Where is the new stuff?

[David Watson]

For many years I have relied on LuLa to give me the first glimpse of the latest technology and with an intelligent insight into its usability.  I have taken its advice and bought cameras, lenses and printers based on Michael's perceptive comments and never been let down.

Well I feel a little let down now but it may just be because it is all about to happen.  I have a Sony A7R Mk2 on order and two Zeiss Batis lenses on order having switched from Nikon (like Michael) to the A7 series.  These three products are IMO game changers.  Having owned an Otus and owning some other Zeiss lenses and having seen the quality available from the Sony sensors I cannot help feeling that Sony is on the brink of a dramatic change in its fortunes in the high end DSLR/CSC market.  Lloyd Chambers has already reviewed the Batis lenses with very positive results.  Where is LuLa in this dialogue with potential users?  Where is the review of the A7R Mk 2?  Am I going to get my pre-ordered body before reading a review on LuLa?

 

[Kevin Raber]

Well, you need to have a bit of patience.  We don't review anything until it is a final product.  Michael and I will have some of the first production units of the new Sony A7rII.  As of now we are under NDA's on some things.  So, in the meantime we are prepping a number of articles about getting ready for the A7rII.  Within the next few days you'll see a very detailed report on the new Sony 90mm Macro lens.  We will follow that up with a review of the 35mm 1.4 lens.  We also have Batis lenses on order but they should be tested on the A7rII which we plan to do when we have the camera.  All of us that have seen the A7rII are impressed with it but no one except for a few leaked sources has RAW files from it. We are also going to have ready as close to launch a complete video tutorial on the Sony A7 line up.  Michael already commented on a Rantatorial - Sony Kicks Butt.  When we have our A7rII's you'll know about it.  We believe at least by reading the specs that this will be a breakthrough camera.  In the meantime we just received the RX100 IV and we are starting to use it and will have a report on it too when we have put it through its paces.  In regards to other reports we were one of the first to publish test reports on the Epson P600 and P800.  We were the first with the Phase One XF camera with a follow up report coming soon. 

We are not always the first out of the gate with a review.  Plenty of sites do that.  We do hands on and real world testing and use of what we receive.  That's about all I can say on things now.  When the time is right you'll see a lot more.

Hang in there.

Kevin Raber
 

[David Watson]

Thanks Kevin and i do appreciate that some stuff is WIP.  However the Batis lenses have been circulating for review for a while now and I was surprised that Michael wasn't one of the first to look at them.  The A7rMk2 will ship worldwide in a couple of weeks so again it would have been helpful to have yours and Michaels insights before committing.  It is however not a perfect world and you guys are doing good work so keep it up.

[Kevin Raber]

Thanks David,  We can't test and review things if we don't receive them.  Not sure if you know this but just about everything we write about we buy.  Very seldom do we get advance units or review units.  We asked Zeiss about getting lenses for review and were told we are on the list.  In the mean time we ordered our own.  As far as the A7rII goes it is hard to give insight on something we haven't used.  For us that means getting it out in the real world and shooting with it under the conditions that we would normally shoot.  We look for handling, dynamic range and of course image quality, as well a ton of other things.  Many companies Sony included do not want the press to be showing or speaking about anything until they have the final firmware in their cameras and know the units are production units.  Remember too it's just Michael, Chris and myself and we are really busy on a  number of projects.  Hang in there and when we have the camera and lenses we will report on them.

Kevin Raber

[Jeff Griffin]

Well, when you do get the new A7R II you will be able to process the RAW files as Capture One Pro already has ( preliminary ) support for it  

[Schewe]

Well I feel a little let down now but it may just be because it is all about to happen.

Ok, I would demand my money back...oh, wait you've not paid any money?

Hum...that brings up a different question...what exactly do you expect for free?

You'll get what you get when Mike & Kev decide to give it...kinda like looking a gift horse in the mouth otherwise...

Gotta say, your post is most ungracious...IMHO (and it could just be me) But I suspect others will feel your post is, uh, just a bit premature...

[Krug]

Watson ungracious ? Merely a little surprised and disappointed, I would have thought.

Shewe just a touch over-defensive, perhaps.

Questioning within "the family" is a strength - not disloyalty.

[Schewe]

Shewe just a touch over-defensive, perhaps.

Perhaps...but the name is spelled SCHEWE...take note of that...otherwise I will simply consider you ignorant.

[wtlloyd]

Today's secret word is....irascible. 

[amolitor]

Lula runs on views. No need to be a jerk, but if someone wants to take the time to give a personal take on declining page views, the staff might usefully take some notes.

We're not customers, we're product. But we're product that can and does comment on or own quality. Cool, huh?

[RobbieV]

I read it as a comparison to how often Michael used to review cameras/lenses/printers/papers compared to today. I also didn't feel any negativity coming from the OP's topic. Just a comment.

I'll continue to patiently await the content.

[Paulo Bizarro]

I read it as a comparison to how often Michael used to review cameras/lenses/printers/papers compared to today. I also didn't feel any negativity coming from the OP's topic. Just a comment.

I'll continue to patiently await the content.

That is all very well, but to ask for a review of products that are not yet released, or readily available, is premature?

[David Watson]

That is all very well, but to ask for a review of products that are not yet released, or readily available, is premature?

Well first of all I would just like to say (for Schewe's benefit mainly) that I am not in any way criticising LuLa.  I was just commenting, as others have done that we have become accustomed to Michael getting the inside track on new cameras and lenses often before they were launched.  Just seems that doesn't happen so much now and I have noticed that some other sites have had access to, in particular, the Batis lenses for some time.

The A7rMk2 is shipping before the end of July in the UK and some sites are expecting mid-July for delivery of the Batis lenses to start.

Schewe - just saying - don't take offence please.

[stamper]

Kevin has made his point so why don't the "excitable" members accept it and move on or if they don't accept it move on permanently? Can't review what they don't have was plainly stated.

[Kevin Raber]

Like I said  . . . Just Saying

We are on the list for Batis lenses (just checked again yesterday)  If other sites are getting them then most likely they are not US sites or they are seeing them at press events.  We don't do that.  we wait until production lenses and cameras are available and we an inside track with Zeiss and Sony so when we can report something we will.

Manufacturers these days are hesitant to give press units before they are complete for a variety of reasons.  One too many times certain sites and press have leaked product announcements and or did reviews prior to embargo times set by manufacturers.  Two, it is important that the press and such work with final products and not ones with beta firmware etc.. That always leads to problems otherwise.  Plus as I have said before we work with the products hands on and in the field before we make any report.  If you want to see test reports there are plenty of sites to go to for that.  If you want to know what it is like to work with a product then we will do our best to share our experiences.  

Nothing has changed at Luminous-Landscape regarding this as it has been our way of doing things for years.  I can tell you we have a lot we are working on and in due time it will be ready for our readers to see.

Just Saying
Kevin Raber

[David Watson]

Like I said  . . . Just Saying

We are on the list for Batis lenses (just checked again yesterday)  If other sites are getting them then most likely they are not US sites or they are seeing them at press events.  We don't do that.  we wait until production lenses and cameras are available and we an inside track with Zeiss and Sony so when we can report something we will.

Manufacturers these days are hesitant to give press units before they are complete for a variety of reasons.  One too many times certain sites and press have leaked product announcements and or did reviews prior to embargo times set by manufacturers.  Two, it is important that the press and such work with final products and not ones with beta firmware etc.. That always leads to problems otherwise.  Plus as I have said before we work with the products hands on and in the field before we make any report.  If you want to see test reports there are plenty of sites to go to for that.  If you want to know what it is like to work with a product then we will do our best to share our experiences.  

Nothing has changed at Luminous-Landscape regarding this as it has been our way of doing things for years.  I can tell you we have a lot we are working on and in due time it will be ready for our readers to see.

Just Saying
Kevin Raber

Thanks again Kevin - I was just trying to placate the irredeemably irascible Schewe!

Best wishes to you and look forward to more of the good stuff.  Shall I lock the topic now?

[michael]

If you look around the web you'll see that NO ONE has a real test of a Sony A7RII. NO ONE.

A few people did first impressions write-ups based on a press event in NYC, but no images were allowed to be saved, and the firmware was very early generation.

I spoke to Sony quite recently and was told that even though the camera will ship in a few weeks, NO ONE has been given production quality review samples yet.

The operative word is YET. :-)

Michael

[David Watson]

Thank you Kevin

Ask and you shall receive.

Just the sort of useful information we need to see on this site and when I have received my A7Rmk2 and Batis lenses the 90mm Macro (just reviewed by Kevin) is next on my list.

And may I just say (at the risk of upsetting Schewe yet again) that we need more of this good stuff.

Thank you again Kevin - three cheers for LuLa