Paul Genge again: “New DSLR introduction is highly unlikely.” -> Wait for the A99!!!
We already heard this a couple of days ago at Techradar (Click here). Now Paul Genge from Sony UK released another similar statement at Amateur Photographer (Click here). He confirmed that “Given the level of investment Sony is putting into SLT, it is highly unlikely we will ever introduce another DSLR…”
And David Kilpatrick (Click here) reminded us the content of the last conversation he had with Paul Genge: “Paul Genge had a short exchange of information with me when I was considering selling my Alpha 900 and all my frame Alpha lenses (after starting to use the A77). He said I’d regret selling my good full frame lenses when I replaced my Alpha 900 with a full frame model I would just not believe. His message was ‘you wait – you’ll not regret it’.”
Yes, Paul, we are waiting and waiting and waiting…but don’t let us wait to much! The Nikon D800 and Canon 5DmarkII are a big temptaton for many people out there!
JB
2 years ago |A77 took a long time to come out. I hope not the same time for A99. I don’t want to wait 2013 or longer.
flickerish
2 years ago |when???!!!! whennnnnnnn!!!?
Yong
2 years ago |Aiyo… Still need to wait….
TomiZG
2 years ago |Yes. That’s great. If my a900 fails I’ll tell my clients to wait for Sony to decide to bring out a new pro-body… within the next 18 months or so.
bkd
2 years ago |Rather than upset your clients, why not go to eBay – there’s a stack of A900s (new and used) available there
bighawky
2 years ago |I just did that last week. I was sooo tired of waiting for a new full frame camera from Sony. I love the A900!!
SonyA77
2 years ago |I have you have two A900s? Any professional should have two bodies.
The Lotus Eater
2 years ago |Yeah, it’s because he probably isn’t really a pro.
David
2 years ago |Well, if he *did* have two bodies and one died, he would still need another wouldn’t he?
SonyA77
2 years ago |But he could buy yours and continue to work in the meantime.
AlphaZG
2 years ago |Another Sony user from Zagreb?:)
Pablo
2 years ago |SLT is such a stupid technology. It degrades the light that hits the sensor by 0.3-0.5EV and alltogether it doesn’t provide NO ADVANTAGES over a mirrorless construction coupled with a good EVF.
bkd
2 years ago |Yawn. Change the record (is your surname Knapp?)
But you’re right in one respect – it doesn’t provide no advantages
SonyA77
2 years ago |“is your surname Knapp”
James
2 years ago |SLT is a dead end. Without an OVF the mirrorbox serves no purpose. NEX is the future of Sony. I am sure there will be a FF NEX in the future.
SonyA77
2 years ago |and today’s award for stating the obvious goes to…
Dave Cox
2 years ago |New thread, same old mindless drivel.
Do they think they’re original with the same old ‘SLT is shit, crap high ISO’ bollocks?
Cliff
2 years ago |LOL….PFAF = PDAF
Dan
2 years ago |Gotta keep waiting for improvements…..like removing the light blocking mirror box. Oh wait they did, it’s called NEX!
Cliff
2 years ago |SLT is not stupid. How else will you get PFAF in the next 2 or 3 years?
Oh….and if anybody says that they don’t need PFAF than they are just revealing how lousy a photog they must be.
Nobody
2 years ago |Its a pity we won’t see any new DSLR but hey, second hand A700s and A900s should be available for years (for those who simply prefer/like classic mirror and OVF).
AnY
2 years ago |+100 on that A900s
Rooru S.
2 years ago |I don’t currently have the money for a fullframe like the A99…maybe something like “A85″ with less features for less than 2000USD…but this “wait for it…” is interesting since they’re not releasing even a prototype of a mockup of the FF A-mount camera…why so much secrets? hmmmmm…
JonasM
2 years ago |Sounds like he’s just a disconnected product manager guessing (so he works for Sony UK, but what’s his position in relation to the Sony camera division?). Of course there will be no more DSLRs or optical viewfinders, any fool can understand that much. Can you have him guess if they will keep the translucent mirror and if they plan to update the 85mm and 135mm Zeiss primes? What coin is he flipping?
SonyA77
2 years ago |You obviously don’t know Paul Genge. You are wrong.
JonasM
2 years ago |Wrong about what? I’m asking what makes him credible when all he offers, are vague answers and poor product presentations.
SonyA77
2 years ago |“Sounds like he’s just a disconnected product manager guessing”
You are wrong.
The Lotus Eater
2 years ago |Vague answers? Well he isn’t going to give us an A99 spec list, is he? The retardation around here is incredible.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Indeed.
JonasM
2 years ago |I didn’t ask for that, did I!?
SonyA77
2 years ago |@JonasM
But what is it do you expect him to say? You are just being unrealistic in your expectations.
Just because he can not answer a question, does not mean he does not know the answer. He isn’t about to tell you any commercially sensitive secrets.
Jim
2 years ago |seriously dudes…the other two camera companies do have the lenses you are dreaming about – right now- new or used – widely available for a reasonable price. Brand new bodies like 5d Mkiii or D800. Also comparable crop bodies a step down in price and two previous generations of FF bodies available used….so give me one reason that still keeps you w Sony? This company is not delivering and you guys are either blind or delirious. No offense but this makes no sense to any reasonable person. I sold off my A mount glass and switched to canon 5D FF last year the level of my photography went up a notch since I had to learn a new system and pay attention to what I am doing in general. I have not had thi much fun w photography ins while and the quality of my pictures is way better now w the FF body and 2 L lenses I bought. Anyway from reading this forum it sounds like many if you have this strange addiction to Sony and can not see outside of this little ‘club’ that exist on this site and which I enjoy reading from time to time. The actual debate is educational sometimes.
Good luck to all.
SeanG
2 years ago |Exaclty!
“wait.” what the hell are we waiting for? Lenses? Cameras? Firmware upgrades? Every damned thing! That’s what Sony has us waiting for. Paul G is a moron if he believes that suggesting “wait” is a reasonable strategy. Is he a product manager? If so, he should be fired.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Some people can not afford to swap systems. It would be difficult to swap and be without body and lenses for others in the interim period.
It just isn’t simple for some.
Jim
2 years ago |agreed – one can not afford to just go out and re-buy every single item from a different system. But does one need to ? I faced the same dilemma. What I ended up doing is getting a used FF to start with , and only 3 lenses high quality vs ~10 lenses mostly mid-range I’ve accumulated over the years. The A mount stuff sold funded most of the new purchases.
Getting a new FF body from C or N should run the same as a hypothetical “I believe it when I see it” Sony A99. IF it ever appears, it will have a fancy 36 Mp sensor and be priced at ~2.5x of the mid-range A77. Just like A900 vs A700. Figure $3,000-$3,500. So there is no difference whether one get S or C or N.
Look at it more philosophically – if you could afford to get all that fancy stuff of the Sony/Minolta brand in the first place, you can afford to switch to a different system. Not all at once but in a more step wise fashion, while avoiding a temptation to get all those exotic focal lengths that you hardly ever use. As they say 90% of the shots are taken within 24-200mm range and for a price of a single CZ 24-70 one can get 2 highly rated Canon lenses 24-70L (or 24-105L) + 70-200L f4.
Just my 2c
C
2 years ago |For a few hundred dollars more you can get a CZ 24-70 and a Minolta 70-210 f/4.
Adam Maas
2 years ago |Um, the 24-70L is not terribly highly rated, it’s comparable in performance to the Sony (nee-Tamron) 28-75 SAM in all regards except build and AF performance (essentially its good but unexceptional optics with great AF and build). And of course it’s discontinued in favour of the $2600USD 24-70LII, which is just about the price of a 70-300G over the cost of a ZA24-70. You can get the Tamron-badged 28-75 (a better choice for DMF-capable bodies than the SAM version) and a 70-300G SSM for the cost of the 24-70L.
The 24-105L is optically inferior to the already not stellar 24-70L. Nice range, build, AF and IS but it’s not really much better than the Sony/Minolta 24-105D in optical terms (less vignetting is the L’s biggest advantage due to the larger element size).
Solo
2 years ago |Jim, you fail to understand that the people who frequent these forums are sony enthusiasts. We don’t give a rat’s ass about Canon or Nikon for our own reasons. I don’t want to go back to my soft 24-70L or slow focusing, ergonomically fucked 5dMKII (or the new overpriced MKIII).
Its insulting for you to assume we are unaware of what the competition has to offer- we are aware- we don’t care. I am here for the zeiss lenses, what I feel are far superior optics, IBIS, I personally DO think the EVF will surpass the OVF very soon, faster focusing via SLT, better build quality (the fail rate of 5DMkiis vs A900s is hilarious), etc… so get lost.
I really don’t understand what possesses canikon users to come to this forum and either try to convert (what are you a missionary?) or just flame everyone here. I have not once gone to the canon or nikon rumors site to spark such idiotic debate.
Why don’t you instead be happy with your own decision- good for you to go with canon, glad it changed your life and turned your future into a beautiful rose- and respect our decision to stay with sony no matter how fucking stupid you think it must be.
I shoot professionally with my A850s on a weekly basis and am personally looking forward to the A99. If they do not deliver a solid FF product (honestly any improvement on the A850 is fine as I already love the IQ and handling of this camera)- THEN I will consider a jump.
David
2 years ago |Well said Solo.
I’ve never been to another manufacturers’ site and tried to convert people.
I can be free to be critical of Sony here, because I shoot Sony gear.
Ben
2 years ago |Jim, where is the Canon or Nikon 135mm STF equivalent?
Don’t tell me photoshop or some such, it doesn’t even deserve to be in the same sentence. There is no comparison to getting it right in camera (thus why people buy Zeiss or ‘L’ lenses). Fact is, once you have taken a photo with that lens – every other lens – every, one – suddenly has at best average bokeh.
Also, in the opinion of people on a sony rumours site, we have chosen sony because we feel it to be the best choice. When we want to change it, if we want to change it, then we can talk.
But if you’ve never shot with their gear, never owned their gear – you have no place criticising the gear.
Honestly, i’d trade my A900 and it’s lenses for a decent 24MP Mamiya or Pentax 645D kit. Something tells me it’s not going to happen though.
Carl
2 years ago |Well, the STF is a manual focus, manual aperture lens, so you could always get the mount swapped out if you really wanted.
There was a guy on the Fred Miranda forums who got one converted to Canon mount, but his handle escapes me. I bet it’d be awesome converted work on a 645D, even if it needed some cropping to get around the vignetting.
dealaddict
2 years ago |I am totally reverse. I switch from Canon 5D I and L lenses to Sony A850 and Carl Zeiss lens. Although the L lenses are very well build, weather sealed and sharp, the Carl Zeiss lens has its own magic. The image is very life like and 3D. Or people often say it is pop. The color on A850 is excellent right out of the camera, the color of the 5D I is waaaay off with a red cast. The MK II or III may be better. Nothing is perfect, but I am happy with the outcome from the A850.
A900 Tog
2 years ago |It’s really great news and at least verifies Andreas rumors that there is an A99 being developed but I think Sony needs to understand that they cannot keep this officially in the dark for too much longer as there are a few pro’s left (myself included) who are taking a very long look at the D800/5DIII. They should remember what the social networks and information leaks did for the D800/D4 and Nikon….a large number of people left Canon and preordered the D800/D4! Sony being the IT giants they are should start using this kind of information leaking to their advantage!
Jim
2 years ago |A900 – I respect your views as you sound quite reasonable in your approach unlike many others on this board. Your suggestion regarding the need to use social media
Is a good one except Sony’s online marketing is run by a bunch of interns who work in the consumer electronics group. There is no input from photography people that I can see. For those who don’t know what I am taking about check out the Nikon corporate site or the Fuji X100 product site.
Dario Cotti
2 years ago |why should we wait for a technology that we don’t want?
Dave Cox
2 years ago |That who doesn’t want? You don’t even know what it is yet. It’s a free market so you pay your money and make your choice.
E
2 years ago |Strange view!
Instead enjoy the clear message, now you can prepare and adapt.
Whether is is by waiting with eager or selling your stuff and moving on, this statement makes it easier for you.
- Not all companies are this clear on future product announcements.
A side note for a good poll:
“Do you think that C&N never will release a EVF based camera with their DLSR mount?”
Think hard about the answer you will give…
/E
SonyA77
2 years ago |Indeed, all the people who are in doubt about EVF should prepare to jump ship.
Whether you like the message or not is irrelevant, you aren’t going to change the message, so do what is best for YOU.
Carl
2 years ago |If anyone is going to change the message, I’d imagine potential customers would be it.
Not that Sony is particularly known for listening, in any division of the conglomerate. Which is why they’re losing money.
SonyA77
2 years ago |You can imagine whatever you want, it still isn’t going to change the message.
Rooru S.
2 years ago |“Not that Sony is particularly known for listening, in any division of the conglomerate. Which is why they’re losing money.”
That applied to the Sony before 2010. But now they’re really listening. The A57 is the proof…people complained about the small grip and battery on A55, they fixed that. People complained about the lack of pancakes lenses on E-mount series, they changed the roadmap. People complained about the menu diving on NEX-series cameras, they offered quick access customizables buttons on UI and several other fw updates. They’re now listening, they’re changing. Maybe good times are coming =)
SonyA77
2 years ago |@Rooru S
People think that Sony isn’t listening to customers because they don’t get what THEY want.
wth
2 years ago |You want back old flappy?
Adam Maas
2 years ago |Some of us want it quite badly. The A99 will be my next Sony body unless there’s a show-stopping problem with it. The simple advantages of sensor-based metering for those like myself who use a mix of native and adapted/converted lenses make it a win, especially when combined with SSS.
Canon and Nikon simply do not offer the features I want in a camera (No SSS, poor LV, Canon ergonomics are awful, no focus peaking or magnification in the finder). Nor do they offer the lenses I want (Zeiss does, but with Sony I get Zeiss and AF, as well as a 135mm option lacking in the ZF/ZE line and I can Leitax ZE/ZF or C/Y lenses to fill the holes in the ZA line).
pancanikonpus
2 years ago |Mr. Paul Genge,
What is the reason that sony did not corporate tethering in a77, whereby sony called a77 as a successor for a700 replacement, yet a700 capable on tethering?
today we have HDR, panorama which are awesome features. possible sony as 1st one to deliver ‘Pure Landscape’ mode, which allow user to capture moment scenery without unwanted object. that make photo more grogoues!
Besides, with the 2stops improvement on the sensor, if sony can further offer utilities such as built in ND filter, intervalometer, etc, most welcome!
thank
SonyA77
2 years ago |Paul Genge is the one requesting A77 tethering from Sony Japan.
beware
2 years ago |probably with same results as requesting a raise on his salary
SonyA77
2 years ago |Probably the same result as when he requested that the A55 should have the ability to switch off the results of exposure in the EVF for studio flash…nothing.
I am not holding my breath for tethering. We use a Canon instead.
BMan
2 years ago |So …
There is no clear plastic prototype, there is no prototype at all, and we are to believe that this camera will be on sale in October?
It would be too good if it would be true.
We have seen the clear prototypes of the A900, the A77 and afaik the A700. So why is there no clear prototype of the A99?
Will it be really announced in September?
And if it will be, what guarantees do we have that it will not be an alpha (or a beta at best) test product? Given that they are probably rushing to get it done, and given that they have to implement such features as the clear image zoom, they will probably have no time to make it fully working by release time again.
I just hope I’m totally wrong here
Nobody
2 years ago |I’m afraid you may be right. I guess in October we will see just mockup, spring 2013 – transpartent prototype, October 2013 – production version of camera. If we see a real thing this year I guess it will not even be at beta stage, pre-alpha maybe. Look at A77… How long it took to develop it, yet how many bugs production version had. Personally I’m not interested in any SLT but if I’d be considering A99 I want it to be released year later but being perfect and bug free.
Jim
2 years ago |How long was the gap between A700 was pulled of the shelves and when A77 became available in retail. About a year or 18 months? So your Oct 2013 prediction sound reasonable.
No real photography company (eg Canon or Nikon) would allow this to happen as they would lose pros to its competitor. Or a car company for that matter.
In fact C and N still have previouse and brand new model bodies available concurrently to satisfy its wide professional base of users. Sony does not need to worry about such silly things as they chase this elusive “innovation at any cost” strategy. Even if the real cost of this is the loss of the few pros they managed to get back 3-4 years ago when they introduced Zeiss glass which was the only reasons pros considered Sony in the first place.
Carl
2 years ago |Another way to imagine it would be Sony not offering a high end television model for that long, which is almost inconceivable. Samsung would skin them alive.
SonyA77
2 years ago |I share your concern. There is NOTHING about the A9x, there was plenty about the A77 a year before launch.
beware
2 years ago |maybe they are afraid that the a99 will be the same disappointment as the a77 to lots of people
SonyA77
2 years ago |“Lots”? I know more people who love their A77 than people who don’t. But then these people have actually used it.
The magazine reviewers (who are CaNikon users) love the A77 too.
I don’t see “lots” of people being disappointed…
wth
2 years ago |+1
<3 my A77, takes great pictures
harpo
2 years ago |+++1
I haven’t heard of to many “actual owners” who are disappointed with their choice.
There are two camps that continually brow beat the a77. The canikon (or other camera manufactures) fanboys who hate for the sake of hating, and the Sony crowd that struggles with change. I own an a77 and it’s not perfect nor is it everyone’s cup of tea. That’s fine though everyone is free to choose, but please don’t tell me what’s good or not good for me. I certainly don’t troll the canikon websites provoking people to defend their choice of cameras.
Here’s a thought,
If you’re on the fence give the SLT/EVF technology a try.
If you absolutely detest it and nothing will convince you otherwise then it’s time to sell your Sony wears and move to another brand. As harsh as that may sound you will be happy about it in the long run.
If you have embraced the SLT/EVF hang on for the ride it’s going to get better.
If you’re a canikon troll…p&%s off.
FWIW it took a month for me to embrace my a77 and I now thoroughly enjoy it.
E
2 years ago |The a900 was the answer to cries about a long awaited FF.
The a77 was the answer to cries about a long awaited a700 replacement.
The cries for a FF replacement are there, but not desperate enough to warrant releasing mockups, instead they just confirm it is on the way and that it will an SLT based camera.
Just my 2 cents.
/E
fotowolf61
2 years ago |Well, this is not true. Sony was listening and built a new camera body to fix this
… it is the A57 
I guess they have no programmers, but just body builders for product development
.
So we have to wait for an A7x to fix responsiveness, better jpg-engine and tethering.
RDOE
2 years ago |Sony, needs to be more open in upgrade path. For me, who is heavily invested in the system, a switch is unlikely. Still I want to know what to expect in the coming 8 months. So Sony, just say what you are going to do…….
repo
2 years ago |A99 by the end of the year. As that Tom Petty song says, “The waiting is the hardest part.”
Kjell
2 years ago |As a OVF die-hard I think this is great news! Didn’t Mr Genge say a while ago that there will be no more FF DSLRs? And now he is getting uncertain and says that it is “highly unlikely”
SonyA77
2 years ago |As far as I am aware Sony have never explicitly said that there would be no flappy mirror. They always leave a slight possibility in their statements. It’s never a simple “no”.
Rob
2 years ago |The slt should be modified to substitute for an AA filter or low pass filter, and improve IQ. Seeing that Canon is coming out with a consumer 4K video cam (looks like in April) and that 4k tvs will be rolled out in the Fall, can we expect the A99 to shoot 4k too?
For my 2 cents, I’m waiting for a 36 meg model, and have most of the money saved now. I shoot mostly nature/landscapes, so don’t care about slt – I want a naked sensor and high IQ, so swapping one 24 megapixel cam for another with slt isn’t going to get me to part with my money.
hwelvaar
2 years ago |“swapping one 24 megapixel cam for another with slt isn’t going to get me to part with my money.”
How about if one is cropped, and the other is full frame ?
PS:
If you’re a landscape shooter, why don’t you have medium format anyway ? =)
Jaime Pérez
2 years ago |5dmiii – d800… i hope new a99 will have decent iso. We need it to play at market.
Pablo, mirrorless gives you the oprtunity of watching changen online trought the viewfinder. I think it is the future.
Carl
2 years ago |I can’t imagine Genge announcing “our next full frame camera will suck balls!” somehow. Of course he’s going to talk it up.
Joe
2 years ago |yeah isn’t he the marketing/sales guy? is he is even involved product planning dept.?
lollo
2 years ago |If the camera will actually do that… can you imagine the pre order waiting list?
C.Garrard
2 years ago |Now that almost made me spit my coffee on my monitor.
Carl
lol
2 years ago |I’ve heard same promises about quality of A77. Then it was released and…. high ISO is not that impressive, there are software bugs in firmware, it has 12fps and buffer for less than 2 seconds of shooting with full speed. It is not good as video “DSLR” (crop, time limits, selectable PAL/NTSC FPS, no audio gain control, AF with f3.5 only). It has many such small issues that results in A77 not being (semi)pro APSC.
Knowing all those things that affects A77 I really doubt A99 will be great camera. Another problem are Sony prices. A77 should be cheaper, same problem is with lenses.
Tom L.
2 years ago |+1
Andrew
2 years ago |Exactly! It should have been in the same price range as the nikon d7000. I used to have an a77 but sold it later on since the 1500$ price tag does not justify the camera.
Chris Lewis
2 years ago |“Yes, Paul, we are waiting and waiting and waiting…but don’t let us wait to much! The Nikon D800 and Canon 5DmarkII are a big temptaton for many people out there!”
Yes, there are a lot of pro and serious users ready to go back to Canon and Nikon, myself included.
I am fed up with waiting for Sony. I would like to use Sony, but not if we are kept waiting and waiting and waiting … have I made my point?
Also, I hope that the EVF in the next Sony full-frame is an improvement on the NEX 7 as that one is more of a compromise than a way forward in my opinion.
Denis
2 years ago |Agree. The only thing that makes this EVF relatively usable is focus peaking. When used outdoors it becames practically unusable even for framing: shadows turn to be black with no visible details.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Yes, whatever…
wth
2 years ago |“The only thing that makes this EVF relatively usable is focus peaking”
You fail as a photographer, please sell your lenses and GTFO
Denis
2 years ago |I wonder what the f&ck is sony doing. They have a choice:
1) Make guaranteed bestseller, FF mirroless.
2) Make another SLT crap camera that no on takes seriously and that doesn’t have any advantage over conventional DSLR with OVF but only disadvantages.
Bravo, Sony, you proves another time you have no idea what people want and losing another market, as usual.
James
2 years ago |+1 Sony need to forget about A99. They will never outsell Nikon or Canon DSLR’s. A FF NEX would have not competition. I believe there will be a FF NEX but the delay I guess is it will require a new mount and lenses.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Great, let’s introduce a new mount and more incompatible lenses. Fantastic idea!
E
2 years ago |+1
Carl
2 years ago |It’ll fit nicely with the LTM, Super A, SR, M, Alpha, Vectis and E mount lenses.
ageha
2 years ago |I guess you’re right, the A99 will sell as well as the A900.
SonyA77
2 years ago |There you go again with the “no on takes seriously” comment. Yet again your OVF snobbery just insulted potential A57 customers, well done. Feel better now?
E
2 years ago |“1) Make guaranteed bestseller, FF mirroless.”
Enlighten me: How would that camera look?
What mount would it use?
What AF system would it use?
IBIS or in-lens stabilized?
What is the targeted audience for that camera? Sports? Landscape? Studio work? Video? Stalkers shooting in pitch black night?
Plz tell us the recepie and the size of the target market,
maybe I’ll invest in a new camera!
/E
Denis
2 years ago |Amateurs, of course. It’s the only market for Sony.
And it should be profitable enough, just look at how popular NEX-7 with its bad performing sensor and pathetic Fuji XPro-1 are.
Pros are using reliable tools from canikons, this market is hopeless for sony.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Whatever Denis, you are becoming another MCP.
E
2 years ago |… not one single question answered…
wth
2 years ago |Denis, There are many professionals out there using the A77.
You are biased and your arguments are based on your own preception of what you want.
The very fact you are spewing crap like “just look at how popular NEX-7 with its bad performing sensor”. Just so you know, the Nex-7 Sensor got rated higher than the D7000 on DxO. The ISO rating is pretty damn good considering the amount of photo points crammed into an APS-C.
You are clueless and a waste of internet space.
Please go to ebay and sell your lenses.
Spoon
2 years ago |Can compete with the best allround APS-C sensors and you call it a bad performer? This board needs more facts and less drivel.
wth
2 years ago |@Denis,
“Make another SLT crap camera that no on takes seriously and that doesn’t have any advantage over conventional DSLR with OVF but only disadvantages.”
- You obviously haven’t used an EVF otherwise you wouldn’t have said that.
Denis
2 years ago |I have the NEX-5N with this EVF. It’s a good tool, helps me to achieve good hit ratio with my leica manuals. But it’s not a big advantage in case of AF lenses and, as I said, it sucks outdoors in bright sunlight.
So I know what I’m talking about.
SonyA77
2 years ago |end of line?
Solo
2 years ago |+1
harpo
2 years ago |The a77 is not the NEX 5n so no you don’t. Get over it if your not happy with Sony’s path move on.
wth
2 years ago |+1
wth
2 years ago |So instead of finding ways of working around the deficiency of your tools like what professionals do. eg. moving your eyes off the EVF to see the cropped highlights. You would rather slag the technology and proclaim its total failure.
The very fact you can preview the images you have taken in those bright conditions should be a big plus.
Continous AF is no big advantage????
Josh
2 years ago |How is real time exposure simulation not an advantage? Some of us like to shoot in manual and not auto all the time and it helps a lot. My a77 isn’t perfect, but I don’t have to take test shots anymore when the lighting changes, and that’s freaking awesome in my book.
David
2 years ago |Good to know for sure.
My stuff is on ebay right now (in UK)
a850
a580
Grips for both
58am flash
35/1.4G
16-35ZA
Sigma 85/1.4
SonyA77
2 years ago |Your ID is hammet18 ?
David
2 years ago |Yup that’s right! Want to bid on anything?
Honestly, I *REALLY* do love my current gear. I’ve done quite a bit of bad-mouthing Sony recently but the a850 is a damn fantastic camera, it really is. And that Zeiss 16-35 is irreplaceable too – it’s an incredible lens. The 35G gets bad press but actually it’s an awesome lens too.
The problem is that I lack faith in the future with Sony. I tried an a77 and it really isn’t for me. I think the EVF can be a great tool, but it’s personal preference and I just didn’t feel comfortable with it.
Plus, most of my friends shoot Nikon and it just makes sense to be able to share lenses, flashes etc with them. I’ve been the odd one out for ages and it’s inconvenient. Even my wedding second shooter uses Nikon, meaning we need two sets of everything with us! It’s much more economical for us to share gear.
SonyA77
2 years ago |I had a look and thought I’ve give it a bump here for you
A900 Tog
2 years ago |Sad to see you leaving Sony David, some great gear on there, I’d be tempted with a the A850 as a second body!
David
2 years ago |Thanks! I’m sad to be leaving too. Been with Sony a few years now since I initially bought an a500 with kit lens. I loved the way it handled, and the menus were much better than Canon or Nikon equivalents. But my reasons for leaving are above :/
If you do fancy bidding, all my stuff is in great condition. I do take care of my stuff.
wth
2 years ago |woohoo!!!
Cheap stuff, more the better!
You don’t have any zooms?
David
2 years ago |Hey wth,
The only zooms are the 16-35CZ and the Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 that I’m selling. Everything else is prime (35G, 85, 50 and the 35/1.8DT).
wth
2 years ago |what a pity!
I was hoping you had a 70-400G for sale.
I was also hoping you had the 135mm STF. It is a brillant lens from what I have read. One of a kind!
David
2 years ago |Yeah, both great lenses, but I’ve never owned them
Carl
2 years ago |The used prices on the STF are curiously close to new prices. The used market works in mysterious ways.
wth
2 years ago |ohhh I already have a 70-400G I just wanted another one LOL!
Carl
2 years ago |Get a 400/4.5 next.
Klipsen
2 years ago |Let’s get this straigt: Paul Genge from Sony UK … confirmed that “Given the level of investment Sony is putting into SLT, it is highly unlikely we will ever introduce another DSLR …”.
Stop right there! There’s no “Paul Genge” in “we”, certainly not when “we” stands for “Sony”.
Sony Japan would never leave it to someone at Sony “not Japan” to reveal their strategies.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Don’t be naive.
E
2 years ago |It’s the other way around, Sony would never be able to say this themselves, they need these guys to communicate it, and still be able to say,
“We haven’t said anything…”
/E
Ray oody
2 years ago |Ehem ehem it’s 13 march … Waiting for new NEX info !!! LoL
Jimmy
2 years ago |I love the potential of the slt technology. I think in a few years it will start to come into its own, but for now it is a developing technology and I’m not convinced that it is ready to be used as a professional tool. I certainly had high hopes for the a77 as a backup camera to my a850, but wasn’t satisfied even though the evf was a significant improvement. I am waiting for a stepup on that technology and improvements in the movie mode limitations, which is a medium a lot of working stills photographers are going to have to embrace. Hopefully the a99 will realise some of these expectations however I doubt it will be in the hands of the consumer until at least early 2013. For now I will purchase the fuji xpro-1 with 35mm and 60mm lens as a backup and carry around camera. This will be a nice portable option, which I was sold on due to its lenses and hybrid viewfinder (sorry nex7 lovers, I almost went your way). But the reality is the camera I still love is my a850 and I have no desire to rush into replacing it. Shooting with this beast and my cz 85 1.4 is photography heaven.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Professionals are already using the A77.
Jimmy
2 years ago |Professionals may be using it, but I’m still not convinced its ready yet, and I know a number of professionals who agree. That said it’s not far off, the a77 is a nice camera, and I think Sony is definitely going down the right road with the development of slt technology.
SonyA77
2 years ago |It’s not surprising that you know some professionals that agree, it’s also not surprising that I know some that find the A77 very appealing and are shooting right now with it along with their A900.
It would be a mistake to think that “professionals” are one group. They are as diverse as people who don’t get paid for their photography.
Jim
2 years ago |Can you please post a link to their web site
Jimmy
2 years ago |This would be helpful. There are a lot of words on these forums and not always a lot of images, which is ironic considering the subject matter. I would love to see some images from working professionals that highlight the strengths of the Sony a77, namely the 24mp sensor. I would also love to hear from some of these working professionals about the plusses and the minuses of working with this camera. I thought long and hard about purchasing it as a backup camera, but despite it being a nice piece of technology it didn’t appeal enough in the end. I await the a99 with baited breath.
all4sony
2 years ago |Here’s a Lowepro professional that uses Sony’s gear. Please check the “What’s in your camera bag right now?”.
http://www.lowepro.com/pro-showcase/brian-smith
BMan
2 years ago |And he clearly uses Sony because of the ZA lenses.
SONY!
Make more of these!!!!
Jim
2 years ago |this guy is for real no doubt
Jim
2 years ago |he is also a Sony sponsored photog – I am sure he is completely unbiased toward Sony huh?
harpo
2 years ago |Very cool.
@Jim
That “sponsor” comment is old and pathetic. If that’s a concern or even true then the same can be said for a multitude of canikon pros; therefore your comment is mute. Have some respect for the man he certainly wouldn’t be getting these celebrities to sit for him if he was some Sony shmuck hired to take a few shots with Sony gear. Geeeeez
Carl
2 years ago |As if anyone would allow Sony to “sponsor” them if they weren’t open to shooting Sony in the first place.
FWIW, I bought my 900 from a pro who was in Sony’s sponsoring programme. He had quite the portfolio.
SonyA77
2 years ago |@Jim, does that in anyway make him a lesser photographer? Does it in any way make his Sony camera and lenses less capable?
FFS…I give up with you…
Vivek
2 years ago |Why would Sony release a high end 500mm lens and not come up with a FF high end body? It will be coming. I appreciate all the gear being dumped in the used market.
Jimmy
2 years ago |I can’t disagree with you there a77. It would be a mistake to think that professionals are one group, thankfully I don’t. You and I are obviously in a slightly different group, however I wouldn’t get too defensive, I am in Sony’s corner on slt technology, just want it to evolve a little further.
Vivek
2 years ago |Well, yes. If the A77 is the flagship for Sony.
Jimmy
2 years ago |I think the a900 is still the flagship even though it is aging. a77 might be current flagship for slt as nex7 is for nex, but I’m pretty sure you’re right, the new flagship or ships are coming, just when in terms of actual availability, can only be speculated.
bobo
2 years ago |I think Sony will BLOW YOUR MIND in the very near future! They just have to be the LATEST and GREATEST , if the want to be on TOP! And Sony wants to be on TOP. The tech they are going to use will be NEW STATE of the ART! Just look at how SWEET the Alpha 77 really is! This is not only all GOOD,, but all GREAT !!! The Alpha 99 WILL ROCK THE WORLD ! ! !
SonyA77
2 years ago |LOL
Carl
2 years ago |Some of the decisions Sony make certainly blow my mind, in their own way.
Chris Lewis
2 years ago |I sincerely hope that Sony have learned from their past mistakes. There have been announcements, mock-ups shown in trade shows and then delays … Why for example make the A900 a discontinued model when the A99 isn’t yet available? It makes me feel that if I really needed a replacement A900, I would have to turn to Canon or Nikon instead. Why do they do this?
When the item is finally available, the competition has caught up or exceeded Sony and sold a load to frustrated Sony users.
We have a NEX 7 with hardly any decent lenses (and those that are any good are in very short supply!) while Fuji bring the competition to market with three very desirable lenses available straight away! I know the NEX7 has very good reasons for being late and I am so very sorry for those people in Thailand who have suffered of late, but why are we waiting so very long for the lenses (which surely could be made in some other facility?)
The new “A99″ due later this year will most likely be available in 2013 if Sony’s history is anything to go by.
I know others have said that some pros use the A77, I don’t as I don’t think it’s up to the job. Also it’s no substitute for a full frame model when you need a lens like the 16-35 for interior shots.
SonyA77
2 years ago |The A77 is a tool, the A900 is a tool. Use the best one for the job in hand. Whether professional or not, any photographer should do that if they have both available.
pancanikonpus
2 years ago |I speculate A99 will be cheaper among FF compared to CanikonJi and the highest fps
sony a99
2 years ago |I Can wait for SONY new SLT camera that If it is 12-16 megapixels and 22FPS-24FPS,max 50-80 piece(RAW),otherwise bye-bye SONY …
Carl
2 years ago |Setting the bar low, I see.
Steve
2 years ago |Has Sony officially announced that a full-frame camera will be released in 2012 or announced in 2012, or is all of this just rumor and no official announcement of anything has been made.
Has Sony already decided on the name of the camera as a99?
Do we know as a fact or is it just rumor, that Sony is replacing the 70-400G and the 70-200G in 2012 or is it now 2013?
Rumor or announced?
Many readers of this site (me included) forget that often we are just working with rumors and Sony hasn’t made a decision on what to do and when to do it.
I find it had to understand why Sony would announce or even allow a rumor that two if it’s best G lenses are to be updated, as rumors like this just kill sales of the current product.
But I like others just find Sony hard to understand.
Carl
2 years ago |It’s not like all rumours come with the blessings of Sony. I’m sure there’s plenty on this site that they would rather had remained secret.
Ultimately it probably works out in their favour, though, as Sony’s communication with their customers (and potential customers) is atrocious.
Jim
2 years ago |A900 never sold in the kind of volumes needed to make money. Sony reps said on several occasions that it’s not making a reasonable profit for them at the price they were selling it at. The price was set to compete w C and N but their volume never reached the C and N levels. Pulling a plug on A900 was a smart business decision by Sony, in line with other cost cutting measures they had to introduce last year after losing billions (greater loss in %-age terms than its peer group) . So guys don’t hold your breath waiting for a new Sony FF – chances are it may be delayed indefinitely or at least until the imaging division can convince corporate big shots that they can sell enough new fancy cameras to break-even and make reasonable returns. Remember, Sony already tried to compete with C and N once circa 2006-2009 in the high end segment. Perhaps they are being more realistic this time around and setting their sights at the likes of Panasonic and Samsung and placing their bets on the mass consumer segment with their NEX line and compacts? After all, this is Sony’s core competency – stuff as much electronic novelty into a small enough package and mass market it. They have a strong brand recognition among consumers who shop at big box stores but know “0″ about photography, and my bet is that Sony will focus on those folks going forward vs the photography enthusiasts and pros.
BMan
2 years ago |+1
Just look at all the gizmos in the new SLTs.
No “photographer” be it a paid pro or a serious hobbyist needs all that gadgetry. But the gadget folks just love these new SONYs. I guess this is what SONY does best.
And with this the minolta roots finally die off.
Jim
2 years ago |+1 about the Minolta roots
I am keeping my mint Maxxum 7 (bought as a second body in 2004) with the 28-135mm lens for my kids – in case they ever want to see what a real photographic equipment used to look like.
SonyA77
2 years ago |When Minolta brought in AF it was seen as a gadget. No photographer in his right mind needs AF.
Carl
2 years ago |Minolta were also the villains behind program autoexposure, electronic viewfinders, and co-conceived the APS format with their partners in crime Kodak.
SonyA77
2 years ago |and that changes my point how? The point still stands.
Carl
2 years ago |I guess it needed sarcasm tags.
Jim
2 years ago |IN CASE ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN THE BIG PICTURE:
JPMorgan analyst wrote in a note on February 2 2012:
Sales of mainstay products in the consumer products & services (CPS) segment declined sharply in 3Q (TV sales down 43% YoY, digital imaging sales down 36%, PCs down 13%, games down 10%). We think production will rebound and margins could improve modestly if effects from the flooding in Thailand fall away, but Sony still faces structural problems such as a weak product lineup and high cost structure. We therefore think it’s too early to turn
positive.
•Sony lowers fuLL 2012 guidance to ¥95 billion operating loss (from ¥20 billion profit): This breaks down as a ¥90 billion downward revision for the CPS segment, ¥10 billion upward revision for PDS (semiconductors), ¥5 billion downward revision for Sony Ericsson, and ¥30 billion downward revision for others (due to delayed receipt of insurance proceeds related to the floods in
Thailand).
•Waiting for Sony to regain its luster: At the February 2 briefing to introduce Sony’s new management hierarchy, new CEO Kazuo Hirai said his focus will be on strengthening core business lines, rebuilding the TV business, realigning Sony’s business portfolio, and accelerating the pace of innovation (strengthening
the medical business), to provide customers with products and experiences that are “quintessentially Sony”. Although short on charisma, Hirai gave a coherent and easy-to-follow presentation. We hope his presentation skills are an indication of the leadership that will redefine what is “quintessentially Sony” and execute that vision.
Clifton
2 years ago |Saying Sony pulled the plug on the A850 or 900 to save money seems a little short sighted when it was in production for about 4 years, probably longer than any comparable range camera. The fact that is was still selling in the face of far higher spec’ed, higher reviewed and often cheaper cameras says a hell of a lot.
Sony cannot just choose to ignore the FF market, doing so will have a direct knock on effect on the semi pro market (A77), which will in turn run down the line.
Jim
2 years ago |Fine – but why did they just discontinue it? Why not wait for a replacement to hit the stores first? The only plausible explanation I can come up with is that FF/pro photo is not important enough to them as a market segment, and they would rather focus on other stuff. Can you imagine Canon discontinuing 5D Mark II before the Mark III is available or even announced?
SonyA77
2 years ago |Maybe the production runs got so low that it became uneconomical to continue producing it?
ageha
2 years ago |lol
The A900 was probably in production for only a few months. I guess they produced a few 10k during the months around the launch date and after 4 years they finally sold them all off.
SonyA77
2 years ago |LOL!
Carl
2 years ago |Sony discontinued the A700 over a year before the replacement was announced, and nearly two years before it was readily available in stores. It’s clearly not a A900 specific problem.
Solo
2 years ago |FF-specific, not A900-specific
Jim
2 years ago |It looks to me like they are all over the place. Of note, they did not mention even once the alpha line of cameras or the dslr/slts. My take is that these are simply too small for the corporate to worry about. I am not sure if anyone is interested to see this info, but I bet there is more truth in what the CEO stated vs some low level marketing dude at a small European sub.
Deutsche Bank:
Sony’s 3Q results were in line with expectation, and our impression of new president Kazuo Hirai’s interview was reasonable. Sony lowered full-year sales guidance from ¥6.5trn to ¥6.4trn (-11% YoY), OP from ¥20.0bn to – ¥95.0bn, and NP from -¥90.0bn to -¥220.0bn. The OP revision was as we expected. Most of the downward revision is due to external factors, including an impairment loss on its stake in S-LCD (-¥63.4bn), forex (-¥20bn), and the Thai floods (-¥45bn). For mainstream businesses there were some positives including ¥10bn outperformance for PDS (components/B2B), and losses on TVs were ¥10bn lower. However, volume guidance for all core
products was lowered: DSC from 23m to 21m, camcorders from 4.8m to
4.4m, PS3 from 15m to 14m, and PC from 9.4m to 8.4m. Supply problems
from the Thai floods are having a significant impact but there is also uncertainty on demand, particularly in Europe and the US. At this point Sony appears to be staving off further earnings deterioration by cost reductions.
President Hirai indicated the following as important points: 1) Strengthening core businesses (DI/games), putting emphasis on mobile areas, 2) reorganisation of TVs (he also mentioned OLED/Crystal LED), 3) restructuring (including withdrawal from segments where products have become commoditized, and aggressive investment in new businesses), 4) accelerating reforms (developing medical business/increasing cooperation between R&D and operations). In the medical business, the president talked about participation in areas related to Sony’s sensor and lens technology, including
endoscopes, x-ray, and ultrasound equipment. 3Q results were weak; sales were ¥1.8trn (-17% YoY), operating loss
¥91.7bn, and net loss ¥159.0bn.
hanugro
2 years ago |If it use 24MP then I am absolutely thrilled. Dual Bionz inside for 24fps, at least 3s buffer for 72 frames, with dual memory card. This will be the camera to own if I can find the cash.
sony a99
2 years ago |good!!!
sony a99
2 years ago |24fps!!!I very hope…
sony a99
2 years ago |at least 3s buffer for 72 frames
ok!!!
Cputeq
2 years ago |What a bunch of negative nancies. Who cares how long the A99 takes? People waiting for new bodies perplex me.
Let us assume when you bought (and kept) your A700/850/900, you thought it was a camera capable of giving you great results, as long as you (the photographer) did your part.
Now, what exactly has changed about your camera since then? Has it magically stopped making great photos? Have you started shooting in caves that you now need extreme ISO performance? What has happened in that time that now you MUST have a new body because OMG your current body no longer works for you? You guys are ridiculous.
Sony’s real problem? Not enough lenses. That is what a REAL photographer is going to be concerned with (and maybe support systems for pros, ect).
Instead, a bunch of gear-heads posing as photogs get on the web and bemoan the lack of yearly disposable bodies from company X…bah!
SonyA77
2 years ago |However somebody earning a living using Sony gear needs to have assurances that the system will continue to be developed. They need to know that when their A900 or CZ lens fails, they will get a NEW replacement.
I don’t do it for a living, so am quite happy with the body and lenses that I have and could carry on for years taking high ISO photos of my cat in the dark.
Having said all this, I wouldn’t use Sony if I was making a living out of photography…
Jim
2 years ago |In case anyone on this board cares…here is what a respected analyst Hisashi Moriyama from JPMortgan wrote in the Feb 27 2012 Nikon Corporation report:
“Nikon operating profit to average ¥196.3 billion over next 15 years: We have modeled Nikon’s earnings over the long term and have formulated estimates for each of the next 15 years, through FY2026. We estimate that operating profit will average ¥196.3 billion over the 15 years starting in FY2012. Our average segment operating profit estimates are ¥38.3 billion for precision equipment and
¥172.1 billion for imaging products. At the core of our outlook is our belief that profits from imaging products will start approaching those of Canon over the long term as a result of Nikon’s increasingly putting into practice methods for turning its optical technology into profits.
We forecast a decline in Nikon’s market share to 29.7%
over the two years through FY2011 owing to a sensor
shortage and the Thai floods. However, we project an
increase in market share to 34.1% in FY2012 owing to
the restart of Thai plants and the launch of the new D4,
D800, and Nikon 1 models, resulting in increased
volume. We also see market share growing over the long
term, to 37.1% in FY2016. Nikon’s long-term objective
is a market share of 40%. While achieving this objective
is possible, depending on Nikon’s product strategy, we
think it may not be realistic to expect the top two
companies (Canon and Nikon) to have an 80% share
between them, given that Sony and other lower-ranked
manufacturers are likely to see their volumes grow, even
if only a little, thanks to their low-end models. On a
value basis, however, we think Nikon will continue to be
the leader by a wide
Why Nikon Maintains a Strong Position in the DSL Market
Ultimately, we think the reason Nikon is able to maintain a strong position in DSLs derives from the fact that it continues to develop optical technology for exposure systems. In WWII, Nikon manufactured the distance meters for the battleship Yamato’s artillery guns, and today NASA uses the company’s D3 cameras for taking photos in space. We estimate annual R&D spending in the precision equipment segment (mainly involving ArF exposure systems) at around ¥30 billion. Nikon’s optical technology (including the world’s most advanced coating technology) and the technology it spends tens of billions of yen per year developing allow it to make consumer-use lenses at no cost, in a sense. We believe the launch of the D800 will
trigger a shift to full-size image sensors and bring pixel count to 36 megapixels, increasing the specs required of lenses. We know of no company in the world, other than Canon, that is capable of making the new R&D investments necessary to create a product to compete with one for which there is a cumulative total of more than 65
million lenses, and create coating lenses that can cope with a further increase in pixel count. Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat lenses control flares and ghosting thanks to proprietary coating technology, but the short-focal-length (24mm) lens is priced at
over ¥200,000. However, we think the launch of the D800 will spark replacement demand for this kind of high-priced lens, making it even more difficult for other companies to catch up. We reiterate that Nikon remains our top pick.”
SonyA77
2 years ago |If you put a Nikon badge on a Sony A580 it will sell like hot cakes.
Slap an Apple logo on a polished turd and it’ll sell too.
Luis
2 years ago |I have to say A77 doesn’t make a lot of sense a lot of times, but here he was right on the money…
SonyA77
2 years ago |Don’t confuse not making sense with an opinion you don’t share.
Ugh
2 years ago |And this is why I ordered a Nikon D800. Too many promises. Too much delay.
SonyA77
2 years ago |You ordered a Nikon D800 because you wanted a Nikon.
Luis
2 years ago |See, no sense again, I ordered D800 because of Sony lack of compromise with Pro photographers… With product follow up… With lenses variety, with availability, etc. Sony is an excellent company all around, this opinions are based on experience, and I too felt forced to jump ships, that was after some serious thought…
SonyA77
2 years ago |Good for you. So?
HahaSony
2 years ago |Sony,
You going down, bahahahahaha.
Sure, there are some Pro’s still using the system, but most like myself have left. Waiting for simple things like LV to be implemented into a camera was just ridiculous.
You may say that it is not needed, and i agree to a certain extent, but it is helpful, especially for macro, and product photograhy, something 99% of the soccer moms here wouldnt understand.
Some clients require video, something Sony does not have in their Pro camera’s (a900,a850), and something the rest of the big camera companies have had since 2008.
Yup, for the few of you left that are still using Sony in a pro environment, time to say bye bye. If you want great ISO, speed, non-proprietary components (flash hot shoe), a huge selection of lenses, take a look elsewhere, cause Sony doesnt have these things.
Peace out. While you Pro’s are waiting for the a99, I will have made another years salary using my Nikon.
A900 Faithful
2 years ago |I agree, right now I have two saved carts at B&H on with the mark III and to other with the D800 3 lens each an a flash both (barley) under 10,000US I will be keeping all my sony gear, as back up’s because I just love my 900 and 135z. But I need a company who will compete in the pro market. now I’m just waiting to see the head to head comparisons which will be fun to watch!
I will start this year out with sony and end with ????
ageha
2 years ago |Everything Paul Genge knows about the A99 he read probably in the internal quarterly newsletter. I doubt his UK office is involved in the development of a new camera. His influence on the tethering issue tells a lot. He’s a marketing guy who likes to talk, that’s it.
Vivek
2 years ago |+1
Muchado about noth’n.
Cliff
2 years ago |It’s a shame that Sony would be so Hell-bent on one technology (EVF/SLT) that it would actually force good customers to leave it for a competitor.
It would be like Ford saying; “We are only dedicated to gasoline engine trucks,…if you want a diesel engine, than please go to Chevy or Dodge for that”
It amazes me that Sony would box itself into a corner and NOT offer something that millions will buy (OVF) from Canon and Nikon. Even if they really want Sony OVF,..they are forced to leave Sony.
Not having a Sony OVF/SLR option for Sony customers, not only hurts body sales but it hurts Sony lens sales too!
SLR vs. SLT debate aside,…we can all agree that millions of photogs just don’t like SLT/EVF. (for whatever reason) How will Sony sell more cameras year over year by making cameras that only statistically appeal to minority of FF photogs worldwide?
If the A99 only has modest sales in the next 2-3 years compared to Nikon/Canon FF models, than Sony needs to fire the people that are making these decisions. (We all know Canon will sell several TONS of 5D III’s)
Plain and simple,…Sony needs to compete in BOTH OVF/SLR AND EVF/SLT markets if it wants to greatly improve it’s status against Canon and Nikon. (especially inside the hardened OVF Pro FF crowd)
I want to see 100 Sony SLT & SLR cameras at the sidelines of all NFL games in 5 years. (not just 100 Sony pro video cameras like you see today)
Ha!,…Sony is THE undisputed industry leader in the Pro video broadcast world because they give video Pros exactly what they want…their Alpha cameras should be no different for photography. Alpha should take a lesson form Sony pro video, NXCAM, XDCAM and CineAlta divisions….those guys understand their customers
ageha
2 years ago |I guess the lesson they got is that Alpha cameras will be more video centric. That’s the only reason for the translucent mirror, it doesn’t improve continues AF and for PDAF in live view it’s not needed.
Denis
2 years ago |AF for video? Are you joking?
AF in video looks amateurish.
sony a99
2 years ago |AF for DSLR? Are you joking?
AF for DSLR looks amateurish
MF for Large Format camera is so expert,
but it died a heroic death for the average consumer
sony a99
2 years ago |The average consumer (isn’t the expert) need AF for video.
sony a99
2 years ago |SLT may use AF for video
But SLT may use MF for video too
SonyA77
2 years ago |The A77 gives you both AF and MF, I thought people here wanted choice from Sony?
Cliff
2 years ago |I think we are ALL getting lost in this silly SLR vs. SLT technology debate and which one is the future and which one is better,..blah blah… crap.
We are all essentially doing this:
Person X – “I like corn better than peas”
Person Y – “No way, corn sux, it makes me crap strange”
Person X – “What?,..your ass just is bad, corn is far superior to peas”
Person Y – “Screw you and your corn, peas digest easy AND taste better”
This whole debate is so subjective and all about a matter of “taste”.
To me? Although I make 90% of my money with Sony and video jobs and I’m VERY used to looking through an EVF, I do find something “beautiful” about looking “directly” through a nice OVF. It just “feels” more “natural” and more,..I dunno “organic”. That’s just me, but I can use both.
Who cares which one is better? Make them BOTH and let the customers decide. (and sell more cameras and lenses because of that)
My gear-
Sony EX1r
Sony NX70
Sony FX1000
Sony NEX VG20
Sony A300
Sony A580
cputeq
2 years ago |Speak for yourself. I love PDAF in live view and use it ALL the time, especially shooting events from over my head or at waist level.
In fact, if you really want to delve into it, the articulating screen on the A77 (and how the AF works) is the *primary* reason I’m even a Sony shooter. Nobody else puts good articulating screens on their upper-end bodies.
When I calculated the features the A77 gave me over other bodies, then looked at their glass as being good enough for my needs (though I wish they had a bit more), I jumped ship.
I’ve owned complete systems around D700, D300, D7000, 5D1 and 5D2, 1D3, and even the A850 but in the end the A77 worked for me and how I shoot. For other people it may not be so good, who knows, only you can tell.
Also, someone commented on “if I were a pro I wouldn’t be shooting Sony” and I’d have to agree…not because Sony isn’t a capable system, but when you look at the pro programs offered by Canon, Sony is pale in comparison.
As for the whole EVF thing – Sorry, I think it’ll get better and frankly I love the A77′s EVF *now*. I’ve learned to manage my shots during 8/12 FPS shooting so that I don’t lose my subject, etc. The benefits to the EVF are great IMO and much outweigh the drawbacks.
ageha
2 years ago |Even an old Alpha A300 has PDAF in live view and that without translucent mirror.
SonyA77
2 years ago |The A300 uses a separate sensor for quick AF live-view. You don’t actually get what you see with the A300.
Chris C.
2 years ago |I like corn and peas!
SonyA77
2 years ago |It’s ironic that Canon and Nikon don’t offer choice, yet all we have here is people bitching about Sony not offering choice.
I want a Nikon dSLR with an EVF, Nikon say TOUGH you can’t have one. I have no choice but to use a Nikon dSLR with OVF!
Cliff
2 years ago |That’s exactly why Sony “can” have the edge over the two. Sony “could” do both and sell more cameras!
They can retain the OVF customers that they already earned, Steal “some” CaNikon OVF customers AND pickup new customers with EVF and sell more lenses each year too.
If Sony sold 1 million EVF and 1 Million OVF bodies,…would that bother any EVF fanboys?
EVF/OVF debate aside,…EVF is only a limited “niche” market when compared to the rest of the OVF industry.
I wonder how many Sony A900 owners are planning to move to EVF. I wonder how many CaNikon FF guys will leave their OVF and run to Sony EVF FF?
Sony needs 100% of is past FF crowd to buy A99 just to break even with the old A900 sales numbers. How many A900 guys want to leave that sweet OVF? Also,…Sony can’t count on many CaNikon-type guys staying away from a new (and damn good!) 5D III in favor of an EVF A99.
It ain’t happening.
For better or worse,…FF pro’s will mostly stay with OVF for years to come.
btw,…hate it or not but pros care more about high ISO performance prolly more than anybody else in the photog world. Sony better make a 24mp or even better, 18Mp FF camera.
SonyA77
2 years ago |But that fact remains. People bitch about Sony not giving a choice yet I can not go to either Canon or Nikon for a dSLR with EVF. THEY also don’t give me a CHOICE.
Steve
2 years ago |I’m all in favor of anything that helps Sony gain market share and even all of the point and shoot crap that is moving into the more serious cameras to my taking photos easier for the person who just doesn’t care to learn photography.
Okay, I get it……………but next I expect to see a pink Hello Kitty as the logo.
Sony sends mixed signals, marketing a $12,000 500mm lens while making most of their cameras targeted to soccer moms and grandparents as they do.
I agree that the OVF’s and mirrors are the past and so far Canon and Nikon are still firmly planted in this limiting architecture while Sony is moving into something new and likely better, the a77 is proof, but I think many of us question is what consumer is Sony after and does that include me?
Steve S
2 years ago |The a77 really needs a good firmware update. The lag is fucking annoying . They should bring back the quick navi, it was great. Why change something when it works?. I really like the a77 but UI is crap! Come on Sony the a33 is faster than this.
ageha
2 years ago |The ARM CPU in the A77 is probably more powerful than in the A33/35/55 but I guess the A77′s software is overengineered and I doubt they will start from scratch. Maybe Paul Genge developed it himself at home.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Isn’t that what v1.05 is meant to do, fix the lag? Oh wait, that was v1.04… Hopefully they have fixed it this time!
Futile
2 years ago |Not used the A77, but I’m having far too many problems with the NEX7 EVF to feel comfortable about Sony’s future with SLT.
Right now, I’m thinking OVF would be a better decision, I guess it just not mine to make.
Niels
2 years ago |Hi All
Just a note for all of you – I have full kit of A77 + grip all G class lens + all flashs 5k + the hot shoe broke got in touch with Sony NOT INTRESTED told me its a comsumer camera !!! not sim pro even !! SONY just what to sell. As a PRO with sony as backup I WILL be selling all sony kit they are not intrested in PRO kit going forward Shame !!
SonyA77
2 years ago |They are correct to be fair, the A77 isn’t defined as a “semi-pro camera”.
You’d have to put quite a strain on the hot shoe to break it. I’m not too sure that Canon or Nikon would replace a broken hot shoe free under warranty either. My guess would be that they would see it as misuse and therefore chargeable?
ageha
2 years ago |At least Nikon does it for the D700.
A900 Faithful
2 years ago |Give me a break love sony all you want their hot shoe has always been shit! I broke one too on a A900 its plastic junk
Solo
2 years ago |what did you do to break it? I’m just wondering because hot shoes in general, be it sony or standard, are flimsy as fuck.
YOU broke it. Don’t blame your camera, that’s just stupid.
A900 Wed PRO
2 years ago |Look man sony makes the thing outta plastic not metal like other DSLR’s its not a good design
SonyA77
2 years ago |YOU broke it. That’s the point. If you dropped a lens and it broke, who would you blame?
Niels
2 years ago |Half-Wit…did i say what happend
SonyA77
2 years ago |You don’t need to, we know YOU broke it.
voyager42
2 years ago |I also have full A77 kit… CZ 24-70, 70-400G, etc. I got my A77 in Nov 2011 from Amazon… Dec 2011 it failed. Sent it back to Sony Laredo TX and they told me it needed a new circuit board!!!… 6 weeks later I got the camera back. By that time Sony had the camera longer than I did!!!…
Used my A55 travelling during this time… Regardless, the A77 came back in perfect order, 1.04 software loaded (had 1.03 when I bought it).
I am still very happy with my A77. I’m not a pro by any stretch of the imagination… I’m probably the vast majority who buy Sony cameras…
I’ll also look at the A99 when it comes out and if it offers an upgrade from the A77 I’ll buy it and sell the A77.
I just told my NEX-5 on eBay… My A55 is for sale… Now got enough to buy the NEX-7…
There is no reason for someone like me to change to Canikon… To be honest it’s kind of amusing when people see my A77/Grip/CS2470 combo… they seem so surprised that it is a Sony…
Jim
2 years ago |sad story (for Sony).
For the most part, Sony is a company driven by mass consumer mentality. They design a cool new technology full of electronics bullshit that only looks nice on paper, but most users will never use, and try to convince the masses their stuff is the best out there because it’s the most innovative. Then they make their own users feel stupid after they introduce a new model within only a year (NEX 5n or A57 anyone) and push the same people to “upgrade” while their original purchase is still 80% new and 100% capable.
Canon and Nikon, on the other hand, have a huge % of their business geared towards professional/industrial use where you don’t make your last year’s product obsolete with a slight change a year later. These companies’ approach to their customers is based on designing a top quality product that professional users ask for, and then they stand behind that product with service and support. They apply the same approach whether it’s a solo pro photog who spends $3-$5K a year on average on their equipment over the years, or a medical research lab that may spend in the $100’s of thousands each year. It does not mean you don’t innovate, more to the contrary (see my post from JPMorgan analyst above). But you do it in a more thoughtful and deliberate manner, staying clear of half-assed moves into new underdeveloped technology in just trying to find the next ‘cool’ thing.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Racist scum. You are disgusting Denis.
mb
2 years ago |agree. Andrea should remove ‘asian monkey’ post.
admin
2 years ago |Removed! Didn’t see it sorry!
mb
2 years ago |tks – good onya
BKD
2 years ago |+1
Jeff
2 years ago |As excited as I am about the possibilities with an SLT I just think it’s a bad strategy to limit product variety for professional shooters. I want a DSLT FF for sure and would likely use it more often than not. BUT, because I regularly shoot in situations that suffer multiple vagaries and potential hazards I would love to see them include a DSLR that is an absolute tank, a stripped down beast of a camera with as few electronic components as possible to minimize the risk of things failing due to impacts and weather issues. Yes, the mirror flipping and flapping is a limiting factor in many regards but it is simple and tougher technology, it can handle much more abuse and the same is true of a pentaprism. I want both because both have their place and applications. SLTs are fine for enthusiasts, semi-pros, and consumers with money to burn but if you shoot professionally in challenging and even dangerous conditions you need something truly rugged in the arsenal.
ageha
2 years ago |I guess they know what they are doing. Probably DSLRs weren’t profitable enough so they try something else. Now it’s either SLT or they invest in something else like tupperware or whatever makes money.
Mark
2 years ago |In addition to A99, I’d love to see new versions of something close to the following (G series for these would be great)…
14-24mm f/4 or compact 17-40mm f/4
70-210mm f/4
24-105mm f/4
35mm f/2
100mm f/2
A 50-150mm f/2.8 to match the excellent 16-50 would be awesome for APS-C users.
melody
2 years ago |NP, paul. JUST RELEASE FF NEX ASAP, please!!!
Niels
2 years ago |Solo
Read what I said – and by the way no ones interested what you think !!
sonyboy68
2 years ago |Sony , we want Full Frame !!
Walt
2 years ago |It was supposed to be that SLT/EVF was cheaper to make and Sony went to that for the increased profit. Then here’s Paul whining that it’s costing too much to develop SLT so they have no money for DSLR. Appears Sony underestimated the SLT’s cost of development and now they are going to take a hit for that error. Maybe a big enough hit they give up on Alpha and move that R&D money over to medical which sounds like what the new boss wants.
bkd
2 years ago |Because I missed it, can you please point to the part where Paul talks about the costs of developing SLTs to the exclusion of DSLRs. And, BTW, you’re in no position to make comments about people ‘whining’.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Only in Walt’s World…
Ren
2 years ago |I have read a lot of comments here about pros not using a77′s. I am a working professional and I just bought an a77.
I run Golden Era Photography. We are a Salem, Oregon based photo studio who shoots weddings, portraits, pinup, the occasional celebrity and pretty much anything else to pay the bills. I have been published several times and I have done all this with aps-c cameras.
http://www.goldeneraphoto.com
I am not a Sony sponsored photographer, I bought my own.
I was one of the loud voices on here saying that the a77 was a mistake with the evf.
Fast forward a few months and I now own an a77 with the 16-50 kit lens and a portrait grip.
I just got it a couple days ago, and I haven’t had a chance to get it in the studio, but I will be reporting on it here after I put it through its paces.
What I can say is, so far I do love the ergonomics. It feels like a proper a700 replacement, which is to say, it holds true to the Minolta feel that I have loved for so long.
I don’t think it’s a 100% perfect camera, but from the few casual test shots I have done, I think it’s clear that its an upgrade over the a700 and was worth the money spent.
Ray oody
2 years ago |How about the C3 successor ??
Ray oody
2 years ago |Waiting for the new NEX fixed lens .. Let’s hope it comes with a big aperture 2.0 or so !!! Please admin can’t wait to hear about it !!!
Clifton
2 years ago |I spent the last 2 days shooting portraits on the street with my ancient, ISO inferior, battered and bruised A700 and I had an absolute blast. I sure as hell didn’t miss reading the same fucking arguments on here, over and over again.
Joe
2 years ago |One thing I always ask the critical Canikon folks, especially those critical of Sony, the EVF or the A77 in general -> “Have you tried the A77?”
100% of the people I have asked in person have said no and I don’t believe those I’ve asked online who said they have tried it. Pick one up, hold it in your hands. Look in the EVF. Switch to manual and turn focus peaking on. Put the camera in continuous mode and put the hammer down. Press the record button and move the camera around and watch the autofocus.
Go sit in a closet with the lights off and set the camera to BULB. Can you do that with a Canikon? Sure you can. Now look in the viewfinder. Can you see anything? No you can’t. Can you see anything with the A77. Sure you can.
Talk all day long about the 1/3 of a stop the light loses after you’ve tried it. Or how it is not good in low light after you’ve used the A77 in low light. Fire off 12 shots in a second and then complain about the couple of seconds it takes before you can take 12 more. Sounds like a nice problem to have to me.
Once you’ve tried it, go back to your old arguments about how many lenses you can get or how all the pros use Canon or Nikon. Just leave the Sony people alone. We’ll wait for the A99 patiently or get impatient and find an A850 or A900 on eBay and be happy enough with it. Some people will leave and come to your side. Regardless, go back to your D800 or 5dIII and go be happy there. Don’t waste your time complaining about us or telling us our stuff is crap. You’re consuming time you could be taking pictures.
I’m thrilled with my A77. I’ve taken some amazing pictures at ISO 6400. I’ve fired off 200 shots in a 60 second span. I’ve been able to get closer to what I artistically intended and sometimes even exceed what I was trying for. I’ve also taken a thousand pictures I didn’t like and I deleted immediately. It’s not perfect, so I dream of something better. That’s why I read this blog. Not to hear the crap many Canikon people have spewing from their mouths. I’d like to think it is 1-2 bad apples spoiling the whole bunch…
Jim
2 years ago |Joe,
The readers of this blog you call ‘Canikon people’ share the same fond memories of the old Minolta system that we all used to share for many years until the camera division was sold off to Sony. The true Canon and Nikon fans for life hardly acknowledge Sony nor did they care for Minolta back in the day to begin with.
People tend to have a long running connection to the photographic equipment they use to create memories of their life. Plus most of us like the the technology aspect of it to some extend – it all makes an interesting topic to follow in on line forums such of this.
I was a die hard Minolta fan since 1990s and stayed with the system until very recently when my patience ran out waiting for a new FF body w video and the lenses were getting more expensive and critical prime lenses were not introduced. This is the only reason that I was forced to switch by the stupid actions of lack thereof by the new owners of the A mount.
So, please relax, don’t take it personally, and hopefully you and others can learn a thing or two from the ex-Minoltans who enjoy photography. Feel free to ingore us or feel free to insult our intelligence or intentions. All we are trying to do is to present alternative views and introduce a healthy debate among like minded people.
Lastly, I, for example, did try A77 several times in 3 different stores here in NYC. Nice camera but too gimmicky for my taste and the viewfinder is crap. But that’s just me.
Matt Stevens
2 years ago |Kirk Tuck just posted a review on The Visual Science Lab, stating the he really likes it, particularly the EVF. He didn’t say it was perfect or the best, but that as a top working pro, he liked what it did.
http://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/2012/03/sony-a77-first-report-no-technical.html
Joe
2 years ago |Jim, I appreciate your reply. And more than anything else, I appreciate you trying the A77 before making the determination you didn’t like it. I’m not trying to insult anyone’s intelligence. I don’t know Minolta other than the Beercan I got off of eBay. It came with a Maxxum 7000 as a rear lens cap and it sits in a bag as I doubt anywhere close to me would do a good job developing film. I’m a child of the digital age. My first camera was a 1.2 MP Sony Cybershot and it was the best camera I had owned until I got the A390. Do I shoot professionally? No. I don’t. Will I be once I retire from my current job? Maybe. I want to do it right and get an apprenticeship or at least have the opportunity to watch someone whose style I like, and maybe someone with a different style. I am fortunate enough to travel the world and see a lot of cool places and my A77 preserves those places for me. I also respect the fact that I have to be a student of the game first. I don’t take any of this personally. If anything else, I am hopeful for technology to get better, glass to get sharper and I hope Sony delivers. I say this as an employee of a competitor of a completely different Sony business unit. I do respect the past, don’t get me wrong. I like vinyl much better than digital. When it comes to photography, I just don’t have the room in my house nor the resources close to me to build a darkroom. I do have four monitors and terabytes of hard drive space, however.
Jim
2 years ago |Joe
I hear you. You and I may have started in different places as far as our photography equipment experience but now we both can share our thoughts and opinions/frustrations about the technology part of the photography passion that we all share. Minolta was a fine company offering a solid line of lenses comparable to the others. Lots of us still out there who were loyal Minolta users but we are a slowly disappearing breed. Part of the natural process I guess.
Jim
Carl
2 years ago |It’s hard as an ex-Minoltan. We put up with the dark times when Minolta looked like they pretty much didn’t give a damn, because we knew what they’re were capable of when they actually set their mind to things, a sort of inspired artistry that Canon and Nikon saw no financial sense in, before being left like an abandoned kitten in a box in front of Sony’s door.
Actually, I quite like Sony overall, even if they seemed to have inherited Minolta’s habit of frustrating their customers for no logical reason. But where Minolta was a sort of manic-depressive rollercoaster of the system being semi-abandoned, and then suddenly a surge of gear, and then nothing again, Sony is more schizophrenic, introducing some wonderfully ascetically pleasing lenses and ergonomic and overbuilt cameras one instant, then the next dropping stuff from their lineup without a replacement, change their technology, and introduce something significantly different in behavior without communicating what they plan to achieve by doing so, and expect their customers to accept their new approach as the right one up until they change their mind again. At the very least, it can be said Minolta gave me plenty of experiences of those times where one clutches one’s head between one’s fingers in frustration.
I guess it says a bit about my character and my style as a photographer. If I bought a Nikon I could get a camera that was mostly free of quirks, with a clear roadmap and steady replacements, and a full lineup of any lenses I need for my style of photography, however it wouldn’t move me, and I’d always feel this inexplicable emptiness inside as I took those near-perfectly exposed and focused, sharp photos, devoid of magic and wonderment.
Spoon
2 years ago |Basically you made his point. Tried in a shop isn’t worth mentioning. Try it for more than a few minutes in all kinds of situations and come back with an opinion.
Dan
2 years ago |I like the fact that Sony is dragging their feet on the A99. I’d rather wait to see a true stand-out. Then again, I have the A900 with a ZA 135 so its easy for me to wait. No, I’m NOT a pro, I’m just a guy that likes nice cameras and lenses.
Joe
2 years ago |“I’m NOT a pro, I’m just a guy that likes nice cameras and lenses.” – Couldn’t agree more. Now if I had the opportunity to replace my current salary with photography, I’d jump in a heartbeat. Until then I will make my money and get a lot of practice until I retire and re-evaluate.
SonyA77
2 years ago |There’s that reminder again, maybe we should make “Dan has the A900 and ZA 135″ as a sticky.
Carl
2 years ago |Hmm, you seem to be in a particularly sour mood today. Make sure you make at least one post that’s positive or lighthearted before going to bed, okay?
Poke
2 years ago |We really need to hear some news about the FF. I feel that Sony is behind on the development of the 99. If they were developing something unique or new I could see that Sony would want to keep things secret and make a big impact with announcements of products. However, Sony is playing catch up with Nikon and even Canon because of their recent announcements of their soon to be released FF’s. Sony has to be aware of people using alpha cameras contemplating walking. Therefore, you would think Sony would leak more findings about the upcoming camera to keep interest in their camera line as well as reducing temptation to pick up a Nikon. Unfotunately, Sony is about a half of year behind N/C. It is unfortunate that Nikon and Canon have major releases at about the same time and Sony has nothing. I have been having a great time shooting sports with a 5N/LEA2/70-400/EVF. So I guess what I am really jacked about is that I cannot get the 99 now. I like the EVF. Better than the 850 OVF? Many times yes, sometimes no. The SLT has provided excellent focus. It is hard to miss a shot. Focus better than the new Nikon or Canon? I don’t know. It is way better than the Canon MarkII for focusing. I just hope this camera does not end like an episode of searching for Sasquatch.
Dino
2 years ago |What can’t we do with the available cameras that the C&N shooters can?
We have been blessed with the latest techs since Minolta’s time that C&N almost always end up copying into their products…
Happy shooting people!
Rob
2 years ago |Again, I speculate that A99 footdragging may coincide with the release of 4K tvs. Canon is releasing a consumer 4k video camera in April – but if Sony can put 4k into their high end DSLR they’ll have a killer advantage. As Luminous Landscape says, 4k is the future!!!
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/4k_future.shtml
Clifton
2 years ago |I cant see that myself, although a lot of Sony’s (and pretty much the other big 2) focus is shifting towards video as well as stills, I think, for now, 1080p recording is more than enough for most of us. Having such a heavily development in world leading dedicated video cameras should prevent Sony from being the first to incorporate 4k into DSLR/SLT
It would certainly shock new D800/mkIII users if you were right though
.
Rob
2 years ago |Hi Clifton – I’ve spent some time in tv/electronic stores lately, and sales of 1080p tvs has fallen off dramatically. Manufacturers were counting on 3D’s immersive image to revitalize sales, but as far as I can make out 3D is a dead issue. As the LL notes, 4k is a REAL immersive technology as the images can be so much clearer and larger. I posit (and think LL suggests same) that this is the next card that tv manufacturers and camera companies must take to stimulate sales.
hwelvaar
2 years ago |What’s the use of shooting 4K video if there’s nobody that has 4k devices to run your video on ?
TV’s don’t need higher res than Full HD, you won’t notice the difference anyway.
Only for big screen projectors there’s a business case to crank up the resolution.
Clifton
2 years ago |True but you could probably ask the same of a sensor higher than 3 megapixels too, since the majority of shooters, myself included rarely require resolutions higher than screen res
George
2 years ago |Joe ,you are so right.. I love my A77,is it perfect? no. But Sony is moving ahead Thinking different. My A77 does stuff my Canon friends wish they had like Focus peeking/Panorama/tilt LCD/Live view in the Finder etc. Come on Canon at least you could give em a Tilting LCD? (my “Pro” Canon friend has lost Real estate Jobs cause he can’t provide Panorama with any of his PRo Gear) But,,I really wonder how many of these ” PRO Pixel peepers” ever shot any film or had the pleasure of shooting stuff like TMAX 3200.(no grain there right? ) Lets see,on the sports field on drive mode in the film days you could get maybe 3/5 seconds to use up one roll of 36exp film,then you had to rewind/reload. All without any preview. How long did that take,20-40 seconds? Much longer than clearing my buffer. Now everyone’s a BLASTER.Blast Now Edit later and they bellyache about not getting 400 shots on one battery
I DARE some of these knowitalls to tape up their LCD,go shoot for a high end Client, and see what they get when they get back to the Studio. GO ahead Pros try it!1 test your skills , you know everything ,right. Laughing ,when Zoom lenses first came out all the “Pros” said that’s for amateurs.Not ME I use Manual Focus. Same for Auto Exposure and Auto Focus. Look at them now. Here they go again Bellyaching again about SLT. A99 will be worth the wait.
Clifton
2 years ago |A funny, but painfully correct post. +1
Rob
2 years ago |Sony isn’t going back to DSLRs. The days are numbered before other camera makers follow Sony into SLTs. The advantages are too many to deny. Sure, old fashioned glass viewfinders have advantages, but EVFs have more advantages. If it weren’t for the fact that most people are just used to OVFs, there wouldn’t even be a fair comparison between the two. EVFs show what the sensor sees. OVFs show you what the lens sees. But as we all know, lenses don’t capture photos. Sensors do.
When DSLRs first came onto the market, film people didn’t get it. Now, as EVFs come onto the market, the same people who didn’t get it then don’t get it now.
Yes, it’s change and change is hard.
No, EVFs aren’t perfect.
After one hour with my a77, I was blown away by what the EVF enabled me, as a photographer, to do that simply wasn’t possible before. After one day with my a77, I couldn’t imagine going back to the limitations of just a piece of glass for a viewfinder. Now, six months later, I’m firmly a Sony Alpha shooter. I’ve sold my Nikon gear (a D7000) and I’ve never been happier with a camera. Again, of course the a77 isn’t perfect, but man oh man, what a camera.
Sony isn’t going back to making DSLRs. What a giant step in the wrong direction that would be.
Totocebu
2 years ago |I have Minolta and Sony lens so I can’t abandon a sinking ship. Its the old Betamax story all over again. If Sony has a good product Canon will make a better one.
sonya
2 years ago |fact is sony needs a hi MP FF camera as soon as possible!
Rob
2 years ago |The slt technology could help deliver a competitve quality hi MP FF camera if the slt can be rejigged to act as a AA or low pass filter – leaving the sensor as naked as possible. Please see the linked article on the naked sensor. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/the_naked_sensor.shtml
Sonyalphalab
2 years ago |That looks awesome Rob!!
RVN
2 years ago |just take a photo with all I have, while waiting for a new sony full frame camera and cz lens
photography should be fun not make a people stress
Walt
2 years ago |BKD- Right up at the top of this thread you are participating in there is the quote of the relevant part of the interview with Paul.
bkd
2 years ago |I did see those words – and read them for what they are.
But only Walt Knapp would try to twist what is a simple and relatively straightforward statement about Sony’s strategy into the FUD that is “Then here’s Paul whining that it’s costing too much to develop SLT so they have no money for DSLR. Appears Sony underestimated the SLT’s cost of development”.
And you have the audacity to accuse others of having poor reading comprehension skills?