Short update about NEX lenses: It’s confirmed that the 16-50mm lens is a pancake but I just learned that the 11-18mm is not!
Short update about NEX cameras: Both, the NEX-5R and NEX-6 use exactly the same new sensor with Phase Detection Pixels and both have Application support.
48 Responses
Well, i might end up with the 11-18 then. No interest in pancake lenses. I think they need more high end E Mounts. We have the 18-55 slow lens, it’s not even that large. I hoped the 16-50 could be 2.8 and awesome, maybe that will still come.
Why should Sony bring a E 16-50 2.8 when there is already an A 16-50 2.8 APSC. An E 16-50 2.8 wouldn’t probably much smaller or cheaper.
it will still smaller than A 16-50 2.8 APSC + adapter
That’s right. Smaller than the slr design.
“16-50mm lens is a pancake”
Cool if you don’t have the 18-55 or really need the smaller form factor as this won’t be any brighter.
“just learned that the 11-18mm is not”
As I expected. Could still be retractable/collapsible like the Oly 9-18mm.
Still exciting.
Great, just two months ago I bought an expensive, full-package NEX-7 with slow contrast AF!;-/
For the Apps I can care less, but fast AF is essential sometimes.
Sony this sucks, and even more that we are still waiting on a firmware update ever since…
You’re right, naughty Sony!! They should stop developing and improving products so as to avoid upsetting those who have purchased older ones.
News flash, your NEX-7 won’t suddenly become a bad camera because of the existence of newer models.
Makes sense, pancake/collapsible 11-18 always seemed a bit unlikely. Hope it’s better than the A-mount 11-18 and comes in black 🙂 Same colour request for the 1.8/35!
Doubt the PDAF is any better than the Canon implementation, but here’s hoping.
Dear Sony, Please make apps run on the Nex-7 with a superduper firmware upgrade 😀
Is there still hope for a firmware upgrade?
A firmware upgrade that includes a wireless module?
A firmware upgrade that magically makes the screen touch sensitive?
Hi, Admin
Is the 16-50mm lens F 3.5-5.6 like the original kit lens?
Any info of price or is this a high end G lens or not? Would it be sold as a new kit lens with the new 5R and 6?
Thanks
This nex 6 and possible collapsible 16-50 combo is starting to sound quite interesting. I have so nearly wanted a nex as a ‘go anywhere’ camera but the lack of evf and size of the 18-55 have put me off.
Also, wouldn’t it be fun if the rumoured a77 firmware update also has app support. (whatever app support may mean….)
Would be nice if Admin can confirm pricing
It’s not a big deal for 11-18 not to be a pancake , it’s a UWA lens then every thing is fine. But I wounder the 16-50 really a pancake or not….. By the range…. It seems to be a F2.8 Class (reletively) Large Aperture Zoom Lens…
Whatever the result , new lens are always welcome 😀
To iterate what MANY have said here already. A 16-50 pancake will NOT be f/2.8. Neither the admin nor his sources have EVER said that the pancake would be f/2.8
Wow just in time for my birthday.
I’m excited about these new lenses and bodies. Can’t wait for the official announcements.
Right now I have: NEX F3, 18-55 kit, 16mm pancake.
Wondering if I should sell the 18-55 and 16 and get the 16-50 pancake to replace them both. I care more about the wide end than the extra 5mm tele, so 16-50 range would suit me fine. Especially if the 16mm end is better than (or as good as) the current 16mm pancake.
Also very curious about the apps for the new NEX bodies. This could be an amazing innovation depending on how Sony handles it.
Well, these are all bad news.
What Sony should do:
1) Drop PDAF on sensor idea as not efficient, expensive and degrading IQ
2) Support researches like this one: http://jburge.cps.utexas.edu/research/Home_files/BurgeGeisler_PNAS_2011.pdf to implement software only AF methods which are at least as effective as PDAF nowdays.
3) Put some effort into sensor development to overcome «angle of incidence» problem, this would allow them to design and make cheap WA lenses of high optical quality.
Instead we have what we have. On sensor PDAF will be inferior compared to dedicated AF module anyway, so still subpar performance in bad lightning. We’ll have huge and expensive WA lens with so so optical performance, full of aberrations and mediocre quality of leica wides (as I have said once, Super Elmar 18mm on M9 has better edge performance than NEX-5N. This lens is flawless on Ricoh GXR’s M-mount module from what I have seen).
this is exactly what I worried
would pdaf on pixel lower IQ
Olympus and Panasonic is using only contrast AF and is very fast
why need pdaf
It’s not, AF-C sucks!
This is called evolution.
I still remember the guys that wanted to keep CCD sensors…
As Leica fanboys that laugh at CMOS,
but soon will worship the Leica M10 CMOS.
PDAF on sensor is for focusing during video and small size overall, a dedicated AF module would add size, and Sony there’s not a lot of space inside the Nex body.
You can’t compare a $9,000 Leica M9 setup to a $1000 Nex, I’m sure if Sony could sell $3000 lenses in large quantities it would, but the internet would probably crash from all the whining if a $3000 Nex lens was announced.
The 50 and Zeiss 24 are great lenses, let see if the 11-18 is the first good wide/zoom for Nex.
PDAF on sensor is not for high speed focusing (at least at this time). It is for removing the guess work from CDAF and helping it get started. If it can help with video to keep it from going the wrong way and making the video focus flickr momentarily while it figures out it went the wrong way. This is highly annoying. It should also be useful for predictive focus. Any degradation in image quality should be pretty minor unless you put sensors all over the surface, as it stands now only a small percentage of the pixels have sensors.
Please read the article Denis pointed first, before repeating random stuff you read across photo forums.
Please Sony, don’t listen to the pancake-crowd. Optical perfection is first priority, size isn’t.
I’ll rather have 5cm more protruding the empty space in my camera bag than barrel disortion, vignetting, low center sharpness and all the other typical pancake problems.
I’m without a doubt buying the 11-18mm even before it gets reviewed, but i’m on the fence with the pancake.
Exactly!!! Pajn I’m with you! We fuck compromises and pancake design priority before quality!!!
We want optical performance first!! I hoorah!!
Who’s with us? We want the entrance start the Non-collapsible Volcheviks!!
+ 1s for quality!!
Exactly!!! I’m with you! fuck compromises and pancake design priority before quality!!!
We want optical performance first!! I hoorah!!
Who’s with us? We want the entrance start the Non-collapsible Volcheviks!!
+ 1s for quality!!
The NEX series is aimed at people that want big sensor image quality without the bulk of a SLR and are willing to make some compromises to get smaller size. Giving priority to a pancake standard zoom over a large f2.8 design that costs as much as a NEX-7 makes sense. I knew the 18-55 was decent but not great when I replaced the Olympus EPL2 I tried with a NEX-5N. But I bought it anyways because the better dynamic range and tonality of the NEX was more important to me than optical performance. Not everyone needs to make 20×30 inch prints. I like the results I am getting with the NEX much better even though it lacks the quality lens choices available in m43. I only have the 2 kit zooms right now and do not have a camera bag so size matters. If the 16-50 is small enough and has decent optical performance I will probably buy it instead of something like the RX-100 to replace my compact camera.
There is no reason Sony cannot offer both a pancake and high quality f2.8 standard zoom. Even though I would probably not buy it others would and it would be a nice option if I decide to sell off all my SLR gear. I hope the roadmap is correct and the lens you want is produced but the pancake will suit my needs better and will probably sell better too.
So you prefer a better sensor and are willing to out a sub par lensbon it? Yeah… Sensors made m43 what they are today.
Yes!
Most people see my pictures on a screen. I get better dynamic range, tonality at base ISO and better high ISO performance regardless of what lens I put on the camera. These attributes make for clearly better pictures even when viewed on a screen. While I would certainly like better optical performance I can live with the 18-55. Unless I suddenly develop the urge to start making large prints I do not really need the resolution that can only come from a large lens. The results I am getting are superior to what I was getting with the Olympus or any compact.
If I do need better optical performance I still have my SLR with its large lenses. But it is getting used less and less now that I have the NEX. I have found a big reduction in weight and size to be worth a small reduction in resolution. If the rumored NEX-6 really does have faster autofocus I may sell off all my SLR gear even though there are some things is does much better than the NEX. Superb optical performance does me no good when I leave it at home due to the size and bulk.
If optical performance is your top priority stick with your SLR. Canon, Nikon and Sony can all sell you a SLR with all the fast, high quality lenses you want.
You are wrong. I see no real SLR competitor for my summilux 35 asph fle and summilux 50.
Do you know if the 16-50 is going to be constant F2.8 or something more like F2.8-4.0?
It’s f/3.5-5.6
if it’s a pancake it’ll most likely be 3.5-5.6. even 4-5.6. if they have been sensible to give a rats ass about the pancake crowd it could easily have been 4 all the way. 2.8 would in any case be too large.
If it is a pancake, it won’t have OSS, right?
I don’t care what size the 11-18 will be (within reasonable bounds, of course…), just bring it on already! Shame on you Sony for delaying a decent UWA solution for as long as you have and trying to push the 16mm ‘cake with converter attachments instead. 🙂
I used the Sigma 10-20 with A700. Considering same image format I would be surprised the 11-18 can be made “pancake” while not only providing internal motor AF but also optical image stabilization.
I really awaiting a good 16-24mm equivalent zoom for NEX. Should not be fast – f/4 us good for me (I am doing quite well with 35 years old MINOLTA 24-50/4 on my A850). Just make the IQ excellent.
Hi, Admin
What about OSS on new lens especially the 16-50mm pancake one. I suppose no OSS if pancake
I haven’t heard about OSS on this lens. Will specifically ask about this now…
Please ask also for the wide angle zoom !
Thanks 🙂
Thanks please also ask price if possible
😐
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-coming-soon-16-50mm-f35-56-oss-g-zoom-e-mount-lens/
The Panasonic X pancake has OIS, so don’t see why Sony couldn’t have OSS on this one. But, admin, can you also check if this lens will be power zoom? God I hope not. Please let it have OSS and a manual zoom ring!
I would buy a real pancake TO EAT, and then buy a lens with high IQ that is not a pancake.
This is bad news. A compromised zoom lens, at least now we now it is a non g lens. Because it will be a compact collapsible design, it is likely it will perform sub par compared to a dedicated non collapsible design. When it comes out, and the reviews come up, I wonder how many will defend this design if it shows up that it’s sub par or similar to the already average 18-55.
On the 11-18, even if f4 constant, i think that could be a serious design aimed at shortening the fanfare of voigtlanders at 12mm and 15mm. Lets hope it performs like the 15mm which, besides the magenta cast, is brilliant on my 7 from centre to edges.
Shame, i pray for a 16-50 2.8 constant no compromise zoom. Even if it has to carry the zeiss brand and price tag 😉
I told you it’s impossible to make UWA pancake zoom…
Did you hear ? They’ve taken gullible out of the dictionary and replaced it with SAR reader.