Ful frame rumour about NEX - is it possible?

[peterottaway]

Huh!?

All of sudden, everyone is discussing 'the upcoming full-frame NEX'? Where does this flakey rumour come from?

I am pretty much sure there won't be a full-frame Sony NEX ... not next week, not at Photokina, not in any foreseeable future. It simply doesn't make sense. Or rather, it would make perfect sense for photographers, especially for those of us with a closet full of legacy SLR lenses ... but it would not make any sense, technically and economically, for the manufacturer. So better don't hold your breath.

It is expected that Leica will release (umm, or maybe just announce) their next digital M model on the evening before Photokina—i. e. Monday, Sep 17th, 2012—which most likely will be called M10 ... some rumours say the name might be MX or M X. Due to some hints given by a few Leica executives earlier this year, it is expected that the new M model has a full-frame CMOS sensor and a live view feature. If that's true (and I guess it is) then the M10 will be the world's first 35-mm full-frame mirror-less short-register digital camera that can use all kinds of legacy SLR lenses via adapters ... and I guess it's going to be the only one for some time to come. Due to where they're coming from, for Leica it's a natural move. For Sony, it would be wrenched move.

For all 5 photographers and the 45 Chinese camera collectors that will buy it.

It would not make sense for either Canon or Nikon, but for Sony lets just wait and see.

[Greg Beetham]

That really is an interesting ploy that I don't think any other company has exploited: Make an interchangeable lens camera with no lenses. Seriously though, I assume you mean that a FF NEX buyer would have to buy the NEX/A-mount adapter to use FF A-mount lenses or buy a 3rd party adapter to use old FF manual focus lenses since there would be no FF NEX lenses.

Nice going Henry, you’ve zeroed in on the one weak link in the idea, no dedicated lenses or an adapter (at the moment). Another adapter is required with FF field stops and that actually looks even plausible looking at David’s diagram. (the rear element of a lens is a lot smaller than the mount opening…usually). So providing the angles of divergence don’t get interfered with by the lens mount it might even work, but it would work much better with a new larger mount.
Maybe Sony will release a new larger ‘E-mount’ along with a new FF A-mount adapter and stop making the old one/s. (you don’t need the old APS-C adapters when you can just shoot in cropped sensor mode with DT lenses after upgrading).
I have never been to an outside NEX forum so I have no idea about the amount of agitation there might be for a FF NEX but I’m not sure we really need one as there is already a NEX with 24MP’s, I’m also thinking of the power consumption using a small NEX battery and if people want a responsive camera that has some duration…or not. (I reckon it will need a power grip if it’s a large MP sensor and/or the large DSLR battery thus rendering it a lot less NEXY).
Another thing is the cost; I read somewhere that manufacturing an FF sensor is about eight times more expensive than making an APS-C one. (That was some time ago though, maybe the cost has come down somewhat now what with Sony’s new fabs that have been built).
The thought crossed my mind that Sony might be just making a larger sensor for on sensor stabilization for when you are using lenses that have no inbuilt stabilization. Then it would be back to business as usual with most of the existing gear, every lens is a stabilized APS-C lens regardless of what format or brand it is. (It might still need a new adapter though if the field stop in the existing one is too tight).
The only problem with the above idea is I doubt Sony would try to be so helpful because there would have to be a way of entering the focal length in use so the stabilization could calculate the correct amplitude and speed that matches that particular lens, (the calculations would still be wrong though if the focus distance wasn’t known by the camera).
So no, I don’t think that last idea will fly, but a new ‘E-mount’ might be on the cards if the rumour is true…cool, Sony you whacky funster you.
Greg

[Vidgamer]

Huh!?

All of sudden, everyone is discussing 'the upcoming full-frame NEX'? Where does this flakey rumour come from?

I am pretty much sure there won't be a full-frame Sony NEX ... not next week, not at Photokina, not in any foreseeable future. It simply doesn't make sense. Or rather, it would make perfect sense for photographers, especially for those of us with a closet full of legacy SLR lenses ... but it would not make any sense, technically and economically, for the manufacturer. So better don't hold your breath.

It is expected that Leica will release (umm, or maybe just announce) their next digital M model on the evening before Photokina—i. e. Monday, Sep 17th, 2012—which most likely will be called M10 ... some rumours say the name might be MX or M X. Due to some hints given by a few Leica executives earlier this year, it is expected that the new M model has a full-frame CMOS sensor and a live view feature. If that's true (and I guess it is) then the M10 will be the world's first 35-mm full-frame mirror-less short-register digital camera that can use all kinds of legacy SLR lenses via adapters ... and I guess it's going to be the only one for some time to come. Due to where they're coming from, for Leica it's a natural move. For Sony, it would be wrenched move.

For all 5 photographers and the 45 Chinese camera collectors that will buy it.

It would not make sense for either Canon or Nikon, but for Sony lets just wait and see.

Sony has nothing to lose, while the others are still protecting their older mounts.

Sure, the traditional model is to lock vict... er, customers into a mount, but Sony has made efforts to seemingly promote the use of legacy lenses, such as with the magnification and peaking modes. I do use DMF and magnification with e-mount lenses, but I see peaking as being more for legacy lenses. They also are encouraging Sigma and Tamron to make lenses, although, I wonder what kind of deal needed to be signed to allow that? Does Sony get a cut?

So, anyway, maybe it's not so crazy for them to be happy selling new cameras regardless of whether or not you buy lenses from them.

And the flakey rumor comes from SonyAlphaRumors.

Personally, I don't think it will happen, but I don't think it's completely crazy, and Sony could do it if they wanted (if they felt a need for that in order to compete). I doubt that there are enough people that want a FF mirrorless to justify it, but maybe if it is only Sony vs. Leica, it would make sense as mirrorless cameras continue to pull people away from DSLRs.