Sony

photo credit: Javier Paredes

You have to admit that you would like to know if the first Sony SLR camera supposed to be a pro photo camera, the Sony Alpha 900, is really up to the real-life constraints of a pro camera. Some people would really test it: Michael Reichmann from Luminous Landscape, simply took a Sony Alpha 900, a Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G tele-zoom and 5 other lenses, for two weeks of photo travel in the Southernmost countries of this world. Result: A rather positive opinion, no real issue after submitting the photo camera to low temperatures and high humidity that were out of its normal operating range.

He also noted the incidents other cameras suffered around him (no less than 77 other photographers!). For example, the Canon EOS 5D MkII which did not survive in cold rain.

The Sony A900 test in Antartica.

Finally, Sony told us some about the future of the Alpha line of D-SLR cameras. Unfortunately, it does not mean that we will see new cameras soon. The discontinued Alpha 700 will receive a replacement (who is surprised, really?) and it will come with a wide-angle lens Zeiss Distagon T* 24 mm f/2 ZA SSM and a big 500 mm f/4 G. And notice the prominent HD marking on the top of the mock-ups: HD video is coming now.

There also will be a new ultra-compact camera with interchangeable lenses. The presented mock-ups are quite small indeed:

We are waiting impatiently for the launch of new SLR photo cameras from Sony, but here is the weirdest rumour seen in China about this.

Improbable : Sony Alpha 707 & Sony Alpha 900SH

A Sony Alpha 707 with HD video capture and ISO 12.800 sensitivity and a Sony Alpha 900SH with HD video.

Seriously! I can’t believe it for a moment… It’s so strange that I will not even create the Sony Alpha 7007 and Sony Alpha 900SH categories for the YLovePhoto menus.

Thanks to Mash for the link to PR. These guys are ready for any kind of rumour…

The PMA in Las Vegas is now arriving fast. After a long time of little rumors, here comes the moment for big rumors, but not the actual revelations yet.

• Nikon has been telling the world that they intended to have a great year 2010. It seems that they will bring a new DSLR (it could be the Nikon D700x, Nikon D700s, or Nikon D800 according to the rumor mill). It would be confirmed according to the banner visible on LetsGoDigital. But this is apparently a fake built from press material from the older Nikon D3 (via NR).
• Yesterday’s press conference did not bring a single SLR though (Coolpix S8000, Coolpix S6000, Coolpix S4000, Coolpix S3000, Coolpix P100, Coolpix L110, Coolpix L22, Coolpix L21, nothing less!)
• Plenty of people expect to see the Canon EOS 60D arriving now, but it’s still uncertain. NL/DPR predicts a set of features: CMOS 18MPs, 6.3fps, HD 24 and 36fps, Digic IV.
• According to CR, Canon is preparing a new Rebel/EOS camera whose name should be Rebel T2i (the European name could be 550D or EOS 600D), with video, fixed LCD of improved resolution.
• At last, Canon would present the very pro Canon EOS 1Ds Mk IV
• Samsung should extend its new NX line, possibly with some lenses (waiting a little more for a new NX camera body).
• Olympus and Fuji should bring only P&S cameras.
• The Sony rumour line is totally silent, which could be indicator that either they are efficient at keeping a lid on the new Alpha 750 or there is nothing in preparation.

So, let’s wait a little more.

I just updated the tests/reviews in the database of the SLR photo cameras, mostly for the Pentax and Samsung cameras (and some Nikon, Sony, Canon, too).

AlphaMountWorld just produced a very interesting comparative review of three of the most attractive digital SLR photo cameras now on the market:

• Sony Alpha A500
• Nikon D5000
• Canon EOS 500D ou Rebel T1i

Of course, this test is listed in the list of comparisons/reviews attached to the feature page of each of these cameras (follow the links above).

Source: AlphaMountWorld.com Sony Alpha A500, Nikon D5000, and Canon EOS Rebel T1i- Compared

According to AlphaMountWorld, the Sony Alpha A450 would not be distributed to the US market. Maybe Sony thought that the Americans don’t need to get this low-cost A500…

Sony Alpha 450

Sony just announced a new SLR photo camera: The Sony Alpha 450. As a matter of fact, it is merely a simplified version of the Sony Alpha 550. Gone is the tiltable LCD screen, removed the sensor which allowed to catch the image from the viewfinder in LiveView mode (a real specificity of the previous Alpha cameras). The LiveView mode is now equivalent again to the one of any other SLR camera (it uses the main and only digital sensor of the camera). The autofocus is less powerful, but if this is a sacrifice only in LiveView mode, I can see some photographers already interested…

7 frames per second bursts, an HDR mode which combines several pictures for you (without your intervention, it will takes several snapshots and assemble them in HDR). Here is a camera that, if well positioned in terms of price (and it should be), will certainly attract consumers with a little budget but interested in a really able SLR camera at a low price. This is a tune that Sony already played when they made a Sony Alpha 850 out of a more expensive Alpha 900. And they know how to create a camera family.

(more…)

A Chinese blog just announced a product that nobody really knew up to now: The Sony Alpha 450. But apart from the cover pages, there is not much to grab.

Sony A450?

Maybe an attempt to advertise the blog (and it works).

Via Photo Rumours.

When you use an expensive SLR camera you are often tempted to purchase a specialty lens like a ultra-wide angle (fish eye) lens.

But, apart from the rare occasions when you really need it, it’s too expensive for you and me. Why not build it yourself? Instructables does the demonstration with a Nikon D90, but it could be done with any other camera.

How to make a fish eye lens for a Nikon D-90 Digital SLR for $16

Sony Alpha 700

From all sides, we hear that the Sony Alpha 700 is now reaching the end of its commercial life. Several web sites (including Sony UK and e-tailers like Adorama) indicated it as such.

The question, asked over and over here and there, is still: What camera will follow in its footesteps? For the time being, it’s all speculative. But it seems that the successor is really in the last mile before the official announcement (my own sources now have gone completely silent on this issue). Some tell that the CES show in Las Vegas (7th to 10th January 2010) will be the launch pad for this successor; It would be adequate, but I still think that it may take longer than that.

Since Sony took over the photo activities of Minolta, we observed a considerable evolution on the lens range. There were only lenses from the Minolta original range (mainly on the second-hand market), but Sony associated with Zeiss to build a full-spectrum offer covering more and more and providing a good answer to the needs from entry-level to pro (going through the expert/enthusiast amateur).

Alpha-Numérique has a good and clear summary panorama of this young but rich product line in a French post: La gamme optique Sony / Zeiss.

We may have to group them since the firmware updates sometimes happen nearly at the same time. The latest ones are:

• Sony Alpha series (A380, A330 & A230): Mac, Windows (Sony Europe)
• Canon EOS 7D v1.1.0 (to correct an issue where a previous image may partly superimpose itself on the next, in continuous shooting): Instructions and download link

RAW file conversion process

Ready to celebrate the arrival of 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau, a new version of the RAW conversion utility from Adobe is here: Camera Raw 5.6. It supports a whole lot of recent cameras:

• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon PowerShot G11
• Canon PowerShot S90
• Leaf Aptus II 5
• Mamiya DM22, DM28, DM33, DM56, M18, M22, M31
• Nikon D3s
• Olympus E-P2
• Pentax K-x
• Panasonic FZ38
• Sigma DP1s
• Sony A500
• Sony A550
• Sony A850

It also solves an issue in demosaicing of some Raw files on PowerPC Mac.

Download Adobe Camera Raw 5.6.

Save money on photo gear

Since this is time for the end of the year and its high sales of electronic gadgets and photographic gear, here also comes the time for cashbacks, sales and promotions. The photography market will not forget this in these recession times and there are many offers and promotions or bundles.

Among the offers I tried to identify for you, I want to list the following ones:

• Pentax “Focus on savings” for K-7 system: $100 prepaid card on a choice of over 20 Pentax lenses. From now until January 15, 2010 (Pentax special offers)
• Nikon Canada adjusted its prices to reflect evolution of the exchange rates (November 16, 2009) – From NR
• Pentax opens a European on-line store with Digital River
• Sony launches an “all in one” kit made by bundling the Alpha 850, a Sony 28-75mm f/2.8 SAM lens and the Elite version of DxO Optics Pro, at a listed price of 2700€. (According to AN)
• Sony France cash-back offer of 50€ on the Alpha 330, Alpha 380 with the SAL50F18 lens and 100€ on the Alpha 500 and Alpha 550 with the SAL50F18 lens (Sony 50mm f/1.8 DT), up to December 2009
• Canon cash back offer for Europe and UK: £150/€170 cashback on PowerShot G11, from Canon UK
• Pentax offers up to 250€/£250 of cash-back coupons for purchases all over Europe before the end of 2009. All the details on www.pentax-cashback.com.

You can try and take advantage of them by rushing to your local photography shop or by browsing to one of the on-line shops that support YLovePhoto.

• Buy it from B&H (The Professional’s Source)
• Buy from Amazon.com
• Acheter sur Carrefour online

In any case, you are strongly advised to check case-by-case the exact conditions required (sometimes only applicable in one country; Sometimes against the return of a special coupon) and exact limit dates.

When we told you that it was going to happen! Here is LetsGoDigital finding a leaked shadow of a future SLR photo camera from Sony, the Sony Alpha 750 which will most certainly will be the successor to the Sony Alpha 700 awaited for the beginning of next year.

Sony Alpha 750

But we will have to wait a little more to know its characteristics and features. We can merely speculate that Sony will push the resolution up and the price down.

Sony will soon offer (at the end of October) a Premium service for after-sales and warranty. It will target pros and top-flight amateur photographers. For a period of one, two or three years (at the price of 109, 219 or 329€), the customer will get a warranty extension (directly from Sony Style Georges V or from the consumer support department of Sony France) associated with some complementary services:

Sony Alpha 200

• Yearly, professional cleaning of the camera sensor with opening of the mirror cage and removal of the sensor itself
• Repair priority
• Availability of an equivalent DSLR during repair time
• Door-to-door service (the camera is collected and returned at the location of your choice)

This could attract some pros. The amateur photographer could also be interested provided that they need some re-assurance, and they have a Sony Alpha 850 or Alpha 900.

But there is still an open question (for now): Will this be applicable out of France (I only got the confirmation from Paris)?

Source: Alpha-Numérique.