The 550 is dead?

[Greg Beetham]

I have my doubts whether Sony wants to cater to the market that you or I represent Walt, the younger generation expects to have video in their cameras now, DSLR's as well, and that is likely to mean that they will be a less capable still camera.
I'll be watching the next A700 model (when or if one ever appears) from the sideline I think. Lets hope they haven't forgotten how to build an AEL button at least, some of their new cameras don't even have one of those.
Greg

[Scooterman]

The 550 is dead? Not in my hands. I purchased one recently for £395 new and have done some test shooting and even read the manual. I would say that I could have done with DOF and the intermediate ISO settings such as those on the A700. The On/Off switch is akward if you are used to the A350/700 as I am, but it really is a re-introduction from the DSC-R1, which I also have. The A/S dial is akward but usable. It has a self timer and 2 sec. delay and everyting else I need. Shame about the lack of P shift but I have reverted to the A setting I also used on my X700. Not a bad effort for the price I paid. I think you can hammer Sony for their silly omissions but in the end I have a good camera at a reasonable price that will do the job. Will be interesting to see what next from "hyperactive" Sony. In a years time I may look at one of their 16Mp models that will probably be available then but really the 14Mp in both the A350 and A550 will deliver on my requirements. There comes a time when technological developments greatly exceed at least my requirements and it is time to keep the wallet in the pocket.

I quite agree with you the A-550 is a real gem.
I took a friend of mine, he is a Canon user 1D mk11n/5D mk11to one of my favourite haunts it is a butterfly Zoo,.
He was amazed how the Sony performed even hand held in difficult conditions, light and heat/humidity. He was using a tripod and remote cable and could still not get as good shots, and yes he was using good glass also he is a very accomplished photographer.
I was very surprised he even asked for one of my prints so he could frame it for his wall.
So before people make up their minds about something try it you may be very pleasantly surprised, as I was.

[bfitzgerald]

I did try one! lol
Nobody is saying that the A5xx models are no good..not at all. They are just (some of them) saying it could have been better in some respects. I think they are half of what they could have been and Sony pulled their punches on these models too much.
Don't even mind if they put video in..but you have to get the basic stuff right..don't do that and I lose interest rapidly. I wouldn't buy the A5xx range at any price because they just don't have what I want simple as that. Maybe they do for some folks..which is great.

If they A5xx models had MLU, a DOF preview, AEL spot toggle, ISO in the VF, ISO 100 and a better jpeg engine I would have bought one. I'm willing to sacrifice a few things because I have enough A mount stuff to live with it..but I'm not willing to give up all of that and other bits and buy one. I'm sure I'm not alone in that thinking either. Sony need to try much harder for the next batch of cameras video or not it's not a wow factor any more as most rivals are doing it anyway.

[alphaomega]

bfitzgerald wrote:

If they A5xx models had MLU, a DOF preview, AEL spot toggle, ISO in the VF, ISO 100 and a better jpeg engine I would have bought one. I'm willing to sacrifice a few things because I have enough A mount stuff to live with it..but I'm not willing to give up all of that and other bits and buy one. I'm sure I'm not alone in that thinking either. Sony need to try much harder for the next batch of cameras video or not it's not a wow factor any more as most rivals are doing it anyway.

To this date I cannot understand why Barry did not purchase an A700 when they were still available new at around £500. I bought one. Personnally I don't see anything wrong with their Jpeg engine, but perhaps I am simply too uncritical or "uninformed". He would have got a fantastic camera for small change and would not have had to spend all that time on "haranguing" Sony. That camera is so well built that he could have allowed Sony a few years to come up with a suitable "all singing all dancing" replacement as they have promised.

[bfitzgerald]

I didn't buy an A700 because of the NR raw issue..that took a year to fix, and by that time I decided to wait a bit for an update..which never arrived. Then the disaster A2xx-3xx downgraded models entered the market so I waited for the A5xx range as that would surely be perfect for me (I had an idea of what they were going to be..nothing like what we got) So they arrived as well and at this point I would describe my feelings towards the Alpha system as over simplified train wreck!
Unless a miracle happens I'd very much doubt Sony will have anything to offer me. I'm a 5 series buyer always have been always will be not into big high end bodies all I want is a decent model which has some basic features as above, some customisation as well and that's it. Not that hard really. Put a K-x into an A mount body and I'd be thrilled..not likely to happen though.

No matter how long I wait I've seen enough already..sure I hope that Sony can do a great updated 5 series range but looking at the mock up model it looks simple and basic they will probably do very little of what I asked for. Don't like the look of the A7xx model looks like a Canon rip off merged with other makers. The only thing for me to do is wait to see what Pentax bring out and Nikon because they are my choices just between those 2 really.

Sony won't address the points raised because Toru & Co. do not understand the SLR market..Sony have been busy doing very little bar ripping stuff out, there is no reason to assume they will change that. If I want a cybershot p&s I'll buy one..I don't want p&s DSLR's I want decent stuff! We'll be having the same discussion in 3/4 years time as nothing is likely to change.

[David Kilpatrick]

Despite repeated rumours about its discontinuation, until another model does appear the A700 is current (if unavailable - not unique to Sony). I've been just amazed by the difference made to its raw files with ACR 6.1/LR3. No exaggeration, it is now fully useful at ISO 1600 for professional quality output and it seems there was never all that much wrong with Sony's sensor, only something wrong with their own JPEG routine, their own software, and almost everyone else's software until the penny dropped.

The A700 replacement is not a 5-series model, it's built to the same if not higher standards as the A700, that much was obvious from the prototypes shown. Probably magnesium alloy inner carcase, skinned, and much like the 700/850/900 in overall strength and build type.

But as for the rests of its likely qualities, we'll have to wait and see.

David

[Scooterman]

I have used most makes in the past, including the so called top 1.5/6 crop Canon 7D, yes it had it all on it all the buttons and settings you could want, only one very small problem to get a good shot with it, to my mind it was appalling, I have found out since that there were quite a few bodies that had faults, remember the Canon 1D mk111?
Anyway they lost a customer, me.
As for Pentax, I had the K-10/ K-20 and then tried the K7 the AF was still slow and noise was still a big problem.
I now have an A-550 A-700 and an A-850 all three bodies are good the 700 is showing it’s age, but the one I love using is the A-550, Sony have aimed it at a buying population and even with out the video side it has sold well, and lets face it they are in business to make a profit, and if they can’t do that they wont do it.
Every camera has down sides, lets face it if every one liked the same we would all be driving the same make and model car, what a horrible thought.

[bfitzgerald]

I appreciate what you are saying but my point is still obvious. Great cater for the keep it simple crowd..but Sony have 3 models UK wise A450-500-550. Surely a more logical approach would be to do a D5000 for one and something a bit D90 ish? No?

After all I look at all 3 Sony models and think "nope" and they are so similar that having 3 models is slightly insane in itself. Sony simply don't appeal x3 rather an obvious mistake really. Minolta tried this with the 3L, 4, 5, and just about everyone bought a 5 because it was better featured and didn't cost much over the 4. Waste of resources and time. I simply ask myself this if being different isn't competitive it's not worth doing. And I'm not so sure the A5xx range has been a massive sales hit..more likely a modest seller. Bottom dollar is would I consider A mount if I were buying right now, and my response is absolutely not, would not even look twice at their offerings.

[bakubo]

Sorry to post a link to that other forum here, but one of the posters, who also often posts here, has a FY 2007-2010 sales chart that he just posted:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=35991390

Take it for what it is worth. Not that interesting to me, but I know a lot of people really like discussing the business aspects of camera companies.

[WaltKnapp]

I have my doubts whether Sony wants to cater to the market that you or I represent Walt, the younger generation expects to have video in their cameras now, DSLR's as well, and that is likely to mean that they will be a less capable still camera.
I'll be watching the next A700 model (when or if one ever appears) from the sideline I think. Lets hope they haven't forgotten how to build an AEL button at least, some of their new cameras don't even have one of those.
Greg

I've seen the video that's coming out of the "younger generation" Latest was a featured video on 3D shot by a Sony employee that was supposed to be super good. If jerking from short clip to short clip with nothing level and the transitions so shaky as to be just a wild blur then the young can have it. Enjoy what Sony considers good!
http://blog.discover.sonystyle.com/a-so ... 0%9d-video

I agree, most likely a less capable still camera is what to expect. And most likely video won't increase sales either. Though we will never know with all cameras being video.

One wonders where we will go for quality still photography shooting equipment in just a few years if all companies do as Sony. I saw a lot of photography types killed or severely limited when AF came in. We are about to have another round of that sort of thing. But we can be sure Ma and Pa happy snaps will continue and be the core of high end photography

Walt

[Greg Beetham]

Yes and that's the problem, the large proportion will not realize that the cameras on offer are now very limited in functionality (or that function is not even possible any more) for some types of photography that they rarely do anyway, but the real tragedy is having and using a much less functional camera with missing standard features means that those who had heard that you can 'do this' or 'do that' with a DSLR will now most likely not be able to learn, or try too learn, even if they wanted too.
Greg

[Scooterman]

Lets face it ask any young person these days to do maths with “paper and pen” (the long way) they could not do it, give them a “computer” that does the hard work for them and fine, so all they want these days is the easy way and I’m afraid that is the way things are going.
And as I said before, manufacturers will supply what they can sell at a profit, that is how they survive.
All the youngsters want today is a camera that will do it all for them at the press of a button, and the do the rest on a computer and end up with nothing like the image taken in the first place “Digital Art” they call it?
Richard

[alphaomega]

bfitzgerald wrote:

Bottom dollar is would I consider A mount if I were buying right now, and my response is absolutely not, would not even look twice at their offerings.

It would seem to me that Barry should just wait a month or two and look at what is rumoured to be new Sony and Nikon cameras (all using new Sony sensors at 14 and 16Mp) if sonyalpharumors and nikonrumors are to be believed.
I would think that going for Pentax would be a long term mistake.
I would probably be tempted by the socalled A580 with 16Mp but not until sometime next year when independent RAW conversion is available and the prices have come down. As I have said, my combo of A350/550 and 700 are doing just fine and as David K. has confirmed LR3 & PS/ACR6.1 have made a notable difference to the A700 (and presumably also A350) raw and Jpeg files.

[bossel]

It would seem to me that Barry should just wait a month or two and look at what is rumoured to be new Sony and Nikon cameras.

Well, the new stuff will always be expensive and the old stuff...humm...old

[Winedarksea]

Barry, It does appear, from the numbers I posted on DPR yesterday & which Henry (Bakubo) has linked to on this thread, that some dslr or dslrs that Sony has been making during the last year or so have in fact been selling well--in fact apparently better than the Panny & Oly M4/3 models, worldwide, & a lot better than Pentax. Sony actually gained both in market share and in absolute numbers of dslr cameras sold last year over the previous supposedly banner year--selling 1.1 million dslrs last year for 10% of the worldwide dslr market. Sony, Oly, & Panny are the only companies that actually gained in market share in the last three years, but, although Oly leads Panny substantially at present in market share, Panny has posted the biggest percentage gains in the market for the last three years. Meanwhle, both Canon & Nikon have slipped a little in market share in a rapidly growing market, but Pentax has done miserably, slipping from 5.2% to 2.9% of the market, in spite of the supposedly banner success of the K-x. This, btw, is borne out by BCN's numbers for japan for the first six months of this year: Pentax slipped back to sixth place even in Japan, where they had been doing better than on the worldwide market.

These numbers are listed by fiscal, not calendar years. As almost all of the camera makers use a fiscal year ending on March 31, that is the fiscal year chosen by the apparent compiler, JP Morgan for these statistics.