Following a series of leaks, Sony has made the NEX-F3 official. As with the NEX-7 the NEX-F3 includes an in-built pop-up flash, while retaining the option to attach a professional quality flash. In a first for the NEX line, it includes a 180-swivel LCD display allowing for easy self-portrait taking.
An earlier NEX-F3 leak was joined later on Saturday by two more giving large clues as to imminent plans. Yang Canggih has leaked the previously unseen Alpha A37, an entry counterpart to the A57. It now has a tilting screen like the NEX series, and has a more ergonomic grip than the A35.
What may be the sequel to Sony’s entry-level mirrorless NEX-C3 has surfaced ahead of any announcement from Sony about its existence. The new camera is pictured with a white body and clearly shows that it is sporting a 16.1-megapixel camera and a typical NEX-style 180-degree tilting display. Little else can be discerned from the photo at this time, although it does have a new physical flash control button.
Lensbaby has begun shipping its Composer Pro special effects attachment for mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras. With it, a photographer can reproduce tilt-shift or another specific effect without having to turn to a full DSLR. The Composer Pro works with Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras, Sony's NEX line, and Samsung NX cameras.
Sony has taken the wraps off its rumored NEX FS700 pro video camera. As had been suggested, the video camera is capable of shooting at 4K resolution, but this will only be supported through a future upgrade. Initially it will be limited to shooting at 1080p, but it will be able to record 4K video, when its firmware is upgraded in time, over 3G-SDI to an optional external 4K recorder.
Sony may soon be releasing a high performance NEX-based camera for the professional videography market. EOSHD quotes sources as saying the company will be unveiling the NEX FS700 at the NAB 2012 conference next month. The camera can purportedly record at 4K resolution with a price point of $8,000.
Sony may be hoping to one-up Canon's PowerShot G1 X with a more ambitious camera of its own. A rumor originating from multiple "trusted sources" of Sony Alpha Rumors has a future camera using a DSLR-grade sensor at APS-C size but with a non-removable lens like its Canon alternative. The lens itself is described as a pancake-sized compact zoom that would keep the camera relatively small.
A new patent application found online on Monday has lent strong support to the belief Canon is working on a mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera. The patent is for an 18-45mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens explicitly meant for APS-C mirrorless cameras. Allowing for the crop factor, the lens is equivalent to 29-70mm if it were full-frame.
Sony took its time at the CP+ camera show to outline much of its future Alpha and NEX roster. The company promised a full-frame Alpha camera to replace its long-in-tooth A900. No details were given to DPReview or others at the show, although Sony's frequent sensor partnership with Nikon could point to a camera based on the D800's 36.3-megapixel sensor.
Apple on Wednesday afternoon posted Mac OS X 10.7.3 (release notes). The Lion upgrade adds several languages, including Catalan for Spaniards as well as Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian. RAW photo compatibility has expanded to several new cameras, including the Nikon J1 and V1, Olympus' current PEN cameras, and current Sony Alpha and NEX cameras, such as the NEX-5N.
MicroOLED has developed a new electronic viewfinder that could address some of the standout complaints about not going optical. The OLED panel has five million square dots and can show a 1280x1024 image in its just over 0.6-inch view. Its resolution is higher than the 1024x768 of today's best EVFs and has no gap between pixels, leading to a seamless effect.
Last month, Sony introduced the NEX-5N, an update to its 16-megapixel NEX-5 digital camera with interchangeable lenses. One of its benchmark features was its 1080p60 recording capabilities. Unfortunately, there is evidently a problem with Sony's implementation, and the camera makes a clicking noise that disturbs the audio while recording videos.
Nikon's long rumored mirrorless interchangeable lens camera received not just a vowed release this year but also a tentative price. A report [sub. required] in Japan's Nikkei pointed to sources who understood the camera would cost the equivalent of between $900 and $1,300. At the cost level, the camera would be equivalent to higher-end mirrorless cameras like the Olympus E-P3 or Sony NEX-7, although Japanese pricing usually includes tax and tends to be higher.
As expected, Sony on Wednesday revealed its second-generation swappable-lens camcorder with the NEX-VG20E. It replaces the current and one-year old NEX-VG10 and sports manual controls for consumer-level videographers. The megapixel count of the Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor grows from 14.2 to 16.1, with RAW photos an option alongside JPEG.
Sony matched Nikon on Wednesday by adding its own batch of cameras with a much stronger focus on professionals. The NEX line now has its first truly professional camera in the NEX-7. It has both the highest resolution of any mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, at 24.3 megapixels, but adds serious manual control with twin control dials, a wheel, and three customizable buttons.
Sony's largely corroborated August 24 camera event has been given supporting evidence through shots of the new NEX lenses beingleaked out on forums. The event should see two lenses now expected to be primes, a wider-angle 24mm f1.8 and a more standard 50mm f1.8. The DPReview member posting the details also confirmed Sony's first true NEX-sized telephoto, a 55-210mm f4.5-6.3 lens.
Sony is planning one large, multi-product launch to cover its pro- and semi-pro cameras on August 24, a scoop may have uncovered Tuesday. The highlight would be the Alpha A77, its frequently leaked 24-megapixel high-end DSLR. New to Sony Alpha Rumors' claims, however, was the addition of an A65 that would shoot at the same resolution as the A77 but at a slower frame rate to lower the price.
Sony was a relative latecomer to mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, but when it arrived with the NEX line, it shot back with very small designs which were barely larger than compact cameras, although they sometimes controlled like it, too. The NEX-C3 is a second generation and brings a new 16.2-megapixel sensor, overall better performance, and an even smaller design. We'll examine in our review of the NEX-C3 if it's worth trading up from a point-and-shoot or as an alternative to rivals from Olympus and Panasonic.
Earlier rumors that an upcoming Sony NEX-7 digital SLR will mimic the look of an older Konica-Minolta Dimage A2 appear to be mostly true, as a new digital image of the upcoming Sony shooter has been leaked by SonyAlphaRumors. Still, the image is said to be of a pre-production unit, so some changes may still occur, and even the source says so. A rangefinder similar to that of the Fujifilm X100 is visible on the image as well.
Sony after a long run-up upgraded the bases of both its NEX and Alpha camera lines. The NEX-C3 is cast as the smallest camera to have both an APS-C sized sensor and interchangeable lenses with an even smaller frame than the NEX-3. Despite the size shrink, it should be easier to use for newcomers: a Photo Creativity mode, much like Canon's Creative Auto, puts concepts like aperture or white balance into simpler terms without sacrificing the full PASM controls or programmable shortcuts.
Sony is reportedly set to introduce a range of new photography gear early next month, including the NEX-C3 and Alpha A35 cameras, a 30mm macro lens, and a NEX flash. Leaked information posted on Photo Rumors suggests the A35 DSLR will integrate a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, with an ISO range up to 12800, while a new tele-zoom high speed shooting mode offers continuous autofocus. The camera is also said to offer 7fps shooting, 15 AF points, built-in HDR processing, and 1080p video recording.
The Sony Czech website has published the instruction manual of the forthcoming NEX-C3. The manual for they yet to be formally announced camera reveals that the it will be more compact than the current NEX-5, although it is fitted with a higher specified 16-megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor. The pictures from the manual are also reported to show a control scheme similar to the layout on the NEX-5, though it features new filters including one called Toy Camera and another called Retro Photo.
The upcoming Sony NEX-C3 camera has now been spotted thanks to SonyAlphaRumors. It reportedly shares the same 16.2-megapixel sensor as the Alpha A55 and the ability to record HD video. The camera has been delayed due to the recent natural disaster in Japan, and a new ship date isn't yet known.
Sony said this week it would launch its first US store based on its new store template. Now just called the Sony Store, the shop in the Century City Mall in Los Angeles has a "new concept" with Apple-like bright, widely spaced areas instead of the dark spaces from Sony Style locations. The strategy includes a Premium Services area that duplicates the Genius Bar's technical help, though it goes beyond by offering in-home installs.
A rumor source has asserted that Sony has a new, high end version of the NEX in development that may recall one of Minolta's better-known digital cameras. The NEX-7 would be a superset of the existing NEX-3 and NEX-5 and would look more like a professional camera than before. The Photo Rumors tip suggested it would look like a "twin" of the Konica-Minolta Dimage A2 (pictured), a roughly 2004-era camera from just a few years before Sony bought Minolta to get into DSLRs.
Sony's entry mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the NEX-3, has now been discontinued by Sony Japan and is no longer in the company's webstore. Reasons for the 14.2-megapixel camera's demise aren't being divulged, but the exit is comprehensive. The NEX-3A, NEX-3K, and NEX-3D models are no longer available.
Nikon is reportedly planning on introducing its first mirrorless camera, possibly towards the end of March. First rumored in July last year, the new camera is expected to use mirrorless lens system similar to the Micro Four Thirds style or the Sony NEX series. In an interview, the head of Nikon Austria Wolfgang Lutzky has indicated that the March timeframe for such a product introduction is on the cards.
Coming hot on the heels of news that Carl Zeiss and Schneider Kreuznach have signed up to make Micro Four Thirds lenses, Sony has announced that it has opened up the NEX’s proprietary E-mount system to other lens makers. Moreover, in this instance Sony has opted not to charge a licence fee for the privilege, which given its history of pushing proprietary technologies at a fee is somewhat surprising. The NEX cameras compete in the same space as the Micro Four Thirds market of mirror-less compact-bodied cameras that aim to offer DSLR-like photo quality and interchangeable lens options.
Sony may bring the translucent mirror technology from the Alpha A33 and A55 to a more compact camera that might sit between the current Alpha and NEX lines. A recent US patent filing has shown a camera with the technology, which allows faster focusing in a mirrored camera, but without an optical viewfinder like a normal Alpha camera. The mirror could even have a dynamic reflectivity that lets in more or less light to trigger the autofocus sensor in low light conditions where it might otherwise not get a lock.
Sony Japan today previewed a new HandyCam that would combine a 35mm equivalent sensor with the same E-mount lenses as its NEX cameras. The NXCAM would use a larger, film-equivalent CMOS sensor that Sony said could achieve the same bokeh (shallow depth of field) as film and DSLRs but which would be optimized for movies. The design would be a more professional parallel to the NEX-VG10 with an optional grip and separate LCD monitor along with the built-in flip display.
Sony Europe on Thursday gave its NEX cameras firmware 03, its promised feature and interface upgrade to address some of the issues with the mirrorless swappable lens cameras. Both the NEX-3 and NEX-5 now support full-size Alpha mount lenses, with autofocus, when paired with an LA-EA1 adapter to fit the smaller body. Shallow depth of field is now an option in movie capture as the camera can use aperture priority to shoot videos.
Sony's interchangeable lens NEX-series cameras will soon be updated with the latest, Version 03 firmware update. The software will fix some problems noted by users in the interface, and enable other features.
Sony may have a quick addition to its mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras in store as a business calendar lists a new model coming soon. The first 1PM entry on Sankebiz' October 12 page mentions only that "Sony unveils a new mirrorless SLR" on the same day. Other leaks haven't shown up so far.
Sony today teased its camera update plans today with word of a camera-related event on August 24, Electronista has learned. The gathering, at least in Canada, will focus on new Alpha cameras as well as other imaging hardware. The NEX-VG10 camcorder should also be on show.
Sony today put a date and price on the 18-200mm E-mount lens it previewed when it launched the NEX-3 and NEX-5 in May. The long-range lens will be available in Europe on September 10 for a British price of £699 ($1,091). Sony hasn't said when it reaches North America but promised a fall timeframe and an $800 price.
Canon's image group leader Masaya Maeda today confirmed that his company is developing a smaller pro camera to compete against mirrorless, interchangeable lens rivals. It was implied the camera would still use a DSLR approach rather than go mirrorless and would be smaller than cameras like the Rebel series to compete with the size of cameras like Olympus' PEN series or the Sony NEX line. Maeda saw the issue of size simply as a matter of design.
Sony today brought out what it says is the first HD-capable camcorder to have interchangeable lenses. The Handycam NEX-VG10 uses the same E-mount lenses as the NEX-3 and NEX-5 still image cameras but in a body with a focus on video capture. It can record at 1080p at the full 24Mbps of AVCHD (H.264) and has a four-capsule microphone with both a microphone input and a headphone output for more advanced audio recording.
Nikon President Makoto Kimura today revealed that his company is developing a "new concept" camera that could ship before the company's fiscal year is done in March 2011. He expects it to have a stronger emphasis on video and floated the possibility that it might use a mirrorless system, not unlike Micro Four Thirds or Sony's NEX series. A chance remains that the camera could slip further into 2011, Kimura told Bloomberg in an interview.
Sony today fulfilled earlier promises and posted an update for the Alpha NEX-3 and NEX-5 compact, interchangeable lens cameras. New firmware adds a 3D Sweep Panorama mode that automatically creates a 3D landscape image by comparing the depth across a burst of images. Shots taken will show on any 3D TV and likely other displays that can recognize 3D standards.
Sony on the heels of its Alpha NEX cameras confirmed that it's also developing a camcorder based on the same swappable lens system. It would have the same APS-C sensor and E mounts as the new still cameras but would focus primarily on HD video capture. Most details aren't available, but it would capture directly to H.264 and have a dedicated eyepiece in addition to a swiveling LCD.
To coincide with the early confirmation of its new mirrorless NEX-series Alpha cameras, Sony has revamped its Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX memory cards for faster transfer speeds. They are now capable of attaining 30MB per second write speeds, twice that of the older versions. The cards are said to be optimized to work with the latest Sony hardware and are the fastest on the market.
Sony fired its opening salvo in mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras by launching the Alpha NEX-3 and NEX-5. Elaborating on an early reveal, Sony sees both as trumping Micro Four Thirds cameras through their sensors. Either has a 14.2-megapixel CMOS sensor that reaches APS-C size; the dimensions match those of most DSLRs and are about 60 percent larger than with the MFT system, cutting back on noise while allowing sensitivity as high as ISO 12,800.
