Image on top shows the “OLD” Sony prototypes. Expect a completely new lens roadmap for 2012 🙂
The past weeks months Sony changed the product for 2012. So it hasn’t been easy to get reliable info about their camera and lens release. Finally I got a more reliable overview of Sony’s strategy. There will be three new NEX cameras within the next 8 months. Sony will announce the first camera in April, another camera in Summer and another one at Photokina. As I wrote many times what we really need is new lenses rather than new NEX cameras. But the good news here is that at least 5-6 lenses will be announced within 2012. I am right now collecting the specs of every single product.
It’s clear that Sony will push the new NEX camera and lenses but I have been told that you should expect A-mount lenses and SLT cameras too. Soon it will get pretty busy here on SAR 🙂
—
Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!
166 Responses
We don’t need new cameras, we need nex-7! Which unfortunately is hard to get 😛
In my opinion they should release only C3 replacement for the low end with appropriately low price.
Lenses is what they should focus on, hopefully those 5-6 lenses will be released this year and not only announced like last time.
I suspect the C3 was discontinued because it wasnt selling and with the flood and all, Sony had to free up production for the 5n, NEX-7 and A77. Replacing the C3 makes little sense unless price is radically different from the NEX-5n.
And there will be 3 more new csc cameras with no viewfinders.
Another list of crippled cameras on the big pile of crippled csc cameras.
Any thing for Cp+ show?
There has been a lot of leak pictures for Nikon (D800) and Canon (5DMIII). It seems they are having a show down on the Feb 7. Will Sony join in too?
Ah, three new firmware updates by Sony. Nice! They now need to learn, that usually a firmware-update is a software thing, not hardware…
What are you talking about? You really need to elaborate.
Re-packaging is a part of business.
And reuse is efficient.
I think their would be room for a NEX-7 body with a NEX 5N sensor. Call it NEX-6 if you like. Otherwise I agree: we need lenses, not cameras.
Looking forward to that as well. I don’t need 24mp.
The picture shows ten lenses. This is just three more to the existing number.
True, but I can’t see the 50/1.8 and 30/3.5 in the picture.
Actually just noticed that the black Zeiss on the left is not the 24/1.8 either.
This is an old image and most of the lenses in it are likely mockups. I suspect they represented some plans and that small black one became the 24mm f/1.8. I’m hoping the larger black one represents a 50-150 ƒ/2.8 G and it comes out soon 🙂
The photo is of an old lineup of Sony prototypes, not the forthcoming lenses for 2012. Read the caption.
I think Sony should release a cheap Nex-1 with the same APS-C sensor as the C3 (which shouldn’t even exist, it’s so close to the 5N in features and price) and the 5N but with a fixed lens (like the Canon G1X 28-112)
I’m the happy owner of a Nex-5N, but i think that for people that want reflex quality but don’t really care about changing lens and want a pocket size camera, this would be the ideal solution.
As for lens I already have the standard 18-55, the 16F2.8 with the Ultra wide angle adapter and the 55-210 (which is really nice), and pre-ordered the 50f1.8 (apparently delayed till march…)
i hope Sony will release a 30mm f2 pancake and a 18-55 F2.8 G Lens(to replace the average quality standard zoom).
I think you’re right
anyone can tell me what lens that is next to the zeiss? the one in black with a G on it.
Please give it a rest. People who want a Nex-7 body with 5N sensor don’t know what they want. If they did, they would be hoping for a Nex-7 with an improved 24mp sensor that has the same performance as the 16mp.
+1 🙂
amen.
+1
Nonsense. You can’t have it all at the same time. If they were able to produce a 24mp sensor with ISO performance equivalent to the Nex-5n sensor, they would be also able to produce a 16mp sensor with an even better ISO performance. (which I would prefer)
The point is most people don’t care for 24mp, and it will always cost you to make the resolution so high.
The 24m sensor has better ISO performance than the one in the 5N.
Anyone who says otherwise is too ignorant of photography to listen to.
I’ve proven this many times on this forum… But there is an endless supply of idiots it seems that keep leading people astray.
Better? Really?
I don’t recall you offering any proof on this forum, and I come here pretty much everyday.
Please supply that proof again. Until then, it is you that is ignorant, as professional tests have given the edge to the 5N in ISO performance, however slight it may be.
The 24m sensor has better ISO performance than the one in the 5N.
Anyone who says otherwise is too ignorant of photography to listen to.
I’ve proven this many times on this forum… But there is an endless supply of liars it seems that keep leading people astray.
The 24m sensor has better ISO performance than the one in the 5N.
Anyone who says otherwise is too ignorant of photography to listen to.
I’ve proven this many times on this forum… But there is an endless supply of misleading people it seems that keep leading people astray.
Nope, we do.
Difference is we want it now, and not wait for them to improve on the 24mp.
And for those of us asking that, it’s also coz we don’t need 24mp.
SONY, listen to me.
I want a FF mirror-less camera with IBIS.
The best thing for you is, that I am not alone.
There are thousands of legacy glass fanatics, who would be willing to pay dearly for such Leica killer.
I’m with you alle the way, I’ll buy a 3 A amount SLT adapter LA-EA3 to go with it.
@ Pablo: “a FF mirror-less camera with IBIS” with a short flange distance and ability to accept all brands of lenses. All that for a reasonable price (dramatically less then Leica). I would buy it immediately too.
$3999 are you in?
This is SONY, they’ll set it at $2400 max.
$2400 is PEPSI – ask for more!
I think that some new cameras are required – there’s a huge price gap between the NEX-5n and the NEX-7. An cheaper version of the NEX-7 with 16MP sensor but retaining the pop-up flash and OVF would go down well.
Also, please Sony make all new cameras and lenses in black. Silver is for down-market P&S…
You sound like a douche
Given your ill manners, there is no doubt as to where you belong on the spectrum of unpleasant people.
I think your idea would kill nex7 sales and is unlikely.
Nah, they’ve been doing this sort of thing all the time.
A3xx/5xx
A33/55
etc.
Just price it such that the difference between the ‘lower’ and ‘higher’ model is small, and most people will get the higher one anyway.
(whuuu….just $xx more for more meegapicsels? gimme!)
It’s also a common marketing technique, and one that’s been overused by Sony…so it’s just doing what they do best. lol
Why do you want the 16MP sensor over the 24MP? The 24MP sensor has superior resolution, dynamic range and the ISO performance is closer to the 16MP sensor than most people have been led to believe.
Lots of people say they want a 16MP NEX-7, but I don’t think many of them come to that conclusion for the right reasons.
I can think of one very good reason to want a NEX-7 with the NEX-5n sensor: Shooting wide Leica glass.
That’s a good reason, but only a small minority will want to do that.
That is a reason to want an improved 24 Mpix sensor, which would be nearer to doing justice to the lenses. It is not a reason to want lower resolution.
Achieving the effect on 24mp is likely impossible. The improvement is achieved with the use of larger microlenses. If somehow Sony could do it, then fine, but I really doubt it at that pixel pitch.
I am eagerly waiting for my NEX-7 to test UWA lenses on it. There has been done a series of tests by serious reviewers already, but I prefere my own experience. Despite the (obviously) slightly problematic performance of the 24MP sensor the NEX-7 is for me the only NEX model with a (hopefully) ergonomical body.
The main reason for the 16MP sensor is to give Sony some excuse for charging a lot less for it. It is also more tolerant of wide-angle legacy lenses and it does readuce storage requirements. I suspect 16MP is sufficient for the great majority of users – it is for me.
As Don Cox say, why not just hope for an improved 24MP sensor? There’s no reason to believe that Sony will release a lower MP NEX-7, so you’d be best hoping that an NEX-7″N” arrives at some point.
If it was an improved 24MP sensor (assuming that it’s possible to deal with the WA legacy lens issue – there may yet be some reason it can’t), then I doubt it will be cheaper than the flagship NEX-7. You’ve missed my (explicitly) main point a 16MP specification allows for a lower price point, even if it’s just marketing and not a reflection on manufacturing costs. The NEX-7 remains a rather expensive camera compared to (say) the A65 considering what is omitted (like PAF and IBIS). I want to see something substantially cheaper which retains the OVF and pop-up flash.
Price! There’s a big gap between NEX5 and NEX7. An eventually NEX6 with the same features as the NEX7 but with a lower sensor (and lower price) makes sense IMHO.
24mp on on an APS-C sized sensor! You want 24mp then go with an appropriately sized full frame sensor. Who needs all the additional artifacts introduced because of the additional noise reductional required from squashing 24mp into an APS-C sized sensor. Those who want a 16mp NEX-7 care about more shooting efficiency and pro features and less about pixel peeping and the unnecessary noise reduction brought on because of the pixel density.
People said the same when we went from 8mp to 12mp. And 12mp to 16mp.
Not to mention that sensors get better each generation
@Sieve Jones
+++ I hate the cheap silver colour.
at first I did not care for it but it grew on me after I got my 70-400G. Now I wish my 70-200 was silver too. 🙂
I like shiny things. And I too wish my 70-200 had the finish of the 70-400.
=not an apple user (they all LOVE shiny shit)
The 70-400G is not shiny silver, it’s matte silver, little reflection in the visable light range. But in the IR range it reflects a lot of the IR, keeping the lens much cooler when used out in the heat and sun. And that maintains better alignment and thus IQ of the lens.
And I, too, wish Sony to convert all their long lenses to the Silver color for exactly this reason.
What the heck. Just give me that big black G-marked lens with the big front element shown on the picture. Is that whats called “High performance normal zoom lens (G)” in the road map from last year? At least a tad bit smaller than the 18-200.
Please not only black, I wan´t more color options! There isn´t enough black electronics in the world, so that the world needs a new black camera?
I love my silver NEX-5 and I would choose a silver metall brushed NEX-7 over the current black NEX-7 every day and yes I would use it also for professional shoots. Black isn´t something special or “professional” that all cameras and lenses must be black! Silver brushed metall is a more precious material than black plastic…
I guess for some the camera is a fashion accessory.
I think that some buyers of cameras (notice I didn’t say photographers) are looking for something small and shiny and colorful that gives them a look, and sadly the NEX product line is kind of like a poor-man’s Leica for those buyers. 😉
If you care that much about the color, either way, you’re not a ‘photographer.’ it seems to me it’s as much a fashion statement to you, belittling anyone’s skill who doesn’t use the same color as you. Lame.
“If you care that much about the color, either way, you’re not a ‘photographer.’”
So… he’s not a photographer regardless of the color? Just because he expressed interest in more color options doesn’t mean he’s not a ‘photographer’.
In that case, one wonders what Pentax think of their customers with all the myriad colour options for the K-r.
Or Leica with their custom leather options for that matter.
Personally, I regard anyone who takes photographs as a photographer, and don’t make judgements over something so petty and irrelevant as the colour of the box they choose to use to take photos with, be it a bright pink Holga or whatever.
One of the strong disciplines of cameras like these are street-photography- street photographers don’t want to appear as tourists, nor have shiny, reflective, chrome, stupid-looking gadgets to distract/blind their subjects and make themselves noticed. black black black black black.
Oh yes! Black is boring and ugly! I want color in my life and color in my cameras. I love my RED Nex 3, and want a WHITE Nex 7. White color is beautiful. Black is a symbol of power, and neither my cam or I needs It.
I think you are mixing black up with purple; the colour exclusively worn emperors.
Nono, in clothing (historically) you are right, but nowadays in electronics the purple color would be seen as “only girls”.
Instead, black means power and technological advancement, so the colors are left for the compact cheap cams(in my opinion).
@ Helena
So by that reasoning, the New Orleans Saints is the ‘girl only’ NFL team? And Yahoo is the search engine laced for girl power? Microsoft Office Access, Info Path, and One Note are all productivity apps optimized for girls?
Hawaii’s state flag is a rainbow, what does that mean?
Sorry, i meant Hawaii is ‘known as’ the rainbow state.
@Tandem Gene
Don’t put words in my mouth with the purpose of highlight yourself. That, first. Stand out for yourself.
¡Hawaii and their rainbow!, the apps, the NOS… WTF, I am talking about ELECTRONICS. And I did not mention my reasoning, I talked about OTHERS, many people’s reasoning or even subconscious criteria.
Nobody, you neither, is going to teach me about rainbows and colors.
Let’s read what is really written.
@ Helena
I didn’t write “by YOUR reasoning”, rather “by THAT reasoning”. By that ‘others’ perception of ‘purple electronics = girls only’. Yes i made jest of it, but it wasn’t against you. I find it absurd that an electronic of a specific color is considered to be gender specific.
Does anyone has any idea what the lenses are?
All the lenses on the left are new, 50/1.8, 24/1.8 and 30/3.5 are NOT in this picture.
So, we have:
3 Sony primes
1 Zeiss prime
1 G series zoom lens
2 Sony zoom lenses
My guesses are:
Black Zeiss prime: 35/1.4
Two of the longer Sony primes in the back: 85/1.8 and a 135/2.8
The zoom next to black G: 16-50/2.8-3.5
Just realized that the picture is actually quite old, and these are the prototypes of the current lenses.
Damn, I was excited for a moment.
This is an old lens roadmap pic from 2010. The Zeiss 24, 30 macro and 50/1.8 are all in that pic. They just turned out be larger than originally planned, apparently.
A 5N with the tri-navi from the 7 and a hotshoe would be nearly perfect.
Yes please! A 5n with a hotshoe and trinav would get my buy. I need to be able to fire wireless strobes and the lack of hotshoe has been the biggest thing holding me back. Evf would be super cool too, oh wait, I guess I just designed an nex7
Yes please! A 5n with a hotshoe and trinav would get my buy. I need to be able to fire wireless strobes and the lack of hotshoe has been the biggest thing holding me back. Evf would be super cool too, oh wait, I guess I just designed a 7
Three new NEX models?
My guesses: 1) Lower end model to replace the C3 and be even cheaper, probably a little bigger, and will have built-in flash. 2) Sony FS100 update. 3) NEX-5n upgrade, perhaps with some cues from NEX-7, minus EVF and with a cheaper sensor.
I’d suspect the announcements to come in that order too.
As for lenses, I expect a fast constant aperture moderate portrait zoom, a 50-150 f/2.8 or f/4 or similar lens to justify the hotshot on the NEX-7. Probably an ultra wide zoom, 10-20 and it will be slow (but sharp) ƒ/4-6.3 or similar. And a fixed super telephoto ƒ/4. Also a prime, some pancake-ish likely two both on the same lens formula at slightly different focal lengths, perhaps a 35mm ƒ/1.8 and something else, 20mm ƒ/2 or similar. Just something they can make fast small and decent optical quality even if the focal length doesn’t make a lot of sense. They’re desperate for a tiny lens that isn’t optically weak.
Just my guesses. I have no inside info at all.
The G Zoom is realy big!!! Think too big to be only a 16-50/2.8-3.5 – should be 16-50/2.8 for that enormous size!
I guess no one would admit to a Nex 7 replacement, although I think it cant be far off.
It was announced in August last year and supposed to be available by Nov, but due to what happened in Thailand, it all went wrong.
Makes me wonder what to do really. Ive had my Nex 7 on pre order for ages now and still no sign. Whats the betting that within a month of me finally getting it, the Nex 8 will be announced?
Bit of a dilemma really.
andrea,
1st nex camera is for which model replacement? entry/mid/new league? how about second nex camera?
3rd nex sure is FF hybrid mount nex camera 😀
woo new sluggy nex cameras… its time to change and go to canon 5d mk III
Yeah, that will fit in your pocket! Different cameras, different markets, different consumers, same old trolls.
Yes, because NEX cameras are direct competition to the Canon 5D Mk III.
Please go away.
Zzzzzzzz
Sleep well, you have plenty of lenses to choose from with the A77.
I would like something like the 5n (or better in terms of high ISO performance, S/N ratio and offset microlens array) in a 7 body, complete with the built in EVF and no AA.
They dont even manage to get enough nex 7 to the stores…why three more cameras?
The NEX series seemingly will be Sony’s iPhone of 2012. Still, after buying the A900 with the Zeiss 135 at Christmas (yes, I still say that) I’m dead broke. Glad they delayed any new Alpha lenses so I can get caught up.
They should concentrate on getting current camera & lens supply sorted (nex 7,50mm f1.8 where are thou?)
We dont need a new camera we need decent af lenses Sony.
I just looked at the picture showing the NEX lenses. There is only *one* decent prime lens among a sea of zooms!!
What do you mean by decent? I can see five primes in that picture.
But yeah, that pic is a mockup from ages ago, so you shouldn’t really use it as an official roadmap.
There is 24/1.8 (the decent one), the famous 16/2.8, the unavailable 50/1.8 and the 30/3.5 macro.
Where is the 5th one? What is it?
There is a lens at the back that appears to have a focus ring, but no zoom. What is it? Dunno, 100mm Macro maybe, but it doesn’t matter as I said before, this is an old photo.
What DO you mean by decent? The 50mm is a good lens by all accounts and so is the 30mm Macro for what it is. I’ve seen great sample shots from the much maligned 16mm too.
I am an user of Sony cameras but not a fan or a fanatic. Does that clarify it?
I hope the 50mm would be decent too. I don’t know of any accounts of its use if it exists.
I’m not sure what being a fan or not has to do with anything. Even fans can seperate a good lens from bad…
Yep, the 50mm exists… http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2011/12/10/the-sony-50-1-8-oss-e-mount-nex-lens-review-on-the-nex-7/
The photo is of an old lineup of Sony prototypes, not the forthcoming lenses for 2012. Read the caption below the photo.
BLACK LENSES PLEASE SONY. Some of your NEX owners are pros! Also, fast, small primes. Look to Pentax, Fuji and Voigtlander for inspiration.
Why the heck does being a pro suddenly make the colour of your gear so important?
Why on earth does being a pro suddenly make the colour of your gear so important?
Still waiting to hear something or anything about a full frame slt camera.
hope for better innovation for next Sony NEX 🙂
How about a Nex with PDAF?? or improved CDAF speed?
The current AF system pretty much sucks.
For those that want a NEX 7 with the sensor of the NEX 5n, it ain’t going to happen. Why? Because the NEX 6 (let’s call it) would be priced lower than the NEX 7 and practically EVERYONE would buy it instead of the NEX 7 because most people prefer 16MP to 24MP. Sony would stand to lose a lot of money (or make a lot less).
What they might do is release a NEX styled body but with just one control wheel instead of two and some other dumbings-down of the body, on top of the 5n sensor.
That would be sad.
Miserere: “…most people prefer 16MP to 24MP.”
Well, actually I think you are wrong on that idea. Most people prefer what they don’t get. I also follow the Canon Rumors site. People used to complain about Canon increasing MP in every new camera they released. They used to say stop the megapixel wars, enough with more megapixels, make better low light cameras instead. MP is irrelevant when it comes to image quality was the biggest complaint from Canon followers. Well Canon did listen to their customers and their new Cameras are high ISO performers and certainly not MP monsters. Well guess what people are complaining about now. What is Canon thinking by downgrading the number of megapixel? Canon should stop this crap and start releasing high MP cameras cause that’s what we need. We can’t crop as much now. How are we going to take good wildlife photos without cropping the sh*t out of it.
Now looking at this web site I see the same stupid discussion. When a camera company offers a high ISO performer then the other group starts to complain about not having enough megapixels and if a camera company goes for the high MP count then people start crying about too many pixels and not enough low light performance. I guess people just like crying about things they don’t get. I guess grown-ups are also like babies in some ways 🙂
A rather large assumption.
Your idea is intelligent. I hope you`re wrong
It could very well happen, only in about a year or so when the NEX-7 has sold it’s stock sufficiently for a new one to not be a threat. See the Nikon D7000 versus D90 for example.
This is the only plausible scenario, but I find it hard to believe they’ll have two cameras with the same body at different price levels.
Then again, we did have the A850 and A900…so who knows how those people at Sony think 🙂
That’s the most likely imo, but I don’t think it’s a good business move
Either everybody will buy it, or nobody will buy it. Either way it isn’t a smart move.
I hate the idea of dumbing down features – especially when they’re artificial or software limited. The a65 is annoying for me… they took away some things I really cared about, instead of taking away things I didn’t care about.
Release new cameras with different features. Stop with the artificial cutting down of things.
Excellent.
And if there was one wish I was to be granted, I’d choose in-body stabilization.
Evaluating my options for a more compact replacement for my existing DSLR system, the NEX-7 would be my camera of choice today, with the SLT A-Mount adapter and A-Mount lenses for stuff like long telephoto. But that won’t do without stabilization, and I’m surely not willing to carry an A65 or A77 alongside a NEX-7 just for stabilization.
Cheers,
HB
I would hope that Sony will look at some firmware upgrades to existing NEX cameras.
One major upgrade is flash metering, which could be significantly improved with firmware.
Second is OS speed. The 5n menu is significantly slower than the 5.
Third improve video stabilization. While IS works great shooting stills it could be improved in video.
Jack
Problem with this is that most people expect to keep every feature from the lower-end model if they are buying the higher end model. Personally it would aggravate the f**k out of me if I had to buy 2 different bodies for different feature sets that I wanted.
An easy answer to all these requests for an “NEX 6” is save your money and buy the NEX7, rather than wishing for a plastic version to come out to save you a couple hundred bucks.
I am assuming you where replying to Hubertus comment?
All new nex should have an built-in image stabilisator like Olympus has it or the Sony A series. And a port to use the nex with studio flash equipment.
That`s a big deficiency of current models.
Anybody trying to use studio lighting with an NEX needs to reevaluate their choice of gear…
IF you must, I’m sure a hotshoe adapter exists which already has a sync port on it.
NEX will not have IBIS. Is to late for this, as the lenses released have OS and will confuse the market.I know, it will be usufull for legacy lenses but this is not what Sony designed the NEX for. Plus IBIS will not be used in video (same as A77) because overheating and so on. IBIS require also a bigger body. If Sony will make an A mount mirrorless , or the “hibrid” we heard , it will have IBIS as A mount lenses do not have but that will be a big DSLR sized camera and I doubt it will be even called “NEX”.Probably will be a new “class” of cameras.
But for NEX series IBIS has zero probability.
I wish they would use some of the NEX resources and get us the a99 sooner!!!!!! I think 3 new NEX bodies is overkill when we have 2 great ones already such as the 5n and the 7. The a900 is great but please bring on the a99 with improved AF!!!
Ditto. Love my A850 but focus is sluggish in dim light, granted not nearly as sluggish as my old 5dmkii and 24-70L (damn elephant)
Lol, the 5d2 with 24-70 is utterly useless at focusing. It’s the running joke on the Canon forums, and i personally know three people with that combination who have focus issues.
Whereas i find the centre point on my a850 will lock onto ANYTHING
My prediction:
1) Replacement for C3. Will be aimed at the P&S upgrader like NEX originally was. Might be fixed zoom. AVCHD will be on board, but no touch screen like 5n. Will likely work with optional EVF. Plastic body. Smallest NEX yet. Priced well below 5n.
2) ‘Pro’ VG-20. Sony have a long history of semi-pro versions of high end handicams. It will have XLR inputs, some minor adjustments to the body and that will be that. Very slim chance of FS100 sensor. Sit between VG20 and FS100 price wise. May be weather sealed.
3) My guess, ‘6’ series NEX. More plastic than ‘5’ but more controls as well and probably a bit bigger. Not a ‘7’ with ‘5’ sensor as many predict, have more controls than ‘5’, but probably less than ‘7’. I would say Tri-nav, no touchscreen, no EVF (but optional), 24MP ‘7’ sensor, plastic body. Might be weather sealed. Priced between 5n and 7.
Agree, with some exceptions.If Sony makes a NEX6 it will have the 24 Mpixel sensor (it costs Sony the same to make the 16 and the 24 Mpixel one and 90 % of buyers will go for the bigger pixel number, whatever purists say). It will be most likely plastic and bigger than NEX7 (cheaper to manufacture). It may have the 3 navi but again cheaper plastic. If they want to keep the cost low they will either remove the EVF or use the older A55 model( but may very well do not include an EVF at all) ,will have an integrated flash but the P&S style, not pop up like NEX7.Price between NEX5N and NEX7 I would say somwhere on the middle.Doubt that it can be weather sealed, to make a weather seal chep camera like P&S ones) you can not have controls like trinavi, and in general you try to keep the buttons to minimum.And there are no weather sealed lenses for NEX.
Consider this the A65 comparing with A77, for the NEX family.
I do not understand how/why people are still hoping for an IBIS Nex Camera announcement.
It is like waiting similar announcement from Nikon or Canon.
The Nex is a system (Lens + Body)…
And Sony has already made their choice: Stabilization in the Lens instead of Body.
Changing that will affect the whole strategy and Lineup for bodies and lenses.
More time passing…. More product coming to the market (especially third party lenses)… make that just more and more impossible.
sonyalpharumors.com, no one cares. Most people visiting the site are looking for news on professional equipment. ie FF
Thats a big assumption..How do you know what I am looking for?
I’m not sure that’s true anymore.
As a FF Sony shooter, that had been the reason that I visited this site, but since Sony moved much of its focus to the little NEX platform the site has attracted a different demographic of viewers.
We’re a dying breed, though it may just be that Sony is the one killing us off.
That’s what I want… But if there’s nothing new to say, we can’t do anything but wait…
What a load of crap. I guarantee you the number of amateur users here far outweighs professional users.
Smaller/lighter/higher quality lenses!!! 😮
The NEX-7, if it sells well, will create more demand for higher end lenses. So I also think that’s where Sony will invest its additional resources.
These could include a fast Zeiss 35mm prime – hopefully F1.4 – and fast standard and telephoto zooms. The two zooms will be large, but I’d rather take a larger lens with a constant F2.8 aperture over a zoom that drops to F4 at the longer end. F4 isn’t enough of an advantage of the regular zooms.
I’m also hoping for a high quality, ultra wide prime. As far as I’m concerned it doesn’t need to be fast, just very good optically. But I think it’s probably wishful thinking to expect such a lens this year.
I guess all the near-vaporware announced almost six months ago is not enough, and we need another cloud of vaporware.
Sure I’m cynical about product availability- I’m a Sony fanboy.
REsponse to Bjorn…sorry for confussion.
+1 here. Doesnt matter if pancake or not. What matters is QUALITY!!! NEX 7 and Zeiss 24 IS quality. I can do pro work with it and I have already delivered a job for it for GEO. Complaints? none…quality? yes.
If Sony wants to keep people like me happy (professionals who appreciate smaller size and quality) and keep on investing in Sony, then the basics of 35mm journalism should be covered: 35 (check), 50, 85 (75mm with that 50) and for those who like wide, 24 and 21. A zoom lens that covers these is nice, but fast primes are preferred by many instead of zooms…even if 2.8 constant.
Think about this. The NEX 7 is, according to DxO, a stop worse in ISO than a 5D Mk II. The old 5D and the mk II are staple cameras with many of my colleages and friends in agencies like VII, Reportage and Prospekt. I prefer the smaller size of a 7. I would buy a Leica but its ISO is disappointing and manual focusing in dark areas is a no go compared to focus aid and peaking together. Anyways, I sold my 5D in favor of the 7 because I like it more even if its ISO is a notch worse. I prefer a camera I like. I used a 5DII exclusively for the last three years manking many stories and jobs for my agency and other clients.
Also, learn to hold your cameras man! You can do A LOT without in body stabilisation. I and my colleages do. 1.4? or 1.8? with ISO 800 and 1600 usable? need no more.
Please, a 35mm 1.8 G or Zeiss, but as good as the 24mm. My personal second choice would be a 16mm better than the current one (again, even if 2.8 and large, at least better optically than the pancake)
Another thing, if Sony supersedes the NEX-5N & 7 in the next 8 months, they’re gonna have some splaining to do to customers who supported the company only to have their cameras outdated in months???
Right, I hate when a company releases an update to their line and magically the previous version is suddenly way worse than it was when I bought it. That’s so terrible!
It could be worse………………
It’s been about 5 years since Sony released its last full-frame.
And maybe the a99 or whatever it’s called will ship in 2013.
I am losing faith in Sony already, I need a new FF, not NEX
I’ll just have to suffer with my a850 until then. 😉
Yes, I agree it a great camera. I have it also, but my concern is whether or not to continue investing in expensive A-mount lenses that I’m in need of. I’m been renting or borrowing them as needed but I would really like to replace several of my older ones.
I’m saving my money and if necessary I can move to something else………it’s just a tool I use to capture images for clients, and going over to the dark side and buy a Canon or Nikon would not be the end of the world for me.
@SRL: tell me man, what should i do? I have all 16-35, 24-70, 70-200, 70-400, 85Z, 135Z, 100macro, 300f2.8? It’s hard to make a decision to jump ship!
If I had the 300/2.8 SSM, I’d find it very hard to jump ship. But if you can afford that lens, it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch to keep a Sony body for it, even if you do the rest of your shooting with a Canon/Nikon.
I have A900 but still a pain!
Andy,
Same as me, with the exception of the macro and the 300mm, I also have all of them and they are great lenses.
But my 24-70 and 85 are both shot but sill useable, both have seen heavy use and been banged around a great deal. The 24-70 has trouble holding focal and moves around and needs to be replaced.
so I replace them and then learn I’m at a dead-end with Sony?
Or do I purchase a new 85/f1.2 and a 70-200/f2.8 Canon with a new 5D with it ships and get it over with?
It depends on what Sony does doesn’t.
BTY, I would like a nice macro and Zeiss and Canon both have very nice ones.
Maybe I’m a fool, but I’m not yet sure that a want a camera without an OVF or that the Sony design is a good choice for my work.
Andy, show some guts. Jump the Sony ship and send me all your glass. I would love the 70-400 and 85.
I will wait to see what their next FF effort gives us. I love my 5n, but I still prefer my 850.
A900 was announced in September 2008, A850 in August 2009.
yes you are correct.
It’s almost 4 year old technology not 5 year as I mistakenly claimed.
It came out about the same time as the Canon 5d and the Nikon 700 right?
The Canon 5D II (not the original one), that was announced November 2008, Nikon D700 was announced in August 2008.
Technically speaking, it has been 3.5 years since the release of the a900 (autumn 2008), which is, more or less, the same time since Canon released the 5DMkII. The a850 is less than three years old, which was Sony’s last FF.
See here: http://www.1001noisycameras.com/2010/10/the-age-of-dslrs.html#tp
Sony can’t win. If the take too long to release new models, they are damned. If they replace models too quickly, they are damned.
They don’t have to explain anything to people who purchased older models. They will still work as well as they always have. A new model can’t change that.
Seriously, have half the people round here had a lobotomy?
Concordo plenamente com o STEVE JONES.
I think all they need is lenses and firmware upgrades for the year work on the menus and camera speed. Why need more cameras they cant stock right now. They all ready have cutting edge bodies that everyone else is trying to catch up too. We more variety of lenses and then no one can fault this system… make some of them small and it would make everyone happy.
Is it possible that, due to the Thai floods and Japanese earthquake, Sony have decided to bring forward their new NEX cameras – Products set for release end of 2012 early 2013. Rather than replace damaged stock and parts, it would make more sense to bring forward their new products. The Nex 7 could have a very short life. Only a suggestion.
Sony! We are waiting for a pro grade a99 with high ISO abilities and new FF Zeiss lenses!!!
Really we don’t need 3 more nex camera !! the nex 5n just come out (remember the nex-5 the first only have 1 year 1/2) and the nex 7 is not out !!
I prefer firmware and a longer life for nex camera like the Nikon and Canon camera !
And of course lenses !!!
As far as I know normally with the 3 lenses on the old 2012 roadmap, they will be a Zeiss portrait lens and a couple of pancake !!
and i hope a new tiny cobra flash for the nex 7
Hoping, hoping ….
I see it coming like this:
1st Camera: NEX VG30.
2nd Camera: NEX C3 Replacement (Maybe NEX 3X) 🙂
3rd Camera: NEX 9 of course FF!
Unreal, we need f’ING glass!!! Too bad, I have money saved that would be spent on lenses.
the only camera I was expecting to see is the supposedly named NEX-9. After that, only new lenses, accesories, firmware updates, a definite fix to NEX-5N (so you buy it without having to send it to Sony Center for the current fix available to NEX-5N users) and full production of current models to complete orders.
+1
It is ok for Sony to concentrate on the Nex series, but A mount needs more attention.
Especially long primes like 400/4 or a remake of the Minolta 400/4.5. I think this is an affordable wild life lens with outstanding image quality. 500/F4 is too expensive for most people.
And the 500/F4 which they are talking about for years now, for those who have the money. And there are some out there.
I hear that one of those new camera’s will be the NEX-5nc. Where ‘nc’ stands for the ‘non-clicking’ edition …
I hope they come up with model between the NEX-5N and the NEX-7. Basically, an NEX-7 with the NEX-5N, same VF, maybe dual navi instead of tri-navi and slightly smaller grip just so they can distinguish and say it is sub NEX-7. With that, price it between the NEX-5 and the 7.
Better remote control interface (for more functions and different angles). Wider exposure spacing for HDR work. And of course, auto focus in video could always get better. I love my NEX-5, but these are some areas I’d like to see improvement in.
Having to say by April we will have new firmware 😀
nope they wont put a viewfinder in anything less than a 7 series Nex. But I think they will add tri navi controls to all future Nex.
5n with a hotshoe and trinav would get my buy. I need to be able to fire wireless strobes and the lack of hotshoe has been the biggest thing holding me back. Evf would be super cool too, oh wait, I guess I just designed a 7
NEX 5n Firmware update wishlist:
1. Better “for viewfinder” screen mode. Right now you can’t use touchscreen if your screen is in that mode. If you could, you’d be able to change every image parameter, without going into a single menu. Also if you are on “for viewfinder” mode and you want to change the White Balance, it should go back to Live View as you’re changing the setting.
2. Wider Exposure Bracketing range (+-6EV would be fine).
3. Scrolling images via touchscreen can be improved, one swipe usually takes you 4 images away, which can be annoying.
That’s all from me, I’m quite happy with my 5n, especially after using the old NEX 5 for a year. Everything I wanted to be improved, is improved anyway 🙂
3 cameras RELEASED
5 lenses ANNOUNCED
Wonderful! (wonderfully useless, that is)
@Engineer: you wrote…
> The 24m sensor has better ISO performance than the one in the 5N.
> Anyone who says otherwise is too ignorant of photography to listen to.
> I’ve proven this many times on this forum …
Wow… flamebait, much?
Sorry, but a *very* skilled and *very* experienced photographer (Michael Reichman of “Luminous Landscape”) has demonstrated (as in, head-to-head 5N-vs-7 shoot-out) that you are in error.
An *extremely* precise and *extemely* proficient laboratory (DXOmark) has proven (as in, lab/bench tested both cameras to the same standard) that you are in error.
I’m not sure what “proof” you have made here “many times,” but I’ll offer my own “proof” …
DXOmark ISO scores:
NEX5N = 1079; NEX7 = 1016 (almost identical, with a TINY advantage to the 5N)
Reichmann’s LL shoot-out:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/sony_nex_7_rolling_review.shtml#28
The two sensors seem to offer slightly *different* noise characteristics, as one would expect of slightly-different generations of sensors. The 7 is ABOUT as good at high-ISO as the 5N … NOT better. In fact, there is a *tiny* advantage to the 5N over the 7; by my own (very rough, eyeball) estimate (YeyeballMV) of the LL test-shots, I’d call it about a 1/3 stop advantage to the 5N.
I tend to like an actual shoot-out (if done well, as LL has done) over lab/benchtest scores (which often can turn up lab-based “differences that are virtually impossible to see in real-world photos), but in this case there’s a pretty close agreement between them.
So… Which proof do you want to offer? Or are LL and DXO “too ignorant of photography to listen to”?
– Steve S.