alpha mount future - question for DK

[bfitzgerald]

14.2mp looks a tad dated with Canon up to 18mp. But I guess it just has to be very good overall..and so far mock up model etc does not inspire design wise. But they may change that.
Sony can plan to dominate on paper, but doing so in the real world is another story. Updating to SAM motors isn't likely to do a lot, SSM better..but this leaves the question of what happens to lower down bodies AF motor wise. NEX harder to predict..not sure these models have enough appeal to more serious shooters.
I don't think Sony will pull out of the DSLR business, but they have not got a hope in hell of making any impact in the enthusiast sector DSLR wise. A290 shows what's going on..not very much more re-cycled old parts and a slightly better grip. Just won't do anything for them entry DSLR level.

A5xx models are not that competitive overall..and I am convinced our pal Toru is dictating what should or rather should not be in models. And he's hell bent on "Sony simple".

Right now I'm saving up for a new system, Sony just have nothing to offer users like me.

[David Kilpatrick]

14.2 megapixels can match the Canon 18 megapixels in many conditions - or do better. I regularly take A550 shots to 25 megapixels for Alamy before cropping out a pan or similar, and they are very hard to tell from original A900 shots.

There is a possibility that a new sensor may appear in the A7xx. However, it looks to me as if Sony has decided the 14.2 megapixel EXMOR HD CMOS is good enough for every level of camera, meaning that in future it won't be sensor pixel count that determines the price, only features.

We can be pretty sure the A7xx will have in-body SSS, and AVCHD video (mainly because the body mockups have AVCHD logos on them - a bit of a giveaway!). But the SSS has no external switch, which could again mean it is auto-controlled according to mode. Or it might, indeed, be omitted and a whole new range of lenses introduced. I get the impression that AS/SSS has never been an easy engineering option. But, I don't think they will drop it.

The Sigma 18-250mm is HSM, not screw drive, and would probably make an excellent HD movie lens with this future DSLR. But it probably won't allow contrast detection auto focusing.

David

[bfitzgerald]

I was of course simply reflecting on Canon's strategy of "more megapixels". Of course it's a bit more than that. But it does appear they have some advantage in many/some areas overall v their main rivals at this time.

[WaltKnapp]

I dunno about the current 14.2MP APS-C HD CMOS sensor making its way into the a7XX. With the a290 due to arrive on the scene with a similar resolution, isn't there a chance they'll develop something a little more special for the Advance Amateur camera?

There was floating around in the NEX stuff that the NEX 7 would incorporate an improved version sensor above what the a550, NEX 3/5 have and that would be shared with the a7xx. Is that still true or not?

Also not too keen on SAM lenses, I want lenses that are quality build and feel it, and so far no SAM lens I've played with gave me that impression at all. And of course plastic mounts are a bad sign. Sad to hear the 18-270 might be a SAM lens. Sony better get over thinking enthusiast means low level stuff.

Nice that they might rebuild the 16-80 Zeiss, SSM is not something I lobby for, but that lens needs to be able to hold it's giblets together and my experience with two of the current ones says it's a short lived lens now.

Walt

[David Kilpatrick]

A lot depends on Sony's relationship with Tamron. The NEX-7 info I doubt is accurate, I certainly won't speculate on anything unless I know it's in place - in existence - but not yet being used. That's why I suggest the Tamron 18-270mm design may in due course find its way into the Sony lineup. It could be SAM, but the 70-300mm new Tamron is SSM, and this indicated that Tamron plans to move to ultrasonic motors.

Be aware that Sigma HSM means at least three entirely different types of motor. It is not a single technology.

dPreview's comments about ring motors being unsuitble for C-AF contrast detect is also, I think, premature. The behaviour of each make's range of motors is varied. You can not generalise.

The plastic mount, on an extremely light weight lens like the 30mm SAM, is no big deal - they work OK and the precision can be very high, as it was with the Minolta Vectis lenses and the Nikon Nexia system.

David

[alphaomega]

Reference David's statement that the Alpha 7XX (750?) will have 1080i video and exactly the same sensor as the NEX5/3, I used to think that surely Sony would try and match the Canon 7D on sensor size in their A700 replacement, but I am not so sure any longer. I think there is a good possibility that Sony now considers 14Mp net as the optimum size for APS-C and will instead strive to improve IQ, high ISO performance and VIDEO rather than follow the Canon quest for more and more pixels. When Sony brought out the A900 they claimed 24Mp was optimum for use with CZ lenses and surely 14Mp in APS-C means smaller photo sites compared with their FF. Actually I am quite happy now with 14Mp both in my A350 and A550. To uprate to Alamy size is small beer and barely noticable in terms of IQ effect.
Either I am out of touch or Nikon have been strangely quiet on new sensors in Nikon APS-C bodies. They have not yet used either the Sony 14Mp CCD or CMOS. I wonder if they are preparing to commit big time to Sony's 14Mp CMOS sensor in their D400 or pressing for denser sensors or going elsewhere on the quiet. Equally strange they have not put out a 24Mp FF competitor (on price) to the A900/850 and 5DII. Surely Sony would still be looking for Nikon to take large quantities of APS-C and FF sensors.

[Old Hydro]

[quote="David Kilpatrick"]Don't buy any current Alpha mount lenses, as the next year will see revisions to the existing designs, of that I am sure. The SSM lenses are going to continue as they are, SAM lenses the same, but anything currently with a screw drive focus will be replaced with a motor. I also suspect there will be less emphasis on all-round kit zooms, and more focus on fast lenses, prime lenses, and special purposes lenses for Alpha.

David, does this don't buy advice apply to the CZ 24-70 too? -- I don't know what has a screw drive and what doesn't.

As a unrelated issue -- I've tried a few times to subscribe to the Alpha magazine, and the website just never lets me complete the order. I've emailed the support people, but they have never answered. Is there some other way to subscribe?

[David Kilpatrick]

The CZ is SSM. I am getting fewer subscriptions to the YUDU site than ever before, but I have no control over how it works. Do you think many people are encountering problems subscribing?

Maybe they have altered the necessary links. I will check to see if I need to amend the photoclubalpha page links.

David

[Greg Beetham]

My sub just 'renewed' automatically a month or so ago. I don't seem to find the time to log on there very often, and I also don't, or very seldom buy magazines anymore either, I now need to actually wear reading glasses so I usually don't bother reading as much as I used too, seeing as how the whole process is slower than my patience limit.
Greg

[david antony]

My auto sub also went thru fine last month. I seem to remember about a year back some were having problems with cards or paypal. Too bad because it is great value for less than $15 at todays exchange rate. I consider it free!

[WaltKnapp]

The plastic mount, on an extremely light weight lens like the 30mm SAM, is no big deal - they work OK and the precision can be very high, as it was with the Minolta Vectis lenses and the Nikon Nexia system.

David

I machine a lot of things out of plastic, in particular I use a lot of delrin, but have machined quite a few types of plastic. So I'm probably more trusting of plastic when used properly than most. I know it's properties well.

In the case of the mounts I'm not worried about mold precision. But compared to certain stainless steel alloys or even brass it's really not going to wear as long. And it's more brittle, especially in thin section like the plastic that is found on the mount of the 30mm. The combination of those two things means I do not expect long life or heavy use ability from plastic mounts.

One should also look at the 16-80 Zeiss lens, that's internally nearly all plastic, and from my experience with two of them very prone to wear. And apparently hard to repair. Sony never succeeded with a satisfactory repair on the one I sent in twice.

I use lots of lenses, change them fairly frequently, and expect a lifetime of use from them (or close to that). So for me plastic lens bodies have problems where the plastic is a wear point or takes stress in supporting the lens structure.

Walt

[GaryFriedman]

David,

All the SAM lenses I've tried have been as noisy as the screwdriver-blade lenses. Are you saying these will be more suitable for AF during video shoots?

-Gary

[David Kilpatrick]

If Sony get the AF-during-video function of the adaptor working, SSM lenses will obviously be preferable but SAM lenses may be able to focus during video - or at least, to contrast-detect focus for still shooting. They will still be relatively noisy but they will at least have some function, where screw drive lenses will never AF under any conditions.

David

[pakodominguez]

David,

All the SAM lenses I've tried have been as noisy as the screwdriver-blade lenses. Are you saying these will be more suitable for AF during video shoots?

-Gary

Hi Gary,

I've tried both SAM kit lenses (18-55 and 55-200) and the 30mm macro and you are right: they are not impressing regarding AF speed or noise. But the SAM 28-75 f2.8 is not that noisy, and the focus is fast and smooth. In my experience, it focus faster than the KM version and perform better in low light situations.

In other hand, it is a 800 US$ SAM lens, not a kit lens...

[pakodominguez]

Don't buy any current Alpha mount lenses, as the next year will see revisions to the existing designs, of that I am sure. The SSM lenses are going to continue as they are, SAM lenses the same, but anything currently with a screw drive focus will be replaced with a motor. I also suspect there will be less emphasis on all-round kit zooms, and more focus on fast lenses, prime lenses, and special purposes lenses for Alpha.

Ping DK:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=35399171
I think it is always risky to make this kind of statements. If by any chance sales in Sony lenses slow down, this "crisis" will have a name :-/