Sony NEX Macro Extension Tubes Available

Macro extension tubes for the NEX E-mount are finally available. Macro tubes move the lens farther away from the sensor which allows for closer focusing which means higher magnification of the image. The tubes are hollow and have no optical elements to degrade the image.

The current NEX macro tubes do not have electrical contacts, therefore the 16mm Pancake, 18-55mm OSS Zoom, and the 18-200mm OSS Zoom lenses will not work with the macro tubes. Adapted lenses will work great with them, NEX-C3 to Macro Tubes to E-mount lens adapter to adapted lens.

This will be very helpful for rangefinder lenses and their large minimum focus distance (MFD).

Sony NEX Macro Extension Tubes are available on eBay.

NEX-3 NEX-C3 Intervalometer from ByMac Inventions

ByMac Inventions sent us an email informing us of their new creation. It is an all mechanical intervalometer which is perfect for the Sony NEX-3 and NEX-C3. The NEX-3 and NEX-C3 do not have infrared remote capability, which previous NEX-5 intervalometers used to control the shutter.

The Tempus ALL uses a servo arm to press the shutter button. It will work with the NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-5 and many cameras that it can be properly attached to.

An all mechanical intervalometer like the Tempus All has several advantages on the NEX cameras.

• The NEX can go to sleep and have it's LCD off to preserve battery life.
• The NEX can be in any shooting mode. Set the NEX to HDR mode and you can create an HDR time lapse movie.

The Tempus ALL Intervalometer will be released on July 19th at a price of $149.

NEX Zeiss 24mm and the 2011 E-mount Lenses

Upcoming 2011 Sony NEX E-mount Lenses

Knight Like the Wind Child from Xitek Forums posted a picture of a slide from a recent Sony presentation in China. The slide shows the updated NEX lens roadmap with the newest E-mount lenses to be released this year. We posted the roadmap back in February and it has changed considerably.

First the 30mm is now clearly defined as the Sony NEX 30mm f/3.5 Macro Lens with a 1:1 reproduction ratio. The SEL30M35 lens will be sold at a price of $250 and will be available in September. We have more info here.

Second, the most awaited NEX lens, the Carl Zeiss 24mm in native E-mount is now closer to reality with the maximum aperture of f/2 being defined. The lens looks to be a bit shorter than what was shown in the February lens roadmap. We are in favor of lighter and more compact lenses to keep with the NEX system's main advantage over DSLRs. 36mm FOV on the NEX is nearly the perfect normal / wide angle view for most photographers.

Third is that the 50mm lens is now a 40mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/2. The lens looks like it also went on a diet, smaller than the 50mm mock up and a fairly fast defined f/2 aperture. The OSS, Optical Steady Shot, on this lens is a nice surprise. The 40mm will translate to a 60mm FOV on the NEX's APS-C sensor.

The last change is that the 55-200mm OSS gained an extra 10mm at the long end. The NEX 55-210mm OSS Zoom Lens will be a nice companion to the kit 18-55mm OSS Zoom Lens. An equivalent FOV of 82.5mm to 315mm will provide great coverage in such a compact form factor - perfect for travel.

All four Sony E-mount lenses above will be autofocus, as far as we know, and will be available within the next seven months. Will there be any more changes?

Thanks Knight Like the Wind Child. That is one cool handle.

Download Sony NEX Firmware Version 04

Sony NEX Firmware Version 04 Features: (thanks for the correction J.D.)

• Addition of the [Picture Effect] function.

• Addition of the [Peaking] function in manual focus mode. Focus peaking videos can be found here.
  
• Sony NEX Firmware Version 04 pdf manual.

Here are the Sony NEX Firmware Update Version 04 links from Sony North America:
NEX-5
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=NEX5A

NEX-3
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=NEX3A

Here are the Sony NEX Firmware Update Version 04 links from Sony Europe:
NEX-5
http://support.sony-europe.com/dime/crl/nex/nex.aspx?site=odw_en_GB&m=NEX-5

NEX-3
http://support.sony-europe.com/dime/crl/nex/nex.aspx?site=odw_en_GB&m=NEX-3

Sony Asia NEX Firmware Update Version 04. Thanks for the email A.L.
http://www.sony-asia.com/support/announcement/404503/product/nex-5a

Sony Japan NEX Firmware Update Version 04.
http://www.sony.jp/ichigan/info2/20110620_02dl.html

The links include instructions on performing a firmware upgrade on your Sony NEX Camera. Charge you battery to 100% status and read the instructions at least twice then perform the firmware upgrade.

Time Lapse Video with Sony NEX-5 and Pclix XT

Time Lapse Video with Sony NEX-5

Here's another time laps video with the Sony NEX-5. This video was created by myreiseblog. The NEX-5 was triggered via infrared using a Pclix XT intervalometer.

The images from the NEX-5 were edited and the cool zooming effect was done in the video editor. We can see the Sony NEX's auto-HDR being utilized.

Thanks myreiseblog!

Sony NEX Focus Peaking Closer Look

Here is the Sony NEX-C3 with a manual focus Jupiter-9, 85mm f/2 lens. The NEX-C3 comes with firmware upgrade 04 and will have the focus peaking feature. As the lens' focus ring is moved from minimum focus distance (MFD) towards infinity, the LCD screen of the NEX shows red highlights or peaking. The red highlights indicate greatest sharpness. Watch as the green leaves edges turn red and as the ring is brought back towards MFD the features of the Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) camera turn red as they come into focus.

This is great news for NEX users who enjoy using adapted manual focus lenses. The use of manual focus aid, zooming in at 7.5x and 15x, can be eliminated for casual focus. 7x and 14x zoom can still be useful for very critical focus. This will mean quicker captures.

Frame, focus, shoot; instead of 7.5x zoom, move focus point, focus, exit to frame, frame, and shoot.

We think that this feature will influence other manufacturers to incorporate peaking in their digital cameras to ease manual focusing.

Firmware upgrade 04 for Sony NEX-3, and NEX-5 cameras will be available for download on June 20th - we will have more information and tests on focus peaking shortly after.

The red edges, peaking, of the camera strap indicates greatest sharpness.

Thanks for the video Rafiki!


Here's another view of Focus Peaking with Firmware 04 for the NEX from imagingresource.

Sony Europe NEX-C3 Features Video

Here is a video from Sony Europe highlighting the features of the new Sony NEX-C3.

• Tiltable LCD screen
• Background Defocus
• Soft Skin Effect (Available with new NEX Firmware Upgrade 04.)
  
• Easy Sweep Panorama Shooting in 2D or 3D
• Picture Effects (Available with new NEX Firmware Upgrade 04)
• New HVL-F20S Flash
• Low Noise - High Sensitivity Sensor
• Easy Operation - Professional Quality

Sony NEX-C3 Mount vs Sony Alpha Mount - is Sony hinting at a full frame NEX?

Check out some hands on video reviews of the NEX-C3 here.

Read more about the Sony NEX-C3 here.

NEX Firmware 04 Picture Effects and Soft Skin Effect

mobile01jim shows us the picture effects, creative styles, and the new soft skin mode of the Sony NEX Firmware 04 via the new Sony NEX-C3 in pink.

Firmware 04 for the Sony NEX cameras is scheduled to be released on the 20th of this month. Stay tuned...

Sony NEX-C3 Hands On Videos

whatdigitalcamera is nice enough to share a hands on video of the new Sony NEX-C3. You can see how much smaller the NEX-C3 is compared to the old NEX-3. The video also shows the new HVL-F20S flash for the NEX system.

We can also see the new focus peaking feature of the new FIrmware 04, available later this month, the 20th. Focus peaking highlights the image to show what is in focus. This is great help for using manual lenses on the NEX system.

Sony NEX-C3 in Japan


Sony NEX-C3 and Sony SLT-A35 in Italy


Sony NEX-C3 in German from Chip.de


Sony NEX-C3 Review from CNET in English


Sony NEX-C3 in Vietnamese


Sony NEX-C3 in Pink


Read more about the NEX-C3 here.

Sony NEX 30mm Macro Lens E-mount

Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro Lens for NEX Cameras

Here is the fourth E-mount lens for the NEX cameras from Sony. It is the new E-mount 30mm Macro Lens with a maximum aperture of f/3.5. The official part number of the lens is SEL30M35. This is a true macro lens and provides a 1:1 magnification or reproduction ratio. The lens has a minimum working distance of under an inch, 0.94 inch or 2.4 centimeters. The lens will work with the new NEX-C3, NEX-3, NEX-5, NEX-VG10, and NEX-FS100 in all modes, autofocus and auto-aperture. At 138 grams or 0.3 pounds this is one lightweight macro lens.

The lens will provide an equivalent FOV of 45mm on the NEX APS-C sensor for photos and 54mm for videos. When used on the NEX-FS100, the lens has an FOV of a 45mm lens for HD videos.

The price of the new NEX 30mm f/3.5 Macro is listed at 30,000 Yen from the Sony Japan website. This the same price as the NEX 16mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens which currently goes for $249 dollars. The SEL30M35 will be available in September 2011.

From the Sony press release:

New E-mount 30mm macro lens (“E 30mm F3.5 Macro”)

The versatility of the α E-mount compact camera system grows with new style-matched accessories to expand your shooting possibilities even further.

Joining the range of E-mount interchangeable lenses, the SEL30M35 is currently the world’s lightest1 life-size macro lens (138g) for interchangeable-lens cameras. This high-quality 30mm F3.5 macro lens features a 1:1 magnification ratio and minimum working distance of just 2.4 cm, making it ideal for capturing detail-packed close-ups of small subjects like flowers and insects. Despite its extremely compact size, the SEL30M35 employs one ED glass and three aspherical lens elements for excellent optical performance, with minimised aberration and very high edge-to-edge sharpness and contrast. It also offers smooth, quiet autofocus operation whether you’re shooting stills or HD video. The macro lens is supplied with a matching lens hood.

E-mount 30mm f/3.5 Macro Lens SEL30M35

Sony HVL-F20S Flash for NEX Cameras

Sony HVL-F20S Flash

Sony NEX HVL-F20S Flash avaiable now.

With the announcement of the Sony NEX-C3 comes a new accessory flash for the NEX cameras. The new Sony HVL-F20S flash is a larger, more powerful flash for the NEX system. The Guide Number of 20 (50mm, at ISO 100) is a considerable increase from the GN7 (in metres at ISO 100) of the basic external flash (Sony HVL-F7S) provided with the NEX-C3, NEX-3, and the NEX-5. The new HVL-F20S also has an adjustable head to provide flash bouncing abilities. The new flash, as with the old flash, draws power from the NEX's camera's battery - just clip it and go. It is scheduled to be released in the summer.

From the Sony press release:

Also available as an option, the new HVL-F20S is a style-matching flash that clips onto the camera’s Smart Accessory Terminal. Powered directly by the camera, the flash requires no batteries, achieving an ultra-compact size and light weight when you're travelling. With a generous GN20 (50mm, at ISO 100, m) flash power rating and adjustable head, it’s ideal for creating natural fill-in and bounce flash effects with portraits and everyday shooting subjects.

Below shows the new HVL-F20S and the standard HVL-F7S flash on the new Sony NEX-3.

Sony NEX-C3 Official Announcement

Here is the news most have been waiting for - the new Sony NEX-C3, the replacement for the Sony NEX-3. There will be no price increase from the NEX-3 to the new NEX-C3. The NEX-C3 is available for pre-order now. The NEX-C3 will be available in August of this year.

Press release from Sony:

The new α NEX-C3 by Sony is the world’s smallest, lightest interchangeable lens digital camera in its class.

Offered in a choice of stylish colours, the NEX-C3 features an attractive new body design that combines a satisfyingly solid metal top casing with an easy-to-use streamlined grip shape. Reducing the size of main circuitry shrinks camera body weight to just 225g – that’s almost 6% less than the NEX-3.

Image quality, functions and usability of the NEX-C3 also surpasses that of the NEX-3.

Resolution of the large Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor is boosted to 16.2 effective megapixels, capturing stills and 720p HD video with breath-taking clarity. The large, DSLR-sized sensor also lets you produce pro-quality ‘bokeh’ background defocus effects, whether you’re shooting HD video or stills.

Even if you’re not familiar with specialist photo jargon, the NEX-C3 puts sophisticated picture controls within easy reach, whether you’re shooting stills or HD video. The intuitive new Photo Creativity interface replaces technical terms like ‘aperture’, ‘exposure value’ and ‘white balance’ with the friendlier and more intuitive ‘background defocus’, ‘brightness’ and ‘colour’.

There’s no need to dig into confusing menu options or guess their effect on your composition. Just turn the camera’s rear-mounted control wheel and instantly see the effect of your settings previewed on screen. If you wish, two or more different settings can be combined to create more sophisticated creative effects.

A new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’ setting lets users add extra impact to stills or HD video during shooting, without the worry of editing images afterwards. ‘Picture Effect’ options include Partial Colour, Retro Photo, Pop Colour, High Contrast Monochrome, Posterisation, High-key and Toy Camera. There’s also a ‘Soft Skin’ effect that removes wrinkles and blemishes from portrait subjects.

Tilting for comfortable viewing at any angle, the high contrast 7.5cm Xtra Fine LCD features TruBlack screen technology for high-contrast images with rich, deep blacks. It’s a great way to compose shots and judge the effect of adjusting picture settings, even when you’re viewing outdoors in bright sunlight.

Advanced multi-frame imaging technologies by Sony broaden the possibilities of the NEX-C3 further still.3D Sweep Panorama captures extra-wide images in 3D to enjoy on your 3D TV. Auto HDR ‘stacks’ a high speed burst of three successive exposures to capture extreme shadow and highlight details in a single frame. Similarly, Handheld Twilight and Anti-Motion Blur modes automatically combine six exposures to capture smooth, low-noise images: this avoids hand-blur and subject-blur when you’re shooting in available light.

The NEX-C3 works even harder to capture more amazing images and HD video between battery charges. Improved energy efficiency boosts battery stamina to a generous 400 still shots per charge – over 20% more than the NEX-3/NEX-5.

Here is the new Sony NEX-C3 Camera Gallery:

New location of the Memory Card on the NEX-C3

Silver Sony NEX-C3 with 16mm Pancake, Black Nex-C3 with 18-55mm Zoom Lens, and Black NEX-C3 with Twin Lens Kit

Black NEX-C3 with 18-200mm OSS Zoom Lens

Black Sony NEX-C3 with LA-EA1 Adapter and Sony Alpha 70-200G Zoom and Carl Zeiss 16-80 DT Zoom Lens

Sony NEX-C3 with the 16mm Pancake and the 18-55mm OSS Lens

Zeiss babyPrimes for Sony NEX E-mount

Zeiss babyPrimes for Sony NEX E-mount

KelvinKamera in collaboration with Carl Zeiss AG will be producing Zeiss babyPrime lenses. babyPrimes are Zeiss ZF.2 lenses rehoused with a cinematographer in mind: clickless aperture ring for smooth iris transitions, common 95mm filter ring for use with many accessories. babyPrimes will be made in the native Sony E-mount in a "real interesting price range". This will be a nice alternative to Zeiss CP.2 Compact Prime Lenses - perfect for the new NEX-FS100 Handycam, NEX-VG10 Camcorder, and the rest of the NEX family.

Zeiss ZF.2 lenses are Zeiss lenses designed for Nikon cameras with focal lengths ranging from 18mm to 100mm. ZF.2 lenses can be used on the NEX E-mount with a Nikon to E-mount lens adapter.

Press release from KelvinKamera:

babyPrimes

The babyPrimes are a new rehoused film-style lenses project now in production, with delivery estimate for the end of July 2011.

• Carl Zeiss ZF.2 high quality optics inside, robust and reliable construction for professional use.
• Full-Frame coverage (24 x 36mm) for all the focal lengths 18 to 100mm (50and 100mm makro).
• No need for adapter solutions anymore, special custom stainless-steel interchangeable mounts.
• Four different mounts available (EF, F, E and MTF Mount), open to future applications.
• Improved ergonomics with left and right side meter/feet, iris scales with enhanced graphics.
• Consistent front diameter of 95mm, for simplified use of lightweight 4X4/4x5,65 matteboxes and filters.
• Independent filmmakers price range, different set choices and upgrades.
• Special ultra-lightweight dedicated clip-on matte box available with the different kit solutions.
• Custom rehousing engineering made in Italy.
  

For more informations and reservations:

• send an email to info@kelvinkamera.com
• visit www.babyprimes.com