Intro

Unfortunately I only got to spend 1 day at photograph this year but what a day…. I had several stands on my visit list and managed to get to them all and pick up a few cool toys for the studio at the same time.

Sony and Hasselbald

The big news this year would have to be the Hasselbald Luna. The prototypes that we got to play with are based on the Sony NEX 7, but with custom hand made body. It sits very nicely in the hand (even with my big sausage fingers). It will be custom hand made to order in a variety of finished but at approximately 5000€ its not in my price  category.

Another amazing camera also caught my attention the new Sony RX1 this monster my change the future of photography.  Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to touch it but if they ever make a version with interchangeable lens and a viewfinder it would give the Leica a real run for its money.

I also spent a long time playing with the Sony Alpha 99 and NEX6. They were the main reason I went to Photokina and will blog both separately soon.

NEX Lenses

One of the major highlights that year (not just new at Photokina) is the fact that lots of new lenses for the NEX (Sony E-Mount) were announced. I got to use several of them

• Sony 16-50 3.5-5.6 OSS pancake zoom
• Sony 50mm 1.8
• Sigma 30mm 2.8 EX DN
• Sigma 19mm 2.8 EX DN
• Samyang 8mm 2.8 UMC Fish-eye

The Sigma lenses were fast and sharp but the 3 lenses I enjoyed the most were the  Sony 16-50 3.5-5.6 and the Samyang 8mm 2.8. The  Sony 16-50 is exactly what the NEX range needs a very compact standard zoom that focuses fast. The Samyang 8mm  is a fun manual focus Fish-eye  lens.

Samyang 8mm

Sony 16-50 @16mm

Sony 16-50 @50mm

Roland with the 16-50mm Pancake zoom on the NEX 6