(UPDATED from SR2 to SR0) Huge surprise coming soon? 36 Mpx SLT this week according to Kirk Tuck.
Will the Nikon D800 topseller camera get a competition from Sony?
Now, I have to be sincere. I wouldn’t have posted this rumor if it wouldn’t come from a person I do respect a lot….from Kirk Tuck! Today he posted on DP forum the following message: “I spoke with two people today who sell Sony products. Both commented that there would be an announcement this coming week to introduce the Sony a99 (yes, that’s the official model designation). They added that it will definitely be a 36 megapixel sensor. ISO 100-4000, 12 FPS in raw. Definitely SLT design, no OVF. And coming quicker than we thought. I have reserved one with my local Sony dealer sight unseen. Not sure by we could see them shipping in Sept. I feel pretty confident in the sources. This will be fun. $2799 US. At least that’s what they think.”
Now before to get too much exited let’s start from the rumors I got via my sources. As I always told you Sony developed two FF SLT cameras, one with 24 Mpx and one with 36 Mpx sensor. Now, until now I heard that one camera would arrive at Photokina and another one in 2013. And the original Sony plan was to release the 24 Mpx first.
After reading Kirk’s message we can think at two possibilities:
1) I am sure Kirk is telling us the truth when reporting his rumor but it simply happens that sometimes rumors are wrong 
2) Seeing the Nikon D800 huge sales success Sony quickly decided to anticipate the 36 MPX SLT announcement. It’s unlikely but sometimes miracles do happen.
For now I will rank this rumor with a low SR2 value only. But the best part of this rumor is that Kirk said the camera should be announced this week. So it will not be long until we find out if the rumor is correct or not. A Sony announcement is scheduled for this Thursday!
I hope other sources can just send me a short message to comment Kirk’s post. Thanks!
Some personal thoughts: The Nikon D800 uses a 36MPx Sony sensor and cost around $2999 at Amazon (Click here). An SLT camera with fast fps, better video, better AF for $200 would be a total killer (even if some here would miss the OVF). That 36Mpx may become the hotseller of the moment like the Sony RX100. It sill rules the ABSOLUTE camera sales ranking at Amazon US (Click here). But….that ISO 4.000 sounds a bit strange…
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P.S.: Remind you to join the super nice SAR community on Facebook (Click here).
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Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!
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kalpurush :)
11 months ago |WOW! That would be certainly a huge surprise indeed!!
Looking forward to it.
J
11 months ago |AMEN!!!!!!!
Sergei
11 months ago |Bring it on, already.
JB
11 months ago |I would love this to be true, but no way. 2013 I can see this but not now.
Don Cox
11 months ago |I voted No because I don’t want any DSLR. I expect this one will be fine if you like DSLRs.
IHUR
11 months ago |I was hoping it’s 24mp, though won’t complain on 36. But ISO4000 max?
Dulaney Ward
11 months ago |That iso 4000 spec does indeed seem very strange
Bill
11 months ago |Could have been a misunderstood 400,000, four hundred thousand. ISO 409600
Dulaney Ward
11 months ago |On second thought, the D800 has a native high iso of just iso 6400, two-thirds of a stop higher than the pecs Tck has suggested.
ee
11 months ago |If there’s an AA-less version offered and/or also a 50mm f1.2 announced then: YES.
RVN
11 months ago |can’t wait for a99 24mp and CZ 50mm/1.2 and 50mm/1.4
Kain
11 months ago |Why such a low ISO? or am I missing something here?
doug
11 months ago |Please please PLEASE make it so that the semitransparent mirror can be flipped up and out of the way while shooting!
Gunnar
11 months ago |Not going to happen.. Just buy a D800,that can do it
doug
11 months ago |Already ordered a D800E to replace my A850, which I love. And I love my Sony Zeiss glass too. But Sony is forcing me back to Nikon. Not something I wanted to do, but I need to keep up with the technology in order to keep up with the competition.
frank
11 months ago |Sony is not “forcing” you to do anything. That’s like saying that toaster brand “X” is forcing you to buy toaster brand “Y” because you don’t like the features on one of the toasters.
doug
11 months ago |I’d rather stay in business, thank you.
Richard Harris
11 months ago |Pretty sad state of affairs if one feels you have to buy the latest and greatest to stay in business, to keep up with the competition. Have more faith in your own abilities
doug
11 months ago |I can take care of the creative end, but the camera has to provide the technical capability. What defined the best three years ago has been surpassed by today’s camera technology. Back in the days of film you could improve the technical quality your shots by using a better film. Today it means replacing the camera body. I don’t want to buy a new camera. I just want better digital “film”. Commercial photography is a very competitive business and one has to keep up with current technology if one wants to stay in business, because the competition does. And clients notice.
Solo
11 months ago |Oh come on Doug, half the photographers at my studio are still shooting with 5d mark ones and even a 1st generation 1d and guess what they are booked every week. Your clients don’t give. Shit if you have a d800 or not, that’s just silly.
IHUR
11 months ago |You sound like a teenager doug. I’m sorry to say it, but if your job really need some latest camera for them to appreciate and value your photography, then they suck, and probably your skill suck too, that’s why you need latest technology to cover your ‘suckiness’ .
Alright, sorry for being too emotional here, but my point is, don’t depend on technology more than your own skill.Some of the most successful photographers that I know and heard don’t always use the latest cameras.
Any camera can be so killer in the right hand. YOu dont want people telling you: “Ahh that’s a wonderful photography, ofcourse..that’s because he’s using that nikon d800″
Beaur
11 months ago |Doug needs a Hasselblad h4d-200ms if he’s serious about his commercial work. He needs to go medium format digital.
Carl
11 months ago |8×10 with the latest and greatest scanning back would really take it to the next level.
The Real Kirk Tuck
11 months ago |IHUR, it’s the ones who make ad hominem attacks on people who are merely stating their preference who are acting like teenagers. Like you’re doing now. Maybe you need to grow up.
Alpha 580
11 months ago |12 fps at 36 MP?
Very unlikely!
passer-by
11 months ago |Sure, it can be done but only for 6 frames.. hihihi
Gunnar
11 months ago |I would have been more happy with a 105 AF point A77 for birding and sports plus a 36mpix Nex 7 for landscapes
or some nice new firmware’s, but I guess it ain’t gonna happen.. So be it. If this rumor is true I guess a few people start looking differently at Sony 
and I have to figure out what to do with a FF camera
Rooru S.
11 months ago |mmmmm don’t know…Making such a move…it isn’t too late to change things? What about production of such a camera changing decisions at the very last momemnt? How much will it take to provide this camera worldwide?
Poke
11 months ago |I want the 24Mpix. Sony has issues with noise when they push the Mpix. When they use around 16Mpix for their recent APC-S sensor they are doing well with regards to noise. Therefore, it makes me feel they are ready to step up their performance with 24Mpix FF. Their previous FF’s major problem with stills was with noise. Indoor or lower light situations without a flash was not good and anything above 3200 was pretty poor and at 3200 needed significant help with noise reducing software. If Sony can make a great FF 24MPix camera, it would give more confidence that they could pull off the 36Mpix.
Jean-Michel
11 months ago |+1. Would prefer a good FF 24MP is perfectly right.
Allan Olesen
11 months ago |Sony has no issue with noise when they push MP. Their current 16MP and 24 has exactly the same noise if you look at the same magnification of the full image.
Further, if you think the 16 MP APS-C sensor is so good, you should be happy about the 36 MP sensor, since a 36 MP full frame actually has the same pixel size as a 16 MP APS-C.
Poke
11 months ago |Allan,
I hope you are right. I have the 850. I know it is an older sensor, but it had poor ISO performance above 3200 and shooting at 3200 needed a lot of help. I bought a 5n for carry around camera and video. I found it to perform significantly better at ISO 3200 and above. I have never used the 77 but everything I have read reports that the 77 cannot hold a candle to the 5n at the high ISO’s. I have not read much bragging on the 77 or the nex7 with regards to this subject. Both great cameras but not with regards to higher Iso performance. Again, I hope you are right. That would make me very happy.
Allan Olesen
11 months ago |If you find a test which shows that the 16 MP sensor has less noise than the 24 MP sensor, you can be sure that they have done at least one of these 4 very common mistakes:
1. Testing 24 MP SLT against 16 MP DSLR/NEX.
As all SLT cameras have a light loss of 1/2 stop, their low light performance is obviously 1/2 stop worse. But some people think that such a result says something about the sensor, and not about the SLT technology.
2. Looking at different magnifications of the full image.
This error is incredibly common. People look at both photos at 100% pixel magnification, not realizing that they are seeing different magnifications of the full image, and consequently also different magnifications of the noise which will appear in the full image. 100% is OK – for ONE of the images, but not for both. Either you must look at the 24 MP image at 100% and the 16 MP image at 122%, or you must look at the 24 MP image at 82% and the 16 MP image at 100%.
3. Comparing images taken with different exposure settings.
When you compare noise from two cameras, you have to use the same aperture, shutter time and scene lighting. A lot of sites like dpreview etc. will test at different settings of aperture and shutter time. This means that quite often, both cameras do not receive the same amount of light, and since noise is directly connected to the amount of light (much more than ISO), the result will not be comparable.
4. Comparing jpegs.
There is so much difference between jpeg engines in cameras that a comparison of jpegs quite likely says more about the quality of the jpeg engine than it says about the quality of the sensors. As an example, the 16 MP a57 is rumored to have a much better jpeg enginge than the 24 MP a77.
brizmako
11 months ago |+1 as well. 24MP is perfect for a new FF for me. I holding off buying a mirrorless at the moment while I wait for the details of the A99.
JB
11 months ago |Where is “I don’t know yet” option ?
Big_T
11 months ago |I would buy it right away if it was the 36 mp model !!!!
p.s why does the rumor talk about 36 mp and then the poll say 24 mp?
admin
11 months ago |Because I am an Idiot and made a mistake.
Poke
11 months ago |OK then I rescind my vote of yes. I would prefer the 24 to the 36, but would buy the 36 if there were not another option.
Aalpha100
11 months ago |Andrea: a mistake does not make you an idiot
.
Keep up the good work!
Tom
11 months ago |Well, unless they are indeed selling 2 full frame models, and this is the most expensive, at $2799, I’d be pretty unhappy. Sony needs a $2000 max entry full frame DSLR.
Besides, I’m already worried about whether they will include some of the video-features I want (clean HDMI output, better audio controls).
I would absolutely not pay $2799 for a 24mpix camera.
Marald
11 months ago |It starts with “I spoke with two people today who sell Sony products. ” that could be anyone working at an electronics company like mediamarkt or similar. My opinion is that these sellers normally don’t know anything about the products theyre selling except what is mentioned on the spec sheet, which they normally interpret wrong. So I can’t really believe this rumor although it would be nice to here something from Sony about releasing a (semi) professional body soon. My a700 is slowly dying and the a77 just doesnt deliver the goods for me. A full frame a77 might. I love Sony colors and interface and grip, love the zeiss lenses and Minolta heritage but am waiting way too long for a good quality video equipped replacement for my camera. Don’t like the d800 feel and interface and don’t like the fixed screen and slow fps of a 5d so come on Sony, this is the time to release something that fits the bill..
Ps admin, why has the iPhone interface disappeared from the website, checking sar on a portable device is not so nice anymore as it used to be.. Please add a mobile layout again.
Archer66
11 months ago |Announcement is about new videocamera.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcam/
Edgars
11 months ago |Nice finding!
frank
11 months ago |We already knew that, do keep up at the back.
Hallosiwa
11 months ago |I think it is 4 K video camera
http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/ext/Cameras/CineProduction/DigitalMotionPictures/
Michaejlt
11 months ago |No way I would pay 2799.00 for 24MP FF camera without knowing more about it performance.
The jury is still out on noise performance of Sony DSLR’s. Perhaps if the performances was better or at least that of CANNON 5D Mark III OR Nikon 800 series..
mr thick
11 months ago |I can think of one area where the SLT will definitely kill the Nikon; the shutter noise. I was at a wedding recently where the main guy was probably shooting with a Nikon FF body. That loud thud is definitely bothersome in a church setting.
If the price were closer to 2500 USD, then maybe a definite yes. However, at 2799, it better be really good. ISO 4000 for a top level body doesn’t sound competitive enough. It should perform well to at least 6400.
JB
11 months ago |HA!
I wonder what people think about my A850 shutter. I did shoot in a fashion show and the someone did say they heard my shutter on the other side of the pit. lol
Michele
11 months ago |I was taking pictures of an old rusty Focke Wulf 190 in a really silent room (at display after been taken up from the sea), an old man came close to me laughing and asked “are you using a machine gun?” hahahaha The A900 is loud!
cbsva
11 months ago |It seems that Sony is going to place the new cam directly against the Nikon D800, so we can assume the next model 2013 will be a 24 MP cam with much less features than the “A99″ and a bit cheaper than the D600.
Sorry for that decision, I would have preferred the other way round (A99 with excellent 24 MP image quality, less noise and high ISO and a cheaper less featured A88 with 36 MP for those people who believe they need many MP.
leowarnes
11 months ago |I think Sony is on the D800 with the new A99, but beware, if you have the A99 Photokina surely have the A88, A77 with a body and features 24-megapixel FF but at a price of $ s 2000 to go out and compete with the Nikon D600, now it gets interesting if the market for FF!
Sorry for my English!
jack
11 months ago |yeahh yeah, and why not a 300 cross af point and 48mpx with 20 fps????
I definitly have a doubt about the 12fps… its a buffer speed/size problem… but we will see…
rene
11 months ago |yeah and the 12fps will be stored on a sd-card!
passer-by
11 months ago |Sony recommends Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo.
Steve Jones
11 months ago |As it’s possible to make a 36MP and 24MP FF SLT camera with the same mechanical construction and differences confined to the electronics and firmware, then there’s no reason why Sony couldn’t announce both at the same time. After all, Nikon are pretty good at using the same basic body for both. (Canon used to do the same thing on the EOS-1D models in the past with high and low res models).
4,000 ISO is a bit of an oddity, but that’s pretty close to the Nikon D800′s 6,400 when the SLT light loss is factored in. Whether Sony would care to highlight the SLT’s light loss in this manner is a different matter, but that’s marketing. In any event, if the 36MP camera has directed towards studio and landscape usage it might help to differentiate from the “action version”.
(Although, who actually needs 12FPS in a studio/landscape camera is a different thing – the same data rate on a 24MP camera would give 18FPS, which would be something to note, albeit the already stretched flash storage would be a further bottleneck – I rather doubt we will see this happen as I suspect the burst frame rate will be limited by the mechanical shutter).
Mike
11 months ago |ISO100-4000 -> they don’t even dare to enable higher ISO numbers
For me, this means the new full frame cameras will have bad low light performance.
Sky_walker
11 months ago |Tell that to D800 which has nearly the same maximum ISO.
Steve
11 months ago |Something else is coming from Sony this week. Could be related.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcam/
2 days 8 hours and counting
Michele
11 months ago |I was about to post exactly the same thing…
Looks like things are falling into place (hopefully).
whistler
11 months ago |The banner shows up on pro.sony.com , so it does not need to be related to the xdcam. It just means it will be included in the Sony pro lineup.
Michele
11 months ago |Mine was a general thought about things coming. We have a lot of rumors and a banner there, so let’s hope for a nice surprise!
AlphaK9
11 months ago |The banner on the the pro site might suggest that Sony is going to give the still photographer pro the support they deserve.
Poke
11 months ago |I think Andrea has it right. The 24 will be announced first, but it would be cool to release both at the same time. I think these cameras address different demographics. The 24 for better all around performance in sports oriented fast action and lower light environments and the 36 for studio/fashion/landscape good lighting or tripod use. I am presently all in for the 24MPix. I am hoping to awake every morning to new tidbits of information regarding these cameras.
P D
11 months ago |Poke, I hope you are Spot on, this would be a fantastic direction, and would make me super happy that I have my “Dream machine” to pick from.
CTPhotographX.com
11 months ago |SR-5
The 36mp a99 has “auto frown” mode to capture all those disappointed new CaNikon customers.
PhotoEye
11 months ago |If you look at Kirk’s ‘source’, you’ll that it is a couple of Sony retailers (sellers). The retailers probably mangled one of the rumors on SAR, and spread it around. The rumor is based on second hand hearsay.
francois
11 months ago |is this real!!!!! yeaaaa i’m ready for it!!!
Maxwell
11 months ago |Nah… I don’t believe this. But I don’t now anything either.
Saber
11 months ago |What a very nice way to start off a very boring hot summer Monday!
kurikun
11 months ago |The source of this rumor is a pair of salespeople in a retail store. This rumor doesn’t have much credibility to me. I think Kirk just got too excited.
Ncguy
11 months ago |Hmm…we shall see. ISO 4000 is suspicious.
voyager42
11 months ago |This actually makes more sense to me… I can’t imagine an a99 with 24MP… It makes sense if the 1st model released is the a99 with 36MP.. then the a88 with 24MP later… Remember, Sony did that with their earlier FF cameras. a900 came out 1st then a850 with lower specs…
I’ve heard so many people commenting on why can’t Sony release a 36MP camera this year.. well, maybe they are!!!…
If Sony stays with its SLT numbering then the a99 should be the flagship camera with 36MP at $2799… the a88 should be the 24MP at around $2099. NOW THAT MAKES SENSE!!!
Dealaddict
11 months ago |I totally agree. I think Sony will release the more expensive model first, and it should be 36mp. Imagine if like Canon, both of them are of similar MP, then they can’t really justify the price difference.
Poke
11 months ago |Yeah, but the 850 and 900 had the same sensor. And other than a 2% difference in view finder coverage and fps they were the same. The 88? and the 99 are two different cameras appealing to different people. Nikon’s most expensive camera isn’t the one that has the most MPix. Just because one camera has more MPix doesn’t necessarily make it the better camera. I could see them costing the same. The 36giving you more resolution and good iimage quality in good light conditions and the 24 performing better in lower light conditions allowing to shoot with higher shutter speeds.
passer-by
11 months ago |“Nikon’s most expensive camera isn’t the one that has the most MPix.”
Well, D3x used to has the most pixels. The D800 is not in the same league with the D3x. It’s in D700 territory, albeit not a direct replacement. A true D700 replacement would be D600, rumored to be priced USD1500-1600.
So, more pixels = higher price tags, according to Nikon. Let’s see how Sony deals with the pricing strategy.
Poke
11 months ago |What about the D4? Its new and only 16Mpix yet more expensive. Doesn’t the 65 and 77 have the same sensor, yet the 77 costs more. I think the cameras from these companies may become more job specific allowing for various functions that may drive the cost up in one camera vs another and not be completely based on MPix’s. The 24 could have a greater fps vs the 36. Possibly better performance in low light while the 36 would provide greater resolution but poorer high iso performance. One in theory could be equipped with a faster focusing system if it is more geared for faster action. What I am saying is that you could have two different MPix cameras that have different pros and cons that lend themselves to be of equal value depending on the end users needs. That said I hope you are right because I am more interested in the 24 version and based on your logic I will pay less. I can live with that.
zstan
11 months ago |Dear Andrea. Could you please reenable the mobile theme please? :/
Boooe
11 months ago |At such high ISOs as 4000, 1 electron in photodiode is multiplied to several ADC units. There is no benefit in increasing analogue gain (ISO) compared to digital exposure adjustment. Especially considering low noise ADCs in 36 mpx sensor.
Austin Schutz
11 months ago |Sweet, another source saying that there will be two full frame cameras! Now, hopefully the “cheap” one will come out so I can use that tax return on it….
P D
11 months ago |I really hope Tuck is WAY wrong. I have been waiting patiently for the previously rumored 24MP super camera at $2799. My wallet is spring loaded for that, and very anxious too.
I’m gonna be pretty pissed if this “36MP with a max ISO 4000″ rumor is true! I was looking forward to 24 Awesome megapixels at ISO 100k+. This new possibility is worthless! If some of you are right and it is 36MP at ISO 400K, than fantastic, but for the first time in two years of being a staunch Sony supporter, and fan of this website, I’m actually nervous about the future prospects. I will continue to watch this site every day, and I hope there are some better rumors to come.
And yes, I’m happy to see Sony is interested in releasing multiple Full-frame cameras. But mixed signals about which one is what, has me on edge. I am hoping the SR2 means I can calm myself a little, and Tuck is misinformed.
Poke
11 months ago |I am with you. I would love to see both released at the same time because while I want the 24 I do not believe the 36 to be useless. However, given the most recent past with Sony’s lack of ability to keep up with demand I cannot see how they can produce two different FF’s at the same time. I hope I am wrong.
Daemonius
11 months ago |There was excitement about Canon EOS-M..
…and its gone.
I would love if this rumour would come true.
LAPR
11 months ago |I bet my D800 plus 14-24 that this is not gonna happen. Not next week, not ever. Not 12fps@36MP (c’mon, ’bout twice as fast as the next fastest), not ISO4000 WTH, where did that number came from?????? And not even 36MP for at least another 6 months, enough to give the other two brands enough time to sell all their stock and production for the next two years. Just telling the truth.
wth
11 months ago |Maybe Nikon has finally allowed Sony to lick their own balls….
36MP Sensor…. finally…. /facepalm
JonasM
11 months ago |Hope it’s true. I will buy it if it’s 36mpix.
Raph
11 months ago |Clean ISO 4000, I for sure wouldn’t need more!
JB
11 months ago |SR0???
lol
voyager42
11 months ago |I notice from the title that Admin has upgraded the rumor from SR2 to SR0… or should that be downgraded!!!
Sounds like that means this rumor is totally bogus!!!… Pity because it’s the only rumor that has made sense to me.
I think we all know that Sony is a “marketing” driven company, not a “user” driven company! It makes sense to release the a99 1st with 36MP because that gets peoples attention. That’s great marketing… Regardless of what we fans of this website think, MP rules marketing… ISO does not!!!…
Releasing the a99 with 36MP 1st will capture a lot of the D800 market… The a88 with 24MP coming later with great ISO would get a lot of the pros buying… It sounds good to me! It’s what I would do if I were in Sony marketing!!!
Unfortunately, if Admin is right and this rumor is now SR0 then it probably isn’t going to happen…
What really is amazing is we knew all sorts of stuff (that turned out to be real) at least a month before the a77 release. Now we are a couple of weeks away from the aXX release and nobody really knows anything… not even the number… a85, 88, 95, 99????… Might be 24MP, 36MP, 101 AF, 102 AF, ISO????… who knows… Seems the only thing we know for certain is that it will be BLACK, FF, SLT, have an LCD and an EVF. That’s it!!!…
Sky_walker
11 months ago |We also know that it’ll have 24 MPx and new 102 point AF system.
That have been confirmed quite boldly few times already by different sources. 36 MPx camera in 2012 always been a “dream” one.
hwelvaar
11 months ago |Who is Kirk Tuck anyway ?
kirk tuck
11 months ago |Please ignore posts from “the real kirk tuck.” It’s not me.