Three new bodies are official...

[OldClicker]

It's official:

A850 - $2k 24.6 mp Full Frame. In-body IS.

A500 - Both fast focus and main sensor Live View on 3" tilt up/down LCD. 5fps. 12.3 mp. In-body IS.

A550 - As 500 with High Ress LCD and 7fps with constant focus/exposure. 14.2 mp. In-body IS.

TF

[Anbesol]

The A5xx's are both also CMOS this time, not another reissue of the old CCDs. Glad they didn't up the resolution, only change to CMOS.

What I dont understand, A550 offers ISO 12800 but the A850 tops out at 6400... Just a little bit curious.

Anyway we all already knew the A850 specs for a while, heres something cool though - look

No more dummie modes! YAAAA!

*edit - removed the huge spec list, realized it was pretty much pointless.

[Canuck935]

So.. Who is forking over the cash for these? a100/200/250/300/330/350/380 owners may be compelled to go for the a500/550, and maaaaaaaaaybe a few a700 owners might go after the a850. However, I won't be giving up my a700 for any of these current offers..

[drg]

I have just posted an article about the A850, Sony DSLR A850 Announced that has more images and some additional links.

There is a new lens 28-75 F2.8 announced as well. Not a kit lens at $800!

Full Frame for under $2000!! What's next?

[LightBright]

Very exciting. Take that Canon and Nikon jk

However Im with Canuck. The a550 is not enough of an upgrade from a a700. And I dont want to go FF just yet.

[OldClicker]

ere's the way I see Sony's line-up:

They started with the A100 & A700 to have a 'Minolta' for the old Minolta users to buy.

A950 - Something worthy of the 'pro'.

Everything since then has been zeroing in on the new DSLR buyer. Sony cannot just build another Canikon. Nobody is going to switch and why would a new buyer pick Sony over the two established brands? So they have:

A230, A330, A380 - very P&S like to make it an easy step up to DSLR.

A500, A550 - For the more knowlefgable new buyer who wants one that looks like an SLR. Also has more $ to spend.

A850 - The new buyer with lots of $ that wants full frame because everyone KNOWS full frame is better.

All these cameras (as well as all those made by everyone else) are capable of great photos, so Sony needs differentiation and I think they are doing a pretty good job of it.

TF

[Photo-John]

everyone KNOWS full frame is better.

I don't know that. In fact, for most people and purposes, I disagree. The rule is - the right tool for the job. For some people and jobs, full frame is the right tool. For most of us, I don't think it's that valuable and I don't believe most people really think it through. I thought it through very carefully a few years ago, after the first Canon EOS 5D came out. Better to save some money to use for lenses.

[Photo-John]

The A850 is very interesting. That's a bold move by Sony. I have been watching a few people switch brands recently for various full frame cameras. I wonder if a full frame DSLR with built-in image stabilization is compelling enough to convince serious photographers who are already invested in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc. to switch to Sony. I'm sure it will get some entry-level DSLR and film holdouts to go Sony. But is full frame a big enough deal to get a, say, Nikon D200 user to switch? Probably not. But I wonder...

[DonSchap]

Makes me wonder if we can get a price drop going on the A900?

[OldClicker]

I don't know that. In fact, for most people and purposes, I disagree. The rule is - the right tool for the job. For some people and jobs, full frame is the right tool. For most of us, I don't think it's that valuable and I don't believe most people really think it through. I thought it through very carefully a few years ago, after the first Canon EOS 5D came out. Better to save some money to use for lenses.

Sorry - it obviously didn't come through in the text that I totally agree with you. (Can you install a sarcasm font for the site? ) But I do know those who bought a FF DSLR (and for way more than $2k) for just that reason. They just take family type shots with the kit lens, but had to have FF. - TF

[mjs1973]

I'm not a Sony shooter and I have no clue what Sony has to offer, but I do love to see new DSLR's on the market, no matter what name is on them. The competition is great for everyone!

[Photo-John]

Sorry - it obviously didn't come through in the text that I totally agree with you. (Can you install a sarcasm font for the site? ) But I do know those who bought a FF DSLR (and for way more than $2k) for just that reason. They just take family type shots with the kit lens, but had to have FF. - TF

Awwww -

I do think full frame has its place. Read my Canon EOS 5D Mark II review if you haven't already. That camera really blew me away - but I don't think it's for me. And yeah, if you're buying a full frame camera for snapshots. you've probably just got too much money

[Photo-John]

I'm not a Sony shooter and I have no clue what Sony has to offer, but I do love to see new DSLR's on the market, no matter what name is on them. The competition is great for everyone!

Here's what Sony has to offer you, a Canon shooter:

• Full frame sensor image quality and comparable resolution to the 5D Mk II for hundreds less.
• Built-in image stabilization so you don't have to pay more for IS lenses.
• Two sensor auto focus so that Live View auto focus performance is exactly the same as through the viewfinder.

Is that enough to get you to think about switching?

[Photo-John]

• Full frame sensor image quality and comparable resolution to the 5D Mk II for hundreds less.
• Built-in image stabilization so you don't have to pay more for IS lenses.
• Two sensor auto focus so that Live View auto focus performance is exactly the same as through the viewfinder.

Ok, I'm not sure about Live View now. The A900 doesn't have it, so maybe the A850 doesnt, either. Does anyone know? And what about sensor cleaning?

[OldClicker]

Nothing above the A550 has Live View.

All have sensor cleaning.

TF

[pisco]

I thought that the 850 would be in the $ 1800 range, but I don't mind. I'm with John, I kind of adapted to to apc-s (already have the sal 1680 and I'm considering a 11-18).
Not sure If I would jump for a 500 or 550. Maybe a 700 on sale? (I'm still on the a100 and I think that it's a great camera!)

[NoKnees]

I like the camera offerings, but honestly, even if I had the cash, I don't know that I'd pull the trigger on one of the new ones to go with my a700... The a850 is tempting for landscape stuff, but... We'll see... Once I get some money freed up, I can think about it again.. ;)

And no, the 850 and 900 do not have LiveView as already noted. For sensor cleaning they have a coated filter and do a basic vibration/shake on power up/down. Additionally, they do a more robust shake of the sensor when you go into cleaning mode. Reviews show that it's pretty average for keeping the dust off though...

[OldClicker]

I think right now that the A700 at $1k is the bargain (if $1k for a toy can ever be a bargain). It is discontinued though, so get one while you can. - TF