SONY OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES A7S II IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

The “camera that can see in the dark” now has a worthy successor. Sony has officially announced the availability of the new A7S mark II for the Southeast Asian region, with retail prices for all markets including Malaysia.

The original A7S was a technological marvel – indeed, the entire A7 series were quite a breakthrough – with Sony claiming the “S” in A7S name standing for “Sensitivity”. With a usable ISO range of 50 all the way to 409,600, the 12.2MP Exmor sensor is even more sensitive than the human eye.

With the new A7S mark II, Sony has refined the camera to be even better. This time around, Sony is introducing internal 4K recording, 120fps Full HD recording, faster autofocus and a similar built-in five-axis optical image stabilisation from the recently-announced A7 II for even better low-light performance, effectively making one of the most unusual cameras in recent times even more impressive.

Sony is also perfectly aware that the A7S was a favourite for videographers, and the A7S II’s new S-Log3 shooting mode is another nod in that direction. The 4K internal recording is also done without pixel binning, in full-frame format. In addition, video is recorded in XAVC format at up to 100Mbps. But to utilise this function, users will need to use at least a UHS Class 3 memory card. Autofocus has also been beefed up, with a new contrast-detection AF with 169 focus points offering faster and more seamless autofocus in video recording.

Besides that, Sony redesigned the magnesium-alloy body to offer a more natural grip, while adding new features like a silent shooting mode, reduced-vibration shutter movement, and a reinforced lens mount. There’s also a new electronic  OLED viewfinder with 0.78x magnification, and a vari-angle LCD screen at the back.

On top of that, users can also use the USB port to charge the camera even when it is being used, reducing chances of being stuck with a dead battery. When not in use, powering the USB port will charge the battery instead. As a Sony camera, WiFi and NFC are also built in, allowing users to connect their smartphones using the PlayMemories Mobile app for Android and iOS.

The new Sony A7S MkII will be available for pre-order in Malaysia, at a retail price of RM13,499 for the body only. There is a host of compatible E-mount lenses already for sale, while Sony is also offering a limited-time pre-order from 9-25 October bundling a 128GB memory card, Artisan strap and Think Tank case with every order at a Sony Store or the Sony Online Store.

For more information about the new α7S II, check out the official product page here.

Sony may consider options for smartphone business if no profit next year

Sony Corp's chief executive flagged next year as a make-or-break year for its struggling smartphones, saying it could consider other options for the business if it failed to turn profitable.



After years of losses, Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai has engineered a successful restructuring drive at Sony, with recent results showing improvement thanks to cost cuts, an exit from weak businesses such as PCs, as well as strong sales of image sensors and videogames. But its smartphone business has been slow to turn around.

"We will continue with the business as long as we are on track with the scenario of breaking even next year onwards," Hirai told a group of reporters on Wednesday. "Otherwise, we haven't eliminated the consideration of alternative options."

Sony and other Japanese electronics makers have struggled to compete with cheaper Asian rivals as well as the likes of Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics.

Sony phones including its Xperia-branded smartphones held only 17.5 percent of the market in Japan and less than 1 percent in the North America, according to company data last year.

The electronics giant in July lowered its forecast for its mobile communications unit to an operating loss of 60 billion yen in the current fiscal year from an earlier estimate of a 39 billion yen loss.

"I do have a feeling that a turnaround in our electronics business has shown progress. The result of three years of restructuring are starting to show," he said. "But we still need to carry out restructuring in smartphones."

Sony spokesman Yoshinori Hashitani later said the company was still on track to turn the mobile business profitable in the next fiscal year through cost cuts.

"Restructuring of the mobile business is progressing as planned, and we are aiming to turn profitable in the next fiscal year. As of now, we have no plans to withdraw from the mobile business," he told Reuters.