As posted last week on SAR there will be a Sony announcement within the next few days. But we can be 99% sure that the only camera we will see is the new DSC-HX50V Cybershot. No new Alpha and no new NEX camera yet. There may be a second announcement in may bringing some NEX news. But that is ranked as “SR2” only for now. The Sony Vietnam website already leaked the HX50 image at http://zoom.sony.com.vn/

These are the Cybershots specs I already posted last week:

20 Megapixel cmos
30 X Optical Zoom
FullHD Movie-50p
MI Shoe & EV Dial
WIFI
Optical Steady Shot (New)
GPS
Lens with ED Glass & ER Glass
Shutter and Iris Diaphragm
New Algorithm Optimised Stabilisation 2X bigger effect for the Steady
Shot
Estimated Retail Price 420€

I may ask the source to tell me if there is some A and E-mount camera or lens coming too? Thanks!

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Message to sources: You can send me more info 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.

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

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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!

UPDATE: Sigma announced a terrific new 18-35mm f/1.8 lens! This is the fastest zoom for DSLR systems ever made! The only similar lenses are the Olympus 14-35mm f/2.0 [shoplink 17943 ebay](here on eBay)[/shoplink] and the Olympus 35-100 f/2.0 [shoplink 17944 ebay](here on eBay)[/shoplink]. Both priced well over $2,000!

Sigma didn’t release any official info about the price and the mount. All other details can be read at Sigma Photo website. This is an APS-C lens and I really hope it will come for A-mount too!

Sony may be missing the train if they don’t come out with the RX10 soon! After Fuji, Canon, Pentax and Nikon also Ricoh announced a new high end compact and fixed lens ASP-C camera. It’s the new GR and it is an extremely compact and relatively cheap camera. Specs and price can be read at Bhphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).

Ricoh released that image comparison on top and of course the RX100 is a different kind of camera that cannot compete in that segment whie the FF RX1 plays again in a much higher (and way more expensive) league.

Sony will have an announcement soon….and while I didn’t get any hint about a possible RX10 release I hope Sony is aware they should come with it soon!

We have to thank Fuji (See Fujirumors) for releasing a new lens roadmap that shows the exact release of the new Zeiss prime lenses. As you know Zeiss will release them for X and E-mount! And the roadmap shows that the Zeiss Planar 32mm f/1.8 and the Distagon 12mm f/2.8 will shipping in May!!! (P.S.: The full lens roadmap shows the in may shipping Fuji 55-200mm lens right over the Zeiss lenses). And the Macro-Planar 50mm f/2.8 lens is coming by end of the year.

Price is yet still unknown but it’s rumored to be around 1.000 Euro or a bit over $1000 like the current [shoplink 8450]Zeiss 24mm f/1.8[/shoplink] lens. All three new Zeiss primes have full electronic support (aperture and autofocus). A new pocture of the production version of the two upcoming Zeiss can be seen here:

One more thing: There is for sure a Sony announcement soon. Stay tuned…I am working on new rumors ;)

You can now download the public beta of Lightroom 5 at Adobe (Click here). A full preview can be read at Dpreview.

New Sony A58:
For the first time the A58 is in Stock in USA at Samys (Click here).

A77 and A99 deals reminder:
If the rumor I posted today is correct the A77 will not be replaced this year. So you may grab it now that it still has the huge $200 discount at Amazon (Click here).
The A99 body can now be found for $2543 at [shoplink 17920 ebay]BigValue (Click here)[/shoplink]. But it may be worth to spend a bit more to get the free Flash and Vertical grip at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).

Editor’s note: Please keep in mind that this is a rumor and not an official news: Sony itself never unveiled any A-mount camera roadmap. Every info I post is based on information I get anonymously and is not based on any official facts.

The Sony A-mount revolution:
Months ago I told you how the A-mount roadmap has been dramatically changed after the new Sony CEO started the company restructuring program. The two FF-SLT that according to our information should have been announced within 2013 have been withdrawn. And now according to brand new rumors we got from trusted sources also the planed A77 successor (the A78) that should have been announced this summer has been take off the roadmap!

The reason for it is that the A78 had too little improvements over the current A77. And it is Sony’s new policy to release a camera only if it brings considerably major advancements in features and image quality. And now before you become depressive here are the good news: Sony is developing new A-mount cameras that can outperform the competition. The status quo between Nikon-Sony-Canon is over. Sony wants to become “serious” and start a real war in the camera market. The A78 simply was not good but not really a game changer camera. This means that we only have to wait til 2014 to see new A-mount camera and by than we will see if it was worth to wait for it!

Personally I think this is the way to go. Sony will release a new firmware update for the A77 this summer and I think that’s the way to go. Work on making current cameras better and release a new camera when there is really something new coming along with it!

A note: I may start a column about the new Sony roadmap where I could start my thoughts and discussion I have with my sources. If you want every Wednesday on 12:00 GMT time I can give you some bits about the new Sony strategy. it’s a mix of rumors-speculations and discussion. Would that be good for you?

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Message to sources: You can send me more info 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.

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

——–

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!