New NEX-7 news and reviews roundup (to ship in late January)

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Sony Japan (Click here) released a new Android application for the NEX-7. The text is in japanese and as usual google translation tool isn’t really helping me out. I guess it’s a sort of NEX-7 guide. I hope our japanese readers can explain us a bit more. Thanks!

NEX-7 with Voigtländer 35mm f/1.4 lens at Getdpi (Click here).

The NEX-7 is the mostdesirable camera on the planet according to TheOnlinePhotographer (Click here): “A small camera, with a potentially outstanding sensor (again, we really have to wait and see), and a potentially outstanding made-for-the-camera lens of perfect specification? This won’t get the pull from the hoi polloi, the mass market, or the mainstream media that some cameras-of-the-moment get, but for real camera buffs, there’s just nothing we desire right now more than this little beauty”

Sonystore USA informed that they will sip the next stock of NEX-7 cameras in mid-late January.

NEX-7 store search links to preorder the camera: [shopcountry 8454].

And here is a list of Sony NEX-7 cameras available on eBay:
[shoplink 10855 ebay]eBay Austria (Linz)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 10856 ebay]eBay Germany (Ingbert)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 10857 ebay]eBay USA (four bodies)[/shoplink]

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Sony patent discloses global shutter technology and foveon like sensor.

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Sony fulfilled a new patent describing a sensor with global shutter (Click here to see the original patent). This is Sony’s description:
“In the CMOS type image sensor, the photoelectric conversion unit reads out the signal charges for each pixel or for each row where a plurality of pixels is arranged. In this case, exposure time for accumulating the signal charges is difficult to match in all the pixels, and thus in some cases, a captured image is distorted. Particularly, if the motion of a subject is great, this defect is noticeably generated. In order to prevent this defect from being generated, a “global exposure” is performed in which all the pixels start exposure at the same time and finish the exposure at the same time. The “global exposure” is performed by simultaneously driving all the pixels through an electrical control without using the mechanical shutter”

The same patent describes also how Sony wants to increase the number of Megapixels without to lose image quality. It’s the “foveon” alike approach. It’s not the first time we see such a patent:
“In order to realize the high sensitivity, there has been proposed one where a chalcopyrite based compound semiconductor film such as a CuInGaSe2 film with high light absorption coefficient is used in the photoelectric conversion unit (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No. 2007-123720).
In addition, there has been proposed a “lamination type” where photoelectric conversion units for respective colors are laminated and disposed in a depth direction perpendicular to an imaging surface, instead of disposing the photoelectric conversion units which selectively sense light beams of respective colors in a direction along the imaging surface. In the “lamination type,” each pixel senses not only light of one color but also light of plural colors. For this reason, a light sensing surface is extensively formed and thus use efficiency of light can be improved, thereby improving sensitivity (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No. 2006-245088).”

 

Can’t wait to see such a sensor coming soon!!!

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NEX-7 flies with the helicopter. And new Tamron lens reviews.

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Sony Nex7 Test on the Cinestar 6 from Quadrocopter on Vimeo.

Cnet Japan (Click here) tested the Sony NEX-7. (It’s in japanese and gogole translation tool isn’t really helping a lot if you need to read it in english).

Pchome (Click here) is the first website to review the new Tamron 18-200mm for NEX lens. Again this is an original chinese review. Have fun with google translation tool :)

Ricoh GXR A12-M and Sony NEX-5N Comparison at Ricoh Diary (Click here).

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Merry Christmas SAR readers!

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Dear SAR readers,

I am ready to spend my time with my family, and I want to share some very few words here. I am not going to stop to work on SAR in these days. Quite the opposite, I have some time off from my work and I am planning to think on a whole redesign of the website. If you want you can send me your suggestions to sonyalpharumors@gmail.com. I will also write a full 2012 Sony camera and lens prediction list. It will be a mix of rumors and speculation. And if there is no new Tsunami, Flood or Nucelar catastrophe like we had in that year I am sure Sony will be able to announce ALL the much expected FF cameras and lenses.

That said I wish all of you a peaceful Christmas, and a nice time with all the person you love! Thanks for all the great time you shared here on SAR this year!

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P.S.: I hope most of you got the Sony NEX-7/A77/A65 camera in time to take pictures of the Christmas dinner (my NEX-7 didn’t arrive yet). Last check of  in Stock status:
A77 in Stock at BHphoto (Click here), Amazon Germany (Click here).
NEX-7 auctions on [shoplink 10814 ebay]eBay US (Click here to see the seven auctions)[/shoplink], [shoplink 10834 ebay]eBay Germany (Click here)[/shoplink], [shoplink 10833 ebay]eBay Austria (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 10835 ebay]eBay France (Click here)[/shoplink].

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Interview with the Sony NEX-7 designers (New Tamron for NEX in Stock).

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Sony Japan (Click here) posted the full English translation of the interview made with the Sony NEX-7 designers. I didn’t know that “All we had decided initially was that three dials would be used….It was essentially our only beacon in design“. Would love to know who had the idea…quite a genius that guy ;)

Meanwhile the first “european” NEX-7 is on auction on [shoplink 10814 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. Fotomundus had five in Stock, but they are now sold out (one is mine…LOL). USA readers are far more lucky. There are now eleven(!) NEX-7 bodies for auction on [shoplink 10813 ebay]eBay (Click here to see them all)[/shoplink]. This means the price will finally go down.

Photographybanzai (Click here) wrote a first NEX-7 impression review.

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The Tamron lenses are now in Stock at Adorama (Click on the links to see the product page):
Tamron 18mm-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR DI-III VC (B011) AF Zoom Lens with Macro, for the Sony NEX eMount – Silver
Tamron 18mm-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR DI-III VC (B011) AF Zoom Lens with Macro, for the Sony NEX eMount – Black

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Sony A77 reviews roundup and in Stock status (+ new Sigma 150mm lens)

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Occupy Wall Street Protests and Arrests from Steve Turnham on Vimeo.

Time to make a new A77 recap!

Buy-n-Shoot (Click here) wrote a short A77 review. It earns the Platinum award…this means it doesn’t get any better! The reviewer says: “No matter which way you look at this camera it takes the cake!”
Our friend Mike Kobal (Click here) is spending his time in the slum of Kibera (Nairobi) and is using the A77 for his work: “My first time in Africa and I am totally blown away by what I have seen so far. I am pleased to let you know, so far, the A77hasn’t let me down in this hot and dusty environment (approx 3K shots). I will try to update this post, however internet access is limited and very slow.”
A77 versus Canon 5DmarkII in low light at SonyAlphaLab (Click here).
A77 memory card write speed (Dpreview forum).
A77 autofocusing test at SonyAlphaLab (Click here).
Sony SLT-A77, Cámara de Fotos del Año por tuexperto.com :)

You will still have a hard time to find the A77 in Stock. I found some at Amazon Germany (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here) and with January 2 shipment at SonyStore USA (Click here).

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P.S.: Sigma announced the APO macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM for Sony. Read the press release at Sigma Japan (Click here).

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