The bad news is that anyone using the LR3.2 RC as a temporary free solution for getting full profile correction without investing in Photoshop CS5 will lose their freebie. But Lightroom is eminently affordable, and it can function as a raw conversion front-end for any earlier Photoshop or Elements version. On its own, it is a mere 10MB of program data fatter than Adobe Camera Raw as a plug-in and runs with great efficiency on modestly specified laptops (etc). It’s a lean, keenly priced solution which offers many further benefits as a DAM (Digital Asset Management) library such as keywording, copyright control, metadata editing, version stacking and multiple catalogues.

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/new.jsp

I am informed that support is included for the 16mm lens on NEX (profile) but I can’t tell whether it is the profile I supplied to Adobe Labs, or a new one, because my profile has remained unchanged on my system – same names, same modification date. And there’s no NEX-3 version which might be expected if they had created new profiles. So it looks as if it could be worth sending profiles into Adobe after creating them.

It’s fantastic news that Adobe has released ACR for the new Alpha 55 16 megapixel sensor before the cameras even hits the street – mine is on order, waiting! Not so great for Nikon users; no D3100 raw conversion in this release. But Canon users get the 60D (despite Adobe missing it out from their front page list). Adobe did this Sony friendly pre-release once before, for the Alpha 100, getting the conversion into place before the camera went on sale.

The bad news is that the Alpha 580 and 560 models are not in the list alongside the fixed mirror pellucid, transflective (anything but Translucent, please…) cameras.

The instruction manual for the Alpha 33 and 55:

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=SLT-A33&region_id=1

is already on-line and shows a March 2010 publication date, which means that Sony has had these new cameras in existence since the beginning of the year, certainly well before PMA when mockups were shown. It’s likely that Adobe’s Thomas Knoll has been using one from the first bug-free pre-production model onwards!

Now all we need is the revised lens series with SAM or SSM motors fitted into the 16-80mm CZ, 16-105mm Sony, 18-200mm and 18-250mm Sony; the 11-18mm wideangle replacement, the 75-300mm SAL replacement, and a few other goodies. Hopefully all Zeiss glass gets SSM where possible. That 16-80mm CZ is four years old now as a design. A tweak to the maximum aperture, or the zoom range, would revive interest.

- David Kilpatrick

480 width ad:

The European press launch

David Kilpatrick recorded the proceedings at Le Meridien Lav Hotel, Split, Croatia on March 11th 2010 using a Zoom H2 portable digital recorder. Shirley Kilpatrick transcribed the audio, with subsequent editing to translate verbal output to read well as text. This is a multi-page document please use the PAGE navigation at the foot of each page to continue reading. It is a very long document.

Nick Sharples, director of corporate communications for Sony, Europe, welcomed the press to Split in Croatia, and thanked everyone for getting up before breakfast – especially those from Portugal who arrived at midnight (volcanic ash delayed their flights). The launch was synchronised round the world, hence the 8.00am timing for the European meeting.

Yoshiyuki Mogami (Vice President of Digital Imaging, Europe) was introduced to explain a little bit more about the business strategy for Digital Imaging in Europe. Yoshiyuki thanked everyone for coming over to Split; the team from Munich had arrived by driving ten hours.

Sony started Alpha business in 2006, he said, introducing the Alpha 100 in Morocco. The Alpha 700 was launched in Italy in 2007, the Alpha 900 flagship model was introduced in Scotland in 2008. “We have carried out surveys asking people in Europe which brands they would think of when buying a digital camera; the figure has risen from 50%, to close to 70%. Now we are enjoying a 15% market share in Europe. This figure is OK, but Sony now really has to go to our next step.

“But looking at the DSLR as an industry it’s not like two years ago or three years ago. DSLRs were pretty much a booming industry, and that’s why everybody came into his segment. These days the growth of this segment has very much flattened, and of course you could say this is due to economic slow down or recession, but we suspect that the traditional DSLR has a limit in mass appeal to consumers.

“So that’s why Sony can try to break this type of barrier. We put together all kinds of voices and views on this technology to see what we can do – we think we have heard the customers’ voice, and really put it into this project.”

Mogami-san introduced Toru Katsumoto, senior general manager of Alpha:

“Today I would like to officially announce our new ultracompact interchangeable lens camera we have already shown at PMA in February and in Japan. In the current market the boundaries between the three categories – DSLR, compact still camera and camcorder – are already starting to merge.

“In the area when DSLR and Digital Still Compact merge, we see great possibilities. Let me introduce to you NEX-5 (he holds up the camera, in front of large projected images of the cameras). This beautifully crafted body is designed to bring out the presence of the lens. The body is so slim and compact but without sacrificing any size or balance. The grip on this camera ensures a firm and comfortable hold despite such a slim and compact body. The rigidity and texture of magnesium alloy gives a high grade appearance and solid feel to the camera.

“NEX-3 is designed for a more casual approach, and can be very attractive especially for those who have yet to explore the world of the DSLR. The slim design comes in three different colour variations, with a unique texture on the grip. It simply feels great in one’s hand in addition to being a stylish camera.

“The key concept of NEX-5 and NEX-3 is to combine the best of both worlds – the image quality and power of expression of the DSLR, with the portability and ultra-compact design of a digital compact camera. We strongly believe that NEX-5 and NEX-3 are cameras that are capable of satisfying customers’ needs from both DSC and DSLR segments. Namely, compact digital still camera users who are motivated to step up from DSC, and DSLR users who are demanding a more compact camera without compromising DSLR power.

“Professional quality in your pocket is the buzzword for this camera. There are six elements:

• DSLR quality in still and moving images
• Compact and stylish
• Power of expression derived from interchangeable lenses
• Making creative work easier
• Beautiful high definition movies easily filmed
• High speed continuous shooting, 7fps

“The APS-C sensor successfully packs DSLR quality in a small body (he removes the lens and shows the sensor). The new sensor is significantly larger than the FourThirds sensor, resulting in a higher pixel count and superior picture quality.

“Our designers have done a great job; the philosophy is a minimalist design. The lens itself is small, but the body size is so small that the lens looks dominant overall. With the pancake lens, it comes close to the size of a point and shoot camera. It is the world’s smallest, and is lighter than either of the rival brands (Olympus and Panasonic profiles shown on screen but not named).

“The depth of the flange back on the camera is 18mm, the world’s thinnest. This is why we can make it so slim. There are three new lenses. Also conventional Alpha A-mount lenses, currently in customers’ hands, can be used via our mount adaptor.”

Katsumoto-san described the user interface with its virtual scroll wheel, adjusting depth of field; and the sweep panorama including the 3D function. “During the sweep motion, the camera generates two pictures, one for the right eye and the other for the left. You do not need two lenses for 3D.”

He said that Handycam experience had been used to set up high definition recording. Toru emphasised the value of Alpha NEX division working together with other Sony technologists.

“NEX-5 and NEX-3 are only the first two products to be offered by Sony in this emerging area. We believe that products based on the combination of a large imaging sensor and interchangeable lenses are not limited to NEX-5 and NEX-3; today, let me take the opportunity to reveal our second proposal to you briefly. As I am speaking now, a dedicated group of engineers is in the process of developing a new camcorder with the interchangeable lens system (he shows a mockup image).

“This camcorder will come with an EXMOR HD APS-C sensor for DSLR quality video in AVCHD form. Like the NEX-5 and NEX-3, with an adaptor, this new camcorder is also compatible with current Alpha lenses allowing videographers to access a wide range of high performance lenses to be used to express one’s creativity like never before.

“Needless to say, its body design is specially optimised for video shooting. Details of this product will be communicated soon, I’d say around the Autumn area, so please stay tuned. The combination of a large image sensor and interchangeable lenses can create whole new dimensions and expression and possibilities.

“To express our strength in such products, we would like to introduce the phrase “Beyond Our Eyes” which contains the following meanings – bringing new experiences, and style of unforeseen dimensions, that evoke deep emotions, and creating a visual world beyond how our eyes can see in both still photography and video.”

After this, the conference was officially over, and journalists were asked to re-convene for region specific in depth meetings. The meeting for the UK and Scandinavia was headed by Paul Genge of Sony UK. See next page.

Never feel that your chosen camera makes you the odd one out in a herd of Canon and Nikon users! You are the leader not the follower…

Perhaps you are the only one at your college or your camera club with an Alpha. Well, we reckon that makes you Alpha material, so we have designed two neat logos combining the symbols for Male and Female with the Alpha glyph. It’s an official Photoclubalpha garment not official Sony!

It would have been great to start with a low-cost almost giveaway T-shirt, but the quality of these can be poor especially in black. Yes, even the best black cotton will fade with wear and washing but it is a good quality garment to start with. That’s why it has to be £13.95 including VAT and postage* to cover our costs.

The Polo Shirt is, we think, a real bargain. Various local clubs and societies, as well as sports teams, have had similar polo and rugger shirts made by our supplier with embroidered logos. They look great and wear well at £17.95 each including VAT and postage. Photo above: white male T-shirt, black female T-shirt, black female polo shirt. The polo shirts with the female logo are tailored for women’s fit. T-shirts are unisex.

The T-shirts have the web address of Photoclubalpha written neatly in the classic Minolta typeface across the shoulders on the back. The logo and male or female text line are printed centrally on the front.

The Polo shirts only have the logo motif on the front, to a smaller size, in chest pocket position. There is no text, if anyone asks you what it means, you’ll have to explain it. The Polo shirts feature embroidered logos, the T-shirts are printed.

The T-shirt sizing is fairly generous – for example, size L is a neat fit for female size 20, loose on size 18.

Men’s Polos/all T-Shirts
XS – 34/46″
S – 36/38″
M – 38/40″
L – 40/42″
XL – 42/44″
XXL – 44/46″
3XL – 46/48″
4XL – 48/50″

Women’s Polos
(British Sizes – US sizes are one step smaller, XS=6 for example)
XS – 8
S – 10
M – 12
L – 14
XL – 16
XXL – 18

T-Shirts are unisex not tailored. Polo shirts are supplied in male tailored cut for Alpha Male, female cut for Alpha Female. T-Shirts are Heavyweight 100% Ringspun Cotton (175-180gsm); Polo Shirts are the same material, but a little heavier in weight.

Ordering by post

T-Shirts – available to in black or white, sizes XS to 4XL
Alpha Male – Black or White, with Alpha Male text line    £13.95
Alpha Female – Black or White, with Alpha Female text line    £13.95

Polo Shirts – available in sizes S to 3XL (M) XS to XXL (F)
Alpha Male – Black or White without text small symbol    £17.95
Alpha Female – Black or White without text small symbol    £17.95

The shirts are printed (for T-Shirts) or embroidered (for Polo Shirts) locally in Kelso and you may specify any size within the range shown; depending on demand, it may take up to 28 days for orders to be completed and despatched. We hope to keep stocks of popular sizes for faster delivery. Prices include VAT and postage*.

Cheques payable to ‘Icon Publications Ltd’ – orders to Alpha Shirts Offer, Icon Publications Ltd, Maxwell Place, Maxwell Lane, Kelso, Scottish Borders TD5 7BB. You may also post an order using the method described for fax orders below.

Ordering by email or fax

FAX your order with credit card (long number, cardholder name, security number and expiry date) and address information, written out with clear instructions for the garment/s, male/female design, colour and size required, to +44 (0) 1573 226000. Faxes are retained until you confirm receipt of order and shredded afterwards; we do not store credit card details, repeat orders need information repeating.

Alternatively, scan your document and attach it to an email sent to david@photoclubalpha.com

Ordering by Paypal BUY IT NOW - you must detail your size requirements using the Comments or Message field provided by Paypal, or in a clearly linked email. If you do not state size requirements, we will send size L.

Alpha Male T-shirt White

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Alpha Male T-shirt Black

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Alpha Female T-shirt White

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Alpha Female T-shirt Black

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Alpha Male Polo Shirt White

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Alpha Male Polo Shirt Black

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Alpha Female Ladies’ Polo Shirt White

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Alpha Female Ladies’ Polo Shirt Black

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View Order Cart

* For orders outside Europe, VAT is not applied. The 17.5% VAT saving is used to cover additional postage costs for worldwide buyers. The prices remain the same for all geographical areas. UK and European orders include VAT.

But Sony may prove yet to be the tortoise – or perhaps to be Brer Rabbit. They could make the finishing line, the goal of a truly useful video DSLR, before Nikon/Canon/Pentax/OlySamPanny get there.

The dream of any camera maker is to sow a few dragons’ teeth and have fully armed warriors spring from the ground, something which Olympus has managed to achieve twice in succession, first with the E-1 and 4/3rds, then with the digital Pen and Micro 4/3rds.

Sony, ignoring Greek myths, has so far gone for the Celtic version and chucked the bones of its dead warriors (Minolta!) into the Cauldron of Bran to rise and fight again. As reanimated corpses go, the Alpha models so far have proved pretty lively. But in all good myths, whether Greek or Celtic, it’s the real live heroes who eventually win. Sony has a couple of real giants in the Alpha 900 and 850, but not much else until a true Alpha 700 successor arrives.

That is what PMA is said to have revealed – without a name, but with a mockup and some tentative specifications:

You may not think these studio packshots from Sony are very exciting. Think again. That, dear Alpha fan, is a magnesium alloy body shell. You can tell it’s built the same way as the Alpha 900 and 700 by the small screws visible outside the perimeter of the body lens mount, and the traditional strap lugs. If it’s not magnesium or mag alloy, it’s a new material to the range and it certainly is not the same stuff the A100-200-300-500 series is made of.

Inside this camera, as with the Canon EOS 550D, there are two activating motors not one. The mirror action and the shutter action are separate. That’s not the case with the recent sub-700 series Alphas which have used a single motor to drive a permanently hard-linked mirror-shutter cycle, a cost saving measure which simplifies assembly but rules out any chance of providing mirror lock up. There is every chance this camera will have MLU.

It also has a full AF mode switch, and a depth of field preview button (presumed, unless Sony has changed the function of the button in that position, which is unlikely); it has a Memory Recall position on the shutter dial. All this says, very clearly ‘A700-900 type internal design’ to match a solid metal, weathersealed exterior shell.

The format

My press information from Sony implies that the new HD-AVCHD CMOS sensor used in the DSLR models is exactly the same sensor as they are using in the EVIL models (the mock-ups above).

Sony press release wording:

In 2010 Sony will introduce a new ultra-compact camera with interchangeable lenses that teams “any time, anywhere” convenience with DSLR picture quality. Exhibited in early concept mock-up form at PMA, the camera features a newly-developed Exmor APS-C HD CMOS sensor. It will also support HD video recording using the efficient and high quality AVCHD format. Shown in mock-up form alongside the compact, easy-to-use new camera is a selection of compatible interchangeable lenses.

Mainstream DSLR range to grow further
Sony also confirms that the current α range will continue to grow with the introduction of further new mainstream DSLR models using the newly-developed Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor and integrating HD video function with AVCHD format.

This seems to be a clear indication that it’s a new HD sensor and not the same as the A550. The term APS-C is hopeful, I have amended this post – my quick measurement in Photoshop of the sensor in the image above indicated (allowing extra for overlap of the mask) that it was 16:9 but I’ve since seen a head-on shot of the PMA mockup which shows it is 2:3 format as normal.

Video

The new camera will have HD video and probably won’t attempt to focus during filming; doing so is a red herring with cameras of this format anyway, as autofocus doesn’t even work reliably with regular camcorders. But it will probably autofocus rapidly from Live View, replacing QV autofocus with a contrast-detect system that actually works, especially when combined with Face Recognition. If it does allow AF during filming, the CZ 16-80mm lens shown fitted here might not be the best choice.

Or might it be OK? Try an Alpha body and work out where the body-driven focus sounds really come from. Some lenses are noisy. But I have just stuck my ear next to several, even vintage Minolta AF designs 25 years old, and turned the manual focus ring. Guess what? They are as quiet as SSM. All that Sony needs is a silent drive motor for the focus in the body, and the ZIP sound will disappear. There is absolutely no reason why a new AF motor generation using silent technology should not transform the apparently ‘noisy’ performance of body-driven optics.

Sony’s use of the AVCHD format is much publicised. So what? It doesn’t say it is the Lite flavour, so that means the camera is probably 1080p and that the files as saved to the memory card will be easily read via the card slots of Sony devices such as Bravia televisions or PlayStation, or played from the camera’s USB connection. It also means that some computer systems and portable players, digital photo frames or PDAs may need the video converting before they can play it.

Sony has almost certainly made sure the format shoots 1080/24p, the industry standard. But I think they have done much more than this. I think the A7xx will be the first video DSLR which allows you to capture a still frame while recording unbroken video, and to do so without a shutter actuation. It may be nothing more than a 1080p JPEG still, extracted and saved in  real time (Nikon allow saving of 720p JPEGs by reviewing the footage and selecting frames, in-camera, on the D3S).

But I think Sony’s recent experiments with auto image alignment (in the two-shot HDR function of the Alpha 550, etc) are a clue to what they may do to create higher resolution JPEGs than 1080p, without interrupting video recording. A software utility which can re-mosaic and conflate two or more video frames is already available:

http://photoacute.com/studio/guide/guide.html#video_import

I’m already using this software to create double resolution images from my A550 raw files – incredible 55 megapixel landscape and still-subject shots made using a set of exposures, with SSS switched on even on a tripod to ensure that each raw records the data slightly offset on the Bayer grid. The report on this will be in the Spring Photoworld magazine.

At the moment, pressing the shutter during filming on a Canon DSLR captures a full res image but interrupts the video and sound for about 1 second. Pressing the shutter on a Nikon DSLR terminates the video and captures a still frame. Sony will, I think, be the first maker to allow instant capture of a still frame during filming without interruption.

For many, the critical factor will be whether or not Sony provides a stereo mic/line input jack, and firmware to control the impedance, fixed gain or auto gain for this (and any built-in mic). Sound has been the Achilles Heel (sorry, Greek legends again!) of video DSLRs. Only the Nikon D3S so far allows external input with mic/line compatibility, and manual fixed gain. All Canon DSLRs to date have forced auto gain even for the external input – and not one of them is compatible with line sources (officially) making the use of external preamps or mixers a matching lottery.

Now if you think all this does not matter, all you want is a good DSLR, I know a nice patch of warm sand with plenty of ostriches to keep you company. I only shoot video on DSLR once every couple of months. When I want it, it’s great to have it. They cost me no more than non-video capable DSLRs and the inclusion of video has zero impact on the way they work as still cameras. I will welcome video on Alpha. I have the lenses for it and I’ll use it!

And the rest

The A7xx will allow studio shooting with Live View and AF, with auto gain to enable modelling lights. It will have its own LED video lighting system, with a new flashgun capable of either flash or a modelling-light/video strength continuous LED output. You will be able to see depth of field through the glass prism optical finder (no QV, no mirror prisms) or to perfect accuracy on the high resolution rear screen, and magnify the Live View image for critical focusing and d-o-f checking.

I’m almost prepared to bet that it will not support motordrive speeds faster than 5fps (or a minor variation on 5, such as 5.5fps) because the 7fps of the A550 was partly enabled by the hard-linked shutter mirror mechanism with its single motor, plus the fixed stop-down of the lens (which does not open and close repeatedly during 7fps shooting). But through the video function of the new HD sensor, Sony will enable some interesting high speed sequence options for stills, with capture speeds dependent on subsampled resolution taken directly from the CMOS. There has been a firm rumour for some time about a Sony prototype DSLR, seen in SE Asia and Australia, which could shoot something like 15fps at a usable resolution (6MP or thereabouts). So a feature like that would not surprise me.

There are new 24mm f/2 (prototype) and 500mm f/4 G (previsualisation) lenses on the way, which leaves another eight for Sony still to work on including a rumoured 35mm f/2 and 85mm f/2.8 Chinese plastic SAM duo. The nasty little 30mm f/2.8 SAM macro, by the way, turns out to be one of the best lenses I’ve ever used despite its horrible cheap skin and clunky focus motor. So if Sony does make 35mm f/2 and 85mm f/2.8 lenses for £199 apiece, do not dismiss them.

This camera will have a superb quality LCD overlay focusing screen like the Canon EOS 7D, maybe even losing the visible ‘wires’ of the Alpha 550 precursor. It will have one of the brightest viewfinders seen in an APS-C DSLR to date. Will the AF module be updated – along with a new in-body focusing motor that works in fully variable torque mode, silently?

Well, if I was a designer at Sony, all this would be happening.

The alternative would be to chuck some more bones in the cauldron and see what kind of zombie jumped out.

- David Kilpatrick

Sitting behind a desk in Scotland while Gary Friedman attends PMA on our behalf. Gary will trash all this errant speculation and provide the real story, extracted from Sony staff under duress (he carries a Xaphoon, it works every time!).