Nokishita updated their unannounced camera list the other day and Sony still has 3 cameras coming soon. Do you think you can match them up to the new sensors from Sony? We should see the Sony a9II and Sony a7SIII soon along with maybe the long-rumored Sony a7000/a6700.
Viltrox just released an update to their excellent VILTROX 85mm f/1.8 AF that you can download here. Also, Amazon has them in stock at this time.
PFI RBMH 85mmF1.8 STM E-mount v1.0.10
1) Lowered aperture noise
2) Fixed delay problem of shutter releasing while using flash
3) Improved blank screen problem at small apertures
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Renewal of the Meyer Optik Görlitz portfolio on schedule
Bad Kreuznach – Meyer Optik is pushing the revision and optimization of its existing portfolio and has already completed its first projects. The developments are thus on schedule and the first Meyer Optik lenses developed and produced by OPC will be available in late summer 2019.
“We have analyzed the entire existing portfolio, identified optimization potential and categorized it according to effort. This approach now enables us to efficiently optimize lens by lens and to publish in a timely manner,” explains Timo Heinze, Managing Director of OPC Optics. “We are currently in the prototype phase of the first optimized lens and are confident that we will achieve an increase in the mechanical quality and imaging performance of this and all other lenses. Depending on the individual lens, the scope of these improvements and changes will of course vary. The unique image language of every individual lens will be retained of course.” Read More
If you need an inexpensive battery grip for your Sony camera than B&H Photo has several Vello grips available in their deal zone today only. They have them for full-frame and APS-C cameras if you are interested in picking one up here.
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A few weeks ago we reported on an activist investor wanting Sony to spin off their semiconductors division. It looks like Sony responded to the activist investor by renaming the semiconductors business division and merging it more tightly into their other operations according to Image Sensor Resource Worlds excerpts below from the earnings call transcript below:
Semiconductors segment to Imaging & Sensing Solutions Name Change
Sony official earnings call transcript explains the name change. The explanation sounds like a reply on the spin-off proposals:
• From this quarter, we have changed the name of the Semiconductors segment to Imaging & Sensing Solutions (“I&SS”).
• Now I will explain the background and reasoning behind the change in name of the segment.
• The portion of Semiconductors segment revenue that comes from image sensors has been increasing every year, is expected to be approximately 85% of the segment this fiscal year and is expected to increase even more going forward.
• Image sensors are hybrids between analog and digital semiconductors, and, in terms of technology and business model, differ from logic LSI and memory, which most people think of when they hear the word semiconductors.
• Compared with logic LSI and memory, which require frequent capacity upgrades to maintain competitiveness due to quickly evolving process miniaturization, image sensors do not require regular, large capital investments because products can be differentiated through improvements in functionality and the addition of new features without having to upgrade production capacity.
• Moreover, since the image sensors business is focused on custom products that are differentiated through features and functionality, and because we have expanded our customer base the last several years and obtained a large share of the market, we have established a business model that experiences less impact from fluctuations in the market known as the silicon cycle.
• Over the last 10 years, we have achieved an extremely high level of compound annual sales growth at 17%, primarily from smartphone applications, and we have made significant investments to increase capacity as a result. However, we expect the investment requirements of this business to decrease significantly as the acute increase in demand transitions to a milder growth trajectory.
• The strategy for future growth in the I&SS segment is to develop AI sensors which make our sensors more intelligent by combining artificial intelligence with the sensors themselves.
• Development of these sensors will require us to leverage not only the strength of the hardware technology in the I&SS segment, such as the stacking of sensors on logic and copper-to-copper connections, but also the AI technology and diverse application technology in other parts of Sony, so our efforts in this area will span the entire Sony Group.
• We think that AI and sensing will be used across a wide range of applications such as autonomous driving, IoT, games and immersive entertainment. As such, we think there is a possibility that image sensors will evolve from the hardware they are today to solutions and platforms as visual data and sensing information is processed in a sophisticated manner inside sensors.
• The image sensor business is important because it is one of the pillars of the growth strategy of the Sony Group. We changed the name of the segment this time to assist your understanding of the characteristics and future strategy of this business, which I just explained.
• FY19 Q1 sales increased 14% year-on-year to 230.7 billion yen and operating income increased 20.4 billion yen to 49.5 billion yen, primarily due to a significant increase in image sensor sales for mobile devices.
• Demand for our image sensors continues to be strong and our market share of image sensors for mid-range and high-end models of major smartphone makers remains high, due to adoption of multiple sensors per camera and growing demand for high value-added sensors made using large die-sizes.
• We are currently utilizing 100% of our internal capacity.
• However, concerns about the impact of trade issues in the second half of the fiscal year remain. We have already been conservative when forecasting the impact of these issues, but, because we want to evaluate the risks over the course of the first half of the fiscal year, we have made no changes to our April forecast.
via Sony.net
EOSHD has a lot of unannounced Sony sensors scattered around their site, but the IMX555 does seem to be the most interesting since it matches the Fujifilm GFX100 in resolution and shoots 6k. This sensor is one of the few out there that could someday support 12k recording as some companies are planning on skipping 8k for 11-12k. The IMX555 with its high-speed digital readout at 16-bit uses pixel binning to capture a 12-bit 6k video at this time, but sensor technology like this could evolve into the 12k sensors of tomorrow.
Sony designed this megapixel monster to read out quickly with two A/D converters per column, which will help it capture usable 6k. EOSHD speculates that this might compromise color-depth or accuracy if it is similar to past Sony implementations. Their source also believes that the IMX555 can do 4096 x 2160 RGB 4:4:4 stream directly on-chip.
It looks like we will have a lot of megapixel monsters to look forward to in the near future. Maybe we will finally see the long-rumored Sony a9R with a sensor like this inside.
IMX311 has a 45-degree diagonal pixel array with BSI and stacked design, it can output 96MP/24MP RGB RAW stream
IMX313, a high speed 48MP BSI Stacked FF sensor:
IMX409, a low cost, high resolution and high speed 54MP BSI FF sensor:
IMX521, a high speed, high sensitivity Quad Bayer 15MP BSI FF sensor:
IMX554, a ultra-high speed 30MP BSI and stacked FF sensor:
IMX410, 24.6MP, 19fps photography, 6k 40fps, 4k crop 100fps FF sensor:
via EOSHD