Low price FullFrame price battle reloaded (Canon 6D announced).
So, here we are with now two cheap Full Frame models from the competition that need to be fought with a future A95 model! Today Canon announced the new 6D (Specs and price here). Along the Nikon D600 (specs and price here) this is the second entry level FF camera priced at $2100. This is just to say that Sony may not only have to bring a High pixel camera like the D800, but maybe also a new entry level FF. At least according to SAR readers vote this should be done by Sony:
Loading ...I am 90% sure we will have a High End model with High Resolution (30+ Mega-pixel) sensor in 2013. I am not so sure about the cheap FF entry level model. Hope sources are reading this and may send me some info about it.
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A99 body Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Wex UK, Wex Germany, Sonystore DE-UK-FR-IT-ES-NL-SE-FI-CH and more links at Alphacameradeals.
Aalpha100
9 months ago |Looks promising: weight is going down everywhere
as well as prices.
First Comment
9 months ago |Cheap FF is where its at! I want to upgrade my A850 but only for another cheap FF
Frank
9 months ago |The irony of your name amused me.
A88
9 months ago |I think it would be a88 or 85 no? But yeah I think they need to bring something out for the entry level FF market! I’m loving A99 image tests so far! Looks incredible!
Robin Edgar
9 months ago |“I think it would be a88 or 85 no?”
Maybe Sony should attach fins to it and call it the “Rocket 88″. . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbfnh1oVTk0
aaron
9 months ago |I’m not so sure. All reviews I have read so far have mentioned problems after iso 1600. I am concerned about image quality.
Girg
9 months ago |What exactly is “low price” at 2100$?
Sky_walker
9 months ago |lower then ~3000$+ for alternative models
But yea – there isn’t anything I’d call “cheap full frame” nor likely: will be in next 5 years +.
See how long it took to get released sub 2k$ MSRP camera? As for today we don’t have ANY besides besides A850 that made it down below this magical border.
travelshots
9 months ago |Sony doesn’t need to develop a low spec model. Selling A99 cheaper would be enough
Dan
9 months ago |Agreed if Sony really want to dominate the Pro DSLR market they should lower their prices for the first few generations to establish a large community. They could then up the price when they become an industry standard like CaNikon.
Dirk
9 months ago |Guys, your self-interested ideas of giving-away high end equipment is tiring.
The A99 will for sure sell good. There is no need of decreasing its price.
It would only hit the market on a short period when pricing it below its value.
And it will certainly not be their strategy.
If the A99 is to expensive in your mind, then wait for another model.
The A99 is a self-proclaimed competitor of the D800 and the 5D3.
berrty
9 months ago |I doubt if the A99 will sell well in Europe/UK purely down to Sony trying to be greedy and ripping of their potential customers. In the US it is priced at $2800. EU/UK is priced at the equivalent of $4000. Even taking the different taxes etc into account this is still a markup of $650.
As for taking on the D800 and 5d III then it pretty much price matches the canon but is over £300 (~$500) more than the D800.
If you were looking for a full frame DSLR and had the choice of Nikon, Canon or Sony would you not go for the better known (in photography circles) and supported brands in preference to a relative newcomer ?
I had intended to order the A99 (to replace my aging A900) when it was announced but the specs and pricing mean it is just not worth it for me. I’m sure it will be a great camera for videographers but for still photography it has too little benefits for the price over my current equipment.
Sky_walker
9 months ago |On what world you live? It’s always been like that. With each company. And Europe always been one of the markets where Sony products sold best of all (especially in central and eastern Europe).
travelshots
9 months ago |Offering just an EVF fullframe camera Sony will loose a significant amount of loyal A900/850 user (in fact I noticed lots of them already changing the system). So how can Sony fill this gap or even get new customers from other brands?
There will certainly be some delighted videographers who will buy buy the A99 and make their first step into the Sony system. But why should for example any Nikon or Canon photographers (I am talking about photography, not video) buy an A99 instead of a 5D Mark III or D800 for about the same price? Would you do that when you are already invested in a system?
A99 truly has some very nice features and image quality seems to be excellet too, but you can say the same about D800 and 5DIII (though IQ of A99 might be a little better than 5DIII). But to win customers from other brands, you have to offer more than equal. The SLT was introduced to be cheaper and faster than the DSLR competition. It is neither. 6 fps is offered by 5DIII too but with a deeper buffer and you can shoot JPG at full resolution until the card is full. Continous shooting with Canikon will not suffer from slide show effect.
So if A99 is on the same level of performance, quality and price, it will not find many buyers from other brands. Lowering the price might enhance the situation a little (especially for first time DSLR system buyers) and probably stop some of the Minolta / Sony shooters from running away to other systems.
A850 and A900 may have shown that price is not all, but they faced competition by 5D Mk II at the same price level but with video, live view and better high ISO performance. With A99 the situation is different . It has a full feature set and also some excellent unique features like the focus range button and its image quality is competitive. Besides of the EVF (whis has admittedly adavantages too) it could attract more pepope from other systems than A850/900 could, if it comes for a cheaper price. We won’t see the big run (that would have required superior performance and being cheap at the same time, which both is not reality) but may raise the numer of units sold.
Sky_walker
9 months ago |“Offering just an EVF fullframe camera Sony will loose a significant amount of loyal A900/850 user” – Sony already lost significant amount of APS-C users thanks to EVF. I don’t think they are bothered. Especially when A77 came out to be one of their best-selling cameras since a long while.
Dirk
9 months ago |That’s exactly the point – how to get someone from one brand to the other?
You won’t do it single-handed by pricing down your equipment. Be sure I know what I’m talking about.
Just an example: My A-mount lens set has a buy-new value of ~9k€, ebay selling would be ~6k€. If I’d consider brand changing, they could offer me the camera body for free and I’d loose money. So without a tangible advantage I’d never think about a second of changing brand. And so are doing pro’s using C or N (and thy’ve for sure more equipment with more value than I do…)
It is only possible by offering premium services and premium accessories in time with your equipment. And you need to be recognized as such you want it to be.
Just a few ideas (thrown out without further thinking…)
- Offering extended warranty
- Open service points in frequented areas/towns
- Offer special pro services e.g. onsite repair service
- Special discounts for brand changers (scaled by total value)
- Design a Sony studio kit with special funcionalities
- Design a Sony professional tripod
- etc.
Would you agree – at leaast in part?
BR
Dirk
John
9 months ago |I though one of the Benefits to Sony on the SLT design was that it is also cheaper to manufacture (with no moving mirror). Why is it that Sony keep pricing them self higher than the established brands in the market? would it not be better to price slightly under and start to capture the market? Don’t get me wrong I think the new A99 is ok (just a bigger A77 really nothing revolutionary I don’t think). I would buy one but in Australia I can see the price being far too expensive.. I’m going to stick with my A77 for now and see what happens in the market as I can’t justify the price tag at the moment…
Pablo
9 months ago |SONY is sooooo goood at technology and soooooo baaaaad at marketing like nobody else :>
They had all they needed to totally dominate the market, but no… They let Nikon get all the money with their sensor in the D800. Then they announced the expensive A99 that will get only a fragment of the D600 and 6D sales…
Stupid SONY… And eventhough, they could smash all competition with a FF NEX, they are probably waiting, until somebody else makes a FF EVIL and then even I will gladly leave this antagonistic company…
doraemonboi
9 months ago |Well D600>A99>6D
emopunk
9 months ago |Noway D600 is better than A99, dude.
travelshots
9 months ago |It is cheaper, but except the optical viewfinder I don’t see any point where D600 is better (well, maybe a slightly wider AF field).
Frank
9 months ago |I count the OVF as a negative and would never go back to such an archaic design.
travelshots
9 months ago |Just to add: Already if you compare the specs of D600 and A99, you will see that A99 is better. Here is a list of some of the advantages of A99 over D600:
- PD-AF sensors on the image sensor (102)
- Af range limiter on camera
- Speed up to 10 fps (with some limitations)
- 1/8000 shutter speed (1/4000 at D600)
- Shutter life 200,000 exposures (150,000 at D600)
- Electronic first shutter curtain
- No mirror shake
- Panoramamode
- Multiframe noise reduction
- Face recognition combined with fast phase AF
- Higher flash sync speed (1/250 compared to 1/200)
- Full frame viewfinder when using APS-C lenses
- Squivel and tilt display
- Bright white magic display
- Better live view
- Silent control dial on the front side with lots of cofiguration options
- More direct access to camera features and better button layout
- In built stabiliser for all lenses
- GPS
- Double memory card slot with various functions
- Complete Magnesia housing (D600 front is plastic)
- A-Mount (advantage for Sony and Minolta shooters)
Vlad3D
9 months ago |+AF in video
billnill
9 months ago |Wasn’t the msrp price for a850 still cheaper than these “low price” full frames?
Dirk
9 months ago |Andrea, from a marketing point of view they will have no other choice than to bring an entry FF. And I would bet they call it A88 not A95.
In the long term the mirrorless’es will displace the APSC DSLRs. So the ambitious amateurs not will to invest ~3k need a choice.
ANd as Sony has the decade-goal to become at least on par with the two big ones in sales point of view they need to come with equal line-up’s.
Sean
9 months ago |I’d love to consider the A99, but the D600 is just spec’d well enough for me. The Canon falls too short for what I want, so it’s out; though, I do like to add GPS data to my photos . . . but manually works now and I can continue doing that. I just wish the A99 was priced more competitively to the D600. Then again, I am sure if I did video then the A99 would seem better priced. Sigh.
obican
9 months ago |What if Sony repeats itself and puts out a very high resolution camera with very refined and limited specs, like A850, under 2000$.
-36MP FF sensor
-Video like mid-price DSLTs (A57 or so), 1080p but nothing extra special
-EVF
-No PDAF on the chip
-Similar body to A99
Mno
9 months ago |I Am dithering over the relatively expensive a99 (I have no need for high end video feature and many of my lenses are Sigma/Tamron so unlikely to be ever supported by PDOS/AF-D) so I’d buy a 36 or 24mp full frame cheaper SLT in a heartbeat, especially if the ‘normal’ AF points were covering a little bit more of the frame and focus micro adjust. Even just a FF sensor in the a77 body would be fine by me, even without all the new a99 firmware features such as AF-Range and autoiso in M mode.
Please Sony?
Aalpha100
9 months ago |This PDOS/AF-D thing is painful it seems. I do not understand why it supports only 6 lenses.
Must be different from the hybrid AF from Canon 650 D that is reported to work with all lenses. Have to read up on this tech stuff I guess..
Anyway Sony shooters with older lenses now have less reason to stay with the brand: if you have to buy new lenses you can look at all options. If you use the old lenses you don’t use the body as you could, that keeps sucking. So for me this is a strange move from Sony.
Zedrick
9 months ago |ALL lenses work with the AF and sensor. It’s just when you want to make use of the extra functionality that only the latest ones will comply. This is exactly the same situation with Canon’s new technology. So please get a grip.
travelshots
9 months ago |As far as I know, only 2 Canon lenses are fully supported by the hybrid AF (which seems to be slow also). Sony has already published a list of lenses that will be added next spring to the list of those that are supported by AF-D. Give them a little time! Remember all other lenses are supported by the 19 Point AF system, which will be already an advantage over A900.
Aalpha100
9 months ago |Thanks for the good news, do you have a link to that list?
Spoon
9 months ago |@ Aalpha100:
- Planar T * 85mm F1.4 ZA
- Sonnar T * 135mm F1.8 ZA
- 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM
- 70-200mm F2.8 G
- 100mm F2.8 Macro
- 300mm F2.8 G SSM
And I would think that the newly announced 50mm F1.4 ZA SSM that is to be released around that time, will be supported too.
Aalpha100
9 months ago |@Spoon
Thank you!
Good news indeed!
Maxwell
9 months ago |Only if it is a NEX FF and the price is some under $2000
DSLR size is to big for me. I am just a hobby shooter so want small size.
Sky_walker
9 months ago |With RX1 on a horizon I think that NEX-FF got quite a big chance to be more expensive than A99. So I wouldn’t get too excited. Sony asks for money each time they make something smaller.
Maxwell
9 months ago |SX1 for $2800 is cheap if you only need FF and a 35mm f/2.0 Zeiss lens.
Canon 6D or Nikon D600 + Zeiss 35mm f/2.0
= $2100 + $1000 so totalt over $3000.
GunnarK
9 months ago |You mean RX1 of course.
.
Rokkor lover
9 months ago |Canon 5d mark 2 1800 usd in Asia…I doubt 5d mark 2 users are going to be tempted to buy a 6d …
Hey Sony, seems you’ve done a great job with the A99, would you mind to produce a new firmware for the A77 so that owners like me don’t get pissed and tempted to switch to Canon?
Jack Le Boul
9 months ago |Actually the specs on the Canon were not that impressive.
Even DP was not to excited about the camera.
“There’s no on-chip phase-detection to aid autofocus in live view or movie mode, nor does Canon’s superb touchscreen interface make an appearance. As usual at this level the screen itself is fixed, rather than articulated as with the 60D the camera is modeled on”
Add only 11 AF points, 4.5 FPS, Single SD card slot and 97% viewfinder coverage.
Alexander Rutz
9 months ago |What I’d buy straight away would be a 16MP FF NEX. Let’s call it the NEX 8
Wayne Summers
8 months ago |Now that would be amazing and should be under or just about 2 thousand considering the rx1 only cost almost 3 thousand because of the fixed lens.I would love a full frame nex body then I could just use the adapter for A-mount since I already have 2 cz lens and plan to get 2 more.
Rick
9 months ago |We’re talking two different target customers with the 6d/D600, Canon is looking at T3/T4/60d APS-c upgraders while Nikon is doing the same for d3100/5100 and so on – or buyers looking at high end APS-c cameras, buy one less lens and you can get a FF camera over a 7d, A77, etc…
The A99 is a pro camera, with a feature set that obliterates the 6d/d600. The $700 price difference is justified, you’re getting a LOT more camera for the money. IMHO the 6d/d600 doesn’t offer anything over the best APS-c cameras, just one stop better DOF and no crop factor – and for that you’ll pay dearly. For example – the $1500 price difference between the A57 and the $1000+ between the A77 would be better spent on faster lenses IMHO.
I’m waiting for full tests before placing my order – but the A99 is the #1 camera on my list. Stripped down FF cameras are not even an option. I can’t imagine that the difference between $2100 and $2800 is an impossible gap to overcome for most buyers.
Whining about its price before its evan available isn’t going to change anything. The price isn’t going to drop until all the pre-orders are filled and the 36mp version is announced.
Yong
9 months ago |Why A99 only got 6fps ? would be nice if A99 beats D800 @ 10fps….
Any news on the buffer size ?
Vlad3D
9 months ago |Yes, 6 fps is strange.
It can do 10 fps but only in cropped mode.
I though with bigger sensor size it should be simpler to get fast readout. Or maybe problem is in shutter? In cropped mode mechanical shutter should make less movement?
Rick
9 months ago |The d800 only does 6fps at full resolution with the grip, otherwise its 4fps FX or 6pfs in DX crop mode.
Ncguy
9 months ago |24mp 14bit RAW files are big files. That’s why it’s 6 fps.
I just don’t understand why the buffer is so small. Especially jpeg.
Vlad3D
9 months ago |A77 12 bit RAW should be only 16 % smaller, but it works twice faster – 12 fps
MdB
9 months ago |As has been said before, the 10/12 fps modes on other SLTs have fixed AF on the first frame, this, while ‘less fps’ will be much more usable frames with full time AF @ 6fps.
Yong
9 months ago |not really complaining the 6fps… just a bit disappointed.
But if the buffer is “unlimited” … then I will be still happy even with 6fps…. *its just me*.
Portmixus
9 months ago |What SLTs are you talking about? I think you are mixing things up…The strong part of the SLT is that de AF is always active, no matter what fps-mode. They are limited with aperture and exposure but not with AF!
I think you mean cameras such as the A550, … or nex cameras
cyrus
9 months ago |The A99 in my opinion is aimed to compete with D800 and 5DMIII
The price is somehow lower… But not that much…
In my opinion, Rapidly the A99 price will reduce to 2500 in stores… and perhaps we should see the price reducing to 2200-2300 in few months…
The main problem is that the A99 is behind the D800 and 5D… At least this is the feeling I have…
And until the IQ and especially the new AF show better results than the competition… It will be hard to the A99 to fight when it is positioned between two competition models (D600-D800 and 6D-5D)
But my questions are the following:
1. The 2013 36Mpx should then compete with which models?
1D and D4 ??? It seems hard… Especially if we do not see a huge improvements in AF system from Sony… And especially a clear strategic positioning to pro market.
2. The A8X if should exist will be similar 24Mpx A99 with reduced features I guess…
Which features then should be removed ?
For me It is very hard to imagine an A8X at 1000$ lower in price than A99.
3. What happens to the A1S square sensor AF rumor?
Is it the next 2013 model with 36Mpx?
Stef.
9 months ago |I looked at Paul Genge’s (former Sony UK) website and he talks about the A99 as the flagship camera.
If that would be the case than it would be in direct competition to the D4 and D1X. What does not fit though is the fps, the buffer and the amount of non sensor AF points.
Would really would interest me is what is then the rumored 36 mp camera? Competition to the D800 and 5DMKIII?
@Andrea: do we know anything else about this rumored camera? Is it supposed to be the “flagship” camera or is the A99 now Sony’s top end model? (I want to know because I guess the flagship will be the most expensive camera and following from this one could speculate about the price of the 36 mp camera)
Stef.
Spoon
9 months ago |Everything is relative, as is the term flagship. Up until now, the K-5 was the Pentax flagship, but that doesn’t put it in D3S, D4 or 1DX class.
Same for a Panasonic GH2, OM-D E-M5, etc.
obican
9 months ago |Btw, how is this a low-price-full-frame-battle? Canon’s own 5dm2 was higher specced than this 6D and was selling for 2200$ just a few months ago.
Just checked, it’s actually 1900$.
waiting...
9 months ago |Wow.. Sony entry level FF camera A95 is coming. Price only $2100.
Sky_walker
9 months ago |1999 would be absolute maximum IMHO.
Gabriel
9 months ago |FF Nex come with an incredible 28-80 f3.5-5.6 kit lense or double kit with 70-210 4.5-6.3 pump zoom. And an 400$ A-Mount adapter
In the meantime, you have 4 new FF nex body, one every 6 month. Looking to the recent Sony history, that’s sound realistic 
one year later with a 2000$ Zeiss 35mm 1.8, and again one year later with a 24-75 PowerZoom
MdB
9 months ago |In body IS is worth the price difference alone to me. $700 worth of IS lenses isn’t going to get you very far…
Seeky
9 months ago |That makes sense. I don’t really understand why people are bothering about the price this much. It has been shown multiple times that the price of the A99 is very good compared to the more expensive Canon/Nikon competitors, and that the $/€ 700 higher price compared to the lower end models 6D/D600 is also justified.
pin
9 months ago |a99 is just the entry level FF camera with TLM and EVF.
Now TLM system and EVF are not for high amateur.
pancanikonpus
9 months ago |So far cheap FF which is have been long discussed and speculated to seen in 2012 have just gone after Canon annoucenment of 6D price at $2099 while nikon D600 annuced at $2199. The dream and once upon a rumor call out price at $1600 have burst.
Anyway, seem there will be no any manufacturer consider cheap FF for below $2000. I think they have set the standard on FF prices. Since that is the way, let count on the day when there is ‘desperate one’ to do this
Atlasman
9 months ago |The beginning of the end for APS-C?
another random passer by
9 months ago |Or, the beginning of the end for A-mount.
Steve
9 months ago |For Cyrus
+1
Excellent post, I wish that I could write it as clearly and as succinctly, but every time I try I get pounded by fanboys.
spaceman
9 months ago |The A99 is the ultimate video DSLR/T and has the potential to be more than a match for both 5DIII or D800.
The only strange thing is that Sony did not deliver a higher burst rate (6fps). The shutter mechanism could be the limithing factor here as the FF shutter is different to the A77 (which does 12fps). There must be a reason why the A99 only does 6fps and 10fps in some cropped resolution, or is that far fetched?
I mean it is only FF cameras costing between $6-7000 which has higher burst rate, for that premium you can make shutter mechanism out of the most exotic materials I guess
…
9000AF
9 months ago |It can’t be the shutter mechanism, 10fps crop are possible. It’s processing power and maybe to a certain degree buffer size and speed. Looks like the A77 hardware, 14 bit processing slowing it down vs. 12 bit as mentioned before.
spaceman
9 months ago |True, but perhaps the shutter is programmed to ‘flick’ in two modes, one convering the whole FF sensor, the other only covering the cropped area (which would still make the shutter travel longer than on an APS-C sensor). That would explain the burst being 10fps in crop mode and not 12fps.
I know it is a wild guess, but when it comes to processing power they must be able to process 24mpix images even though the colour depth (?) is larger. They’ve had one additional year since the A77 came out to tweak the software to be faster and the processor too. Even the AF system seem vastly more advanced than A77.
I don’t know just guessing
Sky_walker
9 months ago |Yep. +1 spaceman.
TM
9 months ago |Andrea, it’s the third time I’m trying to post a comment, always get an (database) error message.
Steve
9 months ago |Andrea writes:
“I am 90% sure we will have a High End model with High Resolution (30+ Mega-pixel) sensor in 2013″
For months I’ve been living under the assumption that sometime in 2013 Sony was going to release a 30-36 MP camera and this camera was to be the Sony’s Nikon D4 or Sony’s Canon 1D or something like, but this morning I’m again reminded that SAR is a rumor site, so when Andrea posts the he’s 90% sure that Sony is going to release this camera in 2013 I’m kicked back into reality.
90% that the 36MP full-frame rumor is true?
I know that likely none of us know Sony’s plans for its flagship camera and maybe the a99 is it and is going to be it for some time.
With this now understood, maybe the a99 IS my next full-frame after all.
another random passer by
9 months ago |Well, Sony did release 3 FF cameras. So, yes, the A99 could be it. The ‘hybrid’ rumor could be the RX1 (admin?).
Although it’s absurd for Sony to sell a fantastic 36MP sensor to Nikon while not offering a camera with their version of it. Maybe Nikon have a 1 year exclusivity contract with Sony?
We still have to see how A99′s AF and sensor perform. Sony might shake things up further if the A99 proves to be the sports and low light camera, while the 36MP cam is the studio and landscape tool.
stflbn
9 months ago |People are not considering the shock and pain that many will have when they start looking at Full Frame lenses compared to crop frame lenses.
shamb
9 months ago |+1
The cost of any of the discussed cameras will be about the same as the cost of a single decent FF lens that can make use of the sensor resolution.
I’ll carry on building up my skills with my A77 for now, and pick one of the current FF models in a couple of years from Amazon marketplace, where they will all be about half the release price.
Sky_walker
9 months ago |There we go. Sounds like a plan.
I made some maths and it looks like for me to replace all my DT lenses with equivalent FF I’d need to spend roughly 250% of MSRP for A99.
Not really a good business if one wants to run with specific set of glass. >_<
Steve
9 months ago |Yes it’s the same shock and fear when we think about replacing 7 or 8 fast full-frame lenses with a different mount altogether.
Most of us like our top-end Zeiss/Minolta/Sony-G full-frame lenses and are in no hurry to jump ship.
A $3,000.00 camera is cheap compared to maybe $10,000.00 for new Nikon or Canon glass to go with a d800 or a 5dIII
another random passer by
9 months ago |I don’t know if Sony should offer affordable FF in A-mount. Feature wise Canon 6D seems to be a cut rate product compared to D600. But it looks to be a nice upgrade for 5D MkII users who are satisfied with it’s AF performance. 6D will be popular with the dslr video rigs crowd (it’s the next 5D MkII).
I agree that Sony should make FF NEX/hybrid their affordable FF. It’s the affordable solution that can sway the 5D MkII/6D video crowd (and everyone else).
CTPhotographX.com
9 months ago |Admin: “I am 90% sure we will have a High End model with High Resolution (30+ Mega-pixel) sensor in 2013.”
Could we “sure” that up a little bit? Like… I thought it was “for sure” guaranteed in the bag, done deal, count on it, you bet’cha, SR5-ish with a cherry on top… kind of thing.
Hopefully Sony would have realized their mistake and come crawling back to iISO hot shoe with tail between their legs and new 43mp Stills Purist cam WITHOUT VIDEO!
Steve
9 months ago |+1
Be careful the video fanboys that have taking over here will strike you down
I have little hope anymore that Sony would produce something as simple as a still camera like that
Still photographers are now simple pixel-counters selecting just one frame out of a video burst.
Seeky
9 months ago |Guys, you know that the probability Sony produces a camera without video is as small as….zero??
And there’s nothing wrong with that. Sony puts the A99 ahead of the competition regarding video capabilities.
Dirk
9 months ago |Oha, I’m not the only dinosaur bagging for a pure still camera.
Kiril
9 months ago |iISO disaster and no video …dream on. I doubt many managers at Sony want to leave by being fired for sinking the ship.
Rick
9 months ago |That camera already exists — Pentax 645, Hassleblad and Phase One all make your dream camera.
What so many here want is a FF Nex that won’t cost what the RX1 does, but that would be a dream as well. If Sony (or anyone else) can get the lens issue sorted without resorting to giant adapters and giant FF lenses turning the camera into a glass bazooka (like what we see with the VG900) its going to cost a pretty penny as the development costs are going to be sky high.
Look at the massive rear element on the RX1′s lens – if that were a separate lens I can only imagine the whining about the size of the lens in relation to the camera – much like current Nex complaints. Now imagine how much bigger a zoom, wide angle or a tele lens would be since a 35/2 lens isn’t exactly the largest lens around.
I can already see the endless threads of “why would I pay what the A99 costs and get less camera?” when the FF Nex drops.
*sigh*
Dirk
9 months ago |Good reply on this NEX FF story.
Spoon
9 months ago |Surely, any FF camera that wants to be noticed by the majority of potential CaNikon shoppers and Sony upgraders in 2013, will have video. All else would be instant marketing fail from a company that has video blood running through its vains. Whether you and I want or need video, is completely irrelevant.
CTPhotographX.com
9 months ago |God that 6D Video Button looks identical to my a900 AE-Lock button.
Dang I’d be making tons of accidental movies with that thing.
Steve
9 months ago |The speculation of a more compatibly priced full-frame sounds like a good idea, the problem with a cheaper version of the new a99 is what to cut or reduce from the a99 to create a a88?
Do you put a lower MP sensor in the a88, slower FPS cheaper body with less weather sealing, what?
For one reason or another the a99 is not looking like its going to sell any better than the a900 did, maybe after the tradeshow has finished and the hype over the new Nikon and new Canon has passed buyers will again look at Sony’s a99 and it will start selling.
ssrdd
9 months ago |I would consider buying one, but ONLY FOR HIGHER BIT RATE, NOT SONYS RETARDED 24MBPS.
e
9 months ago |DP Review – Please Fast Track you Reviews and comparisons of these 3 Cameras and their NEW Flash
Please Show ANY Sony Value is trying to charge the extra $700usd for I can’t see the differences at all.
The only thing that’s outstanding is SONY ARROGANCE
a99 appears DOA
Vlad3D
9 months ago |>>> Please Show ANY Sony Value is trying to charge the extra $700usd for I can’t see the differences at all.
Just search for “compare the specs of D600 and A99″ on this page
Rick
9 months ago |Can’t see any differences? Can you actually see? Feels like a troll. Steadyshot alone is worth the price difference. From previous post…
- PD-AF sensors on the image sensor (102)
- Af range limiter on camera
- Speed up to 10 fps (with some limitations)
- 1/8000 shutter speed (1/4000 at D600)
- Shutter life 200,000 exposures (150,000 at D600)
- Electronic first shutter curtain
- No mirror shake
- Panoramamode
- Multiframe noise reduction
- Face recognition combined with fast phase AF
- Higher flash sync speed (1/250 compared to 1/200)
- Full frame viewfinder when using APS-C lenses
- Squivel and tilt display
- Bright white magic display
- Better live view
- Silent control dial on the front side with lots of cofiguration options
- More direct access to camera features and better button layout
- In built stabiliser for all lenses
- GPS
- Double memory card slot with various functions
- Complete Magnesium housing (D600 front is plastic)
And I’ll add:
- Class leading AF during video
- XLR microphone module
- 1080/60p video for action and slow-mo
- Focus peaking – IIRC Nikon doesn’t have it, and I know Canon doesn’t
And a big one some many neglect to mention — the only AF Zeiss lenses (ZE/ZF are manual) – this is something that Sony doesn’t push hard enough IMHO – as the Zeiss 16-35 and 24-70 is far superior to the CaNikon variants, same goes for the 85/1.4 and the 135 is faster on Alpha (f1.8) compared to the just introduced ZE/ZF 135/2. The 50mm is still in development, but that range is covered in the 24-70, its just slower.
e
9 months ago |I’ll have to wait for the unbiased DP Review to see if any of your assertions hold true.
I know I will have to replace my expensive SONY Flash for another $700usd.
RICK you do sound very BIASED like you work for Sony who clearly overpriced the A99 and you’re trying to defend your job.
PLEASE DP REVIEW analyse and review new FF cameras soon.
Rick
9 months ago |No I don’t work for Sony, I’m actually getting the A99 and there are clear differences between the D600 and the A99, so many its a completely different class of camera. I just pre-ordered one, and I’ll keep it pending full tests as Amazon has a generous return policy. After a few weeks if I don’t like the performance, IQ and DR – it goes back.
FYI, the A99 comes with an adapter to make the old Minolta mount flashes work with a standard hotshoe, so if you have a current Sony flash, it’ll work on the new cameras. Its listed in the specs. So you actually won’t have to buy another flash if you already own one with the Minolta connection. And there are tons of sub $100 flashes like the Yougnuo 560 available, you just have to go full manual.
If you find the A99 overpriced, then simply don’t buy it. If YOU feel its not worth the money compared to other cameras then YOU can exercise YOUR right to not buy it. I really don’t care. I just hate all the BS mis-information people seem to be endlessly spreading when they’ve never even touched the camera.
Spoon
9 months ago |You just got a factual list and start crying bias? Mirror mirror.
Baki
9 months ago |A99 too much for this price. Average should be around 2100 USD. An entry-level FF now must fall to around 1000 usd. In my country, already more than 2000 usd because of taxes and greedy vendors whose products are sold around 4000 usd …
Mike
9 months ago |Just lower the price of the A99. The A99 may be able to compete with D800 and 5D3 feature-wise, but Sony’s ecosystem is inferior.
- lens investment uncertainty because the A99 AF-D mode does not work with most lenses
- accessories just got de-valued because of new flash hot-shoe
- EVF is not a futre-proof investment like a good OVF (in 1-2 years, mid-range bodies like the sucessors of the A65 will have a better EVF than the A99)
Kiril
9 months ago |Sony’s cheap Full Frame should be NEX-9. This is my personal opinion. SLT/SLR should be discounted a bit Sony cannot beat Canon and Nikon playing by their rules.
Dirk
9 months ago |Mike, for the A99 start it is only a bit unfortune, that the 70-200G is not supporting Af-D.
Afaik, these lenses are supported right away:
24-70Z,28-75, 50/1.4, 300G2, 70-400G, 500G
Regarding EVF I assume it being the other way around.
I remember an interview with a Canon Product Manager where he mentioned that Canon will consider EVF once the market is demanding it.
An EVF has a lot of advantages. So far the biggest negative point is the power consumption, but there will be for sure better and more energy efficient systems in the future.
Andrew Lynch
9 months ago |Just price the A99 at $2100 and bring out the full body pro next year
Marlon Richardson
9 months ago |Compared to the 5d3 and D800 what would a more pro body of the A99 need to have? It seems to match them in all their high points except for the added resolution of the D800. On top of that it has a whole slew of additional features that they do not have. It’s also already less expensive than they are.
And please some of you keep mentioning AF as if the D800 and 5d3 are lights out with their offerings. I’ve used them both more than once for several hours at a time. With the D800 and 5d3 only the center point can be trusted in poor light for the most part. Otherwise I hope you don’t mind the AF hunting around. Let’s let the test come out but from my standpoint the bar was set low for this feature. In regards to hi ISO performance, it already appears that the A99 is in the same league as the 5d3.
I would think that if Sony released another top body it would need to compete with the D4 and 1dx or a stripped down version like the D600/6D.
Stef.
9 months ago |Marlon, I have asked this already in this thread: what is the A99 supposed to be? The top end flagship model? Is the 36mp (admittedly just a rumor) going to “better” the A99? Will it be more expensive or is it the downgraded version? You compare the A99 to the D800 and 5DMKIII, which means it is NOT the flagship?
Stef.
Stuart1701
9 months ago |Don’t need an A95, just price the A99 at $2100 where it should have been in the first place.
John Koelsch
9 months ago |Why not a full-frame NEX-9?!! Has everyone forgotten about the move away from heavy clunker DSLR’s with their flapping mirrors? Meanwhile, I’m pulling gorgeous high resolution pix from my “old” NEX-7 with either the Zeiss 24mm f1.8 or my 55mm AIS f2.8 Micro Nikkor. Why would I
want to carry a clunker around when the NEX-7′ with those lenses, is unmatched even by an M9!!
AG
9 months ago |Agreed.
m4/3 gets a 12-35 & 35-100 f/2,8 which we need for Nex FF.
Rick
9 months ago |If it were priced at $2100 all you yahoo’s would be complaining about how its the same price as the Canon and Nikon cameras, I don’t think the whiners would be happy if it were at $1500. Pony up the cash or just buy the A57.
AG
9 months ago |Got an A57, it’s very nice for APS-C.
Rick
9 months ago |+1
The A57 is among the best APS-c cameras around as I find the 24mp sensor in the A77 a tad noisy.
My point wasn’t to bash the A57, its the relentless complaining about pricing – no matter where Sony prices it, many will whine about the price. There are plenty of great cameras under the $2800 of the A99, buy the one that fits your budget – thats my point.
The endless bitching about a $2100 camera with a much lower featureset somehow being a better value than the A99, or that’s where the A99 should be priced is ridiculous. Its still cheaper than the 5d3 and D800 and it will certainly be better than both when it comes to video, we’ll have to wait and see how it compares on the stills side.
I wonder if people on Hassleblad forums are complaining about the $40,000 back costing more than the $36,000 Phase One.
AG
9 months ago |The Nikon D600 looks way better than the Rebel quality AF on the 6D.
I would like to see a Sony 24-105 f/4 to compliment the A99.
Kevin Alpha
9 months ago |What I don’t understand about the A99 is the internal memory buffer size is exactly like the A77, so at 10fps, it can only last in 2 seconds or 3, what’s the point of paying more money with the same memory buffer size?
AG
9 months ago |If you take a $3000 camera and make it cheaper by removing features and build quality, you might get it down to $2000, but it won’t serve the same purpose and is still expensive.
However, if you make it smaller and lighter, then it may fit better in the line-up. Sony already has Nex and RX for the small form factor.
That said, Sony will inevitably release an A88 in 6-months.
Ivief
9 months ago |An A95 or A97 with 16mp and 16fps would be a great success and something the competition couldn’t fight against.
Sony needs to realize that they have a built-in disadvantage due to the SLT mirror, then a sensor with less megapixels and optimized for speed would give better ISO performance. Then add a very fast framerate and it would be a great product.
Yong
9 months ago |I consider the mirror is an added advantage for full time AF, PDAF in liveview, no mirror flapping …
Not disadvantage.
daenur
9 months ago |Sony has already released an entry-level FF in A99. Now, the waiting begins for a higher-end model.
Phil
9 months ago |The great thing I note from the Canon 6D is the embedded GPS and WiFi.
I wish Sony would come with a new NEX-7 (and NEX-9) with embedded GPS & WiFi.
davidlam
9 months ago |Just put the new sensor in the a900 body, enable LiveView and some basic video functions.
Add WiFi tethering and GPS, call it a880 and sell it at USD1,999!
Florian Knorn
9 months ago |Why does Sony always have to be one step behind in what seems to be the new thing? I know it’s full of other innovations, but remember back in the A900 days, large-sensor video was just taking off, and the A900 didn’t have it?
Now, WiFi is taking off (in particular smartphone tethering with remote preview), and again the A99 doesn’t have it.
Other than that, nice camera, and I do hope I can convince the relevant “authorities” to let me buy it
EnPassant
9 months ago |A99 is Sony’s low price full frame camera! Get over it.
The extra $ 700 is for the additional features compared to D600 and 6D but doesen’t make it a competitor to D800 or 5DIII.
Weight (including battery) reveals which class, build a DSLR/SLT belongs to:
Enthusiast class: Canon 6D (755g), Sony A99 (770g), Nikon D600 (850g).
Semi-Pro: Canon 5DIII (950g), Nikon D800 (995g)
I repeat again: The higher price for Sony A99 is because of more features, just like A77 also cost more than its nearest competitors Canon 60D and Nikon D7000.
Sony’s 36 MP camera is the one that will compete with D800 and it will propably cost at least $ 3800.
As a full frame NEX also is expected do anyone really beleive Sony will release a cheaper FF “A88″ also and have four full frame cameras when Nikon with a much bigger market share only have three?
Being called a “flagship” camera is only because it at the moment is the best Sony camera, not that it can compare to Nikon D4 or Canon 1DX.
malchick743
9 months ago |I don’t know if the “low price FF” concept is a good idea.
Reminds me of the film SLR days when cameras were released in multiple tiers, in which the lowest ones basically had NO functions whatsoever, not even full P/A/S/M.
I don’t want to see the “low price FF” category end up like that. Invest more on a large sensor but to strip out other features just to keep the price low? Well…
I always believe a fullframe DSLR should be regarded as serious camera hardware and that it should be configured with hi-specs whenever possible.
No offence, but would rather see the hi-spec APS-C category survive rather than the “low price FF.”
Greg
8 months ago |Point taken, but I don’t think anyone is intending to take it that far.
Look at the A850 vs A900 comparison. $800 saved trading 2FPS and 2% of the VF area??? Seems a fair trade for me!
Take out some of the video features and maybe the AF-D or whatever else is driving the cost up, and you’ve got an A88.
(Except they already took out the expensive VF and mirror-flapping motor costs that drove the A900′s $800 premium in the first place, so I’m not sure what left there is to take out…)
Francisco G.
8 months ago |The HI END APS-C cameras like the A77 already outclass these low priced FF “deals”. But people will still flock to the Canikon offerings just because its a cheap FF. I´d rather buy an A77 and a good Zeiss lens than waste money on these featureless cams. My A57 already has top notch photo and video quality… Maybe instead of buying the A77 I should just invest in some great glass…
Greg
8 months ago |Yeah, good idea. Um, unless that great glass is FF. Then it’s kinda defeating the purpose, no?