Sony unexpectedly made headlines this week when they launched a new top-of-the-range APS-C camera and what looks to be their most ambitious full-frame lenses yet. Sony’s new flagship APS-C mirrorless camera, the a6300, boasts a new 24.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor with an ISO range of 100 to 51,200.

According to Sony, “the new image sensor employs copper wiring in its structure, which improves light collection efficiency and significantly accelerates readout speed.”

The new 4D focusing system that needs as little as 0.05s to lock in and has 425 (!) phase detection AF points, the highest of any interchangeable lens camera. This keeps the subject in focus even when the camera is shooting 11fps with continuous autofocus.

The a6300 is the first Sony APS-C camera that can capture full pixel readout Ultra-HD 4K video. “When shooting in 4K, the camera uses full pixel readout,” Sony says, “without pixel binning to collect 20 megapixels of information – approximately 2.4×5 (6K equivalent) as many pixels as 4K UHD and then oversamples the information to produce high quality footage with exceptional detail and depth.”

The EVF is a XGA OLED Tru-Finder with 2.4m dots and a 120fps framerate. It’s becoming more and more obvious that electronic viewfinders are quickly catching up if not surpassing their optical counterparts. There’s a tilt LCD on the back as well.

Rounding out the package, we have dust and moisture resistance, a mic input and Wi-Fi/NFC. We expect the a6300 to be here sometime in March with a MSRP of $1349.99 for the body and $1499.99 with a 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens.

Sony also launched a new line of lenses they’ve decided to call G Master and they’re supposed to be at the top of the pyramid.

“The new G Master brand represents the finest and most impressive group of lenses that Sony has ever brought to market,” said Todd Toyoda, Director of Digital Imaging at Sony Canada.

FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Standard Zoom Lens

There are three lenses in the new line. The FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM standard zoom lens features some of the most advanced lens technologies on the market today, intended for photographers looking for the highest optical performance for portraits, travel and event photography. The focal length is one of the most popular for anyone looking for a versatile zoom lens. ED and Super ED glass keep chromatic aberrations to a minimum and smoothes out bokeh along with a 9-bladed circular aperture.

The lens’ Super Sonic wave Motor works to keep the lens quiet while focusing quickly and accurately and dust/moisture resistance means you don’t have to worry about it outside in the Vancouver rain.

FE 85mm F1.4 GM Telephoto Prime Lens

This one is designed as the “ultimate portrait lens”. The FE 85mm F1.4 GM emphasizes resolution and bokeh while remaining compact. Inside is a new XA (extreme aspherical) element as well as three ED elements to ensure that what’s in focus is captured with the highest resolution while the background dissolves smoothly. The lens is also dust/moisture resistant and the aperture ring can be “de-clicked” on/off in case you want smooth turns when shooting video.

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Telephoto Zoom

The popular 70-200mm range is now covered by the new FE 70-200 F2.8 GM OSS zoom, which is also at peak sharpness and clarity thanks to the same XA, Super ED and ED glass elements featured in the other two lenses.

A “floating focusing system” means that the lens’ minimum focusing distance is a short 0.96m and, along with SSM motors, the autofocus is optimized for both photos and video. Other features include Optical SteadyShot (OSS) stabilization and a rotation tripod collar.

Sony also announced 1.4x and 2x teleconverters in case you need a little more reach.

The 24-70mm F2.8 and 85mm F1.4 G-Master lenses will be here some time in March with MSRPs of $2,899.99 and $2,399.99 respectively. The 70-200mm F2.8 and teleconverters arrive in May but we don’t have any pricing information available at this time.

For more information, see the bccamera.com product pages below:

Sony a6300 Body Only: Link
Sony a6300 with 16-50mm F3.5-5.6: Link

FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM: Link
FE 85mm F1.4 GM: Link
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS: Link