Sony Alpha

Sony Alpha A6000 Gets Announced; Offers World’s Fastest Autofocus

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 12, 2014 | 0 comments

Considering right now is usually the time frame where Sony begins its mobile assault with new Android phones like the leaked Xperia Sirius (Z2), the news about a new Alpha camera caught us off guard. Officially announced today, the Sony Alpha A6000 joins Sony’s growing line of mirrorless cameras, placing itself firmly between the NEX-5T and the A65. While the usual specs are top notch like a 100-25600 ISO range, what makes the Alpha A6000 amazing is its autofocus, which Sony claims is the world’s fastest at just 0.06 seconds. Let’s dig a little deeper.

Sony Unveils Entry Level DSLR Alpha A3000 for $399

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 27, 2013 | 0 comments

Alongside the NEX-5T which features a 16.1-megapixel sensor and NFC technology for easy photo and video sharing, Sony also unveiled the Alpha A3000. Although it was designed to look like a traditional DSLR, the Alpha A3000 is anything but traditional. In fact, this compact Alpha is mirrorless and shares many of its internal guts with the NEX-3N. This includes a 20.1-megapixel APS-C sensor and E-mount lens compatibility. The A3000 also includes a Multi Interface Shoe, pop-up flash, and an electronic viewfinder. Let’s talk more details.

Sony Officially Announces NEX-F3 and Alpha A37

by Sohrab Osati | May 17, 2012 | 1 comment

We told you about Sony’s May 17th camera event and, with the event, Sony has officially announced the NEX-F3, the followup to the NEX-C3 and the Alpha A37, the A35 replacement. As we originally reported, the Sony NEX-F3 packs a 16.1-megapixel sensor with ISO 100-16,000 sensitivity, AVCHD movie recording with 1080/60i or 24p HD movies, a built-in flash, up to 5.5 fps, and the star of the show, the 180 degree tiltable LCD screen. The NEX-F3 with a 18-55mm lens will set you back $599 and will ship on June 15th in black, silver, and white.

After the jump, we tell you about the Sony Alpha A37.

Sony Camera Announcement to be Held on May 17th

by Sohrab Osati | May 7, 2012 | 16 comments

With Spring coming to an end and the Summer season slowly picking up, Sony is planning on ending the quarter with one last camera announcement. Dated for May 17th, Sony plans to use the day to unveil their 2012 line of cameras which include a new NEX and Alpha as well as new lenses. If this all sounds familiar to you, that’s because the NEX-F3 and Alpha A37 have already been leaked in advance so unless Sony has an Ace up its sleeve, chances are that not a whole lot of new news will come in a weeks time.

Still, it will be interesting to see what the company has to say in regards to their roadmap, pictured above. Keen users will also note a ‘new’ NEX-7 mentioned in the companies product strategy. More details on that, after the jump.

Full Sony Alpha A37 Specs Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | May 1, 2012 | 16 comments

Despite the devastating Thailand floods that set back Sony’s ambitious camera plans for late 2011, Sony is still pushing ahead at full speed by offering a replacement for the NEX-C3, dubbed the NEX-F3, which offers an all new 180 degree tilt LCD screen. Not resting on just one new camera for the summer season, Sony is also launching the Alpha A37, the successor to the short-lived A35.

After the jump, you can find the full specs and our discussion topic.

Nikon D3200 to Use Sony 24-Megapixel Image Sensor

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 2, 2012 | 2 comments

Over the past 7 years, while Nikon and Canon, the traditional camera giants, have slowly fallen asleep and failed to innovate, Sony’s been hard at work pushing their DSLR and NEX lines of cameras and moving past 100-year-old standards. Sony has proved that, by packing in a million plus pixels in their EVF, photographers can not only get realistic colors but also get a lot of technical feedback without having to revert to the larger on screen LCD. Sony has also been a pioneer of providing a swiveling LCD on their entire range of Alpha DSLR cameras, which helps you shoot from all different kinds of angles. So when you continue to innovate the camera and its internals like the Sony 24-megapixel image sensor, it’s not long before competitors come knocking to use your technology.

Sony Releases Firmware Version 1.05 for Alpha A65 and A77 Cameras

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 29, 2012 | 0 comments

Sure there might have been a one month delay for the NEX-FS100 firmware update which is set to add a host of new features and enhancements, but that doesn’t mean that the Sony Alpha A65 and A77 are destined for the same faith. Released today, a new firmware version 1.05 for the A65 and A77 DSLR cameras gives Mac and PC owners a chance to improve their camera with features like adding an automatic lens correction support: 24/2 ZA, 85/1.4 ZA, 135/1.8 ZA, 70-300/4.5-5.6 G, DT35/1.8, DT50/1.8 and improving the response until the “power turns off and then actually from “OFF” the power switch.” After the jump, the full list of updates and a firmware download link to your OS of choice.

New Sony 18-135mm SAM Lens Image Leaked

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 22, 2012 | 7 comments

Leave it to Sony to leak their own products but the now removed image from Sony’s own European press portal displayed the new 18-135mm SAM lens. Not much else is known about this 3.5-5.6/18-135 SAM lens, though an announcement is excepted in the near future with additional E-mount and A-mount lenses from Sony.

Meet the Sony Alpha A57. We Have Specs and Pics

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 13, 2012 | 9 comments

Though the Sony Alpha A57 has hardly been a secret and not that Sony’s camera department knows how to keep a secret, but now the company has come out with a press release and unveiled the product. Originally expected to be announced at a rumored March 13th camera event which has now been confirmed for March 15th, Sony has unexpectedly confirmed the cameras existence which begs the question at what this camera event will be all about. However, that’s another subject. The Alpha A57 is here to replace the 1 1/2 year old Alpha A55 with plenty of nice spec bumps for the same price while featuring Sony’s new and power 16-megapixel APS HD CMOS sensor with 1080p video recording at 60p. Those looking for fast paced shooting will be happy to hear that Sony has boosted the shooting rate from 10fps to 12fps while also improving the ISO to 16000. Available in April, a body only model for this translucent mirror camera will run you $699 while $799 will land you a kit with an 18-55mm lens.

After the jump, the full Sony Alpha A57 specs, pictures and press release await you.

Sony March 15th Camera Event Confirmed

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 6, 2012 | 22 comments

Just over two weeks ago, we ran a story about a then unconfirmed Sony camera event which would be held on March 13th. Though details were sketchy, we were almost certain that Sony would be announcing the rumored 16-megapixel Alpha A57 while some even believe that there will be an addition to the NEX line: perhaps an NEX-6? As I’ve said before, I’m doubtful of a surprise camera from Sony though it would be a nice change, seeing how most of their products are leaked months in advance. Still, the possibility of additional lenses is also rumored but we’ve yet to be able to nail down any concrete details.

Now we’ve learned that the March 13th date is in fact wrong but only by two days. Sony will instead be hosting a March 15th event in the UK where the A57 is expected to be officially announced. My personal hopes include the announcement of the NEX-6 which would close the gap between the NEX-5 and NEX-7 (line the audio input which is all I need from the NEX-7!). After jump, share with us some of your hopes for this announcement.

Sony Camera Announcement on March 13?

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 22, 2012 | 17 comments

It’s only been a few months since Sony has been able to get their manufacturing plants up and running to begin production on the company’s NEX-7, A65, and A77. After the disasterous flooding that took place in Thailand , Sony was unable to produce much of their announced 2011 cameras which were set to ship in the later part of last year. Despite this, the company seems to not have changed their camera roadmap and timeline with a rumored March 13 announcement that is aimed at announcing a new DSLR. Many speculations have pointed towards the rumored 16-megapixel Alpha A57 while some even believe that there will be an addition to the NEX line: perhaps an NEX-6?

I’m doubtful of a surprise camera from Sony, seeing how they are not the best at keeping secrets but, if the date holds true, the A57 seems to be a no brainer, seeing how we know most of the specs for the camera, which can be found after the jump. However, it might not be so farfetched for Sony to announce some new lenses for the growing E-mount segment. With the rumored Sony camera announcement less then 3 weeks away, we’ll know soon enough.

Is 2012 the Year of Sony?

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 20, 2012 | 21 comments

2011 was originally going to be the year of Sony with the electronic giant planning on releasing a host of new software and hardware products that were designed to help the ailing company not only catch up to competitors but also offer something new. Things however would quickly change for the company when their main operations in Japan were hit by devastating earthquakes and tsunamis that would cause supply constraints and delays to the PlayStation Vita. Speaking of all things PlayStation, in mid 2011, hackers would have their way with the PlayStation Network, leaving Sony to take the service down for over a month for a complete rebuild, and forcing Sony to eventually rename their Qriocity services. Designed to compete with Apple’s iTunes services and perform as the backbone of Sony’s digital efforts, Qriocity (now titled Music and Video Unlimited) is designed to power and feed Sony’s growing array of products like their tablets, Android phones, and Bravia televisions with digital content. Late in the year, Sony’s Thailand plants would submerge under water due to massive flooding because of which their new and highly anticipated NEX cameras would be delayed for months.

In short, Sony’s strategic comeback, which had been in the works for the past few years, quickly led to the company to fall further behind competitors while the company recorded massive losses. So will 2012 be any different? A quick look at Sony’s product lines, and recent acquisitions will paint a much brighter picture.

PlayStation 3 and PS Vita

Despite being affected by the PSN outage, the PlayStation 3 continued to gain traction on Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which came out a year prior to the PS3, and has enjoyed a lower price point compared. Now, the PS3 leads against the 360 in both Europe and Japan while the 3D-enabled console has made considerable headway in the US, leaving a less-than-2% total sales difference between the two consoles as sales come ahead of expectation. With a slew of exclusives planned for the console, including StarHawk, Twisted Metal, and The Last of Us in addition to a likely price drop to $199 at E3, the PlayStation 3 could finally dethrone its rival from Redmond.

The biggest stumble for the unreleased PS Vita, due to the tsunami and earthquakes in Japan, has been the fact that the PS3-like portable console has yet to be release in the US, causing it to miss out on crucial holiday sales. Still, the PS Vita was released in Japan with great initial sales and has received praise from across the board with excellent reviews. With a solid series of launch games, including UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss, wipEout 2048, and ModNation Racers: Road Trip, the Vita has something to offer for all gamers.

Sony Smartphones

Luckily for Sony’s smartphone devision, 2011 had no real bad news but with no big gains for the company, 2011 would end on a quiet note. Competitors should have heeded this as the calm before the storm as, though things were quiet on the sales and expansion from Sony during 2011, the company was anything but quiet behind the scenes. Sony Ericsson’s biggest fault in the US has always been a lack of partnerships with major carriers. While releasing unlocked phones at full price in Europe and Japan might work, the US market has long been tied to two-year contracts with prices of phones cut by 2/3. Sony has since learned this lesson as the company partnered with Verizon and AT&T to offer their Xperia PLAY. Speaking of partnerships, Sony Ericsson, the company once behind on Android releases, has been quick to bring Android 2.3 to their smartphones and has an aggressive plan to release Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich on a range of their smartphones. With Ericsson now out of the picture for 2012 after Sony bought out the remaining stakes in the partnership to bring all mobile phone operations in house for 2012 and on, a new set of friends at AT&T and Verizon, and an aggressive Android strategy, all Sony needs is to align the three pillars with a new lineup of phones and a marketing strategy to start winning back shares from main rival Samsung and HTC.

Sony Televisions

Sony fans tend to cringe when they hear Samsung televisions being compared to their beloved Bravia TV. While the two companies have shared an LCD plant, Samsung has had a barrage of advertisements with lower-priced television sets, leading Sony to lose market share and post an eight consecutive loss for their Bravia division. On the other hand, Sony has been unable to properly market their televisions and educate customers on the difference between the two brands. So how will 2012 be different? The big news from Sony was just announced last week that the company would sell its remaining shares of their Samsung LCD partnership for $939 to Samsung, instead opting to buy from the company. With Sony now a customer instead of a partner, the company hopes to achieve better costs on LCD while removing the headache and costs that go into manufacturing them. The other shakeup that started in late 2011 and could lead to big things in 2012 is from a company who currently produces zero televisions: Apple. With the passing of Steve Jobs and release of his biography, the Apple CEO famously stated that he had finally “cracked” the television market. With nothing more than a line, the TV business has gone into a frenzy, attempting to beat Apple to the punch in what they believe will be a television, powered by Siri, Apple’s all new voice-enabled assistant. So how does this translate for Sony? The company who’s fallen behind to Samsung in sales and to Apple in imagination is looking to reinvent the television and you can bet that Music and Video Unlimited will play a big part of it in addition to recent restructuring plans. We don’t know what else is in store from the electronic giant but Sony’s CEO seems to think the company has an ace up their sleeve.

Sony Cameras

If the above sounds like a picture perfect year for Sony, then let’s not forget Sony’s award-winning camera lineup. 2011 might not have been a good year for Sony’s camera division but that was mainly out of the company’s hands. In 2012, the Sony NEX-5N and NEX-7 are looking to challenge the competition with the compact 16- and 24-megapixel cameras with 1080p already receiving praises from users and reviewers. With proper production in 2012 and Sony’s Alpha A77 joining the lineup, Sonys hybrid and DSLR cameras are beating rivals Nikon and Canon with innovation and creativity while they continue to offer more of the same.

Agree or disagree? Let’s talk after the jump.

Sony Asia Releases Firmware 1.04 for Alpha A65 and A77

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 29, 2011 | 7 comments

Sony Asia has just released firmware 1.04 for the Alpha A65 and A77. Though both units have been hard to find on store shelves, due to the massive floorings in Thailand, it still hasn’t stopped Sony from improving the cameras’ functions. The list of improvements includes:

Added support for auto-correction lens: Vario-Sonnar T * DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA (SAL1680Z) and DT 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 (SAL16105)
Improved usability
Improved Quality
Improvement Response

No word yet on when Sony Europe and Sony USA will release firmware 1.04, though the Asian firmware will work for both cameras, no matter your territory.

Sony NEX-7, A65, and A77 Shipments Will Be Delayed

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 24, 2011 | 3 comments

Fall 2011, leading to the holiday shopping season, and well into early 2012, was supposed to be when Sony would take the digital camera world by storm. Speculations and many months of leaks led to Sony’s reveal of the NEX-3C, NEX-5N, A65 and A77. The earliest of these launches was the Alpha NEX-C3, which Sony was able to do without a hitch, and nearly two months ago, the NEX-5N was released, which has also been available in stores though with some problems. However, manufacturing or firmware glitches aside, Sony has been able to produce these models in sufficient quantities and have them available on store shelves.

The NEX-7, which was originally targeting an early November release date and the A65 and A77, which were looking for a mid-October release date, have now all but stalled out. This is due to the massive flooding that has taken place in Thailand, the location of Sony’s Alpha factories. The good news is that an unknown amount of A65 and A77 units have been produced and already shipped to retailers. However, with such a highly anticipated camera and a global launch, its hard to imagine being able to easily find these models on store shelves. The fate of the NEX-7 is currently unknown, seeing how it was originally set to launch in mid November, putting in question how many may have been produced prior to the Thailand flooding, which started over two weeks ago, if any at all have been produced for widespread retailer distribution.

Sony NEX-5N Firmware to Resolve Clicking Noise Issue

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 3, 2011 | 3 comments

Just under a month ago, Sony released the Alpha NEX-5N to much fanfare. The highly-praised and much-anticipated camera gave users some of the best features from a DSLR and camcorder while keeping the design different and not as hard to handle. In the weeks to follow, reports quickly surfaced of an odd clicking noise when in video mode. The NEX-5N clicking noise seemed to originate from the camera’s image stabilization though Sony would never confirm. They did, however, state a free fix for all NEX-5N owners and that the problem would be addressed in future shipments from the factory. Now a simpler fix is in the pipes for all those who don’t want to send in their camera to Sony. Sony UK had the following to say:

“I understand you are thinking or purchasing a Sony NEX-5N camera. This is not an inherent fault with every single NEX-5N. I can confirm that a firmware fix will be released in October to resolve any issue with the affected models. I can confirm that the firmware update will totally eliminate any issue with the affected Sony NEX-5N cameras. Should you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.”

Though still not confirming the problem, it’s nice to know that the issue is software and not hardware, which means that a recall doesn’t need to take place. No word yet on the exact release window of the Sony NEX-5N firmware but we will let you know more as we learn anything new.