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an extensive update to our Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 preview. We've been working away towards a review of the RX1 that we received recently. With its full frame sensor and 35mm F2 lens, it's a camera that's generated a lot of excitement amongst photographers, so we wanted to publish more detail of its performance and behavior. We've added eight pages to the preview, including more detail about its handling and interface as well as our studio test shots, a sample gallery from the production camera and our first impressions of shooting with it.
This will be the last update before the full review is published, but we thought it gave a better insight into the camera than we were able to offer in our original preview.
A Week Working With Sony's New Full Frame
It's not every day that a digital SLR manufacturer releases a new full-frame camera -- in fact, it's not even every year...
Our hands-on Sony SLT-A99 preview article and video. The A99 is the company's flagship full-frame interchangeable lens camera, offering a 24MP CMOS sensor with on-sensor phase-detection autofocus. This combines with the dedicated conventional phase-detection sensor to offer a series of never-before-seen features. We look at these and several of the A99's other key stills and movie shooting capabilities in our hands-on preview.
Sony has announced the Alpha NEX-5R, the latest in its series of mid-level mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. The 16MP 5R adds on-sensor phase detection elements to enable hybrid autofocus, and gains a control dial and dedicated function button over its predecessor, the 5N. The 5R also gains Wi-Fi capabilities and the ability to run proprietary in-camera apps to extend its capabilities.
Read our preview to find out more.
"We've been using a Sony DSC-RX100 for the last few days and have prepared a hands-on preview of the 20MP, 1" sensor compact. Its 13.2 x 8.8mm sensor is over twice the size of most of its peers and, despite this being the same size as Nikon's 1 system cameras, the RX100 is genuinely pocketable. We've used our time with the camera to prepare a detailed preview, looking at the camera's key features, and have also shot a gallery of real-world samples in a variety of shooting situations."
"Sony has launched the SLT-A37 entry-level 16MP SLT camera and the enthusiast-grade 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 SAM standard zoom. The A37 is a refreshed replacement for the A35, bringing the entry-level model into line with the rest of the SLT lineup. Meanwhile the 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 SAM lens offers Alpha mount users a more flexible upgrade option over the entry-level 18-55mm without having to stretch to the 16-50mm F2.8. The A37 will be available from June at a cost of $600 with 18-55mm kit zoom. The 18-135mm lens will follow in July for $500 or as a $200 premium over the basic zoom kit cost with any of the company's SLT cameras.
Click here to read our Sony SLT-A37 preview"
"When it comes to full frame cameras we’ve got two types of fast standard zoom lenses – we are thinking here about 28–7x mm f/2.8 and 24-70 mm f/2.8 class. In the case of APS-C/DX sensors the situation isn’t so clear any longer. At the beginning 17-5x mm f/2.8 instruments appeared on the market. Such devices were presented by Canon, Nikon and Tamron; when you compare them to the performance of 24–70 mm and 28–7x mm lenses on full frame they could be placed somewhere in between. It’s worth remembering that the 24 mm focal length on full frame gives you an angle of view of 84 degrees and the 28 mm focal length – an angle of view of 75.4 degrees diagonally. The 17 mm focal length on a 1.5x multiple sensor (and such is used by Nikon, Sony and Pentax) gives an angle of view of 79.7 degrees and on a Canon sensor (1.6x multiple) – only 77.3 degrees.
If you want to get on a smaller sensor a performance similar to that of a 24-70 mm instrument on full frame you have to offer a lens which focal length starts from 15-16 mm. Only three companies have decided to do so. First the 16-50 mm f/2.8 models from Tokina and Pentax have been launched. In fact you can treat them practically as one lens - they are like twins because these companies had cooperated closely in their design. Sony was the next producer that decided to follow suit – they presented the Sony DT 16–50 mm f/2.8 SSM along with the SLT-A77 and the SLT-A65 reflex cameras.
The performance of the Tokina and the Pentax at the maximum relative aperture was hardly impressive – it proved that creating a 16-50 mm f/2.8 class optical construction is not an easy task. It made us even more interested how Sony managed, facing such a challenge..."
"The Sony E 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS got a companion to cover the mid to long tele range - the Sony E 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS. Both lenses are also sold in some double lens kits with a NEX camera. The 55-210mm OSS has a 3.8x zoom ratio which is about typical for such kit zoom lenses. The max. aperture of f/6.3 at 210mm is slower than average though - this is, most likely, a measure to keep the lens as small as possible. In full format terms it "behaves" like a "83-315mm" so it is suitable for applications such as basic portrait-, sports- and wildlife-photography."
"The Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f/1.4 ZA (Sony SAL-85F14Z) is certainly not an obvious choice for being used on the Sony NEX but if nothing else it is certainly an interesting experiment - especially using the new 24 megapixel sensor of the NEX 7. The Zeiss ZA 135mm f/1.8 may still be a tad better but it can certainly be taken as a benchmark lens.
The lens can be used on NEX cameras via Sony Alpha adapters. You can even use autofocus when using the Sony EA-LA2 adapter. Basically it transforms your NEX into a Sony Alpha SLT. The setup with the Zeiss lens is a bit front-heavy for sure but I had no real issues with this - other may disagree with this view. The NEX system has an APS-C format sensor so the ZA 85mm f/1.4 behaves like a "130mm f/2" on a full format camera. The "f/2" refers to the comparable depth-of-field at f/1.4. The speed remains attached to the original aperture, of course."
"We've been able to borrow a pre-production Sony A57 and have prepared a preview that includes both real-world and studio sample images. Many of the camera's features - 16MP sensor, 1.44m dot LCD viewfinder are familiar but they all come wrapped in a larger, more comfortable body, powered by a larger battery. We've shot samples in a series of the A57's modes, including its Auto Portrait Selection Framing mode - in which the camera crops an image with a face in, in-accordance with the rule-of-thirds. Although the A57 we borrowed is a pre-production unit, Sony has told us the image quality is final standard, so has allowed us to publish its output. Our preview includes a selection of real-world images, shot in a variety of situations, using a selection of settings and shooting modes, and under a range of lighting conditions."
"50mm lenses were almost a forgotten species but during the very recent years they have seen a revival - on APS-C format cameras they are something like a moderate tele lens and as such a quite attractive option for portrait- or street-photography. Now Sony did a little more than just releasing a "plain" 50mm lens - they added an optical image stabilizer ("Optical Steady Shot" in Sony terms). The Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS is also the fastest stabilized system lens ever built (as of the time of this review). This was certainly a difficult engineering task considering the centering effects on the optical system at such large apertures."
"I have to say I have one of the better jobs on the planet, at least for a photography gear-head. The part I like best — well, really there’s a lot of parts I like best — but one fun part is that my job description includes: Take things apart. See how they work. Learn how to fix them..."
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The Sony NEX 5N and NEX 7 are superb cameras. Raw files from the NEX 5N can deliver stunning 13X19" prints quite easily; so I never regretted buying this camera for its extreme portability and discretion when traveling. It packs a lot of quality in a very small package. The only frustration has been the relatively small number of lenses that are made for it - an improving story as the product line matures. Yes, I do have the (costly) LA-EA2 adapter and it does extend the lens options considerably, but the pickings are thin in the super wide-angle zoom category (lenses in the range of 10~18mm zoom). I've tried three different ones using the adapter and returned them, because sharpness at long ends of the images was simply inadequate (to my liking) to justify the high prices one pays for them. Two of the three were also quite heavy and all of them used with the adapter added much bulk to the camera, impairing the beauty of handling it.
While on the subject of returning lenses – do yourselves a favour and buy from retailers who will take them back and refund your money without fees if you're not happy after a short trial period. This is particularly important for these zoom lenses that are challenging to design and manufacture, and experience indicates that not every piece is necessarily optimal.
So I was patiently awaiting the day when Sony would produce a super wide-angle zoom with an E-Mount for the NEX. Last week they finally hit dealers' shelves and my patience was rewarded. The NEW Sony 10~18mm super wide angle zoom really has some good things going for it.
Sony published more sample images taken with their new RX1 full frame compact camera ($2,798.00)...
Photokina 2012: Sony has announced the NEX-VG900, a full-frame NEX camcorder along with the VG30 APS-C model and an 18-200mm powerzoom lens for APS-C E-mount cameras. The VG900 is built around the company's 24MP sensor that also appears in the SLT A99 and RX1 and confirms the theory that the E-mount can accommodate a 36x24mm sensor. The lack of full-frame E-mount lenses means the VG900 must be used with an adapter such as the LA-EA3 which allows the use of full-frame A-mount lenses. The SELP-18200 E PZ 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 adds a third 18-200mm lens to the NEX system, this time with a lever-controlled powered zoom for video work. The VG900 will sell for around $3,300 with A-mount adapter, the VG30 will cost $2,700 with 18-200mm or $1,800 body-only.
Our hands-on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 preview article with video preview. You may well have already heard about Sony's full frame compact camera with a fixed 35mm F2 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* lens. We've had a chance to play with a pre-production RX1, delve through the menus and discuss its technologies with Sony. We've prepared a four-page preview detailing the RX1's features and capabilities and discussing whether we think the world is ready for a $2800 full frame, fixed-lens camera.
Picture quality and autofocus performance will, perhaps more than any other camera traits, determine whether the Nikon D4 is a hit with still photographers. But, these aren't the only indicators that matter, particularly in a camera that introduces built-in wired networking to Nikon's digital SLR lineup for the first time, as well as an all-new memory card format. We have a rundown of the real-world speeds you can expect from the XQD slot and Ethernet port of Nikon's soon-to-be-released flagship camera, with data for CompactFlash and USB 2.0 as well.
"The Sony 135mm f/2.8 [T/4.5] STF is a unique lens in many ways. The most obvious difference compared to conventional lenses is the lack of AF. So why's that ? The lens has a so-called apodisation optics using one APD element. APD elements resemble neutral density filters which become thicker the more you move towards the perimeter thus reducing the amount of light passing through. Out-of-focus circles are therefore (comparatively) defined in the center but are gradually loosing light towards the edges thus producing a very silky bokeh (out-of-focus blur) - the primary sense of existence of this lens."
"Sony has announced the NEX-F3 entry-level 16MP mirrorless camera and lightweight 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS stabilized superzoom lens with for the E-mount. The NEX-F3 gains a built-in flash, along with the updated 16MP sensor from its NEX-5N big brother. Its big party trick is undoubtedly its LCD, whose image automatically mirrors when it's flipped up for taking self-portraits. Meanwhile, the E18-200mm F3.5-5.6 LE OSS is a more compact, lighter 11x superzoom lens for the NEX system. Starting in June, the NEX-F3 will have an MSRP of around $600, while the SEL18200LE will sell for around $850 from July. With its 62mm filter thread, minimum focusing distance of 0.5m and 17 element/13 group design, the SEL18200LE does look a lot like the lens Tamron announced in December 2011."
Click here for our hands-on preview of the NEX-F3, including real-world samples
"It's now been six months since I started using the Sony NEX-7. I received one for testing in November, 2011, just before leaving for six months in Mexico, and have been using it there all winter. It was my primary camera over that period of time. I liked it so much that shortly after starting to work with it I ordered one for my long term use. The NEX-7 has been a huge success for Sony. Delayed by the events in Thailand and Japan last year, and only now entering full-scale world-wide distribution, this 24 Megapixel APS-C camera is small enough to fit in a pocket (at least with pancake lens) yet able enough to produce large exhibition quality prints. But, it's not without its flaws..."
"As of the time of this review high quality zoom lens options are not really available in Sony E mount (Sony NEX) so it is viable to have a look beyond. Sony Alpha (DSLR) lenses can be used on NEX cameras via Sony Alpha adapters (EA-LA1 & LA2). The more interesting adapter is the new Sony EA-LA2 which basically transforms your NEX into a Sony Alpha SLT DSLR with phase-detection AF support - with no real drawbacks apart from the extra bulk.
An attractive Alpha lens option is certainly the fairly new Sony 16-50mm f/2.8 DT SSM - a fast, high grade standard zoom. It is a native APS-C format lens featuring a field-of-view equivalent to about "24-75mm f/4" on full format cameras. The "f/4" refers to the comparable depth-of-field. For determining the exposure, the real aperture obviously remains the relevant number. It is a rather large lens so a NEX camera looks a little dwarfish when "attached to the lens""
"I’ve always been fascinated by pancake lenses. It just amazes me that something that small can actually function. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we’ve been taking things apart to determine where and how (and sometimes if) the lenses can be adjusted optically. So, I decided to do two pancake lenses for mirrorless cameras side-by-side to see how they differed (the Sony 17mm f/2.8 E mount and the Olympus 16mm f/2.8 micro 4/3 mount). I wasn’t sure there would be much we could do with pancakes (and there wasn’t), but I still found the look inside rather interesting."
"Sony has announced the SLT-A57, a replacement for the original A55 fixed-mirror, electronic viewfinder DSLR. The A57 still features a 16MP sensor and LCD viewfinder but incorporates them into essentially the same body as the more expensive A65. Use of the latest Bionz processor means the A57 offers a wider-than-ever selection of photographic features and image processing modes. There's also an optional HVL-LE1 video-lighting LED panel. The A57 will have an MSRP of $799, bundled with an 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 lens."
"The weakest spot of the Sony NEX system is the rather limited amount of lenses. Released in latest 2011 the Sony E 30mm f/3.5 macro was the fourth lens (type) for the system. At the time the community was fairly surprised about the specs - a slow speed and rather "wide" macro lenses is certainly not a priority for a new system. Anyway, macro lenses tend to be pretty good so this may be something to get excited about ... hopefully."
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![Sony 135mm f/2.8 [T4.5] STF ( SAL-135F28 ) - Full Format Review / Lab Test | Photography Gear News | Scoop.it](https://img.scoop.it/yhxM9qlCfCNEXlyhNaxpnjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVvK0kTmF0xjctABnaLJIm9)
