Sony has its A700 successor on display at CES 2011, albeit behind glass. The mockup was equipped with a battery grip and an unmarked lens.
No word on the release date, but one would expect it to arrive at or around PMA 2011 in September.
As you can see, it’s clearly equipped for HD video capture.
There is a direct record button on the back for quick start video recording.
Unfortunately, the camera was fully encased behind glass and I had to reach the camera around the backside of the container to capture images of the back of the camera. I could never quite get the proper angle to avoid the glare from directly behind it.
In addition to the A700, Sony is also showing off a mid-range speedlight flash for its Alpha-line of DSLRs.
Unfortunately, there’s no real details about the camera other than it’s coming one day and the A700 will finally have a replacement. Stay tuned for the latest.
This is also a mirrorless or SLT version – you can see it, because it has an EVF!!! There are sensors under the finder for putting the EVF on / off!!
Dr Genius this thing is for shutting off the monitor not any not existing EVF!
@Dr Genius & @luc,
That sensor below the viewfinder is for shutting off the monitor & also an Eye Start AF sensor.
Camera starts auto focusing immediately the moment we put our eye behind the viewfinder.
Funny… it looks like the model they showed at PMA last February that got everyone all excited about a release late in the year. Sooner or later Sony is going to get tired of dragging that thing around from show to show. I ditched my a700 last year in favor of a Nikon. Tired of Sony stringing me along. It was a shame, I really loved their optics…
Wow – all that waiting & here’s an ‘advanced’ camera with scene modes and no Custom setting on the mode dial. Ouch. My condolences to those who waited, and still wait (from a former A200 owner who ran out of patience).
Custom setting is the MR in the mode dial.
Oh wait – maybe “Memory Recall”? Maybe it is ‘advanced’! Hope so for your sakes.
Wow.. what was that sensation? Felt like a slap to the face. WTH Sony? CES = announcement for stuff that you are going to release to the public sometime mid-year. PMA = stuff you’re releasing the next year. I’m an A700 shooter. That camera is literally falling apart and I was still holding out hope that an A700 successor will appear(read: be available for purchase) mid-2011. As an A700 owner, what I’m hearing from Sony is: : either buy our A850/A900 camera/bodies or don’t let the proverbial door hit you on the rear end.
Looking bad. Far too few buttons, have to do all adjustments from LCD menus. This is just another entry-level camera with lot of noisy Mpixs and video. One good thing: there still seems to be DoF preview button!
No decent prosumer cameras from Sony any more. Have to start saving money for professional Sony FF body, or change to Nikon…
Why A700 replacement at this time. Sony is successfully expanding market share by NEX and A35/55. If they like to have pro style APS-C like EOS-7D and D7000, better to think A75 ? upgraded based on A55. A700 is a bit confusing.
It is a shame sony has not produced a serious pro camera. Why put out great sony and zeiss glass and not have a pro camera to use them. Poor form Sony. The Sony and Zeiss and minolta glass worth thousands sits in a cupboard waiting.
In the meantime i will keep using my nikon cameras. Tut tut Sony
I had taken up with Nikon and have been moderately happy. But it is now time for an upgrade, and I am confronting the major problem with being an ersatz member of the so-called Nikon Family: Nikon gear costs a fortune, and/but with the exception of one lens (27-70 f/2.8) all of it has questionable reviews, meaning, not what I would expect from lenses costing well over $1,000 each.
When I want the really best images, I revert to my Sony and my Zeiss 16-80mm lens.
This teaser article has led me to decide to hold-off of buying any new Nikon glass with their expensive VR-II system which does not contribute optically to the image quality…and wait for PMA and further news. Meanwhile, I am building a nest-egg of cash by waiting longer. I will also put-off investing in that Canon camcorder I had been eyeing, in the belief Sony will come through this year.
If not, well, then that is what next Christmas will be for…for me, for Nikon, and maybe for Canon.
They moved all the buttons! The grip is the old one for the 700 and the buttons don’t match. Hope they fix that. Also looks like you’re going to have to menu surf to turn the steady shot off. Sony just keeps pushing me closer and closer to Nikon.
As I understand it, Sony are intending to replace the A700 with a camera that does not have the IQ of the A900 or A850, and the A77 (if thats what it is going to be called) will be somewhere between the A700 and the A850.
BUT it will have a lot of pleasant surprises, according to Sony.
In any case, from what Sony executives have said is that after about 3 yrs their top of the range cameras would be replaced. That means the A900 at least may be replaced late 2011.
I want something similar to the A850, but will wait and see what the A700 replacement can do.
Love my new A55 very much, especially the 10FPS feature. Quite awesome.
Sony is losing their high-end shooters! I know several that have already sold thier equipment…Sony has fed the masses of point and shoot people for the past several years…the entry level dslr’s…NO NEW GREAT BIG LENS (400-500-600mm) My a700 is on its last leg…bought a 5DMK11 just because I was pissed that Sony has fogotten the semi-pros and the Pros…a900 & a850(dummy down a900) are out date by technical specs…if you want a big lens at afordable prices …we will never see it from Sony…they are just to spread out with their fingers in too many tech-pots ….sad as I love my a700 70-200mm f/2.8 G…great color that even my new Canon can’t beat!! So mad at them that I didn’t replace my TV with one of their TV, jumped ship and bought another brand… ~ One Disappoint ex-Sony buyer…
The protusion (depth) of the viewfinder suggests to me also that it might be an SLT design – this is supported by the absence of buttons/switches to change from OVF to Live View and Focus Check LV buttons that are present on the A580 – however it also lacks a dedicated Finder/LCD button that appears on the A55! Is this more a mockup than functioning prototype?
I’m not a Sony photographer, but I can’t help but admit they did a wonderfull job on their new APS sensor. It shines on the Pentax K-5 and it performs very well on the A55 and the D7000, on stills and video, with remarkable noise performance.
Now Sony claim that they will have an equivalent wonderfull 24MPx FF sensor on a body that will obliterate all competition (especially for video functions) and will retail for $1200 – $1400 (body only). I admit they seem optimistc, but I can see promise here. If their new FF sensor is as good as their current APS sensor (and they keep price in the mentioned margins), this camera will be an absolute game changer.
To be honest, it’s their last hope to remain in the market (their market share keeps droping), so I do believe they will produce something great and probably sell it dirty cheap.
Current Sony A700 and Zeiss lens user. Love the lens, love the camera, but…I really dislike the image noise. Have been holding on for too long now I think. Looked at the A900 but again noise worse than competition. Thinking about buying Nikon D700 (D3 too expensive for me) but may wait to see if there is a an upcoming replacement for the D700. Low light shooting at higher ISO and less noise is a big plus for me for the D700. Lot of hassle to change gear but I don’t think I can wait until mid 2011 for the A77? and if I did and found out that it still has more noise than the competition would be a big disappointment. I want Sony to pull through but don’t know if they want too or can.
100% agree with above, now I think many of us are in similar situations.
I am still a Dynax 7 and 7D user, these models are rugged and stylish outside , ergonomic and intuitive to use with very human interface. Have not satisfied with the noise level of A900/A850, almost jumped ship to Nikon D700 last year because I still have some old optics for my FM2. Anyway I am willing to give SONY a last chance for the next pleasant surprise, hope they will do a perfect job this time.