First official specs and pics of A500 + A850

[bossel]

Well, make the customers mind busy with this question: huummm, which one would I buy - rather than should I buy a Sony!

[Dusty]

Also how on earth are Sony going to shift the poor spec high priced A380? Looks like these new ones have killed that model off right away. That's the problem with too many models, you can end up hurting yourself

I disagree with you on this point, Barry. The 330/380 is a step up model for those P&S shooters. It gets them into DSLRs with the familiarity of the P&S, but the extra quality and lenses that DSLRs offer. That could be a good way to get them upgrading later.

As and example, when by oldest girl got too old for the simple bicycle she had, we were concerned that going to a model with hand brakes would cause a few crashes. we bought a model that had both the 'pedal backward' type brake as well as the handbrakes to get her to make the cross-over.

I think Sony's 330/380 will do the same thing. Give those who are comfortable with the P&S interface a dual-mode camera so they can continue to get good - or even better - P&S shoots, but also safely explore the DSLR world.

I believe someone posted that the sales numbers were really good.

For you and I, those models are a great step backwards, but it seems that Sony's idea here is to secure more market share first, them deal with the photo-enthusiast/pro market later.

Lets see what the next few months bring.

Dusty

[kingfisher]

guy`s

there is more .....................

with the A500 and A550 SONY will blow-up the competitors
there is MORE about this camera`s that the GERMAN-SHOP now`s

it`s not a bigger A300 ore something like that

wednesday you now more , than there is a PRESS-MEETING

regards
gustav

[KevinBarrett]

Less is more to me, I rate quality as more important than just sheer numbers.
IMO the shovel out loads of models strategy is not something that is going to work for Sony for DSLR's

Shoveling out more models is a privilege of larger market share, which Sony has. If you can operate five manufacturing facilities, why make just two cameras? Three can make entry-level, one can make mid level, and the other can make advanced cameras. If your market share can only support two factories, your possibilities are limited, so why would you keep those limitations when your market share grows?

I must say, Barry, I am tickled that you would criticize the a500 for falling short of the a700 when you bought the a200.

[Dr. Harout]

Did anyone notice that this is the first post of Hiroshige and making thunder?
Meanwhile I'll wait for the new cameras to hit the market and at the same time enjoy my A700.

[David Kilpatrick]

Sorry, we should have welcomed Hiroshige. I recognised the name and gave immediate activation this morning. Thanks for coming in with this post.

David

[PongoAlpha]

I've said it before and I will say it again Sony are doing a Walkman exercise with their cameras, lots of little innovations and improvements. in fifteen years with the Walkman they released over 200 models.

[bfitzgerald]

Shoveling out more models is a privilege of larger market share, which Sony has. If you can operate five manufacturing facilities, why make just two cameras? Three can make entry-level, one can make mid level, and the other can make advanced cameras. If your market share can only support two factories, your possibilities are limited, so why would you keep those limitations when your market share grows?

I must say, Barry, I am tickled that you would criticize the a500 for falling short of the a700 when you bought the a200.

Hmm I think you missed the point I made. Minor variations spread over several bodies is IMO not a good way to tackle the DSLR market, nobody else does it, and there are 2 names that hold most of the DSLR market share. Yes Sony had a good year and have done ok, but that was then, this is "now"

I am not being critical of the A500, simply suggesting that as predicted it's not going to be a "slightly cut down A700", it's more a pumped up A350, not a bad thing in itself, but again..do we really need 2 variations of the same model???

The A200 is what it is, a cheap and mostly good bang per buck camera. It has some warts, and I have mentioned these before, but for the absurdly low price paid, you get a pretty good deal really. Mine gives good service for the odd job that flies my way, mostly flash based and lower ISO work, it's a winner in that respect. What it is not, is a low light demon camera, which it could have been. Hence the remarks about stuffing up entry level Alpha. All that was needed was a tweak low end Alpha range, and some issues sorted out. Not an experiment in courting non DSLR buyers

The A500 will be judged depending on what users want. The big if aspect is the viewfinder, some say it's going to be compromised with the LV element, we shall have to wait on that one. As always, bang per buck is a major factor, and the A500 will be judged on what it delivers, and at what price point. Initial price looks pretty good, so it's not all bad news far from it, but it still leaves a gap higher end APS-C, what happens there is down to Sony.

[destrianlives]

Why do I have the distinct feeling that the A550 will be a 12-15mp Exmor CMOS R sensor? (I can always dream can't I?) Well, if they hold a press conference about it... it's gotta be some killer feature thats worth the price of admission.

[PhotoTraveler]

It's a basic given an A550 will be more than 12MP. It being an R sensor is something people should stop thinking about.

When Sony decides to make large format R sensors, we will know about it well in advance of any camera with them. There will be some press release by Sony about them, and or a breakthru to bring the cost down and so forth.

They made clear a year ago they were for video/cell/P&S size sensors, and that's what they have put them in. The math doesn't work for big sensors.

The real question right now is why no A550 news. One would think it would come the same day, but maybe they are spacing it just a bit because it will be a new 14-16MP sensor, thus be a new item on the block. Maybe they don't want to give to much out on what an A700 replacement will have too soon. Or maybe production quantities aren't up to speed yet.

[Hawk]

Some infos from polish Minolta/Sony forum. Author says they're confirmed.

- a550: 14.2mp CMOS sensor, 7fps, 920px lcd screen, suggested price of 749 euros.
- a850: 24mp full frame, suggesred price of 1999 euros

[bfitzgerald]

Hmm those A550 specs look a tad unrealistic to me.

2nd point, they are higher end than the body photos we have seen suggest. Why squeeze that into a not so well featured body, when it's more A700 land??

I think these new models will go down ok, but I have a suspicion both are LV, and neither will have viewfinders that will be good. That could be a deal killer to some.

[destrianlives]

Some infos from polish Minolta/Sony forum. Author says they're confirmed.

- a550: 14.2mp CMOS sensor, 7fps, 920px lcd screen, suggested price of 749 euros.
- a850: 24mp full frame, suggesred price of 1999 euros

If the new A550 has 14.2mp and 7fps then I'll be an apes grandma!

[Yagil Henkin]

At least three people I know are waiting to see if Sony is going to offer Video in their DSLR before buying a system. I bet there's a lot more of those. Personally I don't care about video, but since it seems many people want it up to the point where they'll ignore a camera without it, then it would probably better for Sony to offer Video. and if the 500/550 don't have it, It'll be a dissapointment.

[David Kilpatrick]

A friend just lent me a new Olympus EP-1 (Pen Digital) with 17mm and 14-42mm for a few days.

This is just the best camera to handle I've picked up in years, maybe since the Minolta TC-1 or Contax T2. Amazing.

David