Months after the devastating earthquakes that struck Japan, new reports are still coming to light on how the quakes have affected Sony. Besides the financial cost required to rebuild the factory, the inability for Sony to output sensors from its damaged facility has meant lost business to companies it supplies like Apple and Samsung. Client sales aside, Sony’s own internal divisions are also being affected by the quake.
Sony is already going to lose big business from the Kumamoto earthquakes which struck the company’s image sensor plant. The most notable of the losses has been Apple, which was relying on Sony to deliver dual-lens cameras to power their iPhone 7+ this fall. Now, you can add Nikon to the list of clients being affected by Sony’s production woes.
A title that’s a mouthful, I know. So instead, let’s have Dave Dugale explain:
You know how everyone says 10bit is better than 8bit when it comes to heavy grading, today I am finally testing that. It makes sense but I wanted to see it. Anytime I’m curious usually something unexpected happens.
Tests not about detail/sharpness, not about the codecs or subchroma. Not talking about rolling shutter, etc.
I compared the Sony a7Sii to the Canon C100, Sony FS5 and the Red Scarlet Dragon.
If you’ve ever wondered how the well-received Sony a6300 would do against the Canon 80D, then wonder no more. Thanks to Michael Andrew, (aka Michael The Maven) who is a self-proclaimed freelance producer, photography instructor, tech innovator, and when needed, disaster aid specialist, we now have a very in depth video that pits the two cameras against one another.
Having just finished the lengthy video (just a hair over 26 minutes), I can tell you that Michael does a great job at highlighting what makes each camera unique while pitting them against one another. In fact in some instances, the clear winner depends on your needs as a photographer/videographer. As he says in the beginning of his video, just because a certain feature is touted by a company, it doesn’t mean the end results will be as claimed during real world usage which can produce vastly different results.
Another aspect of the video that I quite enjoyed is that for those of us who are less trained in the arts of photography like yours truly, Michael actually explains each test and fills you in on what’s taking place inside the camera. It’s also great to watch Michael perform the tests versus it being purely from his perspective which gives you a better feel for the testing conditions and how you could reproduce some of the same tests if you wish. Perhaps this says it all but nonetheless, the highly informative video will give you lots to think about.
For a mirrorless camera, it’s the first one I’ve seen out-focus a DSLR in most conditions.
Sony has been pushing hard for the photography market to embrace their Alpha lineup of mirrorless cameras and one such way has been with the release of three new G Master Lenses. The new lens series is part of Sony’s more professional grade lens offerings and where before, the company designed lenses in partnership with Carl Zeiss, the G Master line is fully developed in house. Jordan Steele writes on Admiring Light:
With a price tag over $2,000 and the long-held desire for a fast standard zoom for the FE system, hopes are extremely high for this lens in the image quality department. Thankfully, in the most important areas, Sony has really knocked it out of the park with this lens.
So let’s look at how the lens performed in a few key areas.
I love these kinds of rumors because they’re almost from your father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate who knew a guy. However, I still thought it worth a share regarding the f/1.8 APS-C E-mount lenses.
I had the chance to talk with a street photographer in Japan who says he participated as a photographer in a Sony marketing research focus group. Those in the group used A6300 with all current APS-C and full-frame Sony lenses and were asked to complete questionnaries and answer interview questions about their experience and about their wishes for future lenses. The questionnaire and the interview asked about their preferences for prime vs zoom, focal lengths, max aperture, use of OSS stabilisation, low price vs high image quality, and whether they want and are prepared to pay more for depth-of-field scales and for pancake designs. They were also asked about their thoughts on specific hypothetical lenses, they were told these lenses don’t exist nor is Sony working on them but the marketing team wanted to know what they had to say assuming such lenses existed, these imaginary lenses were described in the questionnarie as an APS-C 23.5mm f/1.8 OSS and an APS-C 18.5mm f/1.8 OSS both with a price and image quality similar to the 35mm f/1.8 OSS.
Now, you can look at this in two ways – that it’s good news that Sony is still looking into newer and faster f/1.8 APS-C E-mount lenses or that of course they’re looking into these types of lenses. Subtle difference in thought process but the end result could be the same, in that there is no guarantee that just because Sony is looking into it, we’ll actually see any new lenses.
Just a quick heads up for our Mac readers. OS X El Capitan, the latest operating system to power Apple’s desktop and laptop line, has been updated with RAW compatibility for the A-mount Sony a68 and the recently released and very well received E-mount a6300.
Digital camera RAW formats retain more image information than JPEGs and can produce better results when used with Photos and other imaging apps. OS X El Capitan includes system-level support for RAW images from the following cameras.
Now let’s look at the full list of supported cameras by Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 6.19.
I’ve been covering reviews of the Sony a6300 fairly extensively for no other reason than my own personal lust over it.
And that’s just a few of the pieces I’ve covered. You can look for more a6300 coverage here. So when I ran across the video which is after the jump, I of course had to post it. At first glance, the video is a no brainer to post. Professional photographer Jason Lanier using the a6300 to shoot a beautiful model on the beaches of Santa Monica. What’s not to like right? But the real reason I’m posting the video is that it goes behind the veil a bit on professional photography and how the photographer and model work together to create some stunning shots. I’ve always been that geek who gets just as much joy as watching a movie as watching extensive behind-the-scenes footage which show you how the film comes together.
The bonus is that it’s using the a6300 and that we see the photographer working from a documentary like perspective and then immediately see the photos he’s taken of the situation that’s unfolded. To equate it back to behind-the-scenes footage, it’s the equivalent of seeing the difference between a take on set and the final finished product.
This video was recorded at Jason’s Portfolio Building Workshop in Los Angeles in April 2016. The video shows 12 different sets of consecutive images being taken with the A6300. No images were deleted from the sets. This illustrates the speed and accuracy of the A6300 with the 85mm G Master with a very dynamic and busy background.
The video is after the jump.
(As always, keep in mind that these charts are fairly wide and created in very high resolution so simply click on them to enlarge)
The more I look at Sony’s Q4 FY15 earnings report which comprises of how they did in Q1 2016, the more hopeful and cautious I am of the company. In short, I find the direction Kaz Hirai is pursuing to be the correct one for Sony at the time. The question which remains is if Sony can execute his vision at a quick enough pace and transition to the next phase which is being a more lean and robust company with hopefully better selling devices on the market. That is outside of PlayStation which continues to do gangbuster numbers. Otherwise for Sony, it’s a tale of lower sales but higher profits, thanks to their more premium lineup which offers better margins.
If you look at the above chart, you’ll notice that excluding entertainment endeavors which in my mind comprises of PlayStation, Sony Pictures, and Sony Music, most of Sony’s electronic businesses were down compared to a year ago’s quarter. I’ve already discussed in length what’s been happening at Sony Mobile which you can read about here. However as the chart below shows, despite a drop in sales, Sony’s prospects on each division is improving, including their troubled mobile division. In fact Sony has posted a 666.5% rise in pretax profit for its full fiscal year.
Across nearly all core electronics business, Sony has seen a rise in operating income, even if they’re still posting negative numbers. The reason Financial Services dipped is mostly due to stock market volatility which has been in full affect the entire year. As Sony put it:
Increases in the amortization of deferred insurance acquisition costs and the provision of policy reserves, primarily driven by a significant decrease in interest rates and the deterioration in the stock market
For comparison, Apple each quarter has ‘lost’ more money due to currency volatility than companies like Facebook actually make. Context is king, right? Otherwise, as I said earlier, it seems like most of Sony’s businesses are humming right along the path set out by Kaz. However, let’s not forget about the elephant in the room – that division right in the middle – Devices. As you can see, compared to a year ago’s quarter, Devices is down ¥75.3 billion. It’s as if that division fell off of a cliff. For those unaware, Devices comprises mostly of Sony’s semiconductor business which supplies companies like Apple and Samsung things like batteries and camera sensors. According to Sony, the large negative number is in part due to:
Deterioration in the operating results of the camera module business
Deterioration in the operating results of the battery business
Increases in depreciation and amortization expenses as well as in research and development expenses
I’ve heard from a little birdie that Sony may have lost a major customer which could lend credence to the dramatic drop. Otherwise it’s hard to equate their reasonings and that number but for now, all we have is Sony’s vague statement on the matter. For those wondering what percentage of the company each division of Sony comprises, wonder no more with the chart below.
Way more details on each division from the Sony Q1 2016 earnings report after the jump.
It’s earnings time again and as a whole, things are going well for Sony as evident by the:
666.5% rise in pretax profit for its full fiscal year
This can be mainly attributed to the strong performance of PS4 and Sony’s ability to cut costs within its mobile division. All of this has led to:
income before taxes for the year ending March 31 came in at 304.5 billion yen ($2.81 billion), a big rise from the 39.7 billion yen recorded during the same period last year. Operating profit rose 329.2% to 294.2 billion yen, its largest figure since fiscal 2007
Looking at things more closely, mobile is still a business that’s struggling for Sony but losses did narrow to:
61.4 billion yen from 217.6 billion in fiscal 2015
Ultimately that operating loss of ¥61.4 billion ($544 million) was 57.4% bigger than the company predicted a year ago but that’s mainly due to Sony choosing profits over scale which has also led to a revenue dip of 20% compared to the year prior. Kazuo Hirai:
If it means that we’re selling less number of phones going out the door. We’re fine with that so long as we have a profitable business, and we’re really on our way to being profitable in that regard
Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight is more optimistic about Sony Mobile’s future. While what he has to say isn’t wrong; it’s up to Sony to be able to capitalize on future opportunities, especially now that they’re more lean than years past and the division hasn’t shown the same foresight as PlayStation to garner the benefit of the doubt. Ben Wood:
Sony Mobile has embarked on some aggressive cost reduction over the last 12 months. This has seen it exit markets such as China, India and the U.S. as well as reducing its headcount. Now the business unit has more stable financial position to build on as it looks to driving a return to growth
It’s no secret that gaming continues to become a more critical division of Sony and PlayStation did little to disappoint. Operating income for the Games division rose 84.3% to to ¥88.7 billion ($785 million) and an 11.8% improvement in sales. Both software and hardware sales for PS4 were up year-over-year which is helping offset the predictable decline of PS3 sales. PlayStation VR will also go on sale later this year but I’m doubtful first year sales will have a large impact on the bottom line as larger consumer interest in VR has yet to be determined and it’s unclear how profitable each VR headset is for Sony. However, if VR does take off, Sony is well positioned.
More after the jump.
Jim Fisher from PC Mag recently called the Sony a6300 a:
Strong, forward-thinking mirrorless camera
and named the camera their ‘Editors Choice.’ Engadget also chimed in, calling the camera in their review a:
small, sleek, fast and, most importantly, captures impressive photos and video. Paired with the right lenses, the A6300 has no trouble matching up with its more expensive Alpha relatives or even some mid-tier DSLRs.
One of the most impressive features of the a6300 is its 4D Focus. During their time with the E-mount camera, Edgar Alvarez from Engadget wrote:
Nevertheless, the prowess of the A6300 is helped by its 425 phase-detect points, compared to the 179 found on the A6000. That, combined with the 4D Focus, makes the A6300’s AF twice as fast as the A6000, according to Sony. And it shows. As someone who’s tested a handful of cameras over the past several months, Sony’s latest mirrorless shooter is definitely the fastest one I’ve tried.
Now it’s one thing to read about how autofocus works on the a6300 and it’s another thing to see it in action. A new video from Sony does just that and shows off how the camera’s focusing feature performs.
Sony’s autofocus (AF) system “4D FOCUS” is further enhanced with the α6300.
Thanks to the new “High-density Tracking AF Technology”, the α6300’s precise AF tracking allows focus to be maintained even on subjects that make fast, complex movements. This video shows AF performance test both in stills and movies.
Sony goes to compare the a6300 against a more expensive DSLR (which they don’t name) in a side-by-side comparison which I’m less concerned with, especially when they don’t name the competitor piece. However putting that side and just looking at the a6300 by itself in the video, you can’t help but be impressed. That video awaits you after the jump.
Today is the day of price drops. First Amazon lowered pre-order pricing of the Xperia X and Xperia XA line and now Sony has their own official price drop. Those interested in the mirrorless body only Sony a7 II can scoop one up for $1,498.
With Sony killing their retail and online stores, you’ll have to make the purchase from Amazon or B&H Photo with the latter of the two able to have the camera at your house by Friday for Prime users.
This is my first attempt at turning a time-lapse sequence into a little feature. I really love doing them and I hope you enjoy!
And for the equipment and gear, Jonathan used
the Sony A7Rii and the 24-70 f4. I used the Sony Time Lapse app in camera in custom mode to output raw files. I edited in Lightroom and LRTimelapse. Final edits were made in Final Cut Pro.
Perhaps most impressive about the time lapse is how fantastic the night scenes look. The blacks are pure black and the brights are simply gorgeous, thanks to the camera pulling in all available light. The video can be seen after the jump.
I didn’t even know this was a thing before now and I’m blown away by the quality of entries.
Now in its ninth year, the Sony World Photography Awards is the world’s largest photography competition, recognising and showcasing the best photographic talent across all levels, genres and areas of expertise from the past 12 months.
The winning images are taken from a record-breaking 230,103 images which were entered into the awards’ Professional, Open, Youth and National Award competitions from over 180 countries. The total number of entries received by the Sony World Photography Awards since its launch in 2007 has now surpassed 1 million images, reinforcing its position as one of the most respected and influential photography competitions in existence.
So who took top spot from the coveted awards?
The Honorary Judging Committee has selected Iranian photojournalist Asghar Khamseh as the recipient of the most coveted prize, the L’Iris d’Or Professional Photographer of the Year. Kei Nomiyama, Japan, wins Open Photographer of the Year.
More after the jump.
Rave reviews keep pouring in for the Sony a6300. Most recently, Engadget called the 4K capable camera a “step forward for mid-tier mirrorless cameras,” and now PC Mag is following up with similar sentiment. Here is Jim Fisher:
Sony waited more than four years between the release of its flagship APS-C Alpha NEX-7 and its replacement, the Alpha 6300. The new model doesn’t offer a boost in resolution, but it enhances the excellent autofocus system found in the midrange Alpha 6000 at Amazon and also adds a weather-sealed design, 4K video capture, and a crisper EVF. It’s our Editors’ Choice for premium mirrorless cameras, ousting the Samsung NX1 at Best Buy, a camera we no longer recommend buying
By now it’s quite clear that the a6300 takes beautiful photos but some lesser talked about features of the camera include Wi-Fi and apps.
Integrated Wi-Fi is a strong point of Sony’s camera system. The Alpha 6300 can pair with an Android device via NFC, or with an iOS device by connecting to its broadcast network. Once connected you can copy images and MP4 videos to your smart device, connect the camera directly to the Internet to download apps, or use your phone as a remote control. You can copy images shot in Raw—they’ll be converted to JPG for the transfer—but you can’t move XAVC S videos, so don’t have dreams about wirelessly beaming 4K video from camera to phone.
The Alpha 6300 ships with the Smart Remote app pre-installed. It’s a basic remote app that lets you view the feed from the camera, adjust EV compensation, and fire a photo, all from your smartphone’s display. I recommend connecting to the Sony PlayMemories store (via the Alpha 6300 and your home Wi-Fi connection) and updating the app. The update adds support for full manual exposure control, as well as the ability to tap your smartphone’s screen to select a focus point. It requires you to create an account, but the update is free.
Perhaps one of the most raved about features of the a6300 includes Sony’s new 4D Autofocus system.
The Alpha 6300 features the most advanced autofocus system that Sony has put in a mirrorless camera to date. There are 425 phase detect focus sensors that work in conjunction with 169 contrast detect areas. The focus area covers almost the entirety of the frame, a big plus for tracking moving subjects—there’s less chance that your subject will move out of the area of the image covered by the focus system.
Even though the 6300 is a little slow to turn on, requiring about 1.8 seconds to do so, the focus system is lighting fast—it can lock onto a stationary subject almost instantly. That comes into play when utilizing its fast frame rate—11.1fps—which tracks subjects as they move. The hit rate wasn’t perfect in our tests, but it was very good. The Alpha 6300 has a second high-speed mode, clocking in at a more modest 8.2fps.
After the jump, let’s talk about 4K video.
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