 [shopcountry 8454].
Sony NEX-5n [shopcountry 8452].
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8450].
Sony 50mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8448].
Sony 55-210mm [shopcountry 8444].
NEX-5n viewfinder [shopcountry 9110].

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Sony NEX-5n dismantled to analyze the click issue.

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Click on picture to enlarge.

Brick Yang from nphoto.net sent me the following text: “I am a Chinese editor from nphoto.net. Pls forgive my poor English. Attached here is the NEX-5N. I have removed the CMOS and the yellow one is shutter unit. In the red ring is a moveable stick to move the curtain. I found the click noise is from the stick when it moved (no other moveable things here). Near the stick is a MIC. The distance between the stick and the MIC is so short, and the noise must be recorded by MIC. I guess this is the truth of the issue.What you think?
Thanks & Best regards
Brick

Click here to see the full report: Nphoto.net (google translated).

 

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The new iPhone 4S camera uses a Sony sensor.

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I guess you all know that the most used camera of the world is actually a phone, the iPhone! And the new iPhone 4S uses a new back illuminated 8 Megapixel Sony sensor. The confirmation comes via Chipworks.com (Click here). That’s a huge business for Sony and again a prof that Sony is currently producing the best sensors on market (like the [shoplink 8452]Sony NEX-5n[/shoplink] 16 Megapixel sensor). I can’t wait to see how good the new fullframe sensor is. We only have to wait a couple of months to see it :)

And her eis one more Sony sensor news: Ziptronix bonds with Sony to provide its oxide bonding technology for backside illumination imaging sensors (eetimes.com).

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NEX-7 hands-on video at dpreview (Will there be a shipping delay because of the flood in Thailand?)

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The video on top shows the NEX-7 in the hands of the Dpreview reviewer. But I also have one more ting to tell you. Things in Thailand are much worse than expected and I heard that there will be even longer delays in Sony camera shipments (and that includes the NEX-7). As you know also Nikon produces the camera in the same region and Thom Hogan (Click here) posted quite a terrible report about the consequences in Nikon factories. I ask my sources if they can please tell me if the NEX-7 shipment will be delayed or not. Thanks!

Meanwhile, these are the links to preorder the new Sony NEX cameras and lenses:
Sony NEX-7 [shopcountry 8454].
Sony NEX-5n [shopcountry 8452].
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8450].
Sony 50mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8448].
Sony 55-210mm [shopcountry 8444].
NEX-5n viewfinder [shopcountry 9110].

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Sony 30mm macro now in Stock at Amazon (and cashback auction in Europe)

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The new 30mm macro is now in Stock at Amazon (Click here) too! Reminder: Some ver nice image samples can be found here at DC.watch!

A reader sent me a cashback deal that is ongoing in the Netherlands. I don’t knwo yet if that deal will be extended to other euroepan countries! Here is the cachback lens list from Sony.nl:
SAL-75300 (€30,-),
SAL-18250 (€75,-),
SAL-85F28 (€20,-),
SAL-50F18 (€20,-),
SAL-50M28 (€50,-),
SAL-1680Z (€100,-),
SAL-2470Z (€100,-),
SAL-70200G (€200,-),
SAL-70300G (€100,-),
SAL-70400G (€200,-).

UPDATE: The deal is also ongoing in Belgium: http://www.sony.be/lang/nl/article/lenzen-tot-200-euro-cashback

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Is the NEX-7 image quality better than the quality of the A77?

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Imaging Resource (Click here) posted a full set of Sony NEX-7 studio samples. The cool thing is that finally you can compare the NEX-7 and A77 image quality: http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM.

An example: At 16000 ISO the NEX-7 image (Click here) looks sharper than the A77 (Click here). UPDATE: Both cameras used the same [shoplink 9605 ebay]Sigma 70mm F2.8 macro lens[/shoplink]!

And even at low 100 ISO the NEX-7 image (Click here) is a tack sharper than the A77 image (Click here).

I don’t know yet if the differences we see are here because of the absence of the semi transparent mirror on the NEX-7. One thing is sure, the NEX-7 really looks like an amazing perfomer for me!

Preorder the NEX-7 at [shopcountry 8454].
And the NEX-7 is still the only non-Canon and non-Nikon camera that is constantly under the Amazon top-20 (Click here to see the full ranking).
Get the A77 at [shopcountry 8461].

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All other new Sony cameras and lenses links:
A65 at [shopcountry 8459].
Sony NEX-7 [shopcountry 8454].
Sony NEX-5n [shopcountry 8452].
Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8450].
Sony 50mm f/1.8 [shopcountry 8448].
Sony 55-210mm [shopcountry 8444].
NEX-5n viewfinder [shopcountry 9110].

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