Sony Resetting the a900 and the a700 Series Bodies

[stevecim]

if the talk about US$1000.00 for FF is true, could mean Sony have made some big advances in manufacturing and can now build FF sensors at a lower cost per unit then APS sensor. Which could allow them to flood the market with FF. Buy them some time to bring out other features.

[Dulaney Ward]

Don, I think you may have something there. I've been amused (and a bit depressed) on other strings with people talking like they know marketing better than Sony, like we still had Minolta doing the marketing, We don't, thank God, having survived some 36 years as something of a Minolta "fanboy" (as you say it).

But knowing your distaste for "fanboys," Please let me position myself.

Like I believe everyone else, I succumb to being something of a fan for certain products. I was a Ford fan, for existence--but when I went to buy my own cars, I made studies of what was best in what ways, and of the pricing mechanisms used by dealers, and I bought a Volvo and two Toyotas--in the case of the latter overcoming a considerable amount of "fanboy" negativism to do it.

So yes, I was something of a Minolta "fanboy." But when I got back into the camera market in 2003, because digital I read had made such great strides, I bought a Minolta, the advanced point-and-shoot DiMage A1, on the basis of the great reviews I read. It turned out to be a great little camera, but in the end too limited for me, since I began exhibiting my prints.

SSS had been one of the main reasons I bought the A1, and it remained the main reason I bought the A700, although the A700 was also clearly an excellent camera in many ways. With it I use my 50 1.4, my 18-250, and my cz 85 1.4 What a joy, especially since v4.

Simultaneously, I have become a student of Sony. When Sony came into the DSLR market, it was already indirectly involved as a partner with Nikon against Canon. Nikon was engaged, with Sony's partnership, in waging a war against what had become Canon's massive dominance of the DSLR market. That struggle continues. I have seen knowledgeable people on other strings say that Sony has been avoiding positioning models opposite Nikon models, for example. The common enemy is Canon.

The 850 is more an attack aginst Canon than it is gainst Nikon. And it will sell, I firmly believe, and put a whole hell of a lot of Sony FF users in cameras with a need for high-quality FF lenses, Which is exactly what Sony needs to do in order to position itself to release a raft of killer lenses. The price differential has been said on very good authority on another site to be really quite substantial between the 900 and the 850. The introduction of the 850 will put hugely disruptive price pressure on Canon in particular.

But, you are right, that cannot be the whole of it. Sony is both the marketing giant and the technologically innovative giant. The way they leaked this one makes me think thay'll have some fireworks with the next pair, the 500 and 550. And then, early next year, a killer APS-C, and then a killer true flagship FF. At that point, bring 'em all on, including Nikon..

Just my two cents.
Dulaney

[DonSchap]

But, you are right, that cannot be the whole of it. Sony is both the marketing giant and the technologically innovative giant. The way they leaked this one makes me think thay'll have some fireworks with the next pair, the 500 and 550. And then, early next year, a killer APS-C, and then a killer true flagship FF. At that point, bring 'em all on, including Nikon..

Just my two cents.

Dulaney

I agree they will crunch some of the competition with the low priced FF offering. My only problem with this picture is that if Sony does not bring the business with the 500 series now I fear that it may be too long for me to wait for the next season of releases, and by the time the new stuff is released I will already be shooting a different system.

-Sonolta

Me thinks thou doth protest too much. A threat to "cut and run" is not a method to resolution or satisfaction. Stand up and fight for that which is right. We can still win the day, with common sense and ... common purpose. Investment in a whole 'nuther system is a bitter pill to swallow. I suggest you get yourself a big glass of water to wash it down with.

Personally, someone is driving this FLAGSHIP ... how about we get a bit more intimate with him (them) and find out where this ship is going?

[KevinBarrett]

Why should I wait when the other guys already have what I need now to keep up with my peers, improve my shot making, and expand my creativity?

In the beginning, a two system kit is slightly inefficient, but can only multiply your options in the long run. Let's say you need another body and another focal length lens--what other accessories would you need, for your purposes, buying into a new system?

[bfitzgerald]

No need, I won't be moving to another mount.
I'll be waiting for Sony to make all their errors, then come around to some of my ideas once they work out what they have done wrong in the past

[peterottaway]

Sony can't create everything at once and I think that for the medium and high end APS-C shooter ( any future A5xx/7xx ) both the end user and Sony's interests would be served if Tokina could be enticed back into the Alpha market. Tokina produces nowhere near the same number of lenses as Sigma or Tamron, but many they produce are of interest to the enthusiast market.

This would take pressure off Sony to replicate these lenses and also sell more camera's with a decent margin rather than simply the commodity type camera. And as it would appear that Sony is going after the FF market this would mean that they could concentrate more of their efforts into expanding the FF lenses.

I do own a Nikon D90 with the Tokina 11-16/2.8, 16-50/2.8 and the 50-135/2.8 plus retaining from my film days the 85/1.8, 180/2.8 and the 70-300/4-5.6 D ED. So I am no stranger to Nikon or Tokina gear,but like the posting from Photo Traveller - I prefer the Minolta/Sony stuff. Nothing made me appreciate my A700 as much as trying to do the same things with the D90 as easily. It won't matter to me how good the Nikon D300s/D400 are I won't be in the market as long as Sony puts out good product.

With the Tokina lenses if they do come to the A mount I think that they will sell a lot of 11-16 and 50-135 very easily, whilst I would advise anyone happy with their Tamron 17-50 or CZ 16-80 not to worry about the 16-50. Not because it isn't a decent lens but you wouldn't need it. The Tamron is cheaper and the CZ is more flexible and optically better.