Discussion of all digital SLR cameras under the Minolta and Konica Minolta brands
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WestCoast wrote:That’s fascinating, a true Royal among us.
I noticed that the Arms of the Dukes of Leinster are flanked by monkeys as opposed to the more regal Elk or Lions. What’s the deal with that?
The coat of arms of the Dukes of Leinster derives from the legend that John FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare, as a baby in Woodstock Castle, was trapped in a fire when a monkey rescued him. The FitzGeralds then adopted a monkey as their crest (and later supporters) and occasionally use the additional motto Non immemor beneficii (Not forgetful of a helping hand).[2]
Arms: Argent a saltire gules.
Crest: A monkey statant proper environed about the middle with a plain collar and chained or.
Supporters: Two monkeys, environed and chained as in the crest.
Motto: Crom a boo (Now it would be spelt "Crom Abu". In English, "Up Croom", or "Croom to victory"; Croom was one of their castles).
Croom is a location just outside Limerick City, I have been there, a number of times. Little remains of the castle, unfortunately it's not really a very good photographic opportunity, as the tiny bit that is left is part of a more modern structure.
If I had any direct claims to fame on this, most likely I would be in a nice country manor or castle, thus I can assume my ancestors were something similar to my current thinking, slightly rebellious and non comformist
I do like photos of Castles, and there is a connection with the family name and Pembroke Castle in Wales, I won't post the shot, as I have done many times..but I do think Castles make for wonderful subjects, I need to get out more and bother to photograph them!
Well apologies for returning the discussion to the Alpha system, but I had an interesting chat today. I had popped into town on the browse for a screw-in filter wallet, and wandered into Jessops.
As usual, a lad wandered over and asked if he could help, to which I said "no thanks. Cabinet's a bit empty though, isn't it?" whilst gesturing at the almost completely bare Sony Alpha display cabinet behind me. The sales lad pointed at a guy at the counter and said he had them all, the Sony rep is here.
The guy at the counter was somebody who I had just presumed was a major geek, boring the shop staff by talking endlessly about camera bodies. Sidling closer, I realised he was wearing a coat with "Sony" and a large Alpha logo on it. Even his shirt had "SONY" stamped all over the collar. I pretended to be fascinated with the Jessops own-brand 25mm filters just next to the counter, eavesdropping on what he was telling the staff. Mainly it was just educating them about the new models (there was an A450 and A550 on the counter), explaining why they're unique, what they do well, advantages they have, etc. I heard him making plenty references to Minolta and their innovations, so I'm guessing he had a proper photographic background and wasn't just some tech/sales kid brought in since Sony arrived.
Eventually I crept closer until they thought I wanted serving. With a straight face, I asked him, "Am I right in thinking you're from Sony?"
"Yes, that's right," he said, with his equally straight face surrounded by the Sony and Alpha logos emblazoned all over his clothing. I figured maybe he just wasn't used to dry humour like mine.
"Ah, good. I'm an A700 user, and wondered if I can ask you something."
"Sure."
"What the hell are Sony doing with all these entry level bodies?"
Well the shop staff burst out laughing. The Sony rep looked a bit taken aback, but was happy to talk about the system. He was at pains to stress that the A230/330/380 series were not aimed at people like me, but at new users, people who were put off by the heft and weight of other DSLRs. He admitted he thought they were a bit "different" too but then they weren't aimed at him either. When I said I much preferred the Minolta-esque design of the A100/700/900, he said they were re-introducing the standard grip size on the new mid-level bodies (A4xx/5xx), and would never dream of doing anything like the A230's design influences on new high-end stuff. I explained that the only thing keeping me really attached to my A700 in the face of far better focussing and performing kit from Nikon was the flawless ergonomics, comfortable enough to hold and quick enough to use all day, and he agreed as he had an A700 himself.
Most of all, he totally understood that an A700 owner such as myself would be feeling concerned at Sony's recent launches, but stressed that Sony have been focussing a lot on the entry level recently. Sony are now putting their resources behind the higher end stuff, and apparently we should see a lot more stuff this year that is pleasing to A700 (and above) owners. That includes lenses as well as bodies.
I asked about the A700 replacement, and he grinned, so he obviously knew about it, but admitted that he couldn't say anything about it, not a stitch, not even to confirm or deny it. All he would say was to wait until the end of the year... nothing just yet, but wait until Autumn or thereabouts... I asked if that was when Photokina was on, and he sort of confirmed it.
I asked if they would make a D700 killer, explaining that I would be tempted by full-frame but have no use for 25MP. He said he didn't have a clue, and he sounded very believable. So I guess we're not going to see a lower-res, faster, hi-ISO FF body from Sony any time soon.... not surprising I suppose - Sony seems to love playing the megapixel race.
I let him get back to his job of teaching the young girls behind the Jessops counter about all the virtues of the A550, but talking to shop staff confirms my suspicions, and the complaints in forums such as this. Barry F seems to have acquired a reputation as something of a moaner, but I tend to agree with his rather critical opinion of what Sony is doing with their DSLR range. The Sony rep said that their efforts in the entry level sector hadn't translated into the sales that they'd hoped for - which anyone can confirm by looking at sales charts, whether they be from Amazon, Japan, CIPA, or wherever. Talking to the sales lad in Jessops confirmed that there are too many different bodies, customers new to DSLRs get confused and find the simpler ranges from Canon or Nikon much easier to understand. The Jessops lad said they were taking the approach of mass consumer electronics to their Alpha range, which will never, ever work with the mid- to high-end DSLR market.
Chatting to the manager of the local independent shop (which also happens to be a Sony ACE dealer) echoed the same thoughts but from a shop's perspective; he said that all the different camera bodies were a nightmare for retailers to keep up to date with all their different quirks, features, etc, not to mention the impossibility of keeping all the varieties in stock, or even keeping their stock up to date, such is the rate that new variants were being introduced. And then when someone comes in looking for a specific model... it's the one they haven't got in.
I never did find a filter wallet, but did find a Lowepro PixelPak compactflash card wallet that will slip nicely in an inside pocket. Woohoo. Maybe one day the memory cards in it will be slotted inside a new Sony body that is simply a must-buy, assuming they don't curse the A7xx level and higher with flimsy SD cards.
Very interesting, though I tend to think most Sony reps at this level don't really know much at all about Sony Alpha division plans, to say nothing about timetables. I have seen and read about too many such Sony reps telling customers that the A550 is the A700 replacement to think they are given much real info. So I am dubious about the A7xx appearing as late as September. I may of course be wrong, but higher-level Sony people were telling trusted people as late as late Fall or early winter the the A7xx would appear in January/February or March/April, and recently have said "after April." May is after April and September is, so that proves nothing. But I don't think that the timetable for the camera has slid quite that far into the future.
It's pretty clear by now, however, that Sony has great expectations for the A7xx, whenever it appears. And it is pretty clear that Sony will introduce a new line of EVIL cameras this year, probably starting this spring, with one or more others coming at Photokina. That Photokina introduction seems persistent, even among those in the know about the camera industry. Another strong possibility is the introduction then of a new FF camera, not something to counter the D3/D700, but a camera with ca 35 mp, to counter the Canon with 34 mp exoected to be introduced at Photokina. I don't think Sony wants to lose that high-mp title, even just for a few months. Furthermore, the A900 appears to have gone out of production, and is beginning to disappear from retail stores. To me, that means something is coming to replace it. If it is at all possible, I don't think Sony will want to make too many major announcements at Photokina; it's just not good PR practice.
But I can see Sony announcing the A7xx in May or early June, in order to take advantage of the promotional opportunities inherent in their sponsorship of the World Cup, with the camera reaching retail shelves in late summer, not long before Photokina, so that it would still be a hot topic at Photokina.
Today, I looked on the home website of FIFA, the football/soccer governing body, in order to see just what kind of sponsorship of the World Cup Sony has. What I found is that Sony has committed more than $300 million to FIFA through 2014, and in return will receive access to unprecedented opportunities for advertsing and PR. Sony is one of FIFA's six current "partners," and as such has top-priority sponsorship for the World Cup. I clicked on Sony's partnership logo, and found myself on a Sony website presenting four themes that read for all the world like the four major themes that Sony will use during its World Cup advertising. Those themes include 3D and Alpha: "World Time, Captured by Alpha." If Sony really is going to use Alpha as one of its four advertsing themes during the World Cup,they will in my opinion need a more compelling new Alpha camera than they currently have to carry the ball. I don't think it can be the new EVIL line, although that is possible. I don't see the EVIL line as Alpha cameras, since they won't use the Alpha mount, but maybe they'll be Alpha Omegas or something. In any case, they won't be capable sports cameras, like the new A7xx apprently will be. So I think that the goal is to introduce the A7xx before the World Cup begins on June 11, or, in any case, before it ends on July 11.
David Kilpatrick has pointed out that this is the 25th anniversary year for the Alpha mount. And June 6 is the fourth anniversary of the introduction of the first Sony dslr, the A100. I know that if I were Sony, I'd want to be announcing a dramatic new game-changing camera that day.
Last edited by Winedarksea on Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Alpha 700, SAL 50 f1.4, SAL 18-250, SAL 85 f1.4 ZA
I knew from the very ist sign of these entry bodies, that they had not mega seller all over them, and I remember seeing Sony's production chart ages ago, and these new entry ones had far higher production targets than the older A200-350 ones, I mean 5x or even more. Sony IMO really expected them to be a hit, and get a load of new entry users using Sony.
I did bother to talk to staff in Sony centres, and independent shops, and the feedback was that these new models were not great sellers, they sold some, but I got the impression that the older range was much better sales wise. What Sony forgot was that folks fall for this "want to look good" with a camera, and want one that at least passes off for maybe similar top what the pros use, of course the entry ones look nothing like that, and I think are not well featured enough.
Onto the A450-550, they might do better, but I don's see them as doing much to turn the tide v Canikon. Look at those two makers, and you can see the EOS 500d and D90/D5000 are big sellers for them, less models, more interesting ones. So I think 3 upper entry models is not going to work very well either.
I don't pretend to be a genius on camera sales, but I think it was obvious from the off, both the newbie approach was not the one to go for, AND having too many models is, as said..they think retailers will stock them all? I'm just looking at the top 2 companies, it's not rocket science..what bothers me is how Sony could make mistakes like this..when it's fairly obvious it was not going to work.
Sony sent me an invitation to PMA's press conference and to guided tours of the stand. Something may be announced sooner.
My 2008 information is that Sony has a camera in development which will outgun any SLR/DSLR yet made in sequence shooting speed. With 7fps in a low-cost body I can believe it's possible. I do not think my 2008 'mole' was referring to the A550.
David Kilpatrick wrote:Sony sent me an invitation to PMA's press conference and to guided tours of the stand. Something may be announced sooner.
My 2008 information is that Sony has a camera in development which will outgun any SLR/DSLR yet made in sequence shooting speed. With 7fps in a low-cost body I can believe it's possible. I do not think my 2008 'mole' was referring to the A550.
David Kilpatrick wrote:Sony sent me an invitation to PMA's press conference and to guided tours of the stand. Something may be announced sooner.
My 2008 information is that Sony has a camera in development which will outgun any SLR/DSLR yet made in sequence shooting speed. With 7fps in a low-cost body I can believe it's possible. I do not think my 2008 'mole' was referring to the A550.
David
Let's hope it is something very interesting, David, at least a couple of great lenses.
I remember that when the A550 was introduced, you commented that the fps were not nearly what you had been led to expect--and then you dropped the subject. Do you think that the camera your "mole" was talking about in 2008 will be the new A7xx? Some have predicted that it will be great for sports. And if you think that it will be the the A7xx, do you think that the new A7xx will be the "pellicle-mirror" camera that has been strongly predicted at SonyAlphaRumors? Such a camera, assuming Sony has found ways to get around the limitationss of the pellicle-mirror cameras of the past, might well have the capability to get much higher fps. Finally, several people somewhat in the know have predicted the emergence of one or more A6xx camera, more traditional than the A7xx. Do you buy into that concept? And, if so, do you think that at least that camera may be announced at PMA?
Again, I think we are in for a very interesting year. You noted that Sony had made no mention of the Silver Anniversary year in January, when the Alpha mount was actually introduced. But I don't think that it is a coincidence that Sony has chosen this year to introduce such an onslaught of dramatic new cameras--if it pans out anything like I suspect.
Dulaney
Alpha 700, SAL 50 f1.4, SAL 18-250, SAL 85 f1.4 ZA
David Kilpatrick wrote:Sony sent me an invitation to PMA's press conference and to guided tours of the stand. Something may be announced sooner.
My 2008 information is that Sony has a camera in development which will outgun any SLR/DSLR yet made in sequence shooting speed. With 7fps in a low-cost body I can believe it's possible. I do not think my 2008 'mole' was referring to the A550.
David
I bet is a EP1/GF1 like camera...
Regards
That certainly could be--or a GH1-like camera. The predictions I have seen for the first Sony EVIL-camera introduction have been saying March/April. That's not very different, though.
Dulaney
Alpha 700, SAL 50 f1.4, SAL 18-250, SAL 85 f1.4 ZA
