Reading mode: Light Dark

A New Challenge - Sony?

Go to last post
i think personally that this, 'Sony makes Video cameras which must make them a big player in the DSLR market eventually' is a great big red fish... ; )

lots of companies make video cameras and dont have a large part of the DSLR market, fujitsu, panasonic, samsung etc etc, Canon made in-roads into the video camera market through its basis in the SLR market not the other way around....

i could be wrong, however i know a few photojournalists who use Video Cams but thats how the internet is going, there will always be a strong market for photographs, both Film (in the short term) and digital imaging for the wider market.

in my opinion Sony needs to do a few things to create space in the market, create good cameras, make more of the relationship with the heritage of Minolta, build good quality 'cheaper' lenses (such as Canon's F4 L lenses) and do what Nikon have been doing, attempt to lure pro's with free use of there top cams, if they do this they may take a chunk of the Pro market eventually

hey its only my opinion, but its as relevant as anyone elses... ; )

http://www.pbase.com/briandavidaitkenhead
 
Sony already is a big player in the DSLR market, but I'd agree that video cameras play little part in this. However, I think when Sony users mention video cameras, it's referring to their high end, $100,000 cameras, in order to prove that Sony is very capable of producing professional quality gear.
 
yer it may be a big player, however its total market share is tiny compared to the big two.... its needs something different to compete with the big boys, not sure whether it has got what it takes in the long run, Sony has done it before, saying it is in for the long run and then bailed out because it wasnt the no1 only time will prove this, can Sony go the long run as no3 for a few years??, i may be wrong but i get the feeling nope.........

anyways competition is good and the more Sony and Nikon push canon, the better it will be for the consumer in the long run

http://www.pbase.com/briandavidaitkenhead
 
Hmmm...Sony doesn't bail too often. I would imagine the number of times they've bailed out of a system pales in comparison to their success, and I can't think of very many of these "bails." Sony is already making cameras as good as the competition (in their respective categories) in just a couple of years. Once they get low-end market share, and people begin to realize that Sony with their digital imaging background and Minolta heritage are no less steeped in SLR history than the big two, Sony will do fine. It's already starting to happen with the low end stuff.
 
Brian Aitkenhead said:
Later this year it is looking very likely that Sony will release a 5D
sized 'Pro' body with around 25Mpx ...
Click to expand...
Wouldn't think so. They would make it a 1D size body so they can charge more and maximise profit. This already puts them ahead of Canon and way ahead of Nikon in the megapixel race. No one would expect it to be a sports camera (too many pixels to move) or traveller, and to put it in a 5D size body may well 'cheapen' the achievement (my camera is bigger than yours). Personally I don't mind the big body as I always run a battery pack on the smaller ones anyway, but it would be good to make them lighter!

I would think the new 'sweet spot' for the 5D sized camera is 14-17 megapixel so as not to cannibalise the next level up, and 12-14 in the 40D level crop sensor, with difference of functionality defining the 400D level.
 
. . . about Sony's professional video product line up?

They are significant players in the uber-professional end of the video market, including hi-def cameras used in Hollywood. To suggest that they're just another video camera maker like Samsung is to not understand how big Sony really is, and how deep their engineering chops are.

Remember -- I'm the guy who said Sony = nothing in the short term. It's three to five years out you'll want to keep an eye on them -- maybe even five to seven.

Japanese companies are very good at the long view.
--
http://www.weshootalbany.com
 
I'm a Sony guy right now, but I'm on this 1Ds forum a lot, because it's the best of the best. I just realized that you guys/girls probably don't venture to our forum very often, so you may not have seen these. Here is the allegedly working 24.6MP prototype that should be released around Photokina with Zeiss 24-70 2.8 attached. It is 5D-ish sized with vertical grip, and should be around the same price as the 5D replacement. The control layout is very similar to the APS-C A700, and this camera appears to be production ready. Pics are from P.I.E. China last week:







 
sorry you lost me with that..

what exactly has them supplying steven spielberg et al got to do with the Pro DSLR market?

dont think i am putting Sony down, its just that i have my doubts as to whether Sony have long term interests in the DSLR pro market, especially if there noi massive upsurge in low to middle sales....

if i am proven wrong i will eat humble pie, however the end of year DSLR sales should be interesting!
 
These lenses were shown at PIE2008

Zeiss 16-35/2,8
Zeiss 24-70/2.8
Zeiss 24/1.4
Zeiss 600/4
Zeiss 400/4
Zeiss 80-400
Zeiss 70-300
Zeiss 35/1.8

I say they have more than enough. Can a poor canon pro with a 5D compete with a Sony pro with a 25MP FF A900 in the IQ departmen? Me think not.

Max
Alexramos said:
How many lenses is enough in lineup??

Sony has not 3 24-70mm or 2 70-200mm, but has 7 PRO lenses and and 2
high quality macro lenses:

-Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 2.8/24-70 SSM ZA
-Sony AF 1.4/35 G
-Sony AF 2.8/70-200 APO G SSM
-Sony AF 4.5-5.6/70-300 APO G SSM
-Carl Zeiss Plannar T* 1.4/85 ZA
-Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 1.8/135 ZA
-Sony AF 2.8/300 APO G SSM

-Sony AF 2.8/50 Macro
-Sony AF 2.8/100 Macro

Does Sony has not a super wide angle zoom now?? No, Sony has not..
but soon it will launch one and Minolta had the 17-35mm G.

The actual Sony lineup is not excuse, Canon has many lenses but PRO
photographer has not all lenses.
Click to expand...
 
Exactly, Brian. The Sony flagship is more or less a 5D (ii) competitor. Sony has pretty much shown us exactly what the camera is gonna be, and I'm not sure why anyone thinks it's gonna be in 1Ds territory?? There will still be many advantages to the 1D system over the Sony.

As far as the pro video market, I think the importance of this is both technology and infrastructure. There is a common misconception that Sony only makes consumer electronics, and some DSLR users don't think that Sony could make a high quality pro DSLR. However, their pro line of HD cams make nearly every DSLR look like a kid's toy, so that shouldn't be a concern. Also, they already have a repair/service infrastructure in place through the pro movie camera line, which Sony could use for DSLR outlets should they decide to enter pro DSLR market....which apparently they haven't decided on, yet.
Brian Aitkenhead said:
once again.....
the only images i have see of the A900 show it as a 5D size body, it
has a grip attachment.

http://www.pbase.com/briandavidaitkenhead
Click to expand...
 
AFAIK, all of those lenses aren't gonna be Zeiss. Probably half. In fact, I know that the 70-300 is a G lens, not Zeiss (G is the Canon L equivalent.) Either way, I already have the Zeiss 24-70mm 2.8, and it is incredible.
maxz said:
Zeiss 16-35/2,8
Zeiss 24-70/2.8
Zeiss 24/1.4
Zeiss 600/4
Zeiss 400/4
Zeiss 80-400
Zeiss 70-300
Zeiss 35/1.8

I say they have more than enough. Can a poor canon pro with a 5D
compete with a Sony pro with a 25MP FF A900 in the IQ departmen? Me
think not.

Max
Alexramos said:
How many lenses is enough in lineup??

Sony has not 3 24-70mm or 2 70-200mm, but has 7 PRO lenses and and 2
high quality macro lenses:

-Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 2.8/24-70 SSM ZA
-Sony AF 1.4/35 G
-Sony AF 2.8/70-200 APO G SSM
-Sony AF 4.5-5.6/70-300 APO G SSM
-Carl Zeiss Plannar T* 1.4/85 ZA
-Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 1.8/135 ZA
-Sony AF 2.8/300 APO G SSM

-Sony AF 2.8/50 Macro
-Sony AF 2.8/100 Macro

Does Sony has not a super wide angle zoom now?? No, Sony has not..
but soon it will launch one and Minolta had the 17-35mm G.

The actual Sony lineup is not excuse, Canon has many lenses but PRO
photographer has not all lenses.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
John suggested that the body would not be 5D sized....

i have no doubt that Sony could build a Pro body however in the long run it isnt really how good it is, as it is unlikely to be better than the equivalent Canon/Nikon bodies, or if it is better, not by such as to be worth ditching an entire system for.

Sony need to build from the bottom up, which is what they seem to be trying to do, however i do think that it will be unlikely that they can challenge Nikon/Canon in both the Med/Pro market in the timescale they seem to have set themselves, however i may be wrong but i doubt it no matter how much i would like to see the big two come under pressure.

http://www.pbase.com/briandavidaitkenhead
 
I agree that Sony is trying to build from the ground up. Here's the thing. There are a lot of pros that I know that don't have one DSLR system with 30 lenses and a million accessories, and Sony doesn't have a chance with many of those pros. Plenty of magazine-type fashion/portrait pros that I know have multiple systems with a few lenses for each. Sony has expressed interest in attracting newer and independent pros that have similar needs, and why not buy the Sony? It'll (probably) have the best resolution of any 35mm digital camera on the market, and we can argue whether L lenses are as good as the Sony Zeiss', but we can't argue that the L's are better than the Zeiss.

I think a lot of medium format digital dreamers will love this cam, and that's including me. I used to have a Leaf back for my Hassies, but it was 12mp, and I couldn't afford the jump to the 20+mp backs. This Sony camera will be perfect for me.
 
1. i would really like a couple of those Zeiss primes for my 5D...

2. i wish i could justify the price of buying those same Zeiss primes/zooms for my Nikon.

3. a photographer is only as good as his creativity, the kit only helps with creating the image

4. having looked at the model of the A900, it looks massive fir a 5D style body....

5. why does everybody argue about camera systems? we all have the choice and what suits each and everyone of us is dictated by your needs, not what someone else needs, so why argue?

6. keep photography alive kill the video camera... ha ha ha joking!

Canon/Nikon/Sony/Pentax/Olympus/Samsung/Panasonic.... (in order of sales, my prediction....) ; )

http://www.pbase.com/briandavidaitkenhead
 
£ or $ ? £3000 would be reasonable, big hit on Canons 1Ds mk III
$3000 (£1500) would be a massive blow to the entire market.......
 
headofdestiny said:
It is 5D-ish sized with vertical grip, and should be around the same
price as the 5D replacement.
Click to expand...
Why should it be the same price? 24 Mp will need more processing
power for throughput unless the framerate is lower. And Canon have
the volume advantage.

24 Mp gives Sony a chance to ask for more due to higher pixel count.
Do you expect them to pass on this opportunity? The A700 and particularly
Sony lens prices indicate they aren't very interested fighting on price
above the entry level.

Just my two oere
Erik from Sweden
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top