Sony RX1R Removes Anti-Alias Filter

Sony Cybershot RX1R Full Frame Sensor

Sony RX1R Hands On with Olivia

The Sony Cybershot RX1R, R = resolution, takes away the Sony RX1's optical low pass (anti-alias) filter to improve resolution. Other cameras that offer AA less cameras are Leica, Nikon, and Ricoh. The RX1R and RX1 will co-exist and share the same accessories.

Here is the Sony RX1R press release.

A new sister version of Sony’s acclaimed Cyber-shot™ RX1 full-frame compact camera satisfies the most critical photographer’s hunger for sharper, more detailed pictures.

Building on the awesome imaging power of the RX1, the RX1R takes pixel-perfect picture quality to new heights. The model’s ‘R’ suffix denotes a further improvement in the pocket-sized camera’s already spectacular resolution.

In common with many DSLR cameras, the original Cyber-shot™ RX1 features an optical low-pass filter (OLPF) in front of the sensor to suppress unwanted moiré and colour artefacts. The enthusiast-oriented RX1R removes this low-pass filter, guaranteeing flawless capture of fine details without any blurring or dispersion. To compensate for the OLPF’s removal, the camera’s processing functions have been optimised to maintain image sharpness without compromising lens/sensor performance*.

Bringing new levels of realism to landscapes and other finely-detailed subjects, the modified edition RX1R lets photo enthusiasts express their creativity with unprecedented clarity. While weight and dimensions remain the same as the ground-breaking RX1, the special edition RX1R adds other refinements to suit discerning photographers.

In addition, compatibility with TRILUMINOS Colour technology ensures even richer, more natural colours when viewing stills and video on the new generation of BRAVIA televisions featuring TRILUMINOS Display. Videographers can also add an optional stereo microphone, allowing Full HD movie soundtracks to be captured with even greater clarity.

Introduced in September 2012, the Cyber-shot™ DSC-RX1 is world’s first compact fixed-lens camera with a 35mm full-frame 24.3 effective megapixel sensor. It’s already won several prestigious European accolades, including ‘Best Premium Camera’ in the 2013 Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Awards. Read the Cyber-shot™ DSC-RX1 press release (12 September 2012) here.

* Moire and/or colour artifacts may be visible in some photographic situations. Colour reproduction performance is the same as the RX1.

Sony RX1R and its fixed Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2 Sonnar

The Sony Cybershot RX1R is available for pre-order for $2798 and will be available on July 26.

NEX-7 with Contax 28mm Distagon via Speedbooster

Here are some sample shots from the NEX-7 and the Contax Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 Distagon using the Metabones Speedbooster. It was great shooting the 28mm at close to its natural focal length. The lens was always set wide open at f/2.8 and the NEX-7 was at ISO 100. We are very pleased with the Speed Booster.

Sony DSC-RX100 II with Viewfinder Announced

Sony RX100 II with Accessory Tilting Viewfinder

The Sony DSC-RX100 II is an upgrade to the very popular RX100. The RX100 II gets more NEX like with an add on viewfinder and tilting rear lcd. Sony addressed the main complaints about the RX100 and added more features:

• Enhances the hugely popular RX100 with improved picture quality and convenient new features
• New 20.2 effective megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R 1.0-type CMOS sensor boosts sensitivity for better low-light images
• Wi-Fi and easy One-touch smartphone connection with NFC
• Add accessories with Multi Interface Shoe and Multi Terminal
• 3.0-type White Magic™ LCD tilts up or down
• Full HD 24p/25p movie for rich, cinematic video footage
• TRILUMINOS™ Colour for richer, more natural colours

The Sony DSC-RX100 II will be available next month with an MSRP of $750.

Sony DSC-RX100 II Specifications

Key specifications

Model	RX100 II
Image Sensor	1.0-type (13.2 x 8.8mm) Exmor R™ CMOS sensor with back illumination technology (Effective resolution) Approx. 20.2 megapixels (Gross resolution) Approx. 20.9 megapixels
Lens	Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T*, with 7 elements in 6 groups (4 aspheric elements including AA lens); F1.8 (Wide) - 4.9 (Tele); focal length = 10.4-37.1mm; 35mm effective focal length (Still Image 3:2) = 28-100mm
Zoom range	Optical: 3.6x; Clear Image Zoom 7.2x
Screen	7.5cm (3.0-type) (4:3) / 1,229,000 dots / Xtra Fine TFT LCD; adjusts up 84° / down 45° (approx.)
Image stabilisation	(Still image) Optical SteadyShot (Movie) Optical SteadyShot Active Mode with electronic compensation (anti-rolling)
Focus modes	Single-shot AF (AF-S) / Continuous AF (AF-C) / Direct Manual Focus (DMF) / Manual Focus
Focus area	Multi point AF (25 points) / Centre weighted AF / Flexible spot / Flexible spot (tracking focus) / Flexible spot (face tracking)
Sensitivity (still image)	Auto (ISO160-12800, selectable with upper/lower limit), 160/200/400/800/1600/3200/6400/12800 (Expandable to ISO 100/125) Multi Frame NR: Auto(ISO160-25600),200/400/800/1600/3200/6400/12800/25600 NB: ISO25600 is achieved by using overlay burst shooting
Continuous shooting	Speed Priority Continuous Mode: Approx.10 fps Continuous mode: 2.5 fps (AF-S)
Shooting modes	Superior Auto, Intelligent Auto, Program Auto (Program shift available), Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Scene Selection, Movie, Sweep shooting
Picture Effect modes	Toy Camera, Pop Colour, Posterisation, Retro Photo, Soft High-key, Partial Colour, High Contrast Monochrome, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Watercolour, Illustration
Other Shooting functions	Face Detection, Face Registration, Smile Shutter, Dual Rec, Grid Line, Digital Level Gauge (pitch and roll), MR (memory recall), Exposure Bracketing, White Balance Bracketing, Peaking, MF Assist, Auto Framing, Photo Creativity, Shooting Tips
Movie record	AVCHD: 28M PS (1920x1080, 50p/60p) / 24M FX (1920x1080, 50i/60i, 24p/25p) / 17M FH (1920x1080, 50i/60i, 24p/25p) MP4: 12M (1440x1080, 25p/30p) / 3M VGA (640x480 25p/30p) *NTSC formats selectable as Setup menu option
Battery life	(Still Image) Approx. 350 / Approx. 175 min. (CIPA standard) (Movie) Approx. 80 min.( AVCHD, MP4, shooting in factory preset mode)
Dimensions (WxHxD)	Approx. 101.6 x 58.1 x 38.3mm (CIPA compliant)
Accessory terminals	Multi Terminal, Multi Interface Shoe
Weight	Approx. 254g (body only) Approx. 281g (with battery and Memory Stick Duo)
Supplied accessories	Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-BX1, Micro USB cable, Wrist Strap, Shoulder Strap Adaptor, Instruction Manual

Sony DSC-RX100 II Tilting Rear LCD Screen

Here's the Sony Press Release for the new DSC-RX100 II.

The new Cyber-shot™ RX100 II from Sony puts even more shooting power in your pocket. Sleekly styled in strong, light aluminium, it’s a perfect travel partner for quality-conscious photographers who want DSLR-style images from a pocket camera with generous control options.

Building on the superb picture quality of the multi-award winning RX100, the new camera now delivers even better results if you’re shooting indoors or at dusk without a flash. The newly developed back-illuminated Exmor R™ 1.0-type CMOS sensor increases sensitivity while reducing picture noise in tricky low-light scenes. Combined with the exceptional f1.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens, you’ll see the difference with exceptionally crisp, natural stills and Full HD video in any shooting situation – from parties to night-time landscapes.

Wi-Fi makes it easy to connect the camera wirelessly with your smartphone and transfer photos or videos for easy sharing. It’s also the first ever camera from Sony with NFC (Near Field Communication), giving the extra convenience of One-touch connection with Android smartphones and tablets. There’s no set-up needed – simply touch your mobile device against the RX100 II and a wireless connection is made instantly. One-touch Remote even lets you trigger shutter release from your smartphone — great for group shots when you don’t want to be left out of the action.

The camera’s enthusiast appeal is further enhanced by a new Multi Interface Shoe and Multi Terminal. Expand your photographic possibilities by attaching optional accessories – including an electronic viewfinder, powerful external flash and stereo microphone – via the versatile Multi Interface Shoe. The Multi Terminal also allows the addition of other options such as a shutter-release remote controller.

The bright, detail-packed 3.0-type White Magic™ LCD now tilts up and down[i], giving greater freedom to compose shots in comfort. Hold the camera high up to reach over crowds, or get down low and see things from the perspective of pets and children.

Compatibility with TRILUMINOS™ Colour technology ensures even richer, more natural colour reproduction with the new generation of BRAVIA televisions featuring TRILUMINOS™ Display.

Full HD video modes are expanded with the addition of 24p/25p shooting for smooth, cinematic movies. Other refinements include a step zoom function that’s accessible via the camera’s customisation menu. Instantly choose from five popular focal lengths using the control ring – 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm or 100mm: it’s an intuitive alternative to zooming in and out when you’re in a hurry.

The PlayMemories Mobile app has been updated to enable the one-touch capabilities of the RX100 II, and also now features an enhanced user interface. It is available now for free from the Google Play store for all Android smartphones.

Introduced in June 2012, the Cyber-shot™ DSC-RX100 is world’s first compact fixed-lens camera with a 1.0-type 20.2 effective megapixel sensor. Read the Cyber-shot™ DSC-RX100 press release (6 June, 2012) here.

The new Cyber-shot™ RX100 II digital compact camera from Sony is available to pre-order from sony.co.uk/RX from today and is generally available in Europe from mid-July, 2013.

Sony DSC-RX100 II Review by Imaging Resource

Sony NEX-F3 Kit at $350

Sony NEX-F3 with 18-55mm OSS for $350

The Sony NEX-F3 kit is currently $350 at Sears. The deal is only available at actual brick and mortar stores. Go to the Sears website and check for local availability. The current price of the NEX-F3 kit at Amazon is $459. Who can argue with a savings of over $100? This is a nice backup for your current NEX setup.

Sony NEX-7 Rear Button Focus

Figure 1. Rear Button aka AF/MF Button Controls Autofocus.

Here's a way to autofocus using the rear AF/MF button instead of the shutter button. You can then separate focus from locking exposure with the shutter button half press. This will also prevent the lens from prefocusing when in AF or DMF mode.

Setting up the NEX-7 to use AF/MF Rear Button Focus.

• Set the camera to Manual Focus, Figure 2.
• Set the AF/MF Control to HOLD, Figure 3.
• Set the AF/MF Button to AF/MF Control, Figure 1.
• Set the Function Button to Focus Settings, Figure 4. This will let us control the focus point via Flexible Spot. You can also use Center focus point then Recompose. The camera must be in MF or DMF mode, Figure 2., to use Focus Settings.

Figure 2. Set the camera to MANUAL FOCUS.

Figure 3. Set the AF/MF Control to HOLD.

Figure 4. Set Function Button to Focus Settings.

Here is the Sony NEX-7 Manual for download for more info.

Carl Zeiss Touit 12mm Distagon and Miami

Delano Hotel South Beach

Here are some shots from the Zeiss Touit 12mm Distagon from Miami. It was a quick trip and the weather did not cooperate. The 12mm Touit is a nice match for the NEX-7 due to its lightweight design yet being so well built. The lens was glued to the NEX-7 for most of the trip. The 18mm FOV will take more practice since it's such a wide perspective.

Car Inside Trump Sunny Isles

La Sandwicherie South Beach

Mac's Club Deuce

Airport Code: EWR

Zeiss Touit 12mm Lens in Istanbul Not Constantinople

The plan: spend the 5 hr layover in Istanbul Ataturk Airport to visit the Asian side of Istanbul by ferry.

The plan was devised by my friend and I with no planning. Our other companions stayed behind and wished us luck since we needed it. First one needs a $20 visa to enter Turkey, this took 15 minutes. Next was the passport check line, this took 25 minutes - we have 4 hrs and 20 mins left before our plane left to our final destination. The easiest way to get into Istanbul is by the Metro. We had to take the Subway then the tram to the ferry. Luckily we had no map and were depending on strangers to get us to our destination. We arrived at the ferry one hour later with no complications except for the slow and jam packed tram - 3 hrs and 20 mins to go.

And the problems began. We were told that the ferry was free - it was not. We had to scramble to get tokens - where did the Turkish Liras go? We were rushing to catch the next ferry, and did not confirm its destination. We boarded and waited for 5 mins for the ferry to launch. We saw the Asian side to the left of us, and it stayed to the left of us. The ferry took 15 mins to arrive at its destination which was still the European side of Istanbul - oops. We had no choice but to retrace our steps back to the airport. We finally acquired a map and saw where we went wrong. We took the wrong ferry. The ferry fiasco took 40 mins - 2 hrs and 40 mins left.

We missed the first tram back - 10 mins wait. We got on the next one and slowly countdown the stops in order not to miss the transfer to the subway. It always felt faster returning but this time it did not. Everything was new and we didn't notice how close the tram was to the people and the sidewalks - did we get on the right tram? We did as confirmed by the tram map. We transfer to the subway and get back into the airport - one hour gone, 1 hr 30 min left.

We had to go through two security checks - one has not seen a film camera before. We also had to go through the passport / visa check again and ran through the airport. We checked the flight status boards and saw that our flight was blinking red - FINAL CALL. We arrived at our gate with 10 mins before take off and the airline ticket attendants questioned us. A special screener was assigned to my friend since he had no checked in luggage. We eventually boarded the plane with cheers and jeers from our companions. It was a good yet unsuccessful adventure on a nice day in Istanbul not Constantinople.

Here are a few photos I managed to snap with the new Carl Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 Distagon lens on the NEX-7. I was hoping I had more time to shoot but this was low on our priority list. The camera was on Aperture Priority and Autofocus.

Sony Endorses Metabones Smart Adapter with Rebate Offer

Sony is offering the Metabones Canon EF to NEX Smart Adapter II as a rebate when you purchase a Sony NEX-FS700 or NEX-FS100 NXCAM. The offer is valid now until the end of August.

End Users can receive a Metabones EF Lens to NEX Smart Adapter (MARK II), after purchases of a Sony NEX-FS700U, NEX-FS700K, NEX-FS100U and THE NEX-FS100UK series Professional Camcorder during the promotion period from a Sony Authorized Reseller, Reseller of a Sony Authorized Distributor or directly from Sony. Eligible product must be ordered by and shipped to the end user within the promotion period in order to qualify for this rebate.

Check out this old post with the Canon EF to NEX Smart Adapter used on a Sony NEX-FS100 to see the features of the lens adapter.

Sony's rebate offer is great news for Metabones. Let's hope Sony is helping out Metabones with further development of new NEX lens adapters.

For more details go to the Sony NXCAM Metabones EF Adapter Rebate Offer page.

How Zeiss Touit Lenses Are Made

Manufacturing of Zeiss Touit Lenses for NEX Cameras

One Hundred Pieces Hand Assembled

Carl Zeiss shows the time and care invested into each Zeiss Touit lens for your NEX Camera.