alpha mount future - question for DK

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a900_dw73
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alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by a900_dw73 »

Hi David,

A relative of mine has the Nikon D700 and I have the Sony A900. From time to time, when we're not talking about composition or where we would like to plan our next trip to, we talk about gear, brands, etc. He always says he wishes he had the resolution that my A900 has, and I always say I wish I had the high ISO noise control that his D700 has. He actually asked me if I'd ever switch to Nikon, so that we could share lenses, and my response was, I really like the user interface on the Sony A700/A900 products as well as their in body SSS, and Zeiss lens options.

Question for you: I'm really curious what the Sony A7XX will be like later this year. Without beating a dead horse, do you feel that Sony will stay with the alpha mount for the long term? The main reason I would like to get your input, is because I'm thinking of investing another $2K in a lens like the Zeiss 16-35, and basically would not want to invest that much in a lens if Sony won't stay with the alpha mount for the long term.

Thanks,
Dave
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pakodominguez
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by pakodominguez »

Interview (in Spanish) to Toru Katsumoto
http://www.quesabesde.com/noticias/toru ... sta,1_6346
He said NEX is a part of the Alpha division. He said also that new Alpha DSRL (A700 successor included?) are in development and that they will keep making APS and FF A-mount cameras.

I think they hesitated about the A-mount future a couple of years ago. Now we are safe.

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Pako
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David Kilpatrick
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

Don't buy any current Alpha mount lenses, as the next year will see revisions to the existing designs, of that I am sure. The SSM lenses are going to continue as they are, SAM lenses the same, but anything currently with a screw drive focus will be replaced with a motor. I also suspect there will be less emphasis on all-round kit zooms, and more focus on fast lenses, prime lenses, and special purposes lenses for Alpha.

The Alpha 7XX (750?) will have 1080i video and exactly the same sensor as the NEX5/3. It will not have Quick View live view, but an update to MF Focus Check Live View incorporating Contrast Detect focusing exactly as in the NEX5. The optical viewfinder will be comparable to the A700, and it will have SSS. What's missing is the new lens. The A7XX prototypes were shown with a CZ 16-80mm. This lens is completely unsuited to video, screw drive, noisy focus and a rather non-linear zoom cam.

So my guess is that at photokina 2010, we will see a new 16-80mm with SSM and improved overall build quality - or possibly a revised 16-105mm instead. I think they will go for the 16-80mm and keeping the CZ name. This lens will also be totally compatible with the NEX and Alpha adaptor.

Two other lenses which must be revised are the 11-18mm (replaced with a 10-24mm SAM) and the 18-250mm (replaced with an 18-270mm SAM OSS). They will also replace the Sony 75-300mm with an SSM OSS 70-300mm f/4-5.6 if they stick with Tamron. And I think they will ad the 60mm f/2 Tamron macro to the Sony range as a SAM lens.

The Alpha 7XX will also have 7fps, will almost certainly offer sweep panorama, wide range 3-shot HDR and almost all the key functions of the NEX including auto magnification of manual live view.

This is all prediction based on what I've seen and heard, but nothing here has been told to me directly. I just have an idea of the three-pronged attack Sony is going to make on several markets at once at photokina. they plan to dominate the pocketable social camera market, the enthusiast SLR market, and the high end camcorder market. They will do this with a simultaneous launch of products across marketing divisions.

Also, I think they are about to replace the current digital photo frames with something entirely new. I will place a bet on battery-power compatible, HDMI+USB2, touch screen, monitor mountable, card storage and maybe large SSD equipped 7 inch 'photo frame' which will also be a media player, a video monitor, an image storage device, a raw file converter, a personal 3D viewer, iPad, PSP, eBook reader, netbook (no keyboard, on-screen) and the lot.

Otherwise, they would not be giving away their 7 inch photo frames with NEX orders to dealers, and would not have given away the 8 incher to the press (mine's going on eBay, I have no use for it and the press trip left me £230 out of pocket).

David
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bakubo
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by bakubo »

David Kilpatrick wrote:The Alpha 7XX (750?) will have 1080i video and exactly the same sensor as the NEX5/3. It will not have Quick View live view, but an update to MF Focus Check Live View incorporating Contrast Detect focusing exactly as in the NEX5. The optical viewfinder will be comparable to the A700, and it will have SSS.
The Alpha 7XX will also have 7fps, will almost certainly offer sweep panorama, wide range 3-shot HDR and almost all the key functions of the NEX including auto magnification of manual live view.
When you say Quick View live view is that what people often call fast live view? I have played with the A550 and I know it has two LV modes. One is turned on with a switch next to the pentamirror housing and gives you very fast AF. Is that what will be left off the A7xx? If so, then that is unfortunate. I know the advantages of the two different types of LV and the fast LV is something that I would use the most. I was hoping it would show up in the A7xx. I was also hoping that they could incorporate it and at the same time improve the A550 OVF a bit to make it closer to the A700. Oh, one more thing. Sony needs to work on the tilting LCD design used on the A550. It sticks out from the back of the camera too much. Either make it thinner or make the OVF stick out a bit more. I find the A550 combination to be a bit poor. Maybe since I use my left eye it is worse for me, but I bet most people using their right eye would also think it is not so good.
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by bakubo »

David Kilpatrick wrote:The Alpha 7XX (750?) will have 1080i video and exactly the same sensor as the NEX5/3.
1080i, not 1080p?
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

The NEX-5 shoots 1080/50i. This is as good as 1080/25p. This is the format Sony seems to prefer, and is probably the only way the sensor can read out video data. Most people will call in 1080p anyway. I don't think Sony will change that, this revised 14.2 megapixel sensor will appear in several models.

David
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by stewartjs »

Do I understand correctly that Minolta / older Sony / Tamron etc., screw drive lenses won't be fully compatible with the A750? How does that fit with the intent to rule the enthusiast DSLR market? Sounds fine if I was starting a system from scratch. Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Does this explain the rapid disappearance of the A550 from many dealer's shelves?

Stewart
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bakubo
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by bakubo »

David Kilpatrick wrote:The NEX-5 shoots 1080/50i. This is as good as 1080/25p. This is the format Sony seems to prefer, and is probably the only way the sensor can read out video data. Most people will call in 1080p anyway. I don't think Sony will change that, this revised 14.2 megapixel sensor will appear in several models.
I was asking here just because in another thread Frank asked about it. To tell you the truth, I know next to nothing about video so I barely understand your answer in the other thread. :)
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bakubo
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by bakubo »

stewartjs wrote:Do I understand correctly that Minolta / older Sony / Tamron etc., screw drive lenses won't be fully compatible with the A750?
Stewart, David can surely answer better about this, but I would be totally amazed, baffled, angry, and quickly a former Sony customer if they do that. If there are some limitations with only video then that might be forgiven.
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

Screw drive lenses will not offer AF. At present, I can tell you they also do not offer focus confirmation ('green light OK') either, even in manual focus mode. All they can do is focus manually using enlarged live view.

The aperture system works with the adaptor, it has an actuating motor to operate the iris.

David
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bakubo
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by bakubo »

David Kilpatrick wrote:Screw drive lenses will not offer AF. At present, I can tell you they also do not offer focus confirmation ('green light OK') either, even in manual focus mode. All they can do is focus manually using enlarged live view.

The aperture system works with the adaptor, it has an actuating motor to operate the iris.
David, he is talking about the A750, not NEX.
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

Sorry! I'm pretty sure the A750? will have the screw drive still present, it just won't be used for video. I would be most surprised if they dropped it.

David
a900_dw73
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by a900_dw73 »

Thanks David,

On my wish list for the A7XX, is the exmor HD cmos 14mp sensor that the NEX5 has (with its great high ISO noise control), sweep panoramic mode, and HDR mode. Also, a nice magnesium alloy body, like the A700 has. It will be very interesting to see what lenses come out, why they'll be coming out, and how they will compare (resolution figures, etc.).

Am I correct in stating that although the new NEX series will incoporate lens stabilization, the alpha series will retain in-body stabilization?

Dave
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by a900_dw73 »

One additional question David,

Will the relatively new Sigma 18-250 HSM lens be a good fit for the A7XX replacement? Apologies if the answer to this question is based on it being screw driven vs. motor, etc. - I'm not too familiar with those specs for this lens... Or, better yet, would the thing to do, be wait for the Sony 18-250 replacement lens that you eluded to?

Dave
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Re: alpha mount future - question for DK

Unread post by KevinBarrett »

I dunno about the current 14.2MP APS-C HD CMOS sensor making its way into the a7XX. With the a290 due to arrive on the scene with a similar resolution, isn't there a chance they'll develop something a little more special for the Advance Amateur camera?
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