SLT sales at London Camera Exchange

[bfitzgerald]

I was in a branch today and had a chat with the salesman (I was mostly just browsing around the shop)
I did mention I was a Minolta user or sorts! and asked him directly about the SLT models sales wise A33/55 etc.

His response was that "They're not selling that well really most are still buying Canon or Nikon"
Of course this is only one branch so I won't read too much into that. Though he said those who had played with the SLT models didn't really like the EVF on the camera and he added the colours are "all wrong" and most still prefer an OVF, least his customers.

I had another play with an A55 and again I'm still of the view it's "too small and fiddly" even ignoring the EVF aspect to it.
Also played with a K-5 and it's a really nice camera build and handling are excellent if only A mount had something like this for users to buy I was tempted to get one as I had the cash on me but resisted the urge this time around.

Noticed the price on the D7000, 60d and K-5 are all around the same level not much between them. I know prices fall but at £1100 odd I think the A77 is going to have to drop price fairly quickly and it's going to have a hard time v these 3 models.

[OneGuyKs]

I was in a branch today and had a chat with the salesman (I was mostly just browsing around the shop)
I did mention I was a Minolta user or sorts! and asked him directly about the SLT models sales wise A33/55 etc.

His response was that "They're not selling that well really most are still buying Canon or Nikon"

Pentax is selling even less than SLT. And SLT are selling more than previous OVF cameras (like A500 and A580).

This has nothing to do with SLT per se but with brand name.

[bfitzgerald]

Actually he said the K-5 was selling very well it's a well built body and a good spec and the price is more appealing now in the UK
LCE don't stock a lot of Pentax or Sony just a smattering of bits a few bodies and lenses the odd flash etc and some s/h stuff that rolls in.
But he left me with the impression the SLT concept is doing nothing to change the situation regarding pulling users in from other brands. I'm not amazed by this SLT on it's own is not going to work any magic for Sony.

Yet I'd imagine a K-5/D7000 model would go down very well with A mount users.
If you're expecting SLT to seriously damage the main makers I'd re-think that strategy

[David Kilpatrick]

Barry, LCE has a policy of branch specialisation. It depends on which branch you visit, what stock is their main line. LCE Colchester is their Sony Alpha store and would have a different story to other branches.

David

[OneGuyKs]

Oh so K-5 is doing very well (but despite that Pentax market share is only 2% and was sold for a few hundred million dollars to Ricoh).

It's silly claims like that that I say you have zero credibility. Sony SLT are selling better than Sony OVF DSLR from last year, and if Canon and Nikon are doing well, that's just due to brand name. Crappy D3000 was one of the best selling DSLR two years ago.

[bfitzgerald]

I'm sure they do vary from branch to branch..
However I got the impression that the SLT sales were not as good as expected from this one. Course this may not mean they have sold poorly across the country.

But if you look at their SLR sales Sony have had some pretty uninteresting entry models for a few years..no A700 to buy for some time and the FF bodies simply won't ever hit high levels of sales based on price alone.

Once upon a time the A200 was probably one of the better selling models Sony had before they stripped down the entry range to noncompetitive levels. That model consistently ranked as as one of the top sellers on Amazon for well over a year and beyond it's lifespan. A feat that I've never seen repeated from any Sony model including the SLT's.

He was pretty specific in pointing out he sells a lot less Pentax and Sony than he does Canon and Nikon which you would expect. But for the SLT to make no impact at all (at least in this branch) makes me wonder just how much of a "hit" they really are. Zero credibility is something you get from no logical reasoning. I've yet to see any sales records from Sony nor many SLT's out and about in people's hand. So I very much doubt they're the runaway success some portray them to be.

Nikon sell a lot of D3000's because Nikon have a level of brand appeal that Sony nor Pentax will ever match.

[OneGuyKs]

I'm sure they do vary from branch to branch..

Nikon sell a lot of D3000's because Nikon have a level of brand appeal that Sony nor Pentax will ever match.

Exactly. If A55 was OVF, it would not suddenly become the best seller. Oh, Sony actually has OVF version. It's called A580, and even on DPR forum, where most users are informed and are in the US (where A580 is available), it appears to be less popular than A55.

[Dusty]

Exactly. If A55 was OVF, it would not suddenly become the best seller. Oh, Sony actually has OVF version. It's called A580, and even on DPR forum, where most users are informed and are in the US (where A580 is available), it appears to be less popular than A55.

Sony purposely hurt A580 sales by NOT making it available with GPS. If it had that, I'd have one in my hands by now.

Dusty

[UrsaMajor]

Sony purposely hurt A580 sales by NOT making it available with GPS. If it had that, I'd have one in my hands by now.

They have also put almost all of their advertising into the A55 and treated the A580 as the ugly red-headed stepchild. I doubt if one A55 customer in 10 is aware that the A580 even exists. IMO, it has been obvious from day one that Sony management had a goal of making the A55 much more successful than the A580, and was working very hard to do so.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[David Kilpatrick]

I've never seen an A580 on sale; when I asked one Sony Centre why they did not have one, they said it was a professional camera and they only stocked consumer models like the A55. Also, I have never seen any other A580 in use, apart from the one we use.

David

[gio67]

I've never seen an A580 on sale; when I asked one Sony Centre why they did not have one, they said it was a professional camera and they only stocked consumer models like the A55. Also, I have never seen any other A580 in use, apart from the one we use.

David

I now have one and it,s thanks to your review David and I must say for my needs the a700 is getting mothballed

[Atgets_Apprentice]

I've never seen an A580 on sale; when I asked one Sony Centre why they did not have one, they said it was a professional camera and they only stocked consumer models like the A55. Also, I have never seen any other A580 in use, apart from the one we use.

David

Wow! I have a professional camera!!?? I must get my business cards printed!

[redsim74]

They have also put almost all of their advertising into the A55 and treated the A580 as the ugly red-headed stepchild. I doubt if one A55 customer in 10 is aware that the A580 even exists. IMO, it has been obvious from day one that Sony management had a goal of making the A55 much more successful than the A580, and was working very hard to do so.

I've never seen Sony Style here in New Zealand even list the A580 on their website, despite them carrying the camera.

I went for a walk to my local camera store today and happened to try one. While I prefer the size to the A55 I don't think I could live with either in terms of interface. Another spoilt A700 user I guess...

I'm trying to be patient/optimistic about the A65 (can't afford an A77 these days), despite the doom and gloom surrounding the new sensor.

[Greg Beetham]

Looking at the world market for a moment, http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Elec ... 76680011#1 I frequently see claims about how well the SLT’s are selling for Sony and how they are taking market share away from the big two. Well not according to Amazon, I couldn’t find any SLT’s on the first two pages of the top selling 100 digital SLR’s, even the Pentax K-5 and K-r are listed above them, also the new Nikon J1 is ranked above the SLT A55 (must be based on pre-orders for the Nikon I guess, and the NEX 7 looks like it has attracted quite a few pre-orders also).
Greg

[[SiC]]

I couldn’t find any SLT’s on the first two pages of the top selling 100 digital SLR’s

No, they start to appear on page three apparantly