My (and your) future with Sony.

[Anbesol]

Fellow Sony users! As you look to the horizon of Sony's Alpha camera line, what do you find yourself most allured to.

For a while, I had been setting sights on the A850 (or 900), but the onset of the A77 has been tempting me. Pretty psyched about SLT technologies. But, what is a higher priority, the SLT technology, or a 35mm image plane? This is a tough question for me, I'm torn. Should I wait for a 35mm SLT (IF they do it?) Hmmm, what to do, APS SLT, or FF SLR...

Tough call, hopefully the official announcement and release of the A77 may conclude for me an answer. How about the rest of you?

*edit - rumored priceof A77 - "on par with Canon 60D" so 1100... The smaller (hypothetical) price tag is pretty alluring as well.

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-s...ment-mid-july/

24MPix APS sensor. I might have to upgrade my gear to look any good on it. I wonder how clean the grain will be at a reduced resolution, like 12 or 18mpix... hmmm..

[OldClicker]

For me, it is just too confusing right now to speculate on the future with Sony (actually, I don't think they know what they will be doing 12 months from now), but I will (of course) do it anyway.

My perfect camera (using known, current technology) would be something like:

- A900-like Full Frame with full size OVF
- Both Fast Focus and Main sensor Live View
- Able to use Contrast Detect AF to automatically calibrate the Phase Focus AF for front and back focus
- Flip out all-direction LCD
- Excellent AF with multiple, cross, f/2.8 sensors
- No video [compromises]
- Low light performance good enough that ISO is no longer a viable measure (EV would be good)
- Flexible user programming to set up the desired 3-way ‘Priority’ modes (SS, Aperture and EV/ISO) with easy access to these presets.
- True Mirror Lock Up separate from the Drive modes so that you can use Bracketing with the mirror locked up.
- Focus bracketing.
- Flexible, programmable bracketing (exposure and focus together) allowing more (15???) exposures.
- Radio, TTL/HSS flash control with ratios.

That ain’t gonna happen!

The A77 is going to be the big 'tell'. After all this time with nothing offered between $1k and $2k, the A77 is going to have to be great - especially for all the very vocal Minoltians – and I don't see how it can be 'great' enough at around $1100. Both the real and perceived problems of the A33/A55 HAVE to be addressed. Unless they are only looking to sell to the new users/upgraders, this camera will have to compete with the likes of the D7000 and even the 7D (and any APS <$2k that is introduced before the A77 release). With nothing else being offered, they can’t simply say that it’s cheaper.

I also see them going all non-SLR, including FF (unless the A77 doesn't sell, then???) to be announced next year. There is also a fairly credible rumor of a Medium Format within a few years.

Terry

[Anbesol]

So you don't want it to be SLT? There are no compromises for video in SLT.

Low light performance good enough that ISO is no longer a viable measure (EV would be good)

Don't understand why you'd want to get rid of measurable ISO. I suppose you mean because the range is so huge, but even then you'd want to be able to match up metering to thirds of a stop (or at least, to a single stop).

Unless you meant just converting the numbers to be more functional. like

1 - for 100
1.3 - for 125
1.7 - for 160
2 - for 200
2.3 - for 250
2.7 - for 320
3 - for 400
3.3 - for 500
3.7 - for 640
4 - for 800

and so on. I mean, the relevance of the numbering system only matters as it pertains to representing stops of difference. Still, sort of a hard standard to break away from. Besides, you know they will love to tout the ability "capable of ISO 1638400" That number just looks impressive.

What do you think are the real and perceived problems of the A33 and A55? *edit - recalling the "hot sensor issue", SSS and video do not belong together, they just need to turn off the feature for video.

With nothing else being offered, they can’t simply say that it’s cheaper.

I would expect that the market for the Nikon D5000 and Canon 60D are much larger than for the 7D and D7000. Aiming to compete with the entry-level pro body instead of the advanced pro APS is I think the right market choice. But, you do have a point, to be taken seriously they really should make an APS that is a high performance APS comparable to 7D. As quickly as they could announce and distribute their consumer DSLR/SLT's, hopefully they can come up with something for that market area.

You are absolutely right on the A77 being a "tell", interesting to see how they put SLT technology in a pro-body.

Medium format as in, under $10k? Under $5k? SLT? lol, this thread will be like a time capsule and we can come back and see how accurate (or inaccurate) our musings are.

[OldClicker]

So you don't want it to be SLT? There are no compromises for video in SLT.

There are always compromises for video even if it is nothing more than the button. I have no need for video and this was 'my' perfect camera.

I certainly am not anti-SLT (or EVF) but I see no advantages at the moment. I’ve long believed that the future of the OVF was limited (and predicted so here Is the optical viewfinder necessary?, but I don’t think we are there yet. The view through the A900 OVF is stunning and the LCD provides the Live View view.

Don't understand why you'd want to get rid of measurable ISO. I suppose you mean because the range is so huge, but even then you'd want to be able to match up metering to thirds of a stop (or at least, to a single stop).

Unless you meant just converting the numbers to be more functional. like

1 - for 100
1.3 - for 125
1.7 - for 160
2 - for 200
2.3 - for 250
2.7 - for 320
3 - for 400
3.3 - for 500
3.7 - for 640
4 - for 800

and so on. I mean, the relevance of the numbering system only matters as it pertains to representing stops of difference. Still, sort of a hard standard to break away from. Besides, you know they will love to tout the ability "capable of ISO 1638400" That number just looks impressive.

But how practical is it to use such numbers. Quickly, how many stops are there between 189000 and 1638400?

Actually, I think we could change the way we think about sensor sensitivity we now call “ISO equivalent’. With digital post amplification being just as good as gain, there is no need to preset this value – we can stop thinking that this is film. Select the shutter speed and aperture based on the scene and look at the meter. It will show + or – EV and you would know if that value is acceptable. If it is, shoot - if not adjust something.

What do you think are the real and perceived problems of the A33 and A55? *edit - recalling the "hot sensor issue", SSS and video do not belong together, they just need to turn off the feature for video.

Heat may really turn out to be a major issue with the A33/A55. They have not yet been used in the summer in the northern hemisphere. With the main sensor on all the time (along with SSS) they may run hot and start shutting down. Some other 'problems' off of the top of my head:

- EVF delay.
- Artifacts in the EVF when panning.
- With 10 fps, the EVF image is what you just shot, not what you are going to shoot.
- Black EVF in non-ambient studio with non-Sony off camera flash systems.

I would expect that the market for the Nikon D5000 and Canon 60D are much larger than for the 7D and D7000. Aiming to compete with the entry-level pro body instead of the advanced pro APS is I think the right market choice. But, you do have a point, to be taken seriously they really should make an APS that is a high performance APS comparable to 7D. As quickly as they could announce and distribute their consumer DSLR/SLT's, hopefully they can come up with something for that market area.

It’s being touted as the replacement for the A700 so it needs to be at that level. A D5000/60D level body may do well in the market, but the so called ‘advanced users’ are going to be irate.

You are absolutely right on the A77 being a "tell", interesting to see how they put SLT technology in a pro-body.

Medium format as in, under $10k? Under $5k? SLT? lol, this thread will be like a time capsule and we can come back and see how accurate (or inaccurate) our musings are.

The future does look interesting, but if you have many thousands of $ invested in the A-mount, not all that warm and fuzzy.

Terry

[Canuck935]

I want an a-mount NEX type camera.