Sony Alpha NEX Cameras and E Mount Lenses

Here are a few shots from Old Sturbridge Village using our newly acquired Leica 60mm f/2.8 Macro Elmarit-R on the Sony NEX-7. The Leica 60mm Macro is said to have "excellent image quality at close-up range..." and "superb results at greater distances" when stopped down. We used the Macro Elmarit-R wide open all day at f/2.8 and only stopped down to f/5.6 when the depth of field was needed. The NEX-7 was set to Aperture Priority and ISO 100 outdoors or Auto ISO indoors. A basic Leica R to E-mount lens adapter was used. NEX-7 with Leica 60mm at f/2.8 ISO 100 The NEX-7 with the Leica 60mm is a nice match in good light. We had no problem of keeping the shutter speeds up at f/2.8 in snowy New England. NEX-7 with Leica 60mm at f/2.8 ISO 800 to 1600 The Leica 60mm Macro Elmarit-R has a long focus throw and focusing indoors takes some practice with moving subjects. The focus ring is well damped and provided nice feedback for critical focus.

Sony NEX-3N Hands On Sony posted their hands on video of the new Sony NEX-3N camera. They discuss the new features that sets the NEX-3N apart from the previous NEX-3 cameras. Area specific noise reduction. Auto portrait framing. Auto macro framing. Auto tracking framing. Lens zoom lever. Available in April with the 16-50mm power zoom lens for $499. Available in all black or white with a silver lens . Below is What Digital Camera's hands on look at the Sony NEX-3N. Black Sony NEX-3N with 1650mm PowerZoom Lens Thanks Sony and What Digital Camera! Check out specs and more pictures of the NEX-3N from our previous post .

Sony NEX-3N Promotional Video Here is Sony's latest temptation for point and shoot users. The NEX-3N is the fourth generation of the entry level NEX cameras. The NEX-3N has a zoom lever, similar to point and shoot cameras, that controls the Sony 16-50mm PowerZoom interchangeable lens. There is also the Sony 18-200mm PZ lens which can be controlled by the NEX-3N. The NEX-3N is the first NEX camera to support the new “TRILUMINOS Colour”. TRILUMINOS Colour along with a BRAVIA TV with TRILUMINOS Display will provide expanded palette of vivid, ultra-realistic colours when videos and still images from the NEX-3N camera are played back. The NEX-3N will sell for $499 with the 16-50mm Power Zoom lens. Super-compact interchangeable lens APS-C camera weighs just 210g No-fuss self-portraits with 180° tiltable LCD screen and zoom lever Large Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor with 16.1 effective megapixels and high sensitivity, for detail-packed, low noise photos and Full HD video Beautif

Image from Map Camera The current line of NEX cameras are currently on discounts. It's a great time to buy and learn your cameras during the cold days of winter and be ready for spring. $200 off Sony NEX-7 Cameras Sony is offering a $200 discount on Sony NEX-7 cameras. The NEX-7 with 18-55mm OSS lens is now $1,148. The MSRP is $1349. The NEX-7 body only is now priced at $998. The MSRP is $1199. $100 off Sony NEX-6 Cameras Sony is offering a $100 discount on Sony NEX-6 cameras. The NEX-6 with 16-50mm Power Zoom lens is now $898. The MSRP is $999. The NEX-6 body only is now priced at $748. The MSRP is $849. $100 off Sony NEX-5R Cameras Sony is offering a $100 discount on Sony NEX-5R cameras. The NEX-5R with 18-55mm OSS lens is now $648. The MSRP is $749. The NEX-5R body only is now priced at $548. The MSRP is $649. The new Sony 20mm f/2.8 Pancake is also available for pre-order at $348 .

Sony has released seven firmware updates for Sony NEX cameras and lenses. Here is a quick summary of the changes. Sony NEX-7 Camera Firmware v1.02 Support for 16-50mm Power Zoom lens, image compensation and mechanical retraction Adds auto-exposure bracketing ranges of 1.0EV, 2.0EV, and 3.0EV Improves indication for using the "Flexible Spot" setting Improves image quality when using a wide angle lens Improves response for showing auto review images Adds the capability to enable or disable the MOVIE button Sony NEX-6 Camera Firmware v1.01 Support for hybrid af compliant lenses: SEL1018, SEL35F18, SELP18200, SEL30M35, SEL50F18, SEL18200LE Sony NEX-5R Camera Firmware v1.01 Support for hybrid af compliant lenses: SEL1018, SEL35F18, SELP18200, SEL30M35, SEL50F18, SEL18200LE Sony NEX-5N Camera Firmware v1.02 Support for 16-50mm Power Zoom lens, image compensation and mechanical retraction Updates the RAW data format version. After installing this update, distort

Milky Way Time Lapse by David H. Here are the settings David H. used on his NEX-6 with the help of PlayMemories Camera Apps. Camera settings: 16mm, ISO 1600, f3.5, 30sec.To extend the battery life I made a cover to put over the EVF to trick the camera. This turns off the light on the back of the main screen and conserves a lot of power. I did this using the Time Lapse app on 40 second intervals (10 seconds longer than exposure time to allow the camera to process images). Still trying to figure out if you can use the Time Lapse app in RAW format. Here is a video showing the NEX / Time Lapse App interface. NEX PlayMemories Camera Apps Time Lapse The Time Lapse App is available for $9.99 from the PlayMemories Camera App store. PlayMemories Camera Apps are compatible with Sony NEX-5R and NEX-6 cameras.

Mockup of Sigma 60mm on NEX-7 Sigma is adding a third lens to their Digital Neo series for E-mount cameras. It is the 60mm f/2.8 macro in native E-mount. The lens is similar to the one found in Sigma's new DP3 Merrill. Here is Sigma's description of the 60mm DN. Sigma 60mm F2.8 DN- Featuring the natural perspective of mid-range telephoto lenses, together with a shallow depth of field, this lens allows the photographer to capture a single part of a subject with great bokeh effects. It has an angle of view equivalent to 90mm on the E-mount system (35mm equivalent focal length). The minimum focusing distance is 19.7 inches; the maximum magnification is 1:7.2. This lens also contains Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass, which helps minimize axial and transverse chromatic aberration. Mockup of Sigma 60mm on NEX-5R Sigma Corporation announces four new lenses at CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show 2013 YOKOHAMA, Japan — Jan. 29, 2013—Sigma Corporation of America a leading researc

Canon 50L Sample on NEX-7 with Metabones Speed Booster (effective 35mm f/0.9) LensRentals posted their review of the Metabones Speed Booster. The Speed Booster lens adapter tested was a Canon EOS to Sony E-mount variant mounted on a Sony NEX-7 . The lenses used were all Canon EF autofocus lenses, 14mm f/2.8 L II, 50mm f/1.2 L, and the 135mm f/2.0 L. The Speed Booster promises a one stop light improvement and a 0.7x focal length conversion. The lenses are effectively converted to 10mm f/2, 35mm f/0.9, and 95mm f/1.4 as seen by the Sony APS-C sensor. So what was their conclusion after their test? I think it was pretty obvious that I came armed for battle, ready to slam this product as some marketing overhype. I was wrong less correct than I might have been. The Speed Booster does what they claimed it would do, much to my shock and surprise. It creates a wider-angle, greater aperture lens while retaining resolution and acutance. Read the whole Metabones Speed Boooster review wi

New 20mm f/2.8 E-mount Lens for Sony NEX Cameras. Here is the new E-mount lens from Sony. The 20mm f/2.8 pancake lens, part number SEL20F28, from Sony is a native E-mount lens which means full compatibility, autofocus and auto-aperture, with all the NEX cameras. The 20mm pancake is 20mm in depth, the 16mm pancake is 22.5mm in depth. This means a slightly more compact package on NEX bodies, see the NEX-5R with 16mm below. The lens will provide an equivalent fov of 30mm when used on the APS-C sensor. The SEL20F28 20mm pancake lens will sell for $350 and will be available in April of this year. It makes the $250 16mm pancake seem like a bargain. NEX-5R with 16mm Pancake. 20mm Pancake (SEL20F28) Technical Specifications Sony SEL20F28 20mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens Lens Mount Sony E-mount Lens Configuration 6 groups, 6 elements Focal length (35mm equivalent) 30mm Aperture blades 7 Aperture Range f/2.8 to f/16 Maximum magnification 0.12x M

Fuji X100s Digital Split Image Focusing Demo Here's a nice feature of the upcoming Fuji X100s that we'd like to see in a future NEX camera. They are using the PDAF sensor to create a digital split image to mimic classic manual focus slrs and rangefinders. You can also see that they've finally included focus peaking to one of their cameras. All NEX cameras include focus peaking since June 2011 .

Get Both the Sigma 19mm and 30mm EX DN Lenses for $199 Here's a great deal from B&H Photo for the Sigma autofocus lenses for the Sony NEX system. Get the Sigma 19mm and 30mm EX Digital Neo lenses for $199 . Each are normally priced at $199. The kit shows as backordered but B&H states that they can be ordered and they will ship and charge when the Sigma lenses come into stock. Happy ordering.

Assembly of the Sony DSC-RX1 Here's a treat from the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, Sony posted a video of the assembly of the DSC-RX1 . Play it backwards and we have a disassembly video. Use at your own risk. :D

NEX-7 with Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 Ultron via Novoflex Leica M to E-mount adapter . TechTalk with Ron Sheffler tested the new Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 Aspherical Ultron against three other Leica M 21mm lenses on the Leica M9. He also used the lenses on the Sony NEX-7 and found that the Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 the best at farther distances and large apertures. The Leica 21 f/3.4 Super Elmar-M came in second, the Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Biogon in third, and the Leica 21 f/1.4 Summilux at the back of the pack. At f/4 all the lenses performed equally well on the NEX-7's APS-C sensor. Here are some samples from the NEX-7 and the Voigtlander 21mm wide open at f/1.8. You can see more samples at TechTalk. Sample Images from NEX-7 with Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 Check out TechTalk with Ron Sheffler for an extensive review and comparison between the four 21mm Leica M mount lenses mentioned above. There are also plenty of sample images from the Leica M9 with the lenses. Voigtlander 21m

NEX-7 with Metabones Speed Booster Lens Adapter with a Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens Metabones Speed Booster Sony NEX Lens Adapter Test by James Miller So what does the Metabones Speed Booster NEX lens adapter do? Increase aperture by 1 stop. e.g. f/1.4 becomes f/1.0, which means more light to the sensor. Increases MTF, which means better resolution all across the frame compared to a standard lens adapter. Provides a focal length multiplier of 0.71x, NEX's APS-C 1.5 * SB 0.71 = 1.065, a 35mm lens = 37.7mm equivalent focal length. Metabones Speed Boost Sony NEX Lens Adapter The EF E-mount Speed Booster Lens Adapter shown above also provides automatic electronic aperture control, image stabilization with IS lenses, EXIF information, and autofocus (albeit slow.) Read more about the Metabones Speed Booster from the Metabones web site and white paper . It's pretty amazing what the NEX has spawned from the third party manufacturers.