The 550 is dead?

[Dusty]

A lot of Sony's "feature removal" problems can be solved with a bit of good programming practice. Much of the software I use for various tasks has a "Standard" and a "Pro" mode to it. Switch to Pro mode and you get all the options, in standard mode it's mostly auto-pilot. The same could be done in firmware. Set it to Standard mode and let the enthusiast put it in Pro mode and select more options.

Yes, they may need to add another meg of ROM, but that's pennies. The programming is probably already done for the other cameras, and would take almost nothing to port over.

You could even program the thing to make your AEL toggle also do DOF without another button.

Dusty

[redsim74]

I really hope they change SAM to allow in-lens DMF in future lenses.

The Tamron 60/2 is a SAM lens and has full-time MF override. With the relationship the two companies have maybe we'll start seeing Tamron's implementation in Sony lenses.

[bakubo]

By the way, this is still all your guessing/hoping, right?

As to whether what I have said is "still all [my] guessing/hoping"--no, most of it is from Sony Alpha Rumors.

Okay, a lot of this is just rumors such as the Thom Hogan rumor about Sony thinking about stopping FF. We'll just have to wait and see since no one knows which rumors or even if any rumors actually mean anything.

[Winedarksea]

By the way, this is still all your guessing/hoping, right?

As to whether what I have said is "still all [my] guessing/hoping"--no, most of it is from Sony Alpha Rumors.

Okay, a lot of this is just rumors such as the Thom Hogan rumor about Sony thinking about stopping FF. We'll just have to wait and see since no one knows which rumors or even if any rumors actually mean anything.

Yes, they are both rumors, & I understand your concern that all rumors, both positive & negative & positive, be met with judicious scepticism.

But there is a difference here. Thom Hogan's rumors he characterizes as Sony (one division or another) considering dropping FF. The SAR rumors that they identify as level 5 one can very nearly take to the bank. I say very nearly because something can always happen, as did with the FW updates, which have already been delayed for months by the unexpected failure in May of the FW Sony was working on. Otherwise, when SAR has identified a rumor as "SR5," it has happened as they have called it.

[alphaomega]

The 550 is dead? Not in my hands. I purchased one recently for £395 new and have done some test shooting and even read the manual. I would say that I could have done with DOF and the intermediate ISO settings such as those on the A700. The On/Off switch is akward if you are used to the A350/700 as I am, but it really is a re-introduction from the DSC-R1, which I also have. The A/S dial is akward but usable. It has a self timer and 2 sec. delay and everyting else I need. Shame about the lack of P shift but I have reverted to the A setting I also used on my X700. Not a bad effort for the price I paid. I think you can hammer Sony for their silly omissions but in the end I have a good camera at a reasonable price that will do the job. Will be interesting to see what next from "hyperactive" Sony. In a years time I may look at one of their 16Mp models that will probably be available then but really the 14Mp in both the A350 and A550 will deliver on my requirements. There comes a time when technological developments greatly exceed at least my requirements and it is time to keep the wallet in the pocket.

[Allam2009]

I love reading all these rumours! At least you will all find out fairly soon whether or not you are right and I think some of you will be pleasantly surprised...

[Winedarksea]

I love reading all these rumours! At least you will all find out fairly soon whether or not you are right and I think some of you will be pleasantly surprised...

Why do you think so, Allam?--Dulaney

[Allam2009]

Why do I think so? I have seen some specs and actual models that I can't tell you about!

[pakodominguez]

Great: a new rumor is cooking at photoclubalpha!
David, you'll have to put some adds on the forum also, in order to pay for the hosting and all that...

[bakubo]

The 550 is dead? Not in my hands. I purchased one recently for £395 new and have done some test shooting and even read the manual.

How do you find the OVF? I have played with the A550 several times, but since the LCD sticks out so much in the back I find it hard to get my eye close enough to the OVF to see it well.

[alphaomega]

Bakubo wrote

How do you find the OVF? I have played with the A550 several times, but since the LCD sticks out so much in the back I find it hard to get my eye close enough to the OVF to see it well.

Actually I mostly use glasses and I find that whether I use the A700, A350 or now the A550, using the OVF I can just see the whole image but with a very small cut-off of the corners. Perhaps the A550 rear screen protrude slightly more than the A350. As is well known the OVF view is largest in the A700 followed by the A550 and then smallest on the A350. It is not ideal but I do value the movable rear screen on the A350/550 combo and the A550 is infinitely superior with its 3 inch high quality design.

[Allam2009]

Great: a new rumor is cooking at photoclubalpha!
David, you'll have to put some adds on the forum also, in order to pay for the hosting and all that...

My intention was not to create a new rumour. I have had my hands on one of the cameras that has been speculated on in this thread (full production model not a demo). I am only an interested amateur but I really liked it. They are coming soon...

[Allam2009]

Would also add I am travelling lots on business at the mo so dont often check the site (in case anyone thinks I am a Sony rumour plant). Simply a Sony employee!

[alphaomega]

Allam2009 wrote:

Would also add I am travelling lots on business at the mo so dont often check the site (in case anyone thinks I am a Sony rumour plant). Simply a Sony employee!

No need to doubt Allam2009. I personnally believe there is a lot of momentum behind Sony Alpha/E division at the moment with the joint release of NEX camera/video and flooding the market. Noticed that my A550 instruction book had what looked like a female holding the camera to demonstrate shooting positions so the idea they are targeting women is probably not far off the mark. Note that Nikon have not really been issuing new models using the Sony 14Mp sensors. Wonder what is happening to the Sony/Nikon sensor relationship. Would not be surprised if Sony made it to joint second with Nikon (if E is added) within the next say three years. Sony may be seeing DSLRs as a potential threat to some of their Video business and intend to stay first in video and at least gain second in DSLRs with top class video in both sectors. I think they are realising now that without a strong Alpha/E presence they will lose video sales in the upper end. Interesting times ahead.

[WaltKnapp]

No need to doubt Allam2009. I personnally believe there is a lot of momentum behind Sony Alpha/E division at the moment with the joint release of NEX camera/video and flooding the market. Noticed that my A550 instruction book had what looked like a female holding the camera to demonstrate shooting positions so the idea they are targeting women is probably not far off the mark. Note that Nikon have not really been issuing new models using the Sony 14Mp sensors. Wonder what is happening to the Sony/Nikon sensor relationship. Would not be surprised if Sony made it to joint second with Nikon (if E is added) within the next say three years. Sony may be seeing DSLRs as a potential threat to some of their Video business and intend to stay first in video and at least gain second in DSLRs with top class video in both sectors. I think they are realising now that without a strong Alpha/E presence they will lose video sales in the upper end. Interesting times ahead.

Females holding the cameras to demonstrate shooting positions in owner's manuals goes back as far as I can remember, which is back into the 50's. It's nothing new. Sex sells.

The Sony/Nikon relationship has been dwindling for several years. And that's really what Thom's story was about.

If Sony bundles all their Cybershots into their DSLR sales they can beat even Canon DSLRs, but it's a pointless statistic. What really counts is how well they support DSLRs. And there except for piles of me too beginner level DSLRs Sony is near dead in the water. Their momentum is almost entirely away from anything above beginner level DSLRs.

If Sony thinks DSLR business is only about video, they really will be destroying their DSLR business. They best discover still photography pretty soon. You know, that stuff that DSLRs were designed to do better than anything else.

Walt