Is Sony A580 last (or nearly last) DSLR with OVF?

[bfitzgerald]

Can't they just make a D90 for A Mount? I hate to say this but it's really an ideal choice for OVF users.
Decent spec, good handling, nice size OVF at a reasonable price. Shove a 16mp CMOS in there and you're good to go

If you want to go one higher than that you end up with a D7000 equivalent juiced up build/spec which would sit at the A77 level

I can't see it myself as Sony seem intent on SLT and the small ish Penta mirror (I assume to facilitate the fast AF live view) 0.92x might be pushing it brightness wise for a Penta mirror, the D90 is 0.94x with a Pentaprism the A700 is 0.90x

[Heidfirst]

Can't they just make a D90 for A Mount?

Nikon aren't making any more D90s (hence the price) so why should Sony? it would be obsolete before it was even introduced let alone after a predicted 1 year sales life ...

[Dusty]

Maybe or maybe not according to this SR3 rumour on SAR
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr3-will ... iewfinder/

(SR3) Will there be a new A600 with optical viewfinder?

emanating from no other than Carl Garrard here http://photographic-central.blogspot.co ... oming.html
So time will show if this is just another unsubstantiated rumour, but the specification looks plausible.
In my humble opinion, an 18Mp sensor is "optimum" for APS-C. Around 50Mp TIFF - just right for me. I am actually wishing for a NEX-7 with such a sensor and called NEX-6.

I, for one, hope it's true. I'd like to stick with Alpha, but have no desire for an SLT. This and FF would be the only things holding me to the mount. If Sony can keep on the doual track - and there's really no reason not to - then I'll not have to shift to Nikon.

Dusty

[bfitzgerald]

Can't they just make a D90 for A Mount?

Nikon aren't making any more D90s (hence the price) so why should Sony? it would be obsolete before it was even introduced let alone after a predicted 1 year sales life ...

Actually I was quite happy to buy "old tech" with the D90 it holds up very well compared to newer more expensive models. I can see why they kept the D90 on for such a long time it was a huge hit for Nikon and owning one now I can vouch for why that is. Good overall with a decent price it's more than enough camera for most folks.

Sony could do a model like that no problem, obsolete heck even now folks still like the D90 if it's at the right price people will buy it. Expect the D7000 to drop down to the D90 position and price when the next model comes along. It's a good move IMO keeping older models on at a better price

[Heidfirst]

Sony could do a model like that no problem, obsolete heck even now folks still like the D90 if it's at the right price people will buy it. Expect the D7000 to drop down to the D90 position and price when the next model comes along. It's a good move IMO keeping older models on at a better price

Yes, but that's after they've recovered the R&D & setup costs from a successful sales life (& I'm pretty sure that they don't "keep it on", it's excess stock) - they wouldn't start out to design a model like that to sell at that price from the start. & I bet you that they are selling more D5100s or D7000s than D90s.

[bfitzgerald]

Actually Nikon are probably not selling much of anything right now as they are out of stock on D7000's in most places with some stock only recently coming in on some bodies. D90 is out of stock too at many places as folks rushed to grab that. I'd expect it to be a few months before they get back on their feet properly

I can say one thing about R&D how much did Sony spend on SLT development? And the A77 and A65?
D90 came out what a year after the A700 and probably one of the best selling Nikon bodies to date.

If you build it folks will buy it!
I think Dusty will like Nikon once you avoid the entry models things get pretty good