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Sony is working on 12 new lenses for its Alpha mirrorless cameras
Now that Canon and Nikon are eager to get a piece of the mirrorless camera market, Sony is letting it be known that it isn't slowing down its efforts in the space anytime soon. The company announced at Photokina 2018 that it has 12 new E-Mount lenses in its roadmap, which will increase the number of native glass for its Alpha shooters from 48 to 60. Just last week, Sony introduced the FE 24mm f/1.4 GM, a full-frame format lens priced at $1,400.
24 hours with Sony's A9 full-frame mirrorless camera
Sony has one clear goal with its A9 full-frame flagship camera: to make professional photographers forget about their DSLRs. These are high expectations, sure, but the company's new mirrorless shooter seems to tick all the right boxes in terms of specs. The A9 focuses on speed, not so much resolution, which makes sense, considering that Sony's going after people who do sports photography in particular. You'll find a 24.2-megapixel 35mm sensor, 20fps continuous shooting, 1/32,000 shutter speed and a ridiculous 693-point phase detection autofocus that covers 93 percent of your frame. None of this would work without the latest Bionz X processor, though, which Sony claims handles data 20 times faster than previous models.
Sony hopes its full-frame A9 makes pros forget about DSLRs
Sony held an event in New York City today, where it unveiled its new flagship full-frame camera, the A9. This mirrorless shooter, which the company is pegging as a DSLR killer, is geared toward professional photographers -- especially those who shoot sports and other fast-paced environments. The A9 features a 24.2-megapixel 35mm sensor, a new Bionz X processor, an insane AF system with 693 phase detection points (93 percent frame coverage) and built-in 5 axis image stabilization. Given its target audience, the A9 is naturally all about speed, so you'll find a blackout-free, 20fps continuous shooting mode and 1/32,000 shutter speed. Sony says it is its fastest digital camera to date.
24 hours with Sony's A99 II full-frame camera
With high-end mirrorless cameras such as the A7S II and A7R II, it's easy to forget that Sony also makes full-frame DSLR-like shooters. Its latest one, the A99 II, is set to arrive later this month for $3,200 body-only. That gets you a massive 42.2-megapixel sensor, max ISO of 102,400, 12-fps continuous shooting and, unlike the original A99, in-camera 5-axis image stabilization. While I've only been using it for a day or so, I can tell you the camera shows a lot of promise -- which isn't surprising given its sensor type and price.
Sony's new A6500 and RX100 V cameras are all about speed
Today at an event in New York City, Sony revealed its latest compact cameras, the A6500 and RX100 V. And they have one thing in common: They're all about speed. With the A6500 flagship mirrorless, you get a 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor with 11-fps continuous shooting, which you can fire for about 30 seconds at a time. If you do the math, that should give you a little over 300 frames in a single shutter press. The A6500 also comes with in-body 5-axis image stabilization -- a first for an APS-C-sized shooter from Sony -- as well as 100-25,600 ISO (52,000 for stills).
Sony's A6300 is a step forward for mid-tier mirrorless cameras
Sony had the right idea with its A6000: It made a powerful mirrorless camera and sold it at a relatively affordable starting price. And people loved it, with Sony claiming it's been the world's best-selling mirrorless camera since it came out two years ago. Now the company is following up with the A6300, a $1,000 (body-only) shooter with top-of-the-line specs designed for photographers and videographers alike. We've seen this formula play out well for Sony with some of its other recent models, but now it's hoping for similar results on a camera that doesn't cost north of three grand.
24 hours with Sony's A6300 mirrorless camera
Last month, Sony introduced its A6300 mirrorless camera, a follow-up to the sought-after A6000 from 2014. As expected, the company's latest compact Alpha shooter brings top-of-the-line specifications. That includes a 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, a Bionz X image processor, 11-fps continuous shooting, ISO up to 52,000 and 4K video in Super 35mm. In particular, Sony is emphasizing the A6300's newly developed 4D Focus, which is capable of locking in on a subject in a ridiculous 0.05 seconds. That's speedier than basically every other camera available right now.
Sony's new Alpha A68 camera is coming to the US next April
Sony introduced the Alpha A68 last month, but that announcement was geared toward the UK market. Today, however, the electronics company announced that its new DSLR-esque camera will be coming to the US next April, with pre-orders expected to open in March. The Alpha A68 features a 24.2-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor, a Bionz X image processor and an ISO range of 100-25,600. To help you frame your subject or view pictures, meanwhile, you get a hybrid OLED electronic viewfinder and a 2.7-inch tilting LCD.
Sony bets on speed with the second edition of its Alpha A77 DSLR
The Alpha portfolio from Sony is pretty well stacked, what with cameras like the newly minted, 4K-ready A7s. To add to that, the Japanese electronics giant today's announcing the A77 II, a successor to the 24.3-megapixel shooter it revealed back in 2011. Similar to its predecessor, Sony's A77 II features the same amount of megapixels and Exmor APS-C sensor, but this is now coupled with the Bionz X image chip that's found on the Alpha A7 and A7R cameras. There's also an OLED electronic viewfinder, which lets you see the total frame; a 3-inch LCD that can be tilted in three different positions; and NFC, so you can share pictures wirelessly to a smartphone, tablet or VAIO PC.
Engadget's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Cameras
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. With smartphones like the Nokia Lumia 1020 offering outstanding photo performance, you may wonder why you'd want a standalone camera at all. Leave it to the professionals and photo enthusiasts here at Engadget to clarify why a devoted shooter is still your best bet if snapping stills and video is a serious hobby -- you won't find many of these specs in a phone any time soon.
Sony Alpha A58, NEX-3N press images possibly caught making the rounds
We've already seen hints that Sony wants to rejuvenate its entry-level interchangeable lens cameras. Purported press images snagged by Digicam Info, however, support talk what could be an evolutionary yet meaningful refresh. The Alpha A58 you see above appears to only have minor ergonomic tweaks, but introduces a truly standard hot shoe and a new 18-55mm, f/3.5-5.6 II kit lens. The sighting backs earlier Sony Alpha Rumors claims, which also had the A58 carrying a roughly 20-megapixel sensor. A second set of pictures from DI (an example of which is after the break) also validates a previous live leak of the NEX-3N mirrorless cam, whose centerpiece is still its motorized zoom control. Neither Sony camera has a leaked release date, although the increasing flow of details suggests there isn't much more of a wait.
Sony Alpha firmware updates bring record button disabling on NEX-7, DSLR lens improvements
Sony's NEX-7 may be fast approaching its first birthday, but that doesn't mean the company's ready to give up on pushing out updates. The camera's first new firmware version, 1.01, should be hitting today, bringing with it the ability to disable the Movie Record button to avoid accidental taps (finally!), boosted image quality with a wide-angle lens, improved audio playback and expanded EV bracketing. An option to disable the EVF eye sensor doesn't appear to be included with this revision, unfortunately. Other updates hitting at the same time include E-mount lens firmware v.01 that'll enable NEX-5R/NEX-6 Hybrid AF functionality with older lenses, A65/A77 firmware v1.06 and A37/A57 firmware v1.03, both of which deliver the ability to enable/disable the movie record button while also adding a variety of lens compensation options for select Alpha optics. All of these updates should now be live -- head over to the source link below for the hook-up.
Hasselblad announces Lunar mirrorless camera, fancies up Sony's NEX-7 for 5,000 euros
The bar's pretty high when your company is behind the first camera in space. Hasselblad's looking to build on that theme with its new Lunar mirrorless, which according to the company "revives the timeless charm" of 1957's 500c -- and if nothing else, the camera's got a curvy, space age body, built out of high grade aluminum with either a carbon fiber (available in black, silver or titanium colors) or wood (beech, olive, pear or mahogany) grip. Inside, you'll get a Bionz processor and an APS-C 24.3 megapixel sensor. The Lunar has a 10 frames per second burst mode, full HD recording and sports a 100 to 16000 ISO range. On the rear, you'll find a swiveling three-inch display. All of that's packed into a body that weighs roughly a pound. Update: While we didn't quite realize it at first, the layout of the camera and its specs are clearly that of a rehashed NEX-7. As SonyAlphaRumors points out, the shooter accepts Sony's e-mount lenses and is part of new partnership between the two photography giants -- looks like we're soon to have even more Sony cameras re-purposed as Hasselblad's, similar to Leica and Panasonic. While the NEX-7 itself will run you roughly $1,100 to 1,200k (body-only vs. with a kit lens), SAR has the Lunar pegged at $5,000 Euro (about $6,530, or six NEX-7s). That's almost $1k more than Leica's utilitarian M-E and about as much as an M9 for, those keeping count -- but hey, at least the lunar can shoot video, right? Joe Pollicino contributed to this post.
Sony reveals the Alpha A99, its first full-frame flagship since 2008's A900 (hands-on)
It's not every day that a digital SLR manufacturer releases a new full-frame camera -- in fact, it's not even every year. Sony's last top-end model, the A900, was first released four years ago, so you better believe its successor offers an overflowing boatload of enhancements. The Alpha A99 is a flagship if ever there was one, crushing every other Sony still camera in terms of capability, both when it comes to stills, and in the HD video realm as well. With this $2,800 behemoth, the company is targeting both professional photographers and leading filmmakers, with plenty of features that will appeal to both. The centerpiece is an all-new 24.3-megapixel Exmor sensor (nope, it's not the rumored 36MP chip you might be expecting), which features an increased photodiode area for boosted low light quality (up to ISO 102,400). The camera also features what Sony's calling the "world's first dual-AF system," which includes two different phase-detect AF systems, including the same 19-point system on the A77, plus an additional 102 points on the imager itself. Video shooters will find 1080/60p and 24p options with AVCHD 2.0, including uncompressed output through HDMI (with simultaneous output to a monitor) and phase-detect focus support in video mode. There's also a 6 frames-per-second burst mode, 14-bit RAW output for stills, the same 921k-dot Xtra Fine twilt-and-swivel LCD included with the A77 with WhiteMagic and TruBlack, and the same OLED viewfinder found on the A77, NEX-6 and NEX-7, that offers slightly boosted functionality thanks to the full-frame sensor, letting photographers snag a realtime depth-of-field preview without dimming the finder. It also offers a 34-degree viewing angle and color tone adjustment control. Because the A99 offers a translucent mirror, Sony was able to eliminate the pentaprism to keep the size and weight at bay, making the DSLR lighter than the Nikon D800 and Canon 5D Mark III. Jump past the break for our hands-on.%Gallery-163051%
Sony A99 rumored specs leak: 24.3 megapixels, 921k-dot LCD and 14 bit RAW output
Sony's not unleashed a full frame camera for some time, so when a purported spec-sheet for the upcoming Alpha A99 breaks cover, we're elbowing our way to the front to see it. According to Sony Alpha Rumors, it'll be a 24.3-megapixel CMOS Exmor sensor with an ISO range of 100-25,600, 14 bit RAW output and a 1/8000 maximum shutter speed. Other nuggets of interest include a 102 point AF system, full 1080p HD video recording (at 60fps) and a 921k dot LCD (like that seen on the A77 pictured). When might we see this come to market? According to the rumor-mill, sometime in October, with an official unveiling in early September. Along with everything else, it seems. Head on down to the source for the full spread.
Sony NEX-F3 and A37 cameras hands-on and sample shots
Sony's newest NEX and DSLR have already graced these pages -- albeit in decidedly unofficial fashion -- but the time has come for this duo of shooters to be revealed to the world with the blessing of their maker. In case you didn't catch the earlier leaks, the NEX-F3 is the replacement for the much-beloved NEX-C3 as the entry-level ILC from Sony, while the A37 slots in the same place in the company's Alpha DSLR lineup. Sony's also rolling out fresh glass for each this July, in the form of an E-mount 18-200mm, F3.5-6.3 zoom lens for $850, and an 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 A-mount telephoto unit that'll set you back $500. Both the NEX-F3 and A37 will come with kit 18-55mm lenses and cost $600 when they go on sale in June, which makes them quite competitively priced as compared to their competition. An enviable pricing position, to be sure, but can they deliver the imaging goods? Well, we spent time with each on a tour of San Francisco recently, so join us after the break for our impressions and some sample photos.%Gallery-155474%
Sony's Alpha A37 and NEX-F3 pose for the camera, reveal more angles, details
Well, well, talk about déjà vu! It was just yesterday that a corner of Sony's 16.1 megapixel NEX-F3 leaked onto the interwebs and now more photos have surfaced, along with a previously unannounced shooter, the Alpha A37 SLT. The pictures come courtesy of Yang Canggih, which says it had a chance to demo the two devices yesterday at Sony's Partner's Conference in Jakarta (curiously, the NEX-F3 post isn't live as of this writing, but Sony Alpha Rumors has the images up). Starting with the F3, the mirrorless camera has lost a smidgen of the curves found on its older sibling, the C3, adopting a slight bit of the angular edges that once made the NEX-7 the badass standout in the lineup. You'll notice that the shutter button and grip have an uncanny resemblance to the 7's, not to mention that it's clearly gained a pop-up flash -- a first for the lower-end NEXs. Past that, the rumored -- and self-portrait friendly -- 180 degree tilt-screen is also present, which'll likely give the C3 an edge over its siblings when it comes to composing shots. Also worth note, some of the buttons on back have been slightly repositioned. Moving along, those hoping for a successor to the A35 will apparently have their wish granted with the 16.1 megapixel A37. According to Yang Canggih, it features the articulating display from the last generation of NEX cams, Auto Portrait Framing (first introduced with the A57), four more effect modes than the A35 (up from 11) and an ergonomic grip in the vein of the A77. Sadly, that's about all that's currently known, so hopefully we'll get an official introduction to the cameras soon. Head past the break for a shot of the A37 and then check out the links below for even more of both.
Lensbaby Composer Pro gets Samsung, Sony, Micro Four Thirds mirrorless mounts
Lensbaby faithfuls awaiting a mirrorless-compatible Composer Pro lens need not hold out any longer. The company's high-end creative optic is now shipping for mirrorless mounts of the Samsung NX, Sony NEX and Micro Four Thirds variety -- including the Panasonic Lumix G and Olympus PEN. These latest additions join Canon, Nikon, Sony Alpha, Pentax K and Four Thirds versions, which are all available for 300 bucks at the source link below.
Sony A77 and A65 firmware update v1.05 peps up your laggy dials, improves autofocus
It's no secret that Sony's A77 and A65 SLT cameras have suffered from noticeable lag when it comes to adjusting exposure settings, among other things. For those irked, you'll be pleased to know that the company has just updated both cameras to firmware version 1.05, claiming it'll "sharpen their responses." Specifically, you'll be noticing faster cold startups shutdowns, quicker response times from the front and rear dials and faster access to images in auto review. That's not all, however, as Sony has also added in-camera shading and chromatic aberration compensation for 11 of its A-mount lenses, which can translate to less time cooking your images in post. Last, but not least, the A77 gets an extra bonus for its autofocus system that improves its abilities in high-contrast environments, while the SAL500F40G 500mm F4 G SSM super-telephoto lens will now focus faster with both shooters. Shutter finger already twitching? Don't delay, you'll find full details in the press release after the break and download information at the source link below. Be sure to let us know how it treats you in the comments.
Sony outs Alpha A57 translucent mirror camera with 12fps shooting, improved autofocus system
DSLRs tend to have longer refresh cycles than oh, we don't know, phones with RAZR in the name, but every shooter must eventually go to heaven nonetheless. About a year and a half after introducing the Alpha A55 translucent mirror camera, Sony's putting that model out to pasture to make way for its replacement, the Alpha A57. This time around, Sony's bumped the ISO to 16000 and boosted the continuous shooting rate from 10 frames per second to 12. It's also rolling out some improvements to the 15-point autofocus system, including enhanced object-tracking and quick AF in Full HD movie mode. Like the A55 before it, the A57 packs a 16-megapixel APS HD CMOS sensor, though this guy records 1920 x 1080 video at 60p, 60i and 24p/25p. It also packs the relatively new Bionz imaging engine introduced with Sony's fall 2011 models. Also on board: effects like Auto Portrait Framing (it is what it sounds like) and Clear Image Zoom, which promises an effective two-fold increase in focal length. Design-wise, the A57 takes some cues from the A65, and sports a tilting, 921,600-dot LCD. It'll start at $699 for the body only when it goes on sale next month, though it will also be offered as a $799 kit with an 18-55mm lens. Until then, we've got official press shots below and the PR just past the break.
