This is an incredibly good day for the Sony folks! We got two great news:
- Sony announced that it will launch 8 new FE lenses til Spring 2016!
So after all our source was right and Sony announced the launch of new FE lenses at IBC! Sony will unveil the detailed specs of all lenses at Photoplus (that info is coming from multiple sources). In an interview with Amateur Photographer Yoshiyuki Nogami (Sony) said: “Lens line-up expansion is very important and it is a must for Sony to do so.“ - Sony announced Uncompressed 14-Bit RAW image on the A7sII and A7rII!
The A7sII will be shipped with built-in uncompressed 14 bit RAW in October. The A7rII will get a firmware update soon: ” uncompressed 14-Bit RAW still image capture via firmware update to additional cameras beginning with the recently introduced α7R II full-frame mirrorless model.“
Damn is that a good day. Can’t wait to see if the new 14 BIT RAW will bring some visible improvement. Reviewers now will have to redo all their image quality tests. And maybe the A7rII will get an even higher score at DXO where it already is marked as best FF camera tested to date!
A7rII store links:
In USA: at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, SonyStore US, FocusCamera, Uniquephoto. In Asia at Digitalrev, CameraPro.
A7sII store links:
In USA at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
87 Responses
Announced? Where can I find its official PR?
All Sony has to do now is attach a nuclear reactor to the camera, place it in a tank, then change their name to CaNikon so we can get all these people/fanboys complaining to hush.
Is there a link to the announcement? The AP article makes no mention of 7 new lenses
Any news if this includes APSC cameras like the A6000?
If they mess up aps-c, meaning no better brighter lenses i will most likely switch to Fuji sometimes, for full frame i’m happy with my Nikons
If there would be news about that question it would have been posted 😉
You know something, don’t you…come on, tell us!!!
Lossless, or uncompressed raw? If it is uncompressed, as you state, this would produce unnecessarily large files.
I’m confident it will be lossless
That said, I am soooo happy Sony decided to do this. – just take my money Sony!!!
The press release said “uncompressed 14-Bit RAW still image capture”, but that may have been a sloppy choice of wording on their part.
At 14bits, an uncompressed raw will likely be around 75MBs a piece with the embedded JPEG for a 42MP sensor. If it’s lossless compressed the savings are going to show mostly in the low ISOs anyway. The high ISO files would be just as big as uncompressed but would be slower to process too.
Too bad they will nog push the firmware to older models. In that regard companies like Fuji do a lot better. It is painfull to see that for new software features, they force you to buy a new model. The same goed for the A7SII.
How do you know for sure they won’t update older cameras? Do you work for Sony?
“Additionally, they have announced plans to add user selectable compressed or uncompressed 14-Bit RAW still image capture via firmware update to additional cameras beginning with the recently introduced α7R II full-frame mirrorless model.”
Quoting what Andrea posted from their press release, I don’t see where they mention they will not update older cameras.
Do you have information that no one else has or just making statements based on absolutely nothing?
Lol, need salt with that? Please save me you rhetorical questions, no need to be so aggressive in defending a multi-bilion dollar company.
Just pointing out that they begin with the flashy new stuff, before maybe addressing the older cams. I’m basing myself on their track record. Not only in camera’s but other consumer electronics. I’m critical in general of companies that aren’t too sharpish in supporting products of a few years old. Sony doesn’t service their customers like for instance Fuji does in terms of firmware upgrades.
As a customer it’s ok to be critical, don’t you agree?
Glorifying a multi-bilion dollar company like Fuji seems to be ok, though.
How is he glorifying Fuji? he simply pointed out a problem that a lot of other people are concerned about. People need to stop with their fanboyism or the issues will never be ironed out!
At the place of today’s technology, your 2 year old camera is already close to being obsolete, so just step up to the plate and by the new model every year. I don’t see GM or Ford adding features to their 3 year old cars. If you want the latest features, like bluetooth 4.0 or Apple Play support, then you have to buy the new model don’t you? No amount of complaining is going to get them to update their 3 year old cars, to have all of the features of todays latest model, so why should anyone expect Sony, or any other electronics company to do it, unless of course, that they promised to add new features to these products some time in the future, when they sold them to you.
There is no “salt” here, you haven’t even said anything for me to be “salty” about.
The question is not rhetorical, you claim they won’t update older cameras, so I’m asking you to show me where they mentioned that they will not update older cameras. I have an a7s and r so I really do want to know if they will not be updating those cameras. So if there is information that you do in fact have that no one else does, I’m asking you to share it.
As a customer you have every right to be critical. You’re supposed to be anyway since you’re spending your own money to buy whatever product it may be so if it doesn’t please you either complain or get rid of it. But that doesn’t mean it’s ok to spread information that hasn’t been proven, just cause you saw it happen somewhere else a while ago.
Also, how does me question what you seem to have stated as a fact lead you to infer that I am defending any company?
The title says “for new cameras” whereas the text says “for additional cameras”. The only thing that makes sense is if the text is a mistranslation of “new cameras”
Oh, that Fuji talk will never stop.
All the firmware of the world didn’t solve the AF performance on any Fuji cameras against the A6000, that did right from the begining, not to mention the XAVC-S update.
An wide angle pancake lens (<20mm) (but I don't know if it is possible), 135mm F2 and 24-105 F4. All of them will make me happy 🙂
I don’t know of a single pancake lens wider than 20mm for a DSLR, let alone a mirrorless camera (there are a couple of exceptions form the film era, but they don’t seem to be a viable solution).
A sub-20mm pancake is within the realms of what is optically possibly with the E-mount flange distance. However, it’s also likely to be prone to nasty corner smears, colour shifts and all the other things that people find on very WA symmetrical design lenses. The A7S and A7R II (at least by most reports) are a lot better in this regard, but might not be great. On an APS-C it would be better but, of course, nothing like the same FoV.
Pancakes on DSLRs are another matter – they have the depth of the mirror box (and generally have to start with a slightly longer focal length).
Thank you for your explanation 😉
A7R II is great.
And corner smear won’t be there if it’s a new lens design which considers sensor glass thickness in calculation.
Are you sure that can resolve all the issues? For example, I don’t see how it can deal with microlenses not being able to deal with the range of angles (which I think makes vignetting worse). Also one of the problems seems to be rays that pass through the filter layer at an angle and are actually detected in the adjacent photodiode.
That’s responsible for the magenta cast simply because of the arrangement of the colour matrix and that there are twice as many “G” channel filters and either “R” & “B”. The latter two will roughly cancel out, but I think the excess of “G” will mean, after the demosaicing and colour balancing that it will appear as an excess of R & B detected photons over what was really there and a slight deficit in G. The result will be a magenta cast.
So no doubt there can be some compensation, but I doubt it can deal with all the issues caused by high angles of incidence. Even Leica’s have some problems which can’t all be dealt with by compensation.
A7R II does not produce magenta cast, it’s that simple
8 new ones? Sick!
“So after all our source was right and Sony announced the launch of new FE lenses at IBC” – Sony has stated a number of times publicly that the number of FE lenses would total 20 by the end of the year. Its in the Dpreview interview, the IR interview and on the lens map. This is no revelation and said source was stating something that was already common knowledge. Not trying to be a jerk, but that statement is a bit of a reach.
The DXO score isn’t going to change.
It is 2016 now so this exciting rumor is about delay, basically.
The previous statements said they would be announced. Given how far in advance some Sony lenses are announced, I didn’t think all of them would be available by the end of the year.
What timezone are you in?
Waiting for the next non-issue to be raised….
So now sone of you can stop crying…
The bigger question is how long we’re gonna have to wait for the firmware update. Though it seems like it shouldn’t take that long, I’d imagine we’re probably not gonna see it before the end of the year.
New Lenses, but no New A – mount camera’s ?? is the A – mount indeed Death ? many would like to have a clear answer from Sony !!! in order to move on to anything else then the A – mount !!! Please Sony a clear answer NOW.
It’s not dead. It will be soon tho.
Erm… didn’t we know that from the previous post?
So nice had to post it twice
Yes, on second note, Admin might do that, since DPREVIEW, who recently addressed this issue seems to not care about this news.
To be fair to them, they only just got out of bed.
Really weird thing happening to DPReview this days, they posted almost a day after the Milvus announcement, and the same for the A7sII and even the DJI.
The announcement has been removed from the Sony site – now says Page Not Found
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/breaking-news-sony-announces-addition-of-uncompressed-14-bit-raw-still-image-capture-for-new-%CE%B1-cameras/
I like bananas.
Web page removed!! Andrea, are you sure this was an official Sony announcement?
https://alphauniverse.com/stories/sony-announces-addition-of-uncompressed-14-bit-raw-still-image-capture-for-new—cameras/
I saw the Alphauniverse page a couple hours ago, it was there. Maybe someone jumped the gun by making it live.
Oh I know it was there – just wondering why it has disappeared.
maybe the server of alphauniverse was on the traffic edge due to this news. so they removed it.
or they wanted to release this site on a special event in the near future, but accidently missed to put the right visible time.
anyway, the site was made and it’s on a official sony channel. so the news is real.
It’s back online
I have yet to find any artifacts on images shot with my A7R and A7RII. Even in night scenes with bright lights and contrasty edges. I’m curious to see what improvements 14-bit uncompressed raw will bring.
Very little if you’re not seeing artifacts already, files will be much larger though.
Sony’s present lossy compression gives a 2:1 compression, so the new version should be no more than twice the present size. If they keep their 11-bit gamma compression but eliminate the 7-bit delta coding that is causing most of the artifacts, the file should only be 37.5% larger than today.
Could be lossless compressed too… should help file sizes in the low ISOs.
Doubt it. those algorithms usually use specific hardware acceleration I think. So Sony needs a new gen. CPU to do that.
Hardware would help but what about Samsung cameras that use general purpose mobile CPUs for everything?
The NX1 and friends don’t use a dedicated proprietary processor?
I can’t remember the exact models and haven’t checked the most recent ones but some of the samsungs allegedly used general purpose mobile processors.
I agree I use Nikon D810 and Sony A7R and honestly even in extreme situations the differences if any are pretty small. At least it will stop some folk from moaning about it
The lens statement isn’t exactly news, its been said before, here’s the quote from the A7rII press release when it was announced: “By early 2016, Sony will add an additional 8 new lenses to its FE full frame lineup, bringing the FE total to 20 lenses and the overall α -mount assortment to 70 different models.”
See full release here: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/8917769536/sony-alpha-a7r-ii-has-42-4mp-on-full-frame-bsi-cmos-sensor
Never mind the click bait. 😉
Yes, but you have to give the host a chance to make a new post to click.
PAGE NOT FOUND:
https://alphauniverse.com/stories/sony-announces-addition-of-uncompressed-14-bit-raw-still-image-capture-for-new—cameras/
Hope 14bit comes to a7II TOO…
Hot, burning like a candle! Hopefully that will make all the compressed raw trolls retreat back into their respective caves.
Guys, check this!!!!!!!!!
ARW2 artifacting & repair
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56389545
Hope one of those new lenses is 300-600 f4.8 with 150mm barrel extender for close up/ macro mode , and drop in 1.8x teleadapter.
What do you think the chances are, Barry?
Maybe Sony will do an f/4.95 version instead and make everyone happy.
Canon now has BR tchnology…Blue Spectrum Diffraction Optics.
Sony simply cannot compete head to head with Canon lenses unless they offer something they do not.
No one currently has a lens with price/performance/wieght midway between the 600mm f4 primes and 150-600 f6.3 zooms.
Nor does anyone currently have close focus/macro function on this long a lens.
You can put the other lenses on your camera, and do not need to buy the Sony…but if Sony builds this unique lens you will have a reason to buy the Sony.
The biggest shortcoming with current long lens is thier limited close focusing and limited magnification ratio.
After carefully stalking or waiting for a subject to finally get close enough for an extremely detailed close up…you cant do it.
By the time you change lenses or add extension tubes…yhe opportunity is gone…besides a macro lens requires you to get even closer which is often not possible.
To be instantly ready to get extreme closeups from a distance when the opportunity arrises is pricelss.
As wildlife photographers we often have to shoot from a distance, but the very best pictures are those taken from close up.
The very best opportunities are when the animal finally gets really close…and these are precisely the opportunities that are missed with current long lenses.
Also…most wildlife shooters now use Canon and Nikon equipment…precisely the customers Sony wants.
You really have a thing for these big zooms.
Yes I do…they are extremely usefull
I almost exclusvely use them, or macro.
I would really really like a better alternative to what I have.
As someone that really uses thes things a lot the specifications I keep asking for are very well thoght out.
Some zoom is usefull, but the short focal lengthsare not needed…smaller cheaper lenses cover that range.
Dont need the size and expense of f 4…besides the lackvof depth of field, but want faster than f 6.3 for ability to add teleconverter and a little better low light performance…plus less diffraction as we get into higher resolution sensors.
Most importantly I want to be able to transition from distant subjects to close up subjects….and current long lenses cannot do that.
Qiality of course should be better than current 150-600s but not quite as good as current top 600 f4 primes.
I have been repeating this request often because I consider this lens very inportant to establishing a credible, versatile lens system.
No one else talks about a lens like this because it does not yet exist…but I fully expect that if Sony were to anounce such a lens there would be a lot of excited talk about it.
Are most of you snapshot takers? Not a bad thing, but if you ever shoot
events or occasions where several hundred (or thousand) photos are
needed, I suspect you’ll be going back to cRAW quickly, not matter how
“special” your pictures are. Nikon D800 event shooters know this well.
Too
bad there aren’t any film photographers on this website to keep the
rest of us idiots in line. The variances introduced by different film
stocks, the age of those stocks, the developing processes, etc., all add
up to make the difference between lossless RAW and compressed RAW look
both insignificant and an extremely petty thing for amateur
photographers to be up in arms over.
The more technology “enables” us, the bigger the babies we become. I’m totally serious.
The data storage argument is so silly. People don’t seem to have a problem with 100Mb/s 30 min videos….
Event photographer shooting 1000 a day? Fine than shoot 24MP JPEGs…
But what about an astro-landscape photographer who creates one photograph in a week?
The size argument is getting very tiresome.
SSDs are getting cheaper all the time. I got 4 of them in my PC (480+480+480+960) and don’t see the size as any issue at all. The read/write speed of SSD’s is insane (the new Samsung 950 Pro are much faster than the current generation) and they’re getting bigger.
In a few years nobody cares about raws +100 MB. My first computer had 4 KB (yes kilobytes!) of RAM and at than time is was enormous. Now my mobile phone has 786432x as much 🙂 – and is much faster as well.
Embrace the future. Time doesn’t go backwards (except in QM :)).
File size always increases as fast (recently much faster) than storage size. Photo file sizes aren’t stable as you suggest. In a few years camera file sizes will be proportionally bigger. Storage will always be an issue (it’s a billion dollar industry, it will perpetuate itself).
I have 15-16 TB of SSD/HDD drives and they are 90 percent filled with high quality video and photos (I keep next to nothing in RAW). I could archive and compress better, but still, if you *really* work with a lot of media, then pragmatism almost always wins out over perfectionism, even if you’re super-duper anal.
Also, they…. haven’t reviewed anything for a god long time.
Hope it comes to the original A7…
Thick cover glass!
I have yet to find any artifacts on images shot with my A7R and A7RII. Even in night scenes with bright lights and contrasty edges. I’m curious to see what improvements 14-bit uncompressed raw will bring.
Having compared a D810 and A7R I can definetly tell you there are differences. Yes they are small but they are there. If you can’t see them in shots with fine high contrast detail than you must try a side-by-side comparison. If you still find them unoticable than you probably don’t need the IQ of the a7rii. What do you think about the JPEGs regarding artifacts?
Btw. It’s also interesting what we don’t see: the hidden potential of the sensor
It’ll improve star trails. That’s the main area I’ve seen good evidence for Sony’s 11+7 scheme causing noticeable degradation. I believe it might also improve IQ if you don’t shoot high ISO, but shoot at ISO 100 and push to high ISO (3200+) in post.
I like to do astrophotos, an area where you have lots of high contrast edges. I also like to shoot high contrast nature scenes which occasionally may require pushing the shadows by more than +2 stops.
And many reviewers (both pro and non-pro) have seen the artifacts. And for many of them it *is* a deal breaker – as it is to me.
I understand the historic reason for the 11+7 compression (and it has its merits). But it has no place in a camera having that good a sensor. Just stupid.
Before Sony announced the upcoming firmware I was planning to upgrade from Canon 5D3 to Canon 5DsR. But because Sony now provides a new uncompressed format which is *optional* everyone can choose what he/she prefers.
You don’t like it? Just keep using the old 11+7 “raw” format – this is an *option* folks!
If you prefer crippled raws keep using it. Or only shoot jpeg like a certain Ken R… 🙂
Personally I think Sony has done the right thing 🙂 – now I’ll wait for some reviews of the new firmware. And then I’ll probably add an A7R II to my bag instead of the 5DsR.
20mm f/5.6 FE pancake should be easy, but who is interested?
Now I can peacefully and patiently wait for the 8 lenses to come out before I fully switch to FE from E. The lack of lens options in performance value is the only holding some people back.
I think Sony has abandoned the APS-C E-Mount line.
8 lenses!!!
8 more than you complainer amateurs and non, can afford to buy and will make excuses for not buying any.