Metabones to offer an updated EOS to NEX adapter with full AF control.

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[shoplink 15341 ebay]

[/shoplink] Metabones announced that it will add autofocus support on [shoplink 15341 ebay]EF to NEX Smart Adapter II (they are here on eBay)[/shoplink]. What follows is the official press release:

Vancouver, Canada, November 7, 2012 – Metabones adds autofocus support for select Canon lenses to its Smart Adapter II (for mounting EF and EF-S mount lenses on Sony NEX cameras).
To ensure the best possible accuracy, autofocus is enabled only for late-model Canon-brand lenses (introduced circa 2006 or later).
Significant effort has been put into focus accuracy research and we conclude that only lenses capable of the most precise control in their autofocus mechanisms could reliably deliver pixel-accurate results when adapted to Sony NEX cameras. Autofocus is disabled for most older Canon lenses and most third-party lenses, but aperture control, image stabilization (if applicable), EXIF and other features will continue to work just like before.
Autofocus speed is significantly slower than on a DSLR camera. Phase detection feature of NEX-5R/6 is not used at this time. As a result, autofocus speed of a Canon EF/EF-S lens on Sony NEX is usually slower than on the new Canon EOS M. Compared with Sony’s own A-mount lens adapters, Metabones Smart Adapter II is faster than LA-EA1 but slower than the translucent-mirror-equipped LA-EA2.
Smart Adapter II with autofocus support is available right now at the same price (US$399+applicable tax/duty) from Metabones’ distributors in many countries all over the world and the Metabones online shop. Existing Smart Adapter II customers may send their units back for an upgrade for a nominal shipping/handling charge of $50.

via DPreview.

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Dpreview: “D600 sensor is similar (if not mechanically identical) to the one used in the A99 and RX1”

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Dpreview posted the full Nikon D600 review. They repeat that “the D600’s sensor is built by Sony, and similar (if not mechanically identical) to the one used in the A99 and RX1 but Nikon insists that it is built to its (Nikon’s) own specifications.

They also say the: “Nikon significantly undercuts the price of Sony’s recent full-frame offerings – the SLT-A99 and Cyber-shot RX1.” While on paper this is correct we also have to add that:
1) The RX1 price already includes a high quality fixed Zeiss lens! The Nikon D600 is priced at $2100 body only. And beside that the RX1 is a completely different kind of camera…
2) …And so is the Sony A99 that focuses on hybrid still/video performance (and has a weather-sealed body).

Don’t know yet if Sony will ever release a sort of A8x camera with less features to play in the same Nikon D600 and Canon 6D league. Both are selling well according to Amazon (here is the ranking).


The RX1 can be pre ordered at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Wex UK ,Wex Germany, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH and more links at Alphacameradeals.
A99 body Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Wex UK, Wex Germany, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH and more links at Alphacameradeals.

Some more bits: Nigel Barker at Discovery Sony. A size comparison with other Alpha cameras by Skygon.

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First 35mm f/1.8 lens review at ePhotozine!

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Image courtesy: ePhotozine.

ePhotozine is the first website posting the full 35mmf /1.8 E-Mount lens review. The lens gets marked as “Highly Recommended” for the following reasons: “Sharpness is very good from maximum aperture, and can even be considered as outstanding as the lens is stopped down.Other optical anomalies, such as CAs, falloff and distortion are also kept well in check, plus the light weight and compact dimensions of the lens should make this an ideal addition to any serious NEX camera owners kit bag. The addition of optical stabilisation can only enhance the appeal of this lens.

This is an ideal lens for most of the kind of photos I will ever take. But when is Sony going to ship it? There seems a bit of confusion. European Sonystores like DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH still do say the lens will ship in Mid-November. But US and Japanese stores write that they will ship in late December only (See Amazon Japan and BHphoto).

Here is a list of stores accepting preorders:
USA: Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Sonystore,
Europe: Amazon DE, Sonystore DEUKFRITESNLSEFICH, Wex UK.

P.S::Sigma just released the new 35mm f/1.4 lens! It costs $899 at BHphoto (click to preorder)

 

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Sony NEX-6 in Stock status (now at Adorama too, and a book coming).

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Sony NEX-6 Smart remote video (in German)

Time for a short [shoplink 14167]Sony NEX-6[/shoplink] roundup!

The camera is shipping and first owners are writing their reviews on Amazon US (three of them) and Amazon DE (again three). Also our friend Jay from SonyAlphaLab posted a first NEX-6 impression review. And there is also a first NEX-6 book on preorder at Amazon (coming in May?). Than we have a new chinese advertising on youtube, an unboxing video by John Sison, a video review by Derek Yeo,

And here is the short in Stock status:
Body only: Amazon, Adorama, [shoplink 14167 ebay]eBay[/shoplink], Jessops, and many more links at AlphaCameraDeals (including Sonystores).
With 16-50mm kit lens: Amazon, Bhphoto, Jessops, WexDE, AmazonFR and many more links at AlphaCameraDeals (including Sonystores).

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(SR2) Hasselblad to make E-mount lenses (with Fuji?)

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We haven’t forgotten that Hasselblad joined the E-mount system…have we? And today we have some news from the Swedish company:

Our reader Aliaume (Thanks!) spotted a surprising statement made by Peter Stig-Nielsen, responsible of Hasselblad professional products at Lesnumeriques (tranlsation here). Hasselblad want to develop their own software enhancements on E-mount lenses. But they are also considering to produce their own E-mount lenses with quality manufacturer…maybe with Fujinon.

As usual with these interview made with Managers…be aware that many things can  be interpreted wrong by the interviewers. I would be damn surprised if Fuji would produce E-mount lenses. I think there is only a very low chance this will happen. On the other side I confess I would be very happy to see some Fuji-Hasselblad quality glass. And they already worked together on the X Pan lenses ([shoplink 15310 ebay]some of them you can find here on eBay[/shoplink]).

By the way, I am really curious to see if there will be a serious partnership on the medium format front. You still dreaming of a Sony square sensor camera? :)

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!

 

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