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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.
Apple could face huge potential loss if Motorola wins in German court
So far, Apple has been faring pretty well on the various patent disputes it's currently fighting against Samsung and other companies, but Apple's own lawyers agree that stakes are higher than usual in a German case that Motorola has filed against the company. If a German court upholds the order that's trying to halt sales of Apple products in that country because of the patent dispute, Apple says it might lose as much as US$2.7 billion in potential sales. Apple's legal team is arguing that if the order does indeed go through, Motorola should have to put that money up in a bond while the case is still under investigation by the courts. But a lot of this is legal posturing -- as the judge in the hearing says, he's "not yet entirely sure that amount adequately mirrors the commercial value of this dispute." Obviously Apple wants the bond to be as high as possible; if Motorola flinches and can't put up the bond when asked, the case could be weakened. At any rate, there's plenty of time to decide, since the court's ruling isn't due until February 3. It seems unlikely that Motorola could stop Apple's sales in Germany completely, but it sounds like if Motorola pushes to do so, Apple will try to make it pay.
Sony 'Advanced Model' (Alpha A77?) DSLR emerges at Photokina, E-mount firmware coming soon
We've heard Sony use the term "Advanced Model" when dealing with concepts before, and it seems that it's using said code once more to disguise what may end up being the A77. Rumors have been flaring over the past few weeks, noting that this particular Alpha DSLR would be showcased at Photokina before being officially unveiled at CES 2011. Few details were given, but we're able to tell that it'll shoot HD video in AVCHD and will be compatible with a vertical grip. Moreover, it'll ship with a translucent mirror (as found in the A55 and A33) and an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor. At the company's Photokina press conference, an executive noted that the cam will be "far more powerful than the a55," and that it'll be aimed at "serious enthusiast photographers." A slew of concept / prototype lenses were also encased (including a comically large 500mm f/4 cannon) at Sony's booth, not to mention a few that'll definitely be available from 2011 and 2012. Back at the presser, we were informed that a grand total of ten A-mount (Alpha DSLR compatible) lenses will be on sale by 2012, and it's also considering working with a number of partners in order to develop third-party E-mount lenses for the NEX range. Moreover, a firmware update is slated for mid-October to bring autofocus support to A-mount lenses used on E-mount cameras, aperture control in video mode and customizable keys, while the NEX-VG10 Handycam will see an A-mount lens firmware update in November. Speaking of E-mount cameras, Sony's also developing its own micro flash for use in low(er)-light situations, and considering that it recently grabbed a full 50 percent of the mirrorless market share in Europe, we'd guess it's nowhere near slowing down on the innovation. Smiles all around, right? %Gallery-102896% %Gallery-102902%
Sony teases high-end camcorder with Exmor APC HD sensor and interchangeable lenses (video)
Like Sony's new NEX3 and NEX5 compact cameras with APC-C-sized sensors? Then check out this tease for a Sony camcorder. The AVCHD shooter will feature the same Exmor APC HD CMOS sensor and E Mount interchangeable lenses. Better yet, it'll also work with A Mount lenses built for Sony's existing Alpha DSLRs. Coming this fall, that's when.
