Digital Cameras

Unboxing the Sony a6300

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 24, 2016 | 0 comments

Many reviewers have already been praising the new E-mount Sony a6300 which was announced last month. As Edgar Alvarez wrote for Engadget, the a6300 is:

a step-forward for mid-tier mirrorless cameras

If you haven’t already, I’d recommend glossing over why Edgar has been so pleased about the new 4K-capable camera. All this of course begs the question, what’s in the box? Even if it doesn’t we’re all about to find out, thanks to a video unboxing by John Sison which can be found after the jump. For those unfamiliar with John’s work, he’s a self-described avid camera enthusiast and his work truly proves that.

Sony a6300 is a “Step Forward for Mid-tier Mirrorless Cameras”

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 22, 2016 | 0 comments

Here is Edgar Alvarez reporting for Engadget on the Sony a6300, their latest E-mount mirrorless camera:

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.

When it comes to specs, the a6300 really has everything a pro-consumer would want in a camera.

24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor
Bionz X processor
11-fps continuous shooting
ISO range of up to 52,000
4K video in Super 35mm format
4D Focus

That last one, as it turns out, is actually quite important.

Part of what makes the A6300 great for both stills and movies is Sony’s refined 4D Focus, which locks in on subjects in a mere five hundredths of a second, according to the company. The camera’s autofocus system is so fast that, at times, I actually had a little trouble keeping up with it.

And how about the competition when it comes to focusing?

Nevertheless, the prowess of the A6300 is helped by its 425 phase-detect points, compared to the 179 found on the A6000. That, combined with the 4D Focus, makes the A6300’s AF twice as fast as the A6000, according to Sony. And it shows. As someone who’s tested a handful of cameras over the past several months, Sony’s latest mirrorless shooter is definitely the fastest one I’ve tried. Canon’s EOS M3 and Olympus’ E-M5 Mark II are two solid alternatives to the A6300 (and cost about the same too), but don’t expect either of them to be quite as speedy as Sony’s camera.

More after the jump.

How Face Registration Works on the Sony a6300

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 14, 2016 | 0 comments

A longtime part of Sony’s camera legacy, face detection brings with it the ability for the camera to focus on faces and prioritize them over anything else in the photo/video. Taking that feature one step further is Face Registration on the mirrorless E-mount Sony a6300, with which you can teach the camera up to eight faces. With this feature enabled, the camera not only focus on faces, but prioritizes those it’s learned, perfect for large group photography and videography where different people can come and go in your shot.

As someone who regularly attends different cons and events, being able to have the camera know my face or Allegra’s would make a huge difference in ensuring our videos are always in focus. This is especially true at CES where herds of people come and go with little care to what others are doing around them. But it’s not hard to imagine this being a killer feature for many professionals, like wedding videographers.

After the jump, an in-depth video from Gary Fong showing off the feature that’s frankly part magic.

Official: Sony Cybershot HX80 With 30X Optical Zoom Announced

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 7, 2016 | 0 comments

Leaked just last month, Edgar Alvarez writes for Engadget about the official unveiling of the Sony Cybershot HX80, which offers:

30x optical zoom lens and a built-in, retractable OLED electronic viewfinder. Featuring similar looks as its RX100 relative, it also comes with a 18.2-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, 5-axis image stabilization, 1080p video recording and a 3-inch (921,000-dot) LCD screen. There’s WiFi and NFC too, for transferring media to iOS and Android devices via the PlayMemories app.

More after the jump.

Everybody is Using Sony Image Sensors, Including the New Pentax K-1 Full-frame DSLR

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 18, 2016 | 1 comment

Five years ago, you would have been considered insane if you thought Sony would today be dominating the image sensors industry that’s found in traditional DSLR cameras, as well as mirrorless and mobile like the iPhone.

The Pentax K-1 uses the Sony A7r 36MP sensor (with ISO that goes up to 204800)

The K-1 uses a 5 axis stabilization. But unlike Sony Pentax uses it also for two additional features: High res mode and Astrotracing!

Specifically, the K-1 is using the Sony 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor which can be found in the Sony a7R. This important for two reasons – number one being that while Sony has dominated the pro-consumer industry for some time, we’re now starting to see them turn their attention more towards professionals (evident with their G Master Lens lineup). In turn, the industry is recognizing and embracing Sony sensors in their own cameras. While the immediate impact to Sony’s bottom line is obvious, making money from image sensors sold, the long term implications are even more rewarding which is reason number two. As Sony is able to produce more and more chips on far larger scales, the cost of each sensor manufactured will fall. This not only means that the image sensors they sell to their competitors are more profitable, but so are the cameras that Sony makes and sells.

Sony a7R II 4K Video – Daytime Japan

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 16, 2016 | 0 comments

Just yesterday, we talked about how the Sony a7R II was able to win the camera of the year award. One key reason has been its sheer technical specs that’s dazzling photographers and videographers, like its ability to record 4K video. From Sony:

You can see how the α7R II is optimized for recording 4K (QFHD: 3,840 x 2,160) movies, particularly in Super 35 mm format, as it processes readout data from every pixel without pixel binning, to effectively suppress jaggies and more. The resulting footage exhibits visibly sharper, finer, more subtle detail than typical 4K movies. Also, as the first full-frame camera that can record movies at 4K resolution in the 35 mm full-frame format, the α7R II extends your power to express qualities of vision that the newly developed, back-illuminated full-frame image sensor makes possible.

We’ve already seen what the a7R II can with 4K video at night. After the jump, some daytime shots of 4K video.

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX80 Specs Leak?

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 16, 2016 | 0 comments

Looks like we can expect a new Sony Cybershot DSC-HX80 soon. The compact line has been known for a series of innovations lately including exemplary zoom and 1-inch sensors. Now, specs for the HX80 have leaked and it’s looking great. As always, treat these leaks with a grain of salt until confirmed.

Zeiss ultra wide angle lens and 30x optical zoom
OLED EVF
5 axis image stablization
10 pics/sec recording
180° hinged screen for selfie lovers

More details, including potential price and release date after the jump. Pictured above is the HX90V which the HX80 will likely take form after.

Sony A7R II Wins Camera of the Year, Called “Remarkable Both on Paper and in Practice”

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 15, 2016 | 0 comments

The photography monster that is known as the Sony a7R II is a camera with a back-illuminated 35mm full-frame CMOS image sensor with 42.4 megapixels that’s capable of recording 4K video. It’s been out for nearly 6 months and the camera is already becoming a darling and received the highest ever score from DPreview. Now you can add Photography Blog to the list of of reviewers who has been blown away by what the camera can offer.

The Sony A7R II is a remarkable camera, both on paper and in practice. Offering a mouth-watering list of desirable features, the A7R II delivers on almost all of its promises…

After the jump, why the Sony a7R II has been crowned their camera of the year.

Sony A6300 Camera with 4K Video & 425 Phase-detection Autofocus Points Announced

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 3, 2016 | 2 comments

As expected, Sony has unveiled the successor to the mirrorless Alpha A6000 with a similar design language. Though the two cameras share many physical aesthetics, Sony has done a lot to create a worthy successor. The new Sony A6300

packs a 24.2-megapixel sensor, shoots 4K footage. The A6300 uses 425 phase-detection autofocus points, allowing it to focus in as little as 0.05 seconds

More details after the jump.

Sony Action Cam – Jeremy Jones Free Fall Video

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 29, 2016 | 1 comment

At CES 2016, Sony revealed their latest entry Action Cam, the AS50 and AS50R bundle with Live View Remote. Priced at $199 and $349 respectively, the latest from Sony – while lacking some of the higher-end features of the AS200 – still offers a compelling solution for those who want to record their latest adventures.

Professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones is such a person. His free fall snowboarding video, shot entirely on the Sony Action Cam, can be found after the jump.

Sony Alpha A6100 to Look Like A6000?

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 27, 2016 | 3 comments

You don’t always need a refresh right?

One of my trusted sources has finally seen the A6100. And while he cannot share specs yet he said the A6100 looks just like the “old” A6000. So don’t expect anything new from a design point of view.

Sony Uses Large Text to Promote a7R II Camera

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 5, 2016 | 0 comments

Sometimes you just need to use all capital letters with a massive font size to get your point across. What’s funny is that the more I watch the short promo for the Sony a7R II, the more I like it. At first, it comes off a bit strong or pompous with large text flying on the screen but the reality of it is that an ad like this is exactly what Sony needs.

Not that they are actually running this ad on TV but what the piece does brilliantly and unapologetically is get to the point. What makes this camera worthy? Here are a few points to note. If I had to fault the short piece on anything, it’s that there is more time spent with words on the screen then actual results from what the camera is capable of outputting. Side note, the ad has been viewed nearly 5.5 million times!

Forbes Recommends the Sony RX100 IV or Sony A7s II Cameras

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 22, 2015 | 0 comments

It’s easy to subscribe to the theory that Canon or Nikon still lead the digital camera world but the truth is that Sony’s been the number 1 mirrorless camera maker now for four years.

For the photographer on your gift list, what’s the best camera of the 2015 season? And perhaps you’ve been a good boy or girl and want to buy yourself a present? Well, to narrow it down to two choices – the’s a great pocket point and shoot, and a larger (and more expensive) full frame camera. Both are from Sony.

If that’s not enough, Steven Rosenbaum from Forbes follows it up with

Let’s start with the what I think is the best in pocket point-and-shoot camera, the Sony RX100 IV.

More after the jump.

Sony Adds ‘Sky HDR’ to PlayMemories Camera Apps

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 21, 2015 | 0 comments

Sony is beefing up their PlayMemories Camera app with a new addition, Sky HDR. According to Sony

This application lets you optimize the exposure when you shoot scenes containing vastly different brightness levels, such as dark landscapes with the sun in a clear blue sky. By capturing the scene twice at different exposure and shutter speed settings, then combining the best of both images in a single image, this feature expresses a wide dynamic range without using a graduated ND filter. Moreover, when you want to highlight hues such as those in a sunset, you can depict them with even greater expressive power by individually adjusting the White Balance setting of the sky and ground.

More details, including a trailer of the app after the jump.

Sony RX1R II Release Halted, Autofocus Issues the Culprit?

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 18, 2015 | 0 comments

It’s looking like Christmas might come a bit late for those who were hoping for a Sony RX1R II.

I got word from US and other Asian stores that also they will have to wait to get a new Stock of RX1rII cameras. The reason for the stop is unknown. And Sony also does not tell when they will resume sales.

UPDATE: An anonymous source (thanks!) told me: “The production of the RX1R2 is halted because of AF inconsistencies”

US stores also do not show the RX1RII in Stock anymore

Let’s talk after the jump.