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Author Topic: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?  (Read 4184 times)

Robert.D

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When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« on: April 29, 2012, 05:19:58 am »

I have damaged my A900 and have put of buying another one be cause of the release of the new Nikon 800 with the 36mp Sony censer. Is their  any news of this yet. 

 

Robert
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Paul2660

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2012, 03:59:26 pm »

Sony rumors is pointing to a A99 with full frame and 102 focus points all cross.  Question is still about senor, 24 or 36. 
LCD fixed or articulated.  With 24mp and the newer processors and 102 focus points, should be a strong camera.  Fall
2012, I can't remember if Photokina is this year or not.  If so, more than likely announced there.

As far as Sony Corp, they are in process of restructuring the entire company and one of the 3 main areas of focus will
be cameras.  They have a real winner with Nex7, and A77, and can build from that I hope. 

Paul
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Wayne Fox

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2012, 07:55:38 pm »

This rumor is flying around pretty aggressively so it seems to have some possible basis.  I see no reason for them to do a 24mp a99 .. doesn't make sense.  Won't gain much from the a77 except the full frame.  There are a few wild rumors they may even go to 45mp, but a 36mp a99 would be a pretty nice camera.  The a77 body design seems to support a future full frame sensor.

It will be interesting to see what a EVF full frame camera would be like.  I love my NEX 7, but when using my 5D Mark 2 the other day it was a startling difference ... I forgot how great that viewfinder is.  I'm getting an 800e to mess around with, but I'm also getting the adapter and some other glass for my NEX that would work well on an a77 or a99 if they release it.
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BernardLanguillier

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2012, 11:21:30 pm »

This rumor is flying around pretty aggressively so it seems to have some possible basis.  I see no reason for them to do a 24mp a99 .. doesn't make sense.  Won't gain much from the a77 except the full frame.  There are a few wild rumors they may even go to 45mp, but a 36mp a99 would be a pretty nice camera.  The a77 body design seems to support a future full frame sensor.

Except if the rumored D600 also has a 24mp sensor?

Cheers,
Bernard

Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2012, 12:03:45 am »

I use a A 900 And a ton of Zeiss and Minolta lenses, but I just jumped ship and pre ordered a 800E, and purchased a Nikon 14-24 and Zeiss 18 mm lens. I am disappointed Sony has not introduced a 36 mp camera. I own an NEX7, and dislike the EVF very very much. A 36 mp A900 would convince to stay with Sony. Anything less will push me to sell a ton of quality Sony/Minolta equipment. I did a similar thing going from Canon 1DS, 1DSII, and 1DSIII to Sony. The Sony A900 is a great camera, but needs to upgrade the sensor, IMHO.
Dave
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Paul2660

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2012, 11:00:26 am »

It's interesting to read opinions on the EVF, I didn't like it at first on the Nex7 now I wish I had on everything.  The ability to magnify the view inside the EVF to me is priceless and for a brief
time made me consider the A77 also. 

The issue to me with the A77 is the noise that starts to creep in after ISO400.  Similar to the Nex7.  If Sony put a full frame 24mp or 36mp with the qualities of the current Nikon D800 in a A77 body, they
would have a winner IMO.  I love the A77 design and the articulated screen, really a great asset.  Not for video but just getting around for tight shots or getting a waist level finder (again priceless)
something I love about the Nex7. 

It's an exciting time and Photokina should be very interesting.

Paul
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2012, 04:07:37 pm »

Hi,

My take is that 24MP makes no sense at all. I have an Alpha 900 and an Alpha 77SLT, so I have the benefits of both at 24MP. I actually use both cameras. An 24 MP full frame body would have some advantage over the A77 SLT, but very little. I would say that 36 or 54MP would make much more sense.

Best regards
Erik

This rumor is flying around pretty aggressively so it seems to have some possible basis.  I see no reason for them to do a 24mp a99 .. doesn't make sense.  Won't gain much from the a77 except the full frame.  There are a few wild rumors they may even go to 45mp, but a 36mp a99 would be a pretty nice camera.  The a77 body design seems to support a future full frame sensor.

It will be interesting to see what a EVF full frame camera would be like.  I love my NEX 7, but when using my 5D Mark 2 the other day it was a startling difference ... I forgot how great that viewfinder is.  I'm getting an 800e to mess around with, but I'm also getting the adapter and some other glass for my NEX that would work well on an a77 or a99 if they release it.
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BJL

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2012, 07:12:48 pm »

My take is that 24MP makes no sense at all.
I agree. The idea of Sony developing a new lower resolution 36x24mm sensor along-side its involvement (almost certainly) with the 36MP sensor for Nikon sounds like a forum fantasy, from people who are unaware of or in denial about Sony's sensor division relying on the economies of scale achieved by selling sensors to Nikon as well as to the Sony camera division, coming from the fact that Nikon can sell far more of a sensor in its DSLRs than Sony can of the same sensor in its own cameras.

Or stuck on the fallacy that a lower pixel count in the same size can significantly lower the cost of the sensor. Or deluded by the fashionable "anti-megapixel myth", that a 24MP sensor would give better IQ than the 36MP one for the D800 when one compares images displayed at equal size rather than individual pixels or 100% crops beloved of some "squints".

Or the other myth that a company struggling at third place in a product sector will deliberately hobble a product to protect sales of its own more expensive products, when in fact the main effect will be to steer sales to competitor's non-hobbled alternatives. (That is, hobbling is for companies in a monopoly position, or who have customers locked in by backward compatability needs.)


One side issue I am interested in: if Sony does offer a full 35mm format camera with an EVF, how large will the EVF image be? I see no major reason for it to be different with DSLRs of different format sizes, but as far as I know, Sony's current SLTs have a smaller VF image size than the A900 or any other 35mm format DSLR. I am apparently in the minority in prefering a VF image smaller than in any 35mm format SLR, for ease of framing when using AF, and with an EVF allowing manual focusing tools like peaking and zoom, the last reason for the larger VF image is gone, for me. And the failure to offer that large an EVF image in any SLT camera so far, including the A77, hints that Sony thinks the same way, but I can see the marketing problem from those who revile "tunnel vision VFs”.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2012, 07:17:24 pm by BJL »
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Dave Gurtcheff

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2012, 08:30:15 pm »

For left eyed photographers, the EVF is a nightmare in sunlight! I may be in the minority, but i prefer the A900 OVF.
Dave
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BJL

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When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment? Accessory eye-cup?
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2012, 08:55:09 pm »

For left eyed photographers, the EVF is a nightmare in sunlight!
Hopefully for us lefties (and even the right-eyed too) an accessory eye-cup with deeper rubber surround can be offered to fix that. I used to use such an accessory on my Pentax K-1000 since its own eye-piece was a bit inadequate. Olympus offers an eye-cup for its first EVF camera, the OM-D E-M5, so there would be no excuse for a far more expensive and prestigious 35mm format camera to lack such an option.
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2012, 03:29:53 am »

Hi,

We have to wait and see what Sony comes out with. Whatever comes out at Photokina it's to late for my shooting planes, anyway.

Regarding EVF, I'd guess that EVFs will evolve. I also have found that as soon as the camera is on the tripod I tend to use the LCD panel much more than the viewfinder.

Best regards
Erik




One side issue I am interested in: if Sony does offer a full 35mm format camera with an EVF, how large will the EVF image be? I see no major reason for it to be different with DSLRs of different format sizes, but as far as I know, Sony's current SLTs have a smaller VF image size than the A900 or any other 35mm format DSLR. I am apparently in the minority in prefering a VF image smaller than in any 35mm format SLR, for ease of framing when using AF, and with an EVF allowing manual focusing tools like peaking and zoom, the last reason for the larger VF image is gone, for me. And the failure to offer that large an EVF image in any SLT camera so far, including the A77, hints that Sony thinks the same way, but I can see the marketing problem from those who revile "tunnel vision VFs”.

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Erik Kaffehr
 

ripgriffith

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2012, 07:02:41 am »

If you think that's a nightmare, try it left-eyed with glasses (not correctible with contacts) in far-northen Russia,  where the sun is rarely more than 30 degrees above the horizon!
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149113

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2012, 04:17:06 pm »

I am in a holding pattern with Sony right now. As a long time Minolta/Sony user at over 31 years & almost a lens for every year, I've got too much invested to bolt for Nikon. But if I was starting out new I'd get a Nikon (for me D800/800E) no questions asked and I give that advise to folks getting into this for the 1st time.

The rumors seem to indicate that they are putting out a 24mp in the fall and a 36mp in the spring of 2013 which I think is flawed strategy. And if that timeline goes as normal for Sony it will be more like Winter 2013 & Summer 2013 respectively. If they come out with a 24mp in the fall and it does not match the 5DIII in spec and performance (specifically auto-focus and noise reduction) I think no matter what they do with the 36mp, they will not have the momentum they need to gen sales for FF.

I'm agnostic to the DSLR/SLT part. If they can make EVF that performs as an OVF and they keep the costs in check I think that's a viable strategy moving forward.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2012, 07:42:37 pm by 149113 »
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: When can we expect a new FF A900 replacment?
« Reply #13 on: May 03, 2012, 12:19:29 am »

Hi,

For me, 24MP makes no sense. I have 24MP Alpha 900 and Alpha 77SLT. If the Alpha 900 went broke, I may be interrested in a 24MP FF camera, else not.

I'm missing Live View on the Alpha 900, but AF is OK, so I can live with it.

Best regards
ERik
I am in a holding pattern with Sony right now. As a long time Minolta/Sony user at over 31 years & almost a lens for every year, I've got too much invested to bolt for Nikon. But if I was starting out new I'd get a Nikon (for me D800/800E) no questions asked and I give that advise to folks getting into this for the 1st time.

The rumors seem to indicate that they are putting out a 24mp in the fall and a 36mp in the spring of 2013 which I think is flawed strategy. And if that timeline goes as normal for Sony it will be more like Winter 2013 & Summer 2013 respectively. If they come out with a 24mp in the fall and it does not match the 5DIII in spec and performance (specifically auto-focus and noise reduction) I think no matter what they do with the 36mp, they will not have the momentum they need to gen sales for FF.

I'm agnostic to the DSLR/SLT part. If they can make EVF that performs as an OVF and they keep the costs in check I think that's a viable strategy moving forward.

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Erik Kaffehr
 
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