I had many conversations with my top sources about the upcoming A99. It is very interesting to share the “philosophical” aspects behind the A99 release.
First the A99 is a result of a research made two years ago. Sony asked pro photographers and video makers how they should make the A99 in order to make it a successful camera. The main request was a camera that would have PRO Video quality and support. It should outclass the [shoplink 13195 ebay]5DmarkII[/shoplink] an the current 5DmarkIII in that matter. Sony managers and engineers than decided to develop not only an A99 with pro video quality recording but a whole system that can support the camera. So what we will see soon is not just a camera, but a new kind of thinking hybrid still and video in one system. The camera is more mature than the A77. It is all about af speed, video quality, fast and high resolution EVF technology, well thought accessories and clean image quality.
The new Hot shoe, the new Flash Light (with continuous LED light) the new battery grip are all newly developed with photography AND(!) film-making in mind. Maybe this will become the real first professional Full Frame hybrid camera that will bring us a step closer to the merging of the photo and video world.
I think Sony took a wise decision to follow this route. It’s the only way to break the Nikon and Canon hegemony in the Full Frame world. Now let’s hope the A99 can really acheive the goal. The devil as usual is in the detail. And Sony can’t afford to make any mistakes here!
That’s why you have to follow SAR RSS feed or follow me on Twitter and join the super friendly Facebook comunity! It’s going to be hell of rumors the next days and weeks! 🙂
—
P.S.: A higher resolution and more “photo” oriented FF camera will follow in 2013!
P.P.S.: As usal sorry for my bad english. But I hope you got the message!
144 Responses
People will continue to complain…..
It’s nice to know there is a solid philosophy behind these new developments though. 🙂
Not impressed with this “philosophical” discussion. I’ll wait to see the released product to decide for myself if SONY hit it out of the park or screwed itself as usual.
Too bad those pro photographers didnt tell sony to do one more thing, which is to make a camera THAT’S NOT A GRAND MORE THAN THE EQUIVELENT CANIKON. AT 3K THE CAMERAS A JOKE…SAME OLD MINOLTA, NEVER CHANGE.
Admin, thanks for your continuous reports.
Just a small remark on this article:
“hope the A99 can archive the goal”
—> should be:
“hope the A99 can achieve the goal”
=)
Not if he meant to use the A99 and video film a football match. 🙂
Will it have aliasing in video like A77 and 5DMkII?
Still do not know whether they are talking about SLT A99 is the first full-frame or the other …. 36mpxi Maybe we are talking here about a better model that will be up in 2013.
It is known to be 100% in September marking the model?
“Maybe this will become the real first professional Full Frame hybrid camera that will bring us a step closer to the merging of the photo and video world”
Yes, because the Canon Eos 1DC doesn’t exist. Still, great to see a camera like that at this price tag.
The Canon 1Dc is a joke!
BOOM! What was that? $15k for a camera that only does 1080p? Oh no, the 3 year old Panny GH2 can almost resolve the same resolution if hacked, at only $800!!
ProVidWannabe: “But the Canon 1Dc has the shizzle dynamic range, and its ergonomic and it looks like an SLR although it is specifically made for video…meh meh meh meh”
ProVidDude: “But the Sony FS100 and FS700 can not only do what the 1Dc does, but also more!!! the FS700 is not only more compact and lighter, it is also more capable! look at those FPS!!!! and wow…the dynamic range is insane and the mount allows us to use so many more lenses than Canon’s EF only approach. I mean…for half the cash and a 4k ready cam?!?!?!”
ProVidDick: “BUT CANON IS CANON, AND IT ALSO RHYMES WITH CANNON, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK I HAVE IN BETWEEN MY LEGS. MY SEEMINGLY DEEP VOICE TELLS YOU OF MY AUTHORITY REGARDING MY KNOWLEDGE OF VIDEO MAKING AND A MASCULINE BRAND LIKE CANON CAN ONLY DO THE RIGHT THING. SONY IS FOR SISSIES AND METROSEXUALS, REAL MEN USE CANON. NIKON (pronounce na-i-kon in American English) IS NOT AS MANLY ALTHOUGH THEIR FONT HAS MORE HARD EDGES THAN CANON’S FONT. ANYWAYS, I TYPE ON ALL CAPS BECAUSE I KNOW MY SHIT”
ProPhotojournalist/ProPhotographer/WiseEnthusiast: “I will see what my needs and wants are, and make a decision accordingly. It is more important to have a tool that not only I like to use, but that it also helps me deliver my work and if that can be an RX100 or Olympus 8080(see Alex Majoli) so be it!”
nnnnnnnice.
But professionals don’t use AF in video. Especially in a full frame camera with its shallow DoF. So I hope the video features refer to something else (frame rates, resolution, rolling shutter, moiré, aliasing….)
Professionals didnt use digital 10 years ago.
I doubt the video people willl be using focus pullers and pencil marks on the lens ten years from now.
IMO, everything since SLTs points to this strategy: merging video and stills, where you get consistent features whichever you are doing, so that things like exposure and focusing are exactly the same. That has to be the way forward.
Not strictly true, depends on what pro’s you’re talking about. Indie filmmakers or studios generally wont use AF, but for wildlife, sport or similar where you cant use a focus puller they will.
Yes, right. But for non-artistic filming where you would use AF (like documentaries, family movies,…) you actually don’t want a shallow DoF. Better to use a small sensor camera where everything will be in focus in the first place.
That’s why I say that AF is video on a FF camera is not a big feature. It’s good to have it, but you won’t sell an expensive camera because of it.
This is why the new Metabones MKii NEX adapter for Canon lenses will make it easy for 5D videographers to make the switch to Sony. They can continue using their existing Canon lenses as they rarely if ever need AF.
What does “more photo oriented camera” mean? Exepct of higher resolution.
Stunning optical viewfinder, higher resolution.
release a dumbed down plastic version with no video mode (fw hackable) for half price to shut up all the cheap trolls.
WOW!
HALLELUJA!!!
If this is true (which I beleive), this is GREAT news!!!
Best thing to ever happen.
/Mats
In paper, thing always look good. when come to fact, it does not!
today everyone know the rumor of a99 specification, if these all turn out to be true, ask yourself, can a99 dominate FF from canikon?
new flash with LED is not new thing, 3rd party manufacturer already did that! and do you think by having that LED light can solve all the lighting issue for video 😛
a99 penetrate to FF canikon is still far away! but it does make.believe!
Are you sure?:)
let the future of sale result and review to speak on it. should be 2 more months 🙂
Do you know what halleluja means?
Kind regards
I think you replied to the wrong post, but regardless… It’s from the Hebrew hallelūyāh “praise the Lord”; hellēl “to praise” + yāh “the Lord, Yahweh.” Why do you ask?
Yes I do! (If it was me you asked)
Maybe used in a wider sense and that God is not the one responsible for the camera, but still it can be used as an expression of joy.
I look forward to see the actual camera and how it compares to a900.
But I think many put theire expectations to high before the a77 was released. So I wont expect miracles IQ and function wise.
Kind regards
I take it you have a pre-production camera since you can draw such clear conclusions??
They talked about video being a focus-area as well, and there has been no information that says whether the camera will include features like clean HDMI output, better audio controls etc, or not.
How about holding your tongue, and wait to see what actually comes out…
If true I will get one instead of the Nikon D600…
Ken Rockwell has D600 SRP at $2400US. I don’t know why some here expect it to sell for less than $1000. Intro is 24Aug2012, sale time is December.
Rockwell could be wrong, but…
The sensor looks a LOT like the old a850 sensor. Time will tell. Video will CLEARLY be CDAF (the mirror only flaps for photos and video-start). Nikon electronics will undoubtedly be quite good.
I don’t see it as scary competition for a99. It IS competition, though…
hope a99 have shutter speed 1/8000 or 1/16000 and high speed sync minimal 1/500 😀 that would great 😀
Photo oriented FF camera next year? I’m in bliss! Hopefully this will be something worth jump on from a900. I’m tired of movie oriented cameras and inherent compromises of these solutions in releation to still photography.
I would be interested in poll how many entusiasts and pros with enough money for FF cameras do/will do regularly photo + video and who does still photos only. I still think these are quite different genres.
Perhaps they are different genres because of the different equipment needed?
Currently you need two sets of equipment to cover an event in video & photography & as a result need two people to cover both efficiently so will probably have one person specialising in stills, the other in video, so if you ask the pro’s what they do now you will get a very clear answer.
Is this because the kit to do this efficiently as a one man job is not currently available?
If the a99 can do the still frame while shooting video thing that has been rumoured then it will become the tool of choice for all budget event photographers/videographers – You can offer video AND photographs of an event where your competiton can only offer one or other at critical moments, or a lower price than those that do both because of less manpower/equipment costs…..
The A99 might be fine for those who want to integrate still and video in one camera, but I don’t do video, and have no intention to do video. So, I hope the higher resolution camera is aimed squarely at those of us who want a dedicated still camera, preferable with OVF. I don’t mind a hybrid VF, with LCD overlay, but I want an OVF.
And, why do you need 24 MP to take HD video? I see video camcorders that can shoot 1080P with a lot less MP.
You don’t need 24 mpx for video of course.
But a camera that is very good at filming AND stills would be really great. And the possibility to take highest quality stills while filming without interuppting the movie is really a killer feature.
I personally am a still photographer and have had an A850 and two A900s with some Zeiss-glass, but have sold them and currently only use an A77. Have like everyone else been frustrated over the gap with no new FF before the previous ones became obsolete and so on.
In my case I primary do stills, but my son is a videographer and having a camera that can do both excellent and use the same lenses and accessories is great. For someone else it might not be as good.
But now finally it seems that Sony is on the right track and the experimenting phase is over. No more A2xx/A3xx/A5xx triplets and so on, but a very well thought out lineup and new lenses and a complete program.
I think the A99 is a milestone for sony and gamechanger in the whole camera industry!
But I guess it doesn’t matter how good a camera Sony releases, some will still whine and find faults with it. But never mind, those who don´t like it have other options and can just buy a camera from a different brand. No need to comlpain about Sony for that.
I do not need a perfect video camera! I am a photographer and interested in a replacement for my A900… I am disappointed!
You are disappointed because the a99 does well in video? That doesnt make the camera bad for stills. whats your beef ?
102 point Dual focus PDAF/CDAF AF system coupled with improved EVF and good high ISO sounds like pretty good photographic tool to me.
What CDAF? a99 has CDAF? Not needed with 102 point PDAF…
According to SAR it has both
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/next-a99-user-report-via-dynaxdigital/
http://egami.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2012-07-23
I think the A99 will have more CDAF focus points than the PDAF’s. But who knows, probably 51 + 51.
I think the A99 will have 24 million CDAF points 🙂
” The main request was a camera that would have PRO Video quality…”
This is a video camera with still-function….
Even their goal makes it obvious that it is a still camera that can also do video. Now, certainly, there are generally tradeoffs and I understand how people would prefer they had put the effort into the still side of things… but I’m pretty sure they didn’t take a video camera and add still features to it.
And exactly what makes the D800 or 5DMKIII a still camera with a video function?
Sensor?
AF system?
OVF vs EVF?
Flapping mirror vs SLT?
Name on the front of the camera?
😉
QYB if its photo-functions meet your needs, be happy with that. I suppose that you could gripe about the wasted tech/price for unused video stuff.
Pretty hard to avoid video in a DSLR/SLT
Your disappointed at 24mpx, fast AF with dual modes, poss excellent ISO performance, 12fps and all in a FF which has video too, uuuuummmmm. I don’t think the camera you want will ever exist!
Si
Lol, this is funny. When the A900 came out and had not even the basic video feature, most people were crying foul! Saying that at that price the camera should have had it and its the reason why they did not buy it. Now the A99 supposedly will have a great video feature and the same people cry foul again!
Now, the A99 will be SLT with EVF. Face it. I have the A77 and am in most situations happy with the EVF. IF the A99 improoves it, provides a killer AF system, more video features and video + photo at the same time, then it will have all what is needed. Mind, video is a feature, not a bug. If you dont want to use it, then dont. Nowadays you will have a problem finding a camera which does not include some kind of video mode, so why all the trolling?
As much as this sounds fantastic, I am not gonna buy it, have just recently got my A77 and am expecting from Sony a new firmware to raise the A77 higher.
where’s all the complains by the trolls?complain complain complain..just go and take photos man!!
You laugh about the A900 user, and tell us how fantastic is the A99, but:
“As much as this sounds fantastic, I am not gonna buy it…” really good!!
For me opposite: I would buy it, but not interested in a video camera…
I have bought the A900 in 2008 without seen before, because I have wait exactly for this camera, and now I need a replacement next, …. but the A99…?
Really? You’re going to use the fact that he just spent less than half as much (presumably) on an A77 and isn’t now going to spend another $2-$3k on a FF to discredit his comments? You’re the one that apparently decides what camera to get based on rumor-based aura around a camera rather than waiting to see the actual performance and ergonomics. Ah well.
Perhaps you got so much cash that it does not matter to you to buy a new FF camera with a 3k USD price tag every second month. I spent now quite a lot money for the A77 and dont plan nor can I afford to replace it so soon. And if I will have spare cash in the next months, i will rather use it for lenses. Dont forget, cameras loose value, lenses do not.
The fact that I dont intend to buy the A99 because of my recent purchase, does not mean that I will not adore the new Sony flagship.
hahah and the system??? a99 is a wrong born camera and even if will be 1/4 better than 5d III, will have fake zeiss and Sogyang lenses??? dont make me laugh sony can only be a software – music house!
Go troll somewhere else and plough yourself
If ignorance is bliss, happiness is your’s …
They are right, you meet every definition of a troll…
The problem with that strategy: it will force Sony to compromise because resources are not unlimited. They need to divide those resources between photograph and video capability.
Instead of a state-of-the-art FF camera that takes excellent still images with best-effort video added as bonus, we may end up getting a camera that is very good but not excellent at both.
Yes it may increase sales, but I doubt it is good for the customer. Not many of us shoot photographs and video. You mostly do one or the other.
While I agree that people generally do stills or video, not both, keeping the hardware separate certainly encourages that separation. So, it’s difficult to use that separation to justify keeping the hardware separate. Perhaps at this time it would be a much better path, but it’s still circular reasoning.
I fail to see why Sony cannot excel with both in one body. They are learning all the time and the A77 is a cracking camera, not a bad base to build on. Maybe it will be a game changing camera, FF, Video and stills in one body.
Si
I do both and I am sick of carrying two cameras. This hybrid would be great. Besides – if the form factor is A77 like it is mainly a still camera…. Would be interesting to learn about the audio capabilities, e.g. how about XLR inputs?
“the new battery grip are all newly developed with photography AND(!) film-making in mind”
I bet the XLR inputs and controls are included ni the vertical grip.
Uh, why do you need a *vertical* grip for filming?
If the grip has been designed “with film-making in mind”, it probably hasn’t been properly designed for shooting stills vertically.
XLR input jacks are big and don’t fit very well on the camera body.
There are third party addon grips for Canon 5Dmk2 ror instance that have this.
Sony makes the best grips in the world. I had the wonderful grip for the A900 and now I have just bought the VG-C77 for the A77. Even with video-optimization it can still be made properly for vertical still shooting.
i expect it to be great. Don’t understand why you are so negative…
Well – I can only hope you are right. This would be really awesome. Not sure how to mount the follow-focus then but still awesome. I assume someone finds a solution for the follow-focus….
@Andreas
If you are seriously filming, then you probably need so much additional gear that carrying two camera bodies is insignificant.
I saw a film being shot on Canon DSLRs – the cameras were mounted on rigs the size of small cars and had so much other gear attached you could barely see the cameras. Each was operated by three people and there were a whole bunch of others for sound and lighting etc.
If you want something reasonably sized, my guess is that you’d do just as well – or better – with a Panasonic m4/3 camera or a digicam designed for the purpose.
I’m sure Andreas is really thankful that you have told him what he should do and want. Always good to have know-it-all’s to tell the rest of us what we should want and need….
Well – what is seriously filming? There are as many different type of setups as films. Depending on the project…. I am a lonely documentary filmmaker. For interviews I need (or lets say prefer) XLR inputs for good audio. I know – can always be synced in post but I think thats a pain in t…… I do travel videos and mostly travel alone. I already carry a tripod (heavy), microphones, water to drink, a coat, a pullover, something to eat, etc etc…. If I can reduce the load I am happy. In the end I try to sell my stuff – so thats how seriously it gets. For narrative work I would currently look very strong in the direction of blackmagic design but I don’t do that.
“And Sony can’t afford to make any mistakes here!”
They couldn’t afford to do it for the A77 either, but look what happened. Sony are great at making a mess of things, it’s the one thing that they are incredibly good at.
But still we do not know positioning of the current loew res. 24Mpx vs high res. 36 Mpx.
Which one is higher level than the other ???
Is it more like: D4 (low res.) vs D800 (high res.)
Or more like: D800 (high res.) vs D600 (rumored low res.)
Because:
1/if A99 is the final name… It suggests to be the highest in the actual FF line.
So 36 Mpx will be at lower price! (even if A99 is supposed to be low?)
2/ If FF36Mpx is higher than A99…
Then it is completely new segment?
The rumored A1S ?
Thanks in advance if you have some info in this regard…
Does this mean we get clean HDMI out??????
At last a SAR that is not a cut and paste of dry news. Things are starting to sound very interesting and it is good to read one angle of how the A99 started life. You get the impression that Sony are moving their slr cameras into the pro market only with the a77 or its replacement as the base model and the NEX for the consumer. I’d be surprised if the lens line up ends up with ZA and G series only.
Can we skip the rest of August please lol?
Si
My bets always has been for two FF cameras from Sony, one a multimedia oriented professional user and other with higher resolution for the professional photographer.
My wish list for the A99 to become the ultimate multimedia tool:
-AVCHD codec from the pro Sony division.
-No moire, no aliasing, sharper image than the current Alpha series.
-Option to disable on body stabilization without cropping the image.
-Clean 422 and uncompressed HDMI ouptput.
-Manual audio control with silent knobs for on recording adjustment.
-Tethering.
-Earphone jack.
-No overheating.
-Great IQ with at least 12 stop.
-Color curve adjustments as the OM-D or better flatter settings.
Enough for now 😉
Yep, I’ll take all of those too thanks. Can we also have live histogram in video mode too. On the A77 it disappears when recording.
Nice whishlist!
My guess is that you actually will receive all that and then some!
The possibility to take HQ stills while shooting video without interruption could be a killer feature that also gives Sony a real sales push.
I hope the price will be nice too.
I like Douglas’ wish list too, hopefully if video optimized we’ll get zebras too. Sony has an edge over everyone else with its dominant position in broadcast video, it needs to leverage that knowledge to its advantage in order to set the A99 apart from the D800 and 5d3. Few people are going to buy into the Alpha mount over CaNikon without a compelling reason.
I don’t get all the whining about stills, Sony’s sensors are class leading and absolutely kill Canon and Panasonic in terms of DR and IQ. I have the EM5 and the Nex5n, both of them are superior to Canon APS-c cameras. I have no doubt that the A99 will be a stunning still camera – if its more video focused I’ll buy one to compliment my FS100.
A large part of the overwhelming success of the 5d2 was the combined capabilities of top quality stills with amazing video in an affordable package. Sony needs to make waves with the A99, if they don’t pull out all the stops it will be largely ignored in favor of the D800 and the upcoming D600.
I agree, A99 should stand out in several ways. Currently rumored specs is enough to be excellent camera, but isn’t to stand out. At least 2K video, at least 120fps for 1080p and 250fps for lower res video would be perfect to stand out in video department. OK, stills during video is killer feature.
Sorry, but I don’t see how the majority of pro photographers at the olympics having a primary concern that they can’t shoot good video.
At this point in time it may be hard to fathom, but the market is much larger than the Olympics.
There are many pro photographers. The ones that continue to thrive learn to use new tools and release their work in different mediums. Video is a boon for many of them. I have been waiting for Sony to come up with something like this. If this camera works well, expect a shakeup in the video world. Imagine the FS700, the A99 working hand in hand. It does appear that the professional imaging division is having a great impact on the SLR imaging group. Great news that would be further enhanced by the delivery of a great camera.
As always … some are happy, others are not.
Video functionality is nice, I really appriciate it, but since Cinematic cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper (I am thinking of the Digital Bolex or Blackmagic Cinema Camera) and much more professional (RAW images, up to 2.5k video quality and a price between 2000 and 3000$…), I think it’s gonna be though for sony! Even semi-pro video junkies (like I am) can afford a Blackmagic now … the richer guy will buy the Sony FS700 or RED epic.
So I am not sure if the video features beat the hell out of me.
On the other hand the SLT system is predestined for video functionalities … I think it’s a good way Sony is going, and maybe they are able to bring out a video-still-hybrid that makes everybody happy 😉
And I am looking forward to the “A99MK2” 😛
Did you see the pictures coming out of the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera? They need colour correction. It is a great camera for a certain purpose.
There is more of a place for this camera than there is a place for the 5DIII and the D800. First of all, the a99 can take great stills, which the Blackmagic and the Digital Bolex cannot do.
Also most people who aren’t full-on professional filmmakers will be scared away by the file sizes of those two cameras. I’m not paying for that kind of storage. So in a way the Blackmagic and Digital Bolex are also for the “richer guy”.
And haha, of course they need color correction! All footage does. This camera is also meant for people who will be using color correction, which is anyone from the hobbyist level on up.
To me this sounds like comparing RAW images with JPEGs …
of course the file-sizes of a cinematic camera is much higher than out of a camcorder …
of course the processing method is completely different (especially color correction)…
But the quality of the videos are much higher, the possability of post-processing are real professional …
Take what you like … My current point of view is: since the Blackmagic has Canon focussed lens mounts, I will take the Bolex (whenever released) for video. and the A9x for stills.
Maybe the new A9x camera can change my opinion!
Again, don’t call it A99. Call it A90, or A909, but A99 has a “end of the road” ring to it.
oh get over your little insecurities already.
What do you mean end of the road? Its only the beginning. A99x, A99 mkI, II, III, etc..A99omg, A99lol, ..it goes on..
Todo fantástico, pero esta cámara ya es un mito urbano, ninguna foto espía? ni una maketa nada? tan hermético todo?
“…Sony asked pro photographers and video makers…”
Who? Which ones? How many surveyed and to what degree?
Under what circumstances did these conversations occur?
I don’t recall any public corporate request for “pros” to have official powow with Sony. Can I get a copy of the meeting notes? Really I’m serious. That’s a pretty bold claim that “…Sony asked…”, and a fabulous marketing opportunity missed by not publicizing the event. Really, such an event would have been a spectacular PR campaign. Yet nothing is heard until two years later on a rumors site? Does not compute.
Who are these secret pros that have Sony’s ear?
In reality, I’d wager the local sales reps brought donuts to the home town camera stores for morning staff training of new Sony products introduction. Once every few months, the rep stops in for meet ‘n greet with the floor sales team and rubs elbos with the purchasing agent. Feedback from those meetings goes into his report to Sony, and is weighed against all other rep reports, and shareholder concerns.
I don’t believe for a second that anyone from Sony has ever personnally met with a single working pro tog for the specific purpose of designing the ultimate imaging tool. No one went to lunch with anyone. No “GoToMeetings” were ever made. I would very much appreciate if anyone would set me straight if I’m mistaken.
They’ll have met with the same pros they met with for the A77, the ones that didn’t want tethering and a larger buffer.
Or maybe they met with the same pros that they met with for the A33/55, the ones that weren’t bothered that you couldn’t use the EVF in a studio.
I sometimes wonder if they ever give their pre-production cameras to actual photographers.
The Mystery Sony Pros… OMG funny!
This camera MSP Approved!
When Sony design the FS100 and now with the FS700 they do meetings with some DP and Cameraman as Den Lennie, James Tokin and others.
If this is happening with this new Alpha camera maybe means that the Sony Professional Line crew is involved in the development of the A99.
Hope so 😉
Maybe a ‘focus group’ brainstorming?
This is just weird. First, you demand Sony’s internal marketing notes, then you claim to know all about Sony’s internal workings. Weird.
Asking around about this I was referred to Sony Artisan’s of Imagery. That’s really wonderful news and perhaps these are the “pros” Sony is referring to. I’d love to read some of the dialogue between Sony and the togs they “ask”. I’d love to even know their names. Thanks for the tip Douglas!
Thank you CTPhotographX. +100.
Video is not a bug and will not detract from the photo capabilities, it has become a minimum requirement for high end full frame cameras (as on 5D and D800), for Sony to not include video would be a step backwards. If you are not interested in video…you have a choice…don’t use it. The A99 would also need to be weather sealed to be taken seriously by potential canikon converts and the video recording max of 29 minutes would also need addressing. Frame rate support for 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p and 60p would also need inclusion instead of the pointless market fragmentation that exists now between PAL/NTSC markets which is ridiculous. Powered zoom would also be a dream but I can’t see how they could reverse engineer this now with the existing lenses. Roll on september!!!
I concur. Video features do not detract from stills features. The thought that “resources are limited” and video functions take away from stills photography is ridiculous. Without video, Sony still would have left out that firmware feature that was so desperately needed. Without video, the cost of the camera will go up to make up for loss of unit sales. Without video, you risk buying into a platform that faces obselescence as the entire Alpha full frame market gets swallowed by Canikon. There are left handed people in the world, there are right handed people too. Both groups do things differently but still do things with their hands. Any manufacturer who ignores one group or the other is just plain short sighted and ignoring basic economics, unless your in a niche market and selling über-expensive products.
Personally, I’d be all over an a99 sans video at a lower price. I’d love an a99S (stills) and an a99V (video) choice. Making these two different versions would be easier than the differences between a850 and a900.
With all the concern for video, the stills camera evolution has indeed been left in the dust. It’s 2012/13… Shouldn’t things like intervalometer, tethering and built in radio slave be standard equipment? The R&D has been diverted away from the “stills purist” and put towards the vid concerns.
Think about it… Ask a Pro Videographer if they’d like the idea of taking his favorite workhorse video camera and making it shoot great stills… but the actual video capabilities of his camera don’t evolve to improvement.
It’s like being forced to buy a helicopter propeller for your car.
“But I don’t want to fly. I just want to drive”…
“Then don’t use the propellers”.
“You mean every car has propellers now… like it or not”?
“Yep… All cars have propellers now. You don’t HAVE to use them”.
…and here’s the thing, video features don’t require extra hardware like your analogy, except perhaps a $4 DSP chip or a $2 heat sink. It’s not the difference between propellers and tires. An A99 without video would not be cheaper than an A99 with video, it would be more expensive. All the DSP programming and research costs have already been paid for for the most part, that are simply modular components that Sony can plug in as they see fit. Low bit rate 1080p 30/60 for their consumer point an shoot, mid bit rate 24/25/30/60 for their high end mirrorless, XDCAM 24/25/30/60/120/240 for their high end cinema products. The perception that video detracts from a photography product is a myth. The reason that a Sony or any manufacturer’s camera is underperforming for any aspect of stills photography is completely due to marketing and design decisions made by the manufacturer and would have existed regardless of the decision to include or exclude video.
By this logic I think the GH3 will experience terribly good sales for the m43 market. I also think that the EOS-M will dominate the APS-C market, unless the upcoming NEX-6 addresses video specifically or a major firmware update is released for the NEX-7. The A99 has a chance of becoming the video darling for full frame since Canon has bungled the 5D-III release and hasn’t completely enamored the public with the 1D and C300/500 variants. By the same
token, the FUJI X line will fall flat due to the near absence of video support despite the compelling photography features. I could be full of hot air, but let’s see how the sales numbers fall out, the numbers don’t lie.
Their strategy needs to be “hurry the hell up” and “communicate something other than rumors to potential customers” or very soon it will be “sell another sensor to Nikon to recover costs from another lost customer”.
Why A900 didnt dominate sales back then? Was the camera not good? Sometimes I wonder that it doesnt matter the quality of the camera by itself but also the whole infrastructure and costumer service/care. Canikon are generally creating firmwares and recognizing/addressing problems. I think that is what is missing in Sony. We still havent seen firmwares for Nex7 addressing the issues that were already mentioned in this blog. Also, scarcity the lenses…
It’s been “rumored” that Sony doesn’t care about existing users as much as tempting new users away from competition. They have no strategy for existing customers becoming loyal evangelists, advocates.
Sony will not care about users of an existing model that has no intention to upgrade, they will care about those wanting an upgrade though.
It’s nothing to do with firmware. Sony is simply missing brand awareness, the market is dominated by CaNikon and Sony are abysmal at advertising their cameras.
When you have CaNikon users all over the web and the magazines are full of CaNikon advertisements and editorial reviews done by biased CaNikon users, it’s difficult to imagine how a new user would ever consider Sony unless they stumble across it by accident.
You hit the nail on the head, Carl. There is no pro support from Sony, there are HUGE holes in the lens line-up compared to Canikon, and accessories are priced out of this world. NOT the way to dominate.
Of course, I’m a stills guy, who likes an OVF and can’t switch my camera into video mode when the bride is walking down the aisle, because I’m there to take stills. If I also need video, I have a video camera for that. Video in camera – for me, not everyone – is next to useless. AND, if it in any way compromises my stills, it’s worse than useless.
Sony needs to consider that most DSLR stills photographers buy them for stills. If the user is buying them for video, they’re either a P&S customer with too much cash to burn or a guy who need to get a video camera and stick it in his bag.
There IS a need for both for some photo-journalists, but that’s not Sony’s market, and never will be, because of point #1.
Dusty
AWESOME!!!!…..
A CAMERA BUILT FOR VIDEO!
JUST WHAT I NEEDED FOR MY PHOTOGRAPHY!
Right… “I didn’t order these anchovies on my pizza. I specifically said NO ANCHOVIES”.
“Tough Shit… Eat around them… You paid for it”.
MAKE.BELIEVE
Guys – great discussion – I learn something each time I read these threads. Admin – keep up great work, you have lots of smart and passionate photography people mentally stimulated and educated at the same time through these debates.
If anyone is looking for full frame Minolta lenses, I have lots of them listed on ebay through this Sunday. 24, 50 primes, 50, 100 macros, 28-135, 70-210, late Minoltas I got brand new 17-35, 28-75, 24-105, a few flash guns.
Look me up on e-bay under dvpnyc – I guarantee everything is in excellent condition, with detailed pictures. Basically I am selling my entire A-mount collection that it took me years to build. I never had enough conviction in Sony’s ability to become a real #3 in the professional photography space to invest into CZ and stay with Sony long term. But that’s just me. My next stop is 5D MK3 – wish me luck.
Thanks everyone!
That’s the best news about Alpha system… All the great deals surely to come on used equipment. It’s already happening… I counted five 100/f2 Mino lenses for sale on eBay the other day… FIVE of them. A year ago, maybe one every other month would show up. All the auction prices seem very low right now.
Point being, if you look at equipment as an investment, like I do, then selling during a volatile market is bad idea. That’s the time to buy buy buy… When the market settles, the investment will grow accordingly. As Sony cams consolidate their platform, over the next year, and gain recognition, accolades… then the used Mino lens market will rise beyond anything seen before.
Have fun with your Canon Jim. It’s a great system and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Thanks Clyde. I used the MK1 for 8 mo’s and like it. I also like the 2 L lenses I got and 2 more I rented. Huge creative potential w/ Canon glass selection. Plus and anf all 3rd party glass with Ef mount like CZ primes for video. I am looking forward to trying video now with glidecam (an expensive SoB for what it it but the results are awesome). I saw this dude on tube and his work blew my mind away, and all he’s got is a Mk2 and a 16-35 + glidecap and a mike – and lots and lots of raw talent!
http://www.youtube.com/user/devinsupertramp/videos?view=0
If you think Sony is going to release an A-mount body and waltz off with indie filmmaking in one stroke, you don’t understand how important lens collections are to filmmakers. Nearly all of us are chock full of EF glass…sure there are enthusiast types will all sorts of odd lenses and adapters…but this is a full frame camera with a mirror and what can be made to work on S35 won’t work here.
This Sony entrant will put pressure on Canon if done right but not nearly as much as the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and its native EF mount have. Even though that camera only has a sensor around the size of the RX100.
Unless it is easy to adapt EF full frame to A mount and I’m just missing that in my searches.
You can adapt F mount lenses to EF mount too – but not EF or F-mount to A-mount.
If Sony want to seriously challenge Canon and Nikon, I think they need to produce a full frame camera that gets the kind of reception that their RX100 is now receiving in the high end compact market. There needs to be a really big difference in capabilities to get many people to switch systems.
Anyway, I’m not interested in video, so I’ll wait to see what the ‘more “photo” oriented FF camera’ has to offer.
Right now I roll with a 5D3 and an RX100. The RX100 handles run-n-gun, steadicam, and slomo, the 5D3 everything else. I can get a net shutter angle of 144 degrees at 24p shooting the RX100 at 60p 1/60th and doing nearest neighbor rate conforming. Not perfectly filmic but certainly not awful.
If the A99 did the FS700’s 240fps with a full frame light harvesting ability at under $3000…if it did 4K as well at that price point and it all worked well in 2012…clean HDMI, 50Mbps 422 at 10 bits or higher color onto commodity CF or SSD…now we’re talking revolutionary enough to get people to dump EF glass and buy A-mount.
Sony is up against the ropes as a company generally so they may see the need to disrupt in a big way, even if it self-cannablizes. The RX100 is a damn good look, they sought to kill the Canons there and did. Killing the 5D3 isn’t much harder technologically, but the glass in the field is a stern defense for the status quo. Now the A99 with native EF mount…Canon might get crushed.
Olympus toke, and now it seems Sony toke too. What’s with all the mary-jane consumption ? These execs seem to be getting high as kites. 😉
Admin – you do know what toke means right ?
How good is your German?
If Sony really wants to aim for film making, they should release A99 with 4K output ability, in the next couple years, Sony PS4 and Xbox 720 and all TVs will go 4K.
I myself do not need video feature in the body anyway, so I don’t care too much about this.
They are. It’s called an FS700 and a F65….. At this moment, I doubt any manufacturer who makes high-end stuff is going to destroy their tryuly professional market by giving a DSLR that same capabilities as a $65K camera that is selling like hotcakes.
Maybe Sony are late. If they were serious about filming with full frame DSLRs those pro photographers and video makers Sony talked to two years ago are probably by now already heavily invested in Canon DSLRs and all the extra gear needed to shoot professional video with such a camera.
Is the A99 really going to be such a game changer that it will be attractive for those people to switch? Otherwise they will just be picking up people entering the field and playing a game of catch up.
Zeiss and others make cine lenses in Canon and Nikon mounts – is it going to be worth while them making those lenses available in A-mount too?
Everyone remember that DSLR video is smaller than a flea compared to Sony’s Pro Video market.
It’s all fine and great that everyone is wanting a $2K camera that does all this amazing stuff…. but Sony’d bread and butter on the high-end are cameras and recorders that are selling very, very, very well like most XDCAM and FS and F series.
there is NO WAY they are going to add crazy stuff, at this time, like 4K to a consumer product…. the pro stuff hasn’t even really gone 4K mainstream yet *when I say mainstream, I mean sold by the thousands).
Poor Hasselblad… All those pixels and can’t even web cam anything. Must be out of their minds charging so much for such a slow camera without video…
These Sony guys a re stupid! The only way to break the canikon hegemony is coming out with a sub-1000 small body full-frame. That is what people would by massively. Not a $2800 monster.
Why? So they can lose money on every sale, but make it up in volume? What business school did you go to, anyway? If you did you must have received very poor marks.
Oh yeah, after Sony decideds to loose hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per copy on a low-end FF camera, do you then need them to subsidise all the lenses that everyone is going to need…. Oh, wait! then it will be Sony conspiracy to get people to buy a really cheap FF camera but screw them having to buy FF lenses.
Sony just can’t win with you people.
I think you’d run into a perception problem with that, if you released a sub 1K FF camera, people would assume it was cheap rubbish and go and buy your competitors one costing twice the price.
If you want video, buy a video camera.
Can I have a stills camera, please.
Just keep your thumb away from the video button, amazingly just by doing this simple thing you have a stills camera…pretty good huh?
Woah. I need to try this!!! Haha
Everyone, please take a giant leap into the year 2012. The days of having a plain old still camera are G-O-N-E. Ain’t gonna happen any more. zippo. fine.
If you want a FF Sony that doesn’t have video…. you have two choices…. buy an old A900 or the new camera AND DONT PRESS THE VIDEO BUTTON.
It’s pretty simple. I could probably teach my dog not to hit the video button if he, you know…. DOESNT WANT TO RECORD VIDEO.
Speculation that a stills only Alpha will appear within a few years. Not vogue currently… but if Leica is making a B&W only cam, then there is a breath of hope yet for the stills purist.
Why do so many have such difficulty accepting change? Photography is constantly evolving and the combination of stills and video is just the latest step in that evolution. The Leica M10 rumors say it has CMOS, live view and video. When announced how will the photo purists survive? These same whiny arguments were made years ago as companies started to focus more on digital. Now film is a niche market. These days a stills only camera appeals to a very small portion of the overall user base. Sony needs a homerun in the DSLR market, full frame with class leading video would be such a hit. Enhanced video capabilities will not impact stills in any way.
I recently remember the mob saying more MPix was bad, stop the MPix race, but when Sony said their first FF will have 24 not 36 MPix most now did not think a 24 MPix camera was worthy of their hard earn dollars. They will wait for the higher resolution. However, prior to the Nikon’s groundbreaking 36MPix camera that type of camera was mere folly. If Sony was the first to introduce a 36 MPix camera I am sure they would have heard how ridiculous it was to pursue such heights. Now that it is mentioned that Sony is concentrating on ensuring really good video in their camera people automatically assume that Sony is dropping the ball on still images. I cannot believe that a $2800 camera will not take a good photo. I think Sony assumes it can do that, they are taking it a step further and making sure they can make video production excellent as well. OK, at least that is what I hope they are doing.
Got no problems with change. Got no problems with wanting a fully manual no frills camera either. I’m not saying you can’t have wizbang. Have at it. Enjoy. But I’d still prefer an OM-1 style DSLR without any wizbang at all.
We’ve seen enough retro design of digital rangefinders to offer speculation that DSLRs will also one day entertain minimalist retro design philosophies again. Not fashionable now. But it will be in a few years, for a while.
La estrategia de Sony detrás de la A99, simplemente Sony empieza a realizar sus cámaras dejando el pasado Minolta, sus cámaras empiezan a tener lo que Sony quiere de una cámara, SLT, Video, EVF etc…solo la montura quedará de los tiempos Minolta.
I’m waiting for the “A higher resolution and more “photo” oriented FF camera will follow in 2013!”
I’m very Interested in a new FF camera, but I am a photographer, so have very little interest in video. Video ias nice to hve, but my SLT is a still photo camera first and foremost.
I am more interested in the quality and performance of still images but do want video ability that my 850 lacks. Just because there is emphasis on video one should not conclude that we are not going to see excellent still images from this camera. It seems to me that Sony is positioning this camera as a great all around camera.
Sony asked pro still photographers and they answered they want great video? Am I missing something?
What about a short flange so I can add an adaptor and use Canon, Nikon etc lenses? Is that interesting enough?
The problem that I see is that since 2 years ago the video market has moved on. Now companies like Canon have dslr-like models made specifically for video…sure they cost a bit more but most video people are used to paying a lot more.
Look at the video guys that popularized using the dslr for video: Laforet, Bloom, et al…they now have moved on and mostly are using higher end video equipment. Read their blogs…2 yrs ago every post was about the 5d2 and how great it was…now they yawn at the superior 5d3.
This isn’t like 2 or 3 yrs ago…there are far more options, the market is far more fragmented…going on what the market wanted 2 yrs ago is chasing the wrong target…2 yrs in the tech world is like 10 or 15 yrs in most industries…
“. . . the only way to break the Nikon and Canon hegemony in the Full Frame world.” Really? How about introduce more full-frame cameras? It’s been a LONG time since Sony produced a new full-frame camera. Why? If they were to introduce a new full-frame camera every year, like they do with their smaller cameras, they would sell more big, full-frame lenses. If they were to make a $1,500 full-frame camera that shoots at the old 24 megapixel quality of the A850, but with live view and 1080p60 video, then they would have a real winner! Then they could follow that with a new $2,000 camera that shoots a little faster and has two memory card slots. And that could fill in the space between the A99 and the cheap full-frame camera. How about make more lenses? It would take a few $million invested in marketing and development of lenses, but Sony already has a great line of cameras! All they need to do to really pull more pro and semi-pro photographers is make a few more pro level lenses and a couple of tilt-shift (perspective control) lenses, and they will have a very competitive line of lenses. Already they win in some lens categories. Already Tamron and Sigma make their lenses for Sony cameras.
Frankly, I can’t see a pro switching from Nikon or Canon, when they have a bunch of money invested in lenses and bodies, if Sony doesn’t offer more variety in their lens system. Sony needs to match Canon’s prices with lenses that are just as good. Sony needs to make a couple more lenses that are better than Canon lenses, such as a 50mm f1.0 that is available here in the U.S. for just $1,500. (and it needs to be REALLY good) No, they would not sell many . . . but it is not what you sell that counts. It is your image. The 50mm f1.0 may not be a profitable venture, but it would be an image and reputation building exercise. Sometimes I think that companies don’t understand that type of thing anymore.
Hell, make it an experiment! Make just 500 of them and sell them below cost! How much can they possibly lose, if they spend $1 million to design and set up for manufacturing, and then spend $2,000 to make each lens, and sell only 500 of them? (The answer . . . $2 million . . . even if they give them all away.) What do you think Sony spends on marketing each year? All the free publicity of a 50mm f1.0 lens would probably be worth the money they might lose on the actual sales. The reputation they would gain would make a huge difference to their sales.
Don’t forget, Sony has huge advantages over Canon and Nikon when a fixed focal length lens is placed on a Sony camera. People seem to forget this. Image stabilization is in the Sony body. Canon and Nikon AUTOMATICALLY lose, when it comes to primes. Why does Sony not seem to recognize this?
I for one really hope that the EVF is upgraded to a more acceptable state. The super-low dynamic range with washed out highlights and terrible lags while panning indoors in current version of the A77 EVF makes it unusable for my needs. People compared it against other EVFs on the market where the technology should be compared to the one it attempts to replace – the OVF. In the FF market, all cameras have bigger brighter OVFs. Surely EVFs can overlay stuffs on the view, magnify image for crucial focusing and provide real-time preview of the shot. However, a $15 VF attachment on the back of the LCD screen can do all that with better dynamic range than the current versiin of A77 EVF. This EVF is the main reason I’m still sticking with older OVF models from Sony.
And, I can understand the outcry of people wanting primarily a still camera. For me, I love having highend video capabilities in my camera. However, I think people rightly wanna point out to Sony that it is mainly a pro still camera, so that Sony does not forget to put pro stil features in it: e.g. tethering, all kinds of bracketing options, intervelometer… etc. These are comparitively small features, but Sony often tends to ignore them.
It’s been clear for some time that Sony thinks only video is needed. So they will put out the a99 “camcorder”. Lots of compromises for still photography. A LED Flash! that really shows how little they are considering still photography. Meanwhile they discontinued their only true macro flash with no replacement. Going downhill step by step for still photographers, except maybe the very small proportion of camera sales that are to wanna be pro studio photographers.
And the ISO shoe is brought out to match Canon and Nikon cameras. If they really want to match Canon and Nikon cameras they should do it where it’s far more important, ie Pentaprism Ovf Viewfinders in true DSLRs, that’s what Canon and Nikon people choose and use.
Won’t beat Canon and Nikon doing that, Canon and Nikon cameras are built and bought foremost for still photography. Because the users do, by far, still photography over any video at all.
Nothing wrong with bringing out new video cameras, Sony has a whole video section for that. Just no longer any still camera section.
rlol I love this belief that the stills side is going to be a poor second in the cameras make up is laughable and judging by the fact that most manufactures have video function on their latest dslr / slt ‘s they thing so too!
Sticking with OVF is not going to beat Canon and Nikon either, producing a camera that offers high IQ at a broad range of ISO settings, quality sensor, good fps and a range of manual and programmable options and make it user friendly will stand more chance.
Si
For an old Minolta owner with lots of optics, the late offerings and rumoured new cameras, makes me a bit sad. I have invested in a new Nikon system, still hoping Sony will look back and launch
a camera that is made for photographers, NOT “videographers”. Holding a A77 is like holding a videocamera in a SLR shape, EVF makes this even worse.
So sad, but then: “A rumoured FF still-oriented camera” – could this be the new “Dynax 7”? If yes, I’m in! Listen Sony!
I shoot a850 and a77 side by side. Image quality difference is obvious. A77 raw also takes more computer power. I do like the EVF, but it may be quite distracting. Having tried Nikon D4 I want to give sony a chance with a99. If it fails, which I doubt, Nikon D4 will replace my Sony equipment. Nikon D4 strongest points being it’s excellent AF performance, fast handling and great lay out, clean high iso and flash performance.
A850 is excellent but lacks the freedom of a more advanced AF module, a77 is cool and shows promises in Auto focus technology, but is not so reliable as Full Frame yet. I have hopes for a99.