here we go again -

[Heidfirst]

reports of A850 entry showing up on Sony US website ...
http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/topic49588& ... tml#539202

[adakshi]

A500, A550, A850 all future models are lined up there. Looks like we'll hear something exiting or very depressing pretty soon

[David Kilpatrick]

I'm pretty sure you will find the new cameras both depressing AND unexpected or exciting. I do not expect any of them to use the A700-A900 legacy body design and layout formulae. I do expect the addition of USP features, and not necessarily video.

I'll put some kind of post on the website discussing this.

David

[fastson]

I'm pretty sure you will find the new cameras both depressing AND unexpected or exciting. I do not expect any of them to use the A700-A900 legacy body design and layout formulae. I do expect the addition of USP features, and not necessarily video.

Well they better design something better in terms of body, and not use what we saw with the new 2-3 series.
Haven't Sony received a good amount of flak from early reviews for that design? They better listen to that!

[David Kilpatrick]

The 500-800 series will already have been designed maybe the same time as, before or just after the new 200-300 design. It could be an entirely different team, it might even be the old Minolta team and the 2-3 range is just a one off excursion into toytown.

Whatever the case, reaction to the 230-380 would have come far too late to change anything about the next release of models.

David

[bfitzgerald]

"toytown" I rather like that expression!

SLR design has changed over the years, however I don't see a huge area for improvement, more like subtle tweaks.
I surely hope we don't go back to some of the more oddball designs of yesteryear. But knowing Sony I would not be too shocked, come to think of it I am amazed they have not decided to do the horrid "expansion cards" we had to put up with for so long

[Birma]

DK makes a good point - the product lifecycle will be long, and so they next three cameras could still be lacking some of the things we (some of us?) are clamouring for (e.g. video, live view, gps, lens focus adjustment). I guess I would like a sub £1000 FF dslr even more than a video one, so there may be something to look forward to.

I hope that any of you early adopters who want to get rid of those horrible old A700s ( ) will be putting them up on the "for sale" thread at knock-down prices asap . (If the FF is £1000+ then please feel free to also get rid of your 11-18s as well!)

[Winston]

What are USPs?

[Javelin]

I assume he means Unique Selling Points.

What are USPs?

[pakodominguez]

I assume he means Unique Selling Points.

What are USPs?

How come "Unique Seling Points" is a feature?

[Dr. Harout]

USP = Ugly Sony Product

or could be Unindentified Sonolta Picture (not the sonolta but sony-minolta ...)

[Javelin]

Could be this USP... Plastic body. Small grip. Small memory capacity, 13 shots ...

But won't the cats be surprised!


Wiki picture

[Winston]

Could be this USP... Plastic body. Small grip. Small memory capacity, 13 shots ...

I did a google search too.

[bfitzgerald]

Talking about ugly, am I the only one that found the R1 to just look damn horrible. I am convinced it would have sold better if it looked a bit more "SLR" like.

Ok so cameras are not girlfriends, but it never hurts to hold something nice enough in your hands

[peterottaway]

Myself, I am more in the market for new lenses than cameras.

However my own opinion is that there is more to be gained for Sony in the medium and long term by improvements in software and firmware than gee wiz hardware in the medium and high end of the market. Yes I would like GPS, WiFi, 16MP sensors etc, but for photographers interested in getting good results with the least amount of frustration at the post processing stage there is more to life than being a digital techie.

Less time at the taking stage as well as post processing with technical worries gives more time spent on achieving your vision which is what I am assuming most of us are in this racket for. Post processing to me should be more a refining of the visual rather than a comment on your Photoshopping.