DxOmark (Click here) tested both, the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 and Sony E 10-18mm f/4.0 lens. Both lenses perform very well compared to the compatition!

ePhotozine (Click here) tested the Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 lens and they do write: “This lens delivers performance worthy of the Carl Zeiss name, especially in the centre of the frame, where sharpness is excellent, or even outstanding when stopped down. It is a premium piece of glass, and so it carries a premium price tag. Those willing to stump up the £760 for this lens will not be disappointed.”

ePhotozine (Click here) also tested the 10-18mm lens: “So long as the limitations of this lens are known, and understood, then this lens is certainly capable of producing high quality images. However, it is a shame that the performance at maximum aperture between 14mm and 18mm isn’t up to the same high standard as when the lens is stopped down a little.”

Price check links to the tested E-mount lenses:
Zeiss 24mm at [shopcountry 8450].
10-18mm at [shopcountry 14170].
35mm prime at [shopcountry 14169].

No guys, this isn’t a joke! Starting from April 26 Sony will sell the AKA-DM1 cameras for dogs! You can already preorder it at Sony Japans website. The AKA-DM1’s harness is adjustable, but is only designed for dogs over 15 kilograms (33 pounds) with a belly circumference of between 50 to 80 centimeters (Source: The Verge).

I am very curious to see if there is realyl a market for this!

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).