It’s been a little too quiet on the Sony front since the introduction of the uber-popular Sony A77. So, it’s not really much of a surprise to hear rumors of a refresh to the full-frame Sony A900 and (even more so) the consumer-ish Sony A55. Both are very solid cameras in their respective categories; however, their age is starting to show.
Sony Alpha Rumors has it on good word that a 16MP Sony A57 is in the works to replace the A55. Additionally, SAR is pegging the A900-replacement as (still) a 24MP Sony A99 – in spite of the recently-unveiled Nikon D800 that sports a 36MP (almost certainly a Sony manufactured sensor that Nikon may or may not claim as “Nikon developed”).
If Sony can get ahold of the noise at 24MP (more so than it did with the A900), then a full-frame A99 with the solid and fast live-view AF system may be just what the doctor ordered for Sony’s next stab at the pro market. Put in that AVCHD 2.0 with 60p capabilities akin to what you get in the Sony NEX-5n and NEX-7 and we’ll have a killer HDSLR to butt heads with the Nikon D800 and whatever Canon has cooking for NAB 2012.
The A57, of course, should continue the evolution of affordable and user-friendly DSLRs that’s helped Sony grow its Alpha line over the past few years.
If sony puts the translucent mirror in the A99, I doubt they can hold noise down at high ISO. With the translucent mirror, less light reaches the sensor and therefor you loose about a stop of ISO performance. Nikon left a gap for a D700 competitor with the new D800 (radically different), so Sony should go after the Nikon D700 market that wants faster than 3fps performance and doesn’t need 75MB 36MP files. If they can fix the noise issues and keep the 24MP resolution while offering 7-10fps, they should be good. Most event photographers that take 2000-4000 pictures per event are probably not upgrading the D700.
There have been rumors floating about Sony is delaying the launch of the Sony A99
The latest buzz is that instead of a spring launch, Sony will go in for launching their A99
I also feel that Sony must at this stage decide whether or not it wants to be one of the serious contenders at the FF market. If yes, then Sony must chalk out a product strategy that’s detailed, clear as well as reliable. There’s no doubt what so ever that Sony’s got excellent technical knowledge and can challenge Canon & Nikon any day and i think sony make meduim format very soon, up to 60 mp.
•The Alpha Sony A99 has a translucent mirror
•A 36.9 Megapixel Exmor Sensor (3mos)
•There’s no Bayer filter
•It is a ISO 100-102400 and extendable to a 204800 & 409600
•There’s no infrared
•There’s no anti-alias filter/s
•Twelve frames/second
•There is digital filtering (infrared) with 3 modes- WITH IR, NO IR, ONLY IR
•An eighty-nine cross-type AF points
•An in-camera moiré remove
•The metering is direct from the sensor
•There is a focal plane bulb shutter, 60/1-1/24000 seconds
•There is a GPS that is built-in for convenience
•There’s also Wi-Fi plus thunderbolt
•The flash synchronization is up to approximately 1/500 seconds
•The high-speed synchronization is close to 1/24000 seconds
If Sony puts out an A900 replacement with a translucent mirror I won’t be purchasing one. The viewfinder on the A77 is brutal. Maybe a gearhead would like it, but no serious pro photographer will use one day to day—it just has too many disadvantages (the proof there is that this is not Canon or Nikon’s direction for pro bodies). I love my A900, but yes, it is getting a little long in the tooth, and has its shortcomings. Keep the viewfinder, Sony! It is one of the best features on the A900.
I agree….with Adam…However I am disappointed in a company that brought the world such things as the BETAMAX,…Walkman, and all other fine innoviations that they would take so long to produce a contender in the market that would blow the competition away.
I still have my 1st auo-focus camera by Minolta…it set the world on fire and everyone else had to follow suite.
Build a fire under the engineers butts at SONY and get back on track to being the worlds best at producing products that the world is looking for.
I’ve got money in hand waiting to spend on the best DSLR Camera on the market, which I hope will be from SONY..If you need leadership to get your engineers back on track to build the best product on the market….Give me a call…I will make sure that theres no more bullshitting around the water cooler,….Noses to the grind stone young engineers….You are losing money for SONY to the other big players in the market…..RR
All this is fine. The Most Important point in all cameras is PICTURE QUALITY.Primary purpose of any camera is to take good pictures. They have to concentrate on that,if not every thing else they project becomes useless.
Sony please get your Sensor and algorithm right to render – Accurate Color, right White balance, right Exposure even at very low light.
Sony in recent past with Nex series is known for very good low light performance. Keep that reputation going. Because most people take pictures indoors either day or night, home, parties, wedding, gym, church, museum etc.
Try to beat Nikon D3S in Dxo Score – 3253 in low Light. and be the best camera for Low light ever . This matters a lot for 90% of the people out there.
Having more number of AF points is good , but most important is Speed of Auto Focus. If it does not focus fast and keeps hunting for focus at low-light, then there is no point.
Sony please give us an all purpose Fast wide angle prime Zoom – f2 fixed 20-200mm prime lens.