With the launch of the a33/a55 and the a560/a580 coming at the same time, I assume that there would be little difference in the electronics not involved in the EVF.

So, with the launch of the a35 pending, and its new features being included in firmware upgrades for the a33/a55, you'd naturally think (hope?) that a similar update would be made available for those of us who still value an OVF. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the way Sony thinks, as us OVF users get nothing.

Is this Sonys' way of pushing users in the direction of SLTs, if we want upgrades and updates?

With the upcoming a65 & a77 on the horizon, and no mention of a DSLR equivelant, it looks like we OVF fans (Or are we Luddites?) are going to become (or maybe already are) second class citizens in the eyes of Sony.

I'm off to pick up some N!k*n brochures....

Relax, AA. This just proves all the OVF models are perfect.

Well if it was their strategy I can say it failed miserably as far as I'm concerned

Sony and strategy in the same sentence, ha ha ha!
Greg

I think you can pretty much count on most new support from Sony to be geared towards their new SLT's. It only makes sense as this is the new direction.

There is nothing "wrong" with there OVF cameras that needs "fixed" from their point of view.

Such is the way companies work it seems to me.

It's my bet that over the next 2 to 5 years, perhaps (?) excepting the top professional DSLR's of all makes, the only option will be SLT's.

Sony are leading the way here, and have given very strong hints that the a77 will have a greatly advanced viewfinder than those found on the a33 etc.
I would be very surprised if Sony didn't have time critical copyright which gives them exclusivity for the time being. Based upon Sony's sales success with their SLT cameras, Canon, Nikon et al will be itching to follow onto Sony's commercial success.

Sony have also been very clever in that they have made the initial developments of this technology with entry level and the next step up to trial the system, and to have reached an advanced stage before launching it upon the serious enthusiast and semi-pro photographers. Alos, the seeming flood of these cameras have created a sizeable base of users, many of whom will want to update to the likes of the a77.

I reckon that Canon, Nikon and others will soon be following in Sony's footsteps, and to switch brands at this stage will merely delay the move to the inevitable.

Michael Thorpe

Michael, i think you're over-estimating the effect the SLTs have had in the market. Look at sales data - They're still vastly outsold by Nikon and Canon OFV models. Sony is only outselling OVF models among Sony/Minolta system owners. Partly by stripping goodies (like GPS) from comparable OVF models.

Sony may have boxed themselves into a corner by not offering OFV models that are a clone of the SLT models. I would love an a750, but don't want an a77. I neither need nor want video, but will take it if I have to, and I don't need 12FPS either. Few do. After the gimmickry wears off, most people will find it's more than they want or need.

Slap an OVF on that a77 and give it a chance, I'll bet you'll find plenty of buyers, even if it only does 6 or 8 FPS.

Dusty

There was nothing wrong with the a33/a55 either, but they got firmware to give them features that will be on the a35.... I'd quite like to have some fun with them on my a580, but big bad Sony won't let me!

This will be a bit off-topic...it's hard to follow a thread when you can't read the OP's text. Many users here use alternative skins for the forum that do not have the black background, but a lighter one like what the forum had some years ago. Anyway, when a member specifies a font color other than the default, it won't always automatically contrast with the background of a given theme. Yes, it is possible to use the highlight-and-read method, but it gets old.

By the way, the "subsilver2" skin (selectable in the User Control Panel) uses a few navigational buttons that just don't appear on the default skin for some reason, such as "View unread posts" and "View new posts," which are present no matter what page you're on.

I'll amend me skin shortly. Ta for the tip!

Argos (major UK retailer) have apparently dumped the entire Alpha range at least in Eire. This is the first time they have never had an Alpha product to buy nothing no DSLR no SLT only the new Nex survives and a handful of cybershots.

They still carry some Canon, Nikon and one Pentax (K-r) and quite a few Panasonic G type cameras.