Maybe Sony will surprise me, Jakob, but I don't think you'll see the full strategy unfold in the next three to four months. I don't expect the A7xx until at least late May or early June, and I don't expect the A9xx until at least September. I do think we'll see the introduction of Sony mirrorless cameras this spring, and there is the possibility that we may also get something like an A6xx. And maybe, just maybe, Sony will give us something of a roadmap.
Last year in February, two of their best lenses the CZ 16-35 and the 70-400G. In 2008, their announcement of the up-coming A900.
I think that was PMA. That was a kind of roadmap. They had mockups of the A900.
I don't think there is any doubt that if Sony puts out a much improved A7XX at a reasonable price then there will be a lot of people upgrading from their A700 or just adding a second body.
Agreed - and if I wasn't clear that I was speaking about the alpha mount I apologize. I think we'll all be disappointed if all Sony announced is a dozen new point and shoots - of that I'm certain.
That would disapoint me, I don't intend to buy another expensive body for a few upgrades! They can Always launch an A950 and also a FW upgrade for the A900 with whatever is possible to be upgraded in it view of the new body.
What I meant is having Sony to launch new G lenses within those focal lenghts spriced below the Zeiss price range. I think the 70-300 G and 70-400 G are at a fair price point, for example.
----... Lucas
- new FW for A500/550 adressing some of the "missing" features
--
Always having fun with photography ...
Starting a new gallery: http://lucaspix.smugmug.com/
http://flickr.com/ephankim
http://photo.net/photos/eric.phan-kim
In my local store the 70-300G is £690. I just recently bought the equivalent Nikon for £390. And don't tell me the Sony one is better, I used both lenses side by side for several months. The difference, if indeed there is one at all, is microscopically small. Plus the Nikon version has in lens stabilisation. Initially I discounted that as unimportant. Then I started using the lens.
Not necessarily. A quick glance at the stats of a site like Flickr shows that for Nikon highest ranked camera is the D90. In fact that one camera, on a daily basis, contributes more pictures than everything in the whole of Sony's line added together. The D80 is usually in 2nd or 3rd place, almost doubling the number again. Both of those models sit in the market sector that Sony is currently not even bothering about. If you chuck in contributions from the D300 (still higher than anything in Sony's range) and then the D300s on top you'll find that adds up to a heck of a lot of units.
I was speaking of the possability of Sony so modifying their alpha cameras that they are no longer DSLRs. Ending actually producing a DSLR, except maybe the very high end, though I could see even that going away from DSLR. Producing only EViLs that take A mount lenses for instance. And maybe no shaft drive lenses allowed.
This is simply not the truth! To convince yourself you can easily take a
Another view on popularity is the breakdown of activity on say Flickr by Sony models...this may show why Sony currently emphasises entry level DSLR models first....next addressing the upgrade route.
that does not make sense... - if its unllikely , then how can it go down with users?
Interesting. The Nikon price is following the exchange rate... it's $550 here in the states which is around £390. The Sony price is not, it's $850 here which ought to put it in the £500-550 range.
I think he is saying that a FW update is unlikely, but it it does happen it would be welcome?
--....
I can only dream...! I'd be happy with:
... Lucas
- new FW for A900/850 addressing high ISO
- at least a preview of A7XX and target launch timming
- some new G lenses ( more affordable than Zeiss ), mainly for wide/normal primes and zooms ( 16 to 135mm )
- new FW for A500/550 adressing some of the "missing" features
--
Always having fun with photography ...
Starting a new gallery: http://lucaspix.smugmug.com/
