Posts Tagged ‘Sony’
Friday, September 12th, 2014
Sony has introduced the world’s first Full-Frame lens with power zoom capability. The SELP28135G lens is an addition to the Alpha E-mount camera system. Price & availability TBA.
Despite its heavyweight credentials, the lens’s compact dimensions and reduced weight are especially welcome in shooting situations where maximum mobility is needed.
The FE PZ 28-135mm F4 G OSS (SELP28135G) offers videographers and film-makers a new creative tool for cameras such as the 35mm full-frame α7S, whether they are shooting 4K video, Full HD or stills.
The SELP28135G is compatible with all Sony E-mount cameras and camcorders.
Its focal length extends over an even wider 42-202.5mm (35mm equivalent) range when attached to bodies with an APS-C sensor.
These include Sony’s α6000/α5100 cameras as well as pro-friendly Super 35mm format camcorders like the NEX-FS700 or new PXW-FS7.
A constant F4 maximum aperture lets movie-makers and still photographers achieve beautiful depth of field effects and stable exposure control across the entire zoom range, from wide-angle to telephoto.
The needs of serious film-makers are catered for with Sony’s new ‘Smooth Motion Optics’ design philosophy.
Targeting the highest possible image quality when using large-sensor cameras, this advanced optical/mechanical design addresses three issues of prime concern to movie-makers: change in angle of view (‘breathing’) while focusing, focus shifts during zoom and movement of the optical axis during zoom.
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Tags:Alpha, E-Mount, full-frame, lens, photography, Sony, video
Posted in Announce, Gadgets, gadgets, Lens, newArrivals, Photography, Sony, Specifications | 2 Comments »
Sunday, September 7th, 2014
Photo of the Day: Cliff the Golden Retriever is usually lively and enthusiastic. But why does he look so rueful today?
There’s a carnival just outside but it’s not time for Cliff to go for his walk yet. So after peering eagerly through the grills of the garden gate, he has resigned himself to the role of onlooker – resting his head on the grill to see the world go by.
* All the photos in this article were taken with a Sony A7R full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, with a 55-210mm E-mount zoom lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Cliff the Golden Retriever is a friendly fellow who loves to mix with the crowd.
Here’s Cliff looking ruefully at me while I snap his portraits from the garden.
There’s a rowdy carnival just outside and Cliff can see the kids out there.
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Tags:A7R, animals, dogs, photography, photos, potd, Singapore, Sony
Posted in A7, Cameras, cameras, Daily life, Gadgets, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Sony | No Comments »
Friday, September 5th, 2014
Sony has expanded its lens-style cameras with the new ILCE-QX1 and DSC-QX30 during a pre-IFA event in Berlin, Germany. The Japanese camera maker also added two fresh new colour options for the DSC-QX10.
Available in Singapore from October 2014.
The new lens-style cameras from Sony: ILCE-QX1 (right) and DSC-QX30 (left).
Sony’s lens-style cameras combine the spontaneity and easy sharing of smartphones with the image quality of dedicated cameras.
These cameras are connected to the smartphone via Wi-Fi.
ILCE-QX1 lens camera
The ILCE-QX1 lets serious photographers make use of their E-mount / A-mount (requires LA-EA4 adaptor for A-mount lenses) lens collection – be it zoom, wide angle, tele or macro.
QX1 comes with built-in pop-up flash.
Users can exercise control over exposure, focus and shooting modes.
The camera’s APS-C size Exmor CMOS sensor has 20.1-megapixels works with Sony’s BIONZ X processor that now features improved area-specific noise reduction – producing low-noise images, even when shooting in near-darkness.
The big sensor inside the QX1 also creates pro-style ‘bokeh’ effects with creamy background blur – another trick that smartphones can’t match.
The QX1 comes with many features, including RAW recording and pop-up flash.
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Tags:cameras, IFA, IFA 2014, lens, PlayMemories, QX1, QX10, QX30, Sony, Xperia
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Cameras, cameras, Gadgets, gadgets, Lens, newArrivals, Photography, Seminars, Sony, Sony Mobile, Specifications | 3 Comments »
Thursday, September 4th, 2014
Sony has just announced at IFA 2014 the mid-range Xperia E3 smartphone; Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact phablets & Z3 Tablet Compact tablet; as well as its new SmartWear gadgets – SmartBand Talk and SmartWatch 3.
Update (16 September, 2014):
The slew of products announced during IFA 2014 were showcased at the Xperia Z3 SEA launch event in Singapore.
Local pricing and availability below.
| Model / RRP |
Availability |
| Xperia Z3
$998 |
Pre-order on week of 22 September 2014.
Launch on 4 October 2014
|
| Xperia Z3 Compact
S$798 |
| Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
S$TBA |
Price and availability to be announced closer to launch date. |
| Xperia E3
S$298 |
| SmartBand Talk
S$228 |
End Oct 2014 |
| SmartWatch 3
S$298 |
The Sony Xperia Z3 series and SmartWear devices. (The Xperia E3 is not shown above – see below).
Sony has rolled out a slew of new gadgets – from premium flagships to novel SmartWear devices, whilst keeping an eye on the budget conscious mid-range.
Xperia Z3 series phablets/tablet
All three new members of the Xperia Z3 series run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.5 GHz quad-core CPUs and 3G RAM, with fully integrated Qualcomm Adreno 330 GPU.
The Xperia Z3 is 7.3mm thick and is available in white, black, copper or silver green. The Xperia Z3 Compact is 8.6mm thick and weighs 129g, and is available in orange, green, white or black. The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact (not shown here) is available in white or black.
They are waterproof and dust-tight (IP 65/68)
The Xperia Z3 flagship phablet comes only six months after its Xperia Z2 predecessor.
The screen is of similar size to the Z2 at 5.2 inches, but the Z3 is smaller, thinner and lighter.
Together with the Xperia Z3 Compact, the Z3 has a 20.7-megapixel camera with 1/2.3-inch “Exmor RS for mobile” image sensor, new 25mm “G Lens” and ISO 12800 sensitivity.
A dual SIM variant is also on offer in select markets.
The Xperia Z3 Compact phablet is a smaller version of the Xperia Z3 but with the same CPU and graphics chip.
It is a replacement for the Xperia Z1 Compact. Its 4.6-inch screen is larger than the 4.3 inches in the Z1 Compact.
Sony claims that the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact tablet is the world’s slimmest and lightest compact tablet, at 6.4mm thick and 270g weight.
It features an 8-inch Full HD TRILUMINOS.
Xperia E3 mid-range smartphone
The Xperia E3 sports a 4.5-inch 480 x 854 IPS display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core 1.2GHz processor, and Adreno 305 graphics, with 1GB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage.
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Tags:IFA, phablets, SmartBand, smartphones, SmartWatch, smartwatches, SmartWear, Sony, tablets, Xperia, Xperia E3, Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
Posted in Accessories, Android, Announce, Gadgets, gadgets, newArrivals, Phones, Seminars, smartphones, smartwatches, Sony, Sony Mobile, Specifications, Tablets, tablets, Tech news, Tickers, Watches, Xperia | 3 Comments »
Friday, August 29th, 2014
Photo of the Day: If you’re thinking of visiting Singapore this weekend and is keen on buying IT devices and tech gadgets, check out COMEX 2014 at Suntec Singapore.
The doors had just opened for COMEX 2014 and early-bird shoppers packed the aisles of the exhibition floor on Level 4 of Suntec Singapore. Photo taken with a Sony A7R full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera and Carl Zeiss 35mm F2.8 Lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
Started yesterday, the IT trade show will be on until Sunday night.
You can check out some of the promotional discounts on offer by browsing selected flyers that I’ve compiled here.
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Tags:A7R, COMEX, COMEX 2014, full-frame, IT Show, photography, photos, potd, promotions, shopping, Sony, Suntec
Posted in Accessories, Audio, Brochures, Cameras, Compact camera, Desktops, DSLR, Events, events, Exhibition, Gadgets, Gaming, GPS, Lens, MIL, Monitors, Network, Notebooks, Phones, Photos, POTD, POTD, Prices, Promotions, Shopping, Sony, Tablets | No Comments »
Sunday, August 24th, 2014
Photo of the Day: Resinzbrunnen is the grand baroque fountain that sits in the middle Residenzplatz – right in the centre of Salzburg Altstadt (old town).
We couldn’t resist splashing the water in the fountain as well when we visited the Residenzbrunnen. Photo taken with a Sony A7 full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, with Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS full-frame E-mount zoom lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
It is also the fountain that Maria – in the movie “The Sound of Music” – splashes as she sings “I have confidence in me”, on her way to the von Trapp home.
The Residenzbrunnen is located in the middle of the Residenzplatz, one of the most popular tourist spots in Salzburg. Photo taken with a Sony A7 with 24-70mm lens. Sepia effect added with Adobe Photoshop CC (2014). Photo credit: John Tan.
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Tags:A7, Austria 2014, Carl Zeiss, fountain, full-frame, Maria, photography, photos, potd, Residenzbrunnen, Residenzplatz, Salzburg, Sony, Sound of Music, travel, von Trapp
Posted in A7, Austria 2014, Cameras, Events, Holiday, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Sony, Travel | 1 Comment »
Monday, August 18th, 2014
The Alpha 5100 has a 24.3-megapixel APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor and the same Fast Hybrid AF system as the Alpha 6000, as well as the same BIONZ X image processor used in the Alpha 7 series of full-frame cameras.
Update (19 August, 2014):
The Singapore prices for the Alpha 5100 are up on the pre-order website.
The price for the camera body and SELP1650 lens is S$999, with S$229 worth of pre-order free gifts.
Purchase with purchase:
- SEL50f18 lens: S$319
- SEL55210 lens: S$300
The Sony Alpha 5100 ships with NFC and is designed to make selfies easier.
Sony has unveiled what it claims to be the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera.
“日本相机制造商 Sony 刚公布了新的 Alpha 5100 相机。八月廿日至九月二日可上网预订。九月四日起在新加坡面市。” – 科技点心（微薄）
The new camera will be available for pre-order from 20 August to 2 September 2014 online.
It will be available in Singapore from 4 September 2014 onwards.
Singapore prices have yet to be released but its US price is US$550 for camera body only and US$700 for body plus 16-50 motorised zoom lens (SELP1650).
(more…)
Tags:A5100, Alpha, cameras, MIL, Sony
Posted in Alpha, Announce, Cameras, cameras, gadgets, MIL, newArrivals, Photography, Prices, Sony, Specifications, Tickers | 4 Comments »
Sunday, August 17th, 2014
Photo of the Day: Cavalia is an equestrian theatrical performance that leverages innovative multimedia displays and multi-disciplinary performances. It is now running in Singapore from 12 August to 14 September 2014.
* All the photos in this article (except the portrait of Alain Gaulthier) were taken with a Sony A7R full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, with a 55-210mm E-mount zoom lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
This pretty lady kept looking in my direction, so I took a portrait for her.
The production was created by Normand Latourelle, one of the co-founders of the famed Cirque du Soleil.
“Cavalia” is a fabricated word, inspired by the Spanish and French words for horse (caballo and cheval) and the English word cavalry.
Hailing from Montreal in Canada, the lavish production involves 50 horses and 46 riders, aerialists, acrobats, dancers and musicians from all over the world.
Since the show’s debut in 2003, some 4 million people from North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East have watched the show.
Cast and dancers of Cavalia at the end of the show. I love how the lady’s face lit up when she turned around and smiled at her fellow dancer.
There has been more than 2,400 performances over the course of ten years. The 50 horses in Cavalia comprises 11 different breeds.
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Tags:A7R, Austria 2014, Cavalia, Fuji Xerox, full-frame, horses, MBS, performances, photography, photos, potd, Singapore, Sony, Vienna
Posted in A7, audioVisual, Cameras, cameras, Entertainment, Events, events, Fuji Xerox, MIL, Performance, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Shows, Sony | 10 Comments »
Thursday, August 7th, 2014
Photo of the Day: Nonnberg Abbey (Stift Nonnberg) is a Benedictine monastery in Salzburg, Austria.
This was the convent where Maria served as a postulant before she was sent to look after the children of Captain von Trapp in the musical and movie “The Sound of Music”.
Graves within the compounds of the Nonnberg Abbey, just outside the Abbey Church. The entrance to the church can be seen in the background.
Maria Augusta Kutschera had joined Nonnberg Abbey as a postulant after graduating from college when she was eighteen.
My family and I took a stroll to Nonnberg Abbey after descending from the Hohensalzburg Fortress in the evening.
We wanted to visit the convent from which Maria came from before joining the von Trapp family.
It was really peaceful and tranquil – and free of other tourists.
As a postulant, she was requesting admission into the Abbey as a nun, which may or may not be granted.
The original plan was for her to look after one of Georg von Trapp’s daughters and return after 10 months to formally enter the nunnery.
She eventually went on to look after all of Georg’s seven children and agreed when the latter proposed to her, asking her to stay with him and become a second mother to his children.
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Tags:A7, Abbey, Austria 2014, Carl Zeiss, convent, full-frame, Maria, monastery, Nonnberg, nunnery, photography, photos, potd, Salzburg, Sony, Sound of Music, travel, von Trapp
Posted in A7, Austria 2014, Cameras, Holiday, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Sony, travel | 8 Comments »
Sunday, August 3rd, 2014
Photo of the Day: Our first two nights in Austria were at the Villa Trapp, the original mansion of the Von Trapp family, in the suburbs of Salzburg.
The entrance to the Villa Trapp – where the real von Trapp family lived and played.
* All the photos in this article were taken with a Sony A7 full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, with Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS full-frame E-mount zoom lens. Photo credit: John Tan.
The back of Villa Trapp with the lawn and facing the mountains. We picnic-ed for lunch here upon arrival on the first day.
I first watched the movie, “The Sound of Music” as a child and loved it – so did my entire family.
Fountain on the wall of one of the sheds on the grounds of Villa Trapp.
So when we decided to visit Austria, we jumped at the idea of staying in Villa Trapp, where the real Von Trapp family actually lived from 1923 to 1938, when they migrated to the US.
This house was not the one seen in the movie, which used two other grander houses for exterior shots and a studio set in Hollywood for the interior scenes.
The stately three-storey building was built in 1863 and has 22 rooms.
Georg Von Trapp had bought and moved to the house in 1923 with his seven children when his wife died of Scarlet fever.
Maria Augusta Kutschera came to the von Trapp family in 1926 to take care of one of the children – also named Maria.
Wedding photo of Georg and Maria von Trapp, on a mantelpiece in the lounge of Villa Trapp.
Although she was to stay for only 10 months, she began looking after the other children as well and married Georg in 1927.
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Tags:A7, Austria 2014, Carl Zeiss, full-frame, hotels, photography, photos, potd, Salzburg, Sony, Sound of Music, travel, villa, Villa Trapp, von Trapp
Posted in A7, Austria 2014, Cameras, Holiday, MIL, Photography, Photos, POTD, POTD, Sony, Travel | 6 Comments »
