Ep. 181: The Sony a9 Is Hot! But How Hot? – and more
Episode 181 of the PetaPixel Photography Podcast.
Download MP3 - Subscribe via iTunes, Google Play, email or RSS!
Featured: Commercial and documentary photographer, Sam Comen
Sony a9 Showed Overheating Warning After 20 Minutes, Photog Says
The Sony a9 is supposed to be a game changer in the world of sports photography, but now a new potential issue is threatening to disrupt those ambitions: photographers are reporting that the camera's overheating indicator is turning on after relatively short periods of use in ordinary conditions.
Sony a9 Versus Nikon D5 and Canon 1D X II in Dynamic Range Tests
Photons to Photos has updated its Photographic Dynamic Range versus ISO Setting test database with results from the new Sony a9, and it found that the a9 holds its own against the flagship Nikon D5 and Canon 1D X Mark II DSLRs.
This Basketball Demo Shows the Sony a9’s Blazing Fast Autofocus
Sony is touting its new a9 camera as a sports camera with blazing fast autofocus and shooting speeds. If you weren't impressed with the camera tracking a pole vaulter at 20fps, check out the demo in the video above: the camera accurately keeps its focus locked on a basketball being tossed back and forth near it.
Ep. 178: How The Sony a9 Falls Short – and more
Episode 178 of the PetaPixel Photography Podcast.
Download MP3 - Subscribe via iTunes, Google Play, email or RSS!
Featured: Fashion and fine art photographer, Richard Terborg
The Sony a9 Sacrifices Dynamic Range in the Name of Speed: Report
As the saying goes, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." And it looks like this applies to camera tech as much as anything else. According to a new report, the Sony a9 had to sacrifice some dynamic range to reach the crazy 20fps speeds everyone is so excited about.
Sony Developing Fast 400mm Prime Lens for Sony a9: Report
One of the main complaints when Sony releases a high-powered new full-frame E-Mount camera is, "Okay, but where's the glass!?" The release of the impressive Sony a9 'sports camera' was no different, but a new report claims Sony is working on at least one long, fast prime to silence the critics.
Demo: The Sony a9’s Eye-Tracking Autofocus is Crazy Accurate
Sony claims the a9 is an autofocus tracking monster—its 693-point AF system performing 60 AF/AE calculations every second. But that's not limited to regular subject tracking; as this demo video shows, the eye-tracking AF has been significantly improved as well.
Shooting the Kentucky Derby with the 20fps Sony a9
When editorial journalist Nick Didlick arrived at Churchill Downs for the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby, he wasn't toting Canon 1DX Mark IIs or Nikon D5s. No, he came equipped with six Sony a9 cameras to see what this new camera could do at one of the biggest sporting events of the year.
Watch the Sony a9 Track and Shoot a Pole Vaulter at 20fps
It's time for one more Sony a9 demo, because a high-speed sports camera is only as good as its AutoFocus system. Sony Artisan Gary Fong uploaded this pole vaulter demo, showing how well the a9 can keep up with a running athlete while shooting wide open.
This is What 20fps with the Sony a9 Sounds Like (Spoiler: Nothing)
Sony made quite a splash in the photo industry this week by announcing the new a9, a mirrorless camera that can shoot 24MP full-frame photos at a whopping 20fps. We soon got a look at what 20fps on this camera looks like. If you want to see what 20fps sounds like, check out the video above.
Size Comparison: Sony a9 vs a7R II, Canon 5D Mark IV, and 1DX Mark II
One of the biggest selling points of Sony's mirrorless full-frame cameras is how much smaller and lighter they are than comparable DSLRs, but does the new Sony a9 live up to that promise? Let's see.
Which Sony a9 Feature Will Make Pros Switch?
Sony’s recently announced full-frame flagship a9 is a game changer for mirrorless systems. Designed to compete directly against the Canon EOS 1D X Mark II and Nikon D5 DSLRs, Sony has seemingly solved some of the major complaints of the a7 series and mirrorless systems in general.
This is What 20fps with No Blackout Looks Like on the Sony a9
This footage might confuse you at first. You might wonder, "when is he going to start shooting?" Here's the thing: he already is. This is what 20 frames per second with no blackout and AE/AF tracking looks like on the newly announced Sony a9.
The Sony a99 II is a Low Light Monster
Sony's latest E-mount mirrorless cameras have wowed photographers with their low light and high ISO capabilities. Now it looks like its latest A-mount SLT, the new Sony a99 II, will do the same. Above is a 2-minute video showing its performance at ISOs up to 25600 in a room lit only by two candles.
Sony A9 to be a DSLR-Like Camera with Unlimited RAW Burst: Report
Whoa. This is pretty big if it's true: a new report says that Sony is working on a new camera called the A9. It's supposedly DSLR-like in its size and will feature unlimited RAW burst shooting.
Rumor: Sony a9 Pro Full Frame E-Mount Will Be the First of a New, Higher-End Line
The Sony rumor mill is roiling today as details and specs surface about new full-frame E-Mount cameras that the electronics company is planning to release. One of the juiciest bits of news is that Sony's rumored 'Pro' FF E-Mount camera won't be an updated version of the a7, a7r or a7s... but the first of a whole new line.
Hasselblad Launches the Hasselblad HV, a Tougher Sony A99
Hasselblad today announced the next camera in its line of Sony re-makes: The Hasselblad HV. Unlike the Lunar and the Stellar before it, this one has neither an astronomical name nor a particular focus on rare materials, although the differences between the HV and the full-frame Sony A99 it's based on are still minimal with the exception of price.
102 Autofocus Points on Sony A99 Only Compatible with 6 Lenses At Launch
When the Sony A99 SLT was announced last month, photographers gawked at the camera's 102-point focal plane phase-detection system that compliments its traditional 19-point AF system. If you've been drooling over the idea of using 121 separate focus points, here's some bad news: the feature may not be compatible with your Sony lens.
The Phoblographer reports that only 6 lenses will be able to take advantage of the new system when the camera is launched later his month.
Leaked Sample Shots Show the High ISO Performance of the Sony A99
A user over on the Chinese forum Xitek has leaked the first sample photographs captured using the Sony A99, the company's upcoming flagship SLT (i.e. pellicle mirror) camera. The images are 100% crops of straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, with noise reduction completely turned off.
First Leaked Photo of the Sony A99, the First Full Frame Pellicle Mirror Camera
Here’s the first leaked photograph of Sony’s upcoming high-end full-frame single-lens-translucent DSLR, the A99.
New Sony A99 and NEX-6 Sightings and Specs, Unveiling on September 12th
Update: We've removed both leaked photos from this post at the request of photographer Michael Yamashita.
Although the two cameras were leaked together, Sony's NEX-5R and NEX-6 mirrorless cameras are being announced separately (the Wi-Fi-equipped 5R was announced this past Wednesday). Now, detailed specs for the NEX-6 are emerging ahead of its September 12th announcement. We're also seeing some "sightings" of a second major camera that'll be announced on the same day: the high-end A99 DSLR.
Sony A99 Specs Leak: Full Frame 24MP Sensor and Lightweight
The veil of secrecy is starting to lift from Sony's upcoming high-end full frame DSLR. sonyalpharumors has published a detailed list of specs that give a pretty complete picture of what we'll be seeing in a few weeks. The camera features a 24.3 megapixel full frame CMOS sensor and Sony's Single-Lens Translucent (SLT) technology.
Sony A99 Reportedly Boasts a Staggering 102 Cross-type AF Points
Sony is reportedly focusing on autofocus as one of the main battlegrounds it’ll wage war on in the DSLR …
The Highly Anticipated Sony a1 and a9 III Firmware Updates Have Arrived
Last month, Sony announced significant firmware updates for four of its Alpha cameras, the a7S III, a7 IV, a1, and newest flagship, the a9 III. The latter two camera updates, due to an unexpected error in the case of the a1 and by design for the a9 III, were delayed until today, April 24. These new updates have arrived and are available to photographers now.
There are Some Surprises in Sony’s a9 III Lens Compatibility List
While the dust has not fully settled following Sony's reveal of the groundbreaking a9 III camera, Sony Japan has published a new support document that will help photographers prepare for the arrival of the camera next year.
Sony’s a9 III Uses Last-Gen Memory Cards, Creating an Irritating Bottleneck
Sony's new a9 III is the first full-frame interchangeable lens mirrorless (ILC) camera to use a global shutter, which unlocks some serious performance like 120 frames per second shooting. It doesn't however, have support for the latest CFexpress specification.
Sony Announces a9 III, World’s First Global Sensor Full-Frame Camera
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the first Sony Alpha 7, the first Alpha full-frame interchangeable lens mirrorless camera. Sony is marking the occasion by announcing a breakthrough advancement in imaging technology -- the Sony a9 III, the first full-frame ILC to incorporate a global shutter image sensor.
Sony Unveils the a9 II with ‘Enhanced Connectivity’
Sony has quietly announced the next-generation Sony a9 II: an incremental upgrade that keeps many of the same core specs, but adds "enhanced connectivity and workflow capabilities" that will appeal to professional sports photographers and photojournalists.
Sony to Announce Either the a9 II or a7S III ‘in 1-2 Weeks’: Report
Over the past few months, it seems like Sony has released updates for every camera in their line-up except the very-long-awaited and much-anticipated Sony a7S III. According to the latest reports, Sony does have one more major E-Mount announcement in the works for September... but is it the a7S III, or the a9 II?