The a mount is going mirrorless according to SAR

[classiccameras]

No body has yet put a APS-C sensor in a Bridge camera to my knowledge, although it intrigues me if they do, I think around a 4thirds sensor size has been the biggest to date which was in a Canon bridge.

If they are going to force Alpha mount fans down the NEX route then I'm off to pastures new. There's really only two DSLR cameras where there will be some sort of future road map in APS-C and that's Canikon, but that could all change.
They do though have huge investments in their systems and are not likely to jeopardise that in a hurry.

[alphaomega]

Sony are desperately looking for a Samsung/Apple nearly fatal stab at Nokia/Blackberry against CAN/NIK but this is a different ballgame because of all the lenses/accessories associated with DSLRs. Different for smartphones displacing pocket cameras. This is going to be a long drawn out struggle for Sony.

[bfitzgerald]

There are no fatal stabs in this market and there never will be. I personally don't feel SLT did anything to improve Sony's position than the normal DSLR did. But the company is quite inconsistent and changes direction frequently. This has been shown time and time again in some of their DSLR model choices (at times too many models and too similar, other ones not targeted to meet the needs of some users), and some of their SLT ones are a bit questionable too.

Nothing has changed for Sony, they can do no mirror at all and off the sensor phase detect won't make the slightest difference to the dominance of the top 2 players. A DPR reviewer once said Sony had no choice, well there are always choices. Back in 2006 they had a choice it's "all in" or don't bother. They just don't have the right people in place to make it happen properly. The type of user in this market is unlike any other, they want consistency and no nasty surprises.

It's quite possible Sony actually have less market share than they did with the normal DSLR products. To me the biggest and most serious mistakes were

1: All SLT and no DSLR products (that instantly cuts off quite a few buyers)
2: SLT has not delivered on the "potential" of more cost effective cameras, quite the reverse the A99 proved to all of us that Sony just overprice some of their products. They seem detached from their rivals and to what they are doing, missed the more affordable FF boat entirely, don't respond to Canikon's prices/cashbacks either (which are killing them right now in the UK at least) they leave models out there to die without updating them.

When I was talking to this Sony customer support guy he said something I long suspected of Sony. He said "Sony are not a cheap brand" I never prompted this response or talked about models or strategies or even SLT/DSLR's. That is exactly how Sony view themselves, they are the "best". Reality is IMO for Sony to make any real longer term progress (with mirrors or without whatever the product) in this market they are going to have to give people a reason to look at them.

And the only reason I can think of it price. Pay less get less fussy.

[Dusty]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0GFRcFm-aY

I call your It's The End Of The World and raise you Eve Of Destruction.

Barry McGuire -- Eve Of Destruction -- Live Hullabaloo 1965

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwYNWYaS3bI

I'll have to trump that with The Spokesmen's "Eve of Correction"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHBZ5StOiE

Dusty

[bakubo]

Ps 'Eve of Destruction and 'End of the World' sheesh that's a bit harsh don't you think, I did a search once to see if I could find that segment in the movie Alien where she had set the ship to self destruct but I couldn't find that section, mores the pity, damn it would come in handy at times.

In my case I wasn't commenting on the future of Sony cameras or on Sony's customers. I don't make predictions about the success or failure of cameras. I know what I like and what I don't like, but I don't predict sales, success, or failure.

[Atgets_Apprentice]

In my case, I was making a joke!

[stewartjs]

I don’t mind at all if Sony wants to dabble with some A-mount diversion, that’s fine, what I want in the meantime (in case one of mine carks it) is a fully functional, up with the latest technology, reliable, still shooting DSLR designed for photographers, and what’s more I want it to remain compatible with existing screw drive lenses and flashes, and don’t take forever to make it Sony…capisce.
Greg

My thought exactly.
Stewart

[Greg Beetham]

In my case, I was making a joke!

Ps 'Eve of Destruction and 'End of the World' sheesh that's a bit harsh don't you think, I did a search once to see if I could find that segment in the movie Alien where she had set the ship to self destruct but I couldn't find that section, mores the pity, damn it would come in handy at times.

In my case I wasn't commenting on the future of Sony cameras or on Sony's customers. I don't make predictions about the success or failure of cameras. I know what I like and what I don't like, but I don't predict sales, success, or failure.

Yeah sorry guys I’m a bit slow at midnight, I was trying to represent the paradox that Sony’s direction with the A-mount is but I didn’t quite get it right. They probably don’t mean to destroy the A-mount, but they don’t inspire confidence either, viewed from outside here in customer land it looks like its pretty much headed in that general direction. (if the MILC rumour turns out to be true of course)
Greg

[classiccameras]

Seen in my local Currys store today

'Clearence Sale' Sony A57 £427, Sony A37 £309.
These are Currys sale prices but they may be different at other dealers.
!

[classiccameras]

One small point made by my local camera dealer. he said, if Samsung can make a mirroless interchangeable lens APS-C camera with an EFV, then surely Sony can.

[Greg Beetham]

One small point made by my local camera dealer. he said, if Samsung can make a mirroless interchangeable lens APS-C camera with an EFV, then surely Sony can.

Sony already has done that actually, the NEX 7 is one meets that criteria and has been around since late in 2011, I have no idea what Samsung cameras there are that are similar or when they were released.
Greg

[bfitzgerald]

This odd hybrid SAR rumour is quite puzzling to me and I find it hard to imagine a body that can appeal to both A and E mount users alike. But we shall see.
A mount is a bit like buying a ticket on the RMS Lusitania, you're hoping it all works out fine and dandy, but you can't help but feel nervous and about a torpedo comping out of nowhere.

If the SAR rumours are correct then it would seem A mount will continue, in at least one shape or form. If folks actually like that remains to be seen.
I still think Sony have their work cut out for them, and will have to accept they have to give potential buyers a price incentive to consider them. If they don't they'll be at sub 10% market share for a long long time.

The DSLR game can be rewarding, but it's like fishing you have to hook users in, tempt them and be competitive on prices. I don't think Sony have really worked that one out yet.

[classiccameras]

Greg

I was thinking more on the lines of the NX-20 which has all the attributes I mentioned with the handling and body ergonomics of a DSLR, it ticks all my boxes.
Pete

[Neonsquare]

When the first rumors of the end of SLT for APS-C-Alphas came - I also had the idea, that this could mean APS-C will be NEX and Alpha will be FF in future. The follow-ups seem to deny this idea. However - the restriction of the new direction on APS-C models implies, that there must have been some radical progress in sensor technologies. Perhaps the partnerships with Olympus and Aptina were fruitful in this aspect. My guess is that one of the breakthroughs will be very high frequency read outs of the sensor. I also think that there will be a global shutter mode. (Better) PDAF on sensor may also be part of the puzzle. High frequency/fast read outs are good for contrast af and other image sensor based features (metering, object tracking too).

I don't think that a new mirrorless APS-C Alpha will be very different in concept to the current SLT models. They will lose the mirror, so no light loss anymore. If metering or flash metering using the image sensor was a problem in the past - it will be less of a problem in the new models (if HFR/fast read outs are set). The really big question mark on this is actually if - whatever Sony does - the new AF will be progress, regress or stagnancy. In terms of AF technology, the SLT was conservative regarding to SLR-PDAF - it was mostly the same known technology. Dropping this might lead to a situation similar to the OVF vs. EVF situation, were some situations are handled much better and others worse.

As a customer, SLT was a big step forward for me. I'm very fond of my A77. If there were no SLT, I would have quite certainly switched to a mirrorless system by now. SLT gives me the features of a mirrorless system I want and at the same time the option of a fast autofocus system like that on DSLRs. I really hope Alpha will deliver on that in future too. But: regardless on how this turns out - Canon or Nikon DSLRs will most likely not come on my wish list. They are just no option.

[bfitzgerald]

I'm just not seeing customer demand for EVF's with a mirror or not, certainly not from DSLR users. Vast majority I talk to have little interest in such a product. Therefore I have to conclude Sony are not meeting the needs of most potential users or buyers.
I think it's a mistake for any company to try to make a product range that isn't meeting the needs of most users.
I saw a comment on DPR about the OVF being obsolete, but the buying public don't agree.

You have to make what people want it's as simple as that. Despite being strongly anti EVF from day one I've given it a shot, but my overall thoughts are that I sill on balance prefer an optical viewfinder, sure I can use the EVF it has some good points but it's simply not as good taken as a whole. I think most feel the same way.