I always told you that A-mount would continue and that there is likely a lot of exciting stuff coming in early 2014. But it’s great to get a direct feedback from Sony on that matter. SAR reader Brad got the following mail from Sony:
Thank you for contacting Sony Support. I understand that your concern is regarding the A-mount being replaced by the E-mount system. The A-mount units have always been the flagship ever since the release of the very first Sony Alpha camera. Much like the Single Lens Translucent (SLT) technology, the E-mount system is an innovation, introduced to further expand our interchangeable lens line, and in no way a replacement for the A-mount system. Rest assured that we will further develop the A-mount system together with the E-mount, introducing new technology and upgrading features. We will continue to expand our lens and accessory selection, as well as better the functions of the cameras to adapt to our customers growing needs and wants. We currently do not have advanced information on the release of cameras, lenses and accessories, as well as software and firmware updates. Sony Electronics only releases full product and support information at the same time it is officially released to the marketplace by our Marketing Department. However, some limited advanced information is often published in various magazine articles. You may also check the Sony Support and Sony Store website below for news and updates in the future.
That’s really THE answer we needed from Sony. Thanks!
199 Responses
WAIT AND SEE –
We are Not believing Sony these days
We have to Wait and See for
All Sony Final Deliverables
We have a lot invested in A Mount Minolta glass
Who is this “We”. Borg?
Agree..
Sony Customer service just tell what we want to hear.
They will never make a promise and they can change their planning anytime they want(according to the market needs).
E-mount is for mirror-less camera.
A-mount is for camera with mirror or SLT.
IF the focus speed & accuracy of the On-sensor PD is as accurate as the current PD sensor, all the new camera will be E-mount.
+1000000
That’s great and all. But let’s see it. I’m an MFT Olympus/Pana user, along with being an Sony a FF user – and I follow the MFT rumors and threads as well. And Olympus said the same things about the FourThirds mount – “the E7 is coming!” Lo and Behold, there will never be another FT camera, the EM1 is it. And there seems to be quite a few comparisons between E-Mount & MFT and FT & a-mount (so far). But I’m giving Sony the benefit of the doubt for the time being.
I don’t know why you continue to think that just because you don’t like every product Sony produces that they are not catering to people that do.
Just a few moment ago,
Sony’s staff said that they would still produce OVF camera.
And all of a sudden they change the plan, because the technology of EVF is improved and all the new camera became EVF. Unique products (EVF + SLT) with fast video focus can attract more new customers.
The same thing happen again,
Sony suddenly change the Minota’s hot-shoes to ISO hot-shoes to attract more Cankon users.
and the current Sony user has to use a adapter for they flash & accessories on new body.
You can imagine that,
With the improvement in On-sensor PD technology, mirrorless E-mount camera can have fast video focus without the need of the Translucent mirror.
E-mount (with shorter flange distance) can change to others mounts easily with adapter(include Cankon, alpha mount).
Sony would like to attract more Cankon users to expanse their market share, rather than just keep(please) their current users.
Just compare the effort they put between E-mount and Alpha-mount.
A few newly designed E-mount lens and camera,
But they postpone & reduce the number of alpha camera and
they re-new alpha lens by changing lens body color, coating and firmware only.
Sony finally comenting on such a stupid rumor lol 🙂
I don’t know why people kept posting this over and over like a mantra..
Halleluja!
lol… do you really think they would “admit” if they were planing to give up the a mount ?
they would stay silent if their plan would be to drop A-mount!!!! But they did answer. That’s the point 🙂
Well, they certainly have no immediat plans to trop the a-mount and there certainly will be at leat a new a-mount generation. But from a business point of view it’s not reasonable to support two mounts with two sensor sizes for each. It might have been an option to have E-mount for APS-C and a-mount for FF in the long run. But with the E-mount going FF I think this is not what Sony is looking for. At the moment Sony tries a lot. It seems that they want to see what really works. When the a-mount doesn’t get a good hold within the market against Canon and Nikon with the next generation I can’t image that this mount will have a future. And I doubt it will have, not becuase the camera will be bad, but because you buy a system and not only a camera …
I think SONY will likely drop APS sensors for SLT Cameras in the near future. FF Sensors for A-Mount, and APS-C for NEX would make the most business sense.
You know that Sony will soon introduce a FF NEX line (according to this site and Andrea was pretty good with rumors in the past)?
My guess is that NEX is the future. It’s a way to differentiate from Canikon because cameras can be slimer. With phase detect AF on the sensor people will be able to use all a-mount lenses on NEX too, so the transition is not that hard. (But you won’t be able to use any NEX lens on a-mount.)
+1 to what fuel said above. I’m biased because of all the FF Alpha lenses I already own, but I think there is more danger of the Sony dropping “E-mount” lenses than Alpha. They can keep both. E mount for those who want small cameras with large zoom ranges, and the Alpha line for more serious photographers.
@Davethehiker E-mount for small cameras? I guess you missed the A3000 release then and the rumours of more advanced E-mount dSLR types such as a 7 series. It’s clear that E-mount does NOT mean small body.
Of course your correct. I did dismiss the A3000 from my mind because of the Full Frame rumors and that it’s APS-C. My hope is that the FF Nex that will come out very soon and that it will be sized somewhere between my current A900 and a Nex-7. I’m ready to buy. I hope the Z-axis focus thing is true, but even without that I’m ready to buy.
The A3000 is hardly DSLR sized. Its basically housed in a HX300 compact camera. Basically its hollow as there isn’t any stuff filled in its grip.
Sony has launched NEX lenses at an excruciatingly slow pace and I doubt that will change terribly in the future. I have no doubt that NEX is the future but at this point in time Sony will commit financial suicide if they drop the A mount.
Olympus scenario is different. Their 4/3rd line up never did very well in the first place while the A mount sales are at least decent.
Andrea, you believe in the good in people and companies and that they stand to their word – that’s wonderful!!! 🙂
That’s surely better than seeing conspiracy theories everywhere like many people do in comments on SAR.
Facts > personal opinions
A-mount users think they’re smart for being able to predict the death of their own mount, but they’re actually willingly assisting the process with the never-ending parade of doom and gloom. The difference between a u43 or Fuji X-mount user and their ability to communicate the value of their systems to others is like night and day compared with A-mount users on forums. Word of mouth probably explains a lot of why these cameras became so successful so quickly.
This is true. +1
What is most surprising is that the A mount is the more complete system compared to E mount so I fail to see where the pain is.
+1, John. Well said!
+1 man, you’re so right and therefore it’s like people are trying to create a self-fullfilling prophecy even if it hurts them. Therefore please stop that s**t.
The A-mount with its IBIS has greater potential than the CaNikon systems together when considering users value for money. The problem is that every store seller use CaNikon, know nothing about Sony, and when N00bs come to buy a camera and ask for advice only get to hear about CaNikon. I’ve even had store owners arguing that the G15 gave better IQ than the RX100… wanted to shove that G15 up his somewhere…
You’re absolutely correct, John Maverick. But this discontent has always been seeded by outsiders.
Canon and Nikon users moan about their brands, it hasn’t meant the end of those. Fuji got where they are for producing great and fairly unique cameras that the camera reviewers loved, not by word of mouth. Sony should take note.
+1 and counting. Besides, I really think Sony has been doing some very new and nice things in the last few years, there are drawbacks but also advantages… I think we (alpha owners) should be able to see the good sides sometimes.
@Emir
Trouble is most pros buying a full frame system still want a DSLR with an OVF – and they can only get that from Canon or Nikon.
Sony made a very good start with the A900 / A850 and the ZA lenses – sure it didn’t sell all that well, but few pros want to buy into the first generation of a camera with no pro-level support – and most were already invested in Canon/Nikon equipment. Instead of continuing and developing that line, Sony went SLT and EVF. It was pretty clear from the start that SLT was a stopgap technology – but leading to what? Anyway it didn’t give anyone rational more confidence in the long term viability of the A-mount.
They shouldn’t have switched to EVF on that level of camera until EVFs were much better. They may have been a match for an APS-C pentamirror but not for a full frame OVF. And SLT? Few want to loose 1/2 stop of light from expensive ZA lenses and expensive full frame sensor. They should have waited until they had on sensor PDAF as fast as traditional PDAF systems. Few pros wanted to pay to be a kind of beta tester for the latest unproved Sony technology.
Well I guess it will all depend on the success of the new NEX generation. If they are a huge success I wouldn’t count on many more A mount generations to come. If they turn out to become/stay a nice product than they will never give up A-Mount (or not as long as they can affort to run a photo division)
Save your breath, Admin, they will not listen. Is A-mount dead? Only time can tell. But I would rather believe Sony’s words than the comments here that solely based on speculations.
You’re quite right. Some people are prone to preview calamities, they need to feel important and create havoc to say “I told you…”! It’s called “self-assurance build-up”. I try to just ignore those, although it’s an annoying evil on every Forum!
+1
Exactly!
… cannot agree with your theory Admin. Sorry.
Well, there’s not a lot of evidence that they intend to replace it. You may have noticed that every e-mount lens released so far is in keeping with Sony’s line that it’s a compact system… Even the ff lenses have obviously been designed to be compact.
The a-mount adapters are there to increase the lens selection on e-mount bodies, not to do away with a-mount bodies. At some point in the future they might consolidate to a single mount, but imho the clue will be when e-mount glass starts hitting the 1kg mark.
Even then I wouldn’t be too worried if they still use stepper motors rather than ultrasonic ring type motors. Currently there are no NEX lenses to offer the latter, which is the only way to achieve ultra fast PDAF for larger lenses, no matter how advanced the body attached to that lens.
That’s a really good point and I agree. If we do start seeing faster lenses, or perhaps lenses that directly match a mount offerings, then I’d think it would be safe to assume then, what Sony’s real intentions are. For me, another indicator would be the success of the new ILC line. If Sony really does well with these models, I can see a reason for them to begin producing heavier and larger glass since those bodies at least, have the ergonomics and size needed to support the added bulk. Particularly though, if their higher end models like an A5000/7000 do well, since those are the customers most likely to purchase such glass.
To me, the new A3000 is a sort of first step towards possibly transitioning to a single mount camera lineup.
Right–you have virtually no evidence that Sony intends to abandon A-mount; you have their word that they do not so intend; and you have the ongoing introduction of high-quality, expensive-to-develop cameras and lenses. Of course, the FUD-spreaders always say “sure they’ll introduce one more generation, and then that’s it–especially if they don’t sell. But they HAVE sold–the A99 for example, according to Sony, has made a lot of money for them.
lol, do you really think they would even bother putting in the effort of releasing the new Zeiss 50mm f1.4 and 70400G II if they planned on ending the a-mount? And don’t forget the rumor of the new 70200G II
Two minor lens updates and a 50mm that’s been in development for years means nothing about the future of the mount.
Now if they started to fill gaping holes in the lens line-up then I’d agree with you, but to me these are just sticking plasters to keep the current line-up going for a while.
mmm see what olympus said and what they’ve done…
If Sony would get rid of A mount, then why Sony is releasing new A mount lenses??
Because they aren’t ready to do so for E-mount. Nobody is saying that A-mount is dead right NOW are they? In five years though, who knows?
And who knows how long E-mount will survive? It surely isn’t dead right NOW is it? In five years though, who knows?
You really are a fanboy. They are clearly pouring resources into E-mount, the evidence is there to see, there is NO question that E-mount will be around for a long time.
But where are the new A-mount models? A crappy A58 that they don’t push and a new E-mount dSLR type body instead. Wow, that really shows commitment to A-mount.
The Alpha line up generally has a 3 – 4 year cycle. Most of the current bodies – A77, A99, A65 and A58 are barely 2 years old. So there isn’t really expected to be any new bodies till 2014 when the A77 and A65 are due for replacement. The A99 probably has another year left.
NEX bodies generally have way to many launches will probably tell us that people buy only the bodies and not many native lenses so Sony needs to keep churning out bodies to keep sales up.
So there is really no indication whatsoever that Sony is discontinuing the A mount anytime soon, only unsubstantiated rumours without any real facts.
I highly doubt that email comes from any higher ranked manager anyway.
He crossed his fingers while typing this, muhahahaha.
“That’s really THE answer we needed from Sony. Thanks!”
I’ve got a bridge to sell ya
…….. sincerally i’m not that positive about A Mount… Of course Sony must give some illusion for future innovations in the A Mount, just in order to do not kill the sales of Current Products. No one would like to invest on a possibly soon to be death system…. I think that even Sony does not really know what to do with the A Mount… I’ve a Sony A55, and i’d love to upgrade it someday and keep my 35mm 1.8 lens with me… Just my 2cents
They mention magazine articles so you would think they could have credited SAR as a great source for Sony news too!
If I remember correctly they actually had an issue with SAR’s name.
That’s interesting. I was being tongue in cheek, but I could understand their reluctance to name specific sources of news lest it be considered as endorsement.
They are not able to devellop a complete range of A-mount lenses (400mmF2,8 – 600mmF4 – 100mm macro SSM etc…) and they want to devellop a second range !!! Pfffffffffff
A mount development is incomplete…..E mount (APSC)has a lot to go…
And E mount (Full frame) will start now. Hopefully by 2020 AD we may have lenses in all focal range in all of the above segment..to compete with CANIKON range.
Hope the current camera industry trend remains as it is now…unless there is a drastic change in the industry (like what Iphone did to the phone industry and the yesterdays super-stars were killed/bruised badly…eg Motorola, Nokia, Blackberry etc)
I do have to agree that 5 lenses in a year for E mount is a good speed (compared to Nikon & Canon)…but not enough to convince customers to switch from the CANIKONS.
More-ever we feel Sony is wasting resources in development …least cared by majority of Sony E mount camera owners (duplicate lens range, multiple camera models)..instead of caring for existing E mount camera owners by making commonly used lenses.
It will be wise to cover the complete range first and then paly with Niche market.
Sony do not release any information about the next steps.
We believe in Sony technology and deserve respect.
Hardly anyone make unplanned purchases, and I really do not know if I buy new lenses or if I take the indecision of Sony and change my system.
My business plan depends on it.
On this stage, of course they can’t admit that A-mount is gonna die. But if the a-mount mirrorless camera was really released, it also reflects that the Sony plans to shift the whole AF system on sensor rather than the optical system. Technically, there is not much meaning to keep both system alive to serve a niche A mount market. An advanced AF adapter is good enough to satisfy the need of pro lenses from the range of 200-800mm. And I beg Sony to vitalize G lenses through E-mount. Zeiss lenses are attractive but the price is still a problem of popularity. Sony please don’t make another mistake again and again.
I doubt you have even a shred of sales figures to back your statement of lackluster camera sales on A mount.
Anyways, an adapter that costs $279 is never going to be a solution for most people out there and I would rather cut my loses and move to another system if Sony discontinues the A mount.
Don’t get me wrong I do believe the A mount will be replaced in future but I seriously doubt if it will be anytime in the next 5 years at least.
The A-mount may very well have a bright future, I certainly hope so! But this is just some support person admitting that he/she doesn’t have any information. Only an official Sony press release would carry some actual weight.
“Only an official Sony press release would carry some actual weight.”
THIS.
If Sony are that confident, then come out and say it. Produce a roap-map of A-mount lens and body releases. Give us a system to have confidence in.
Their silent is deafening.
+1
And what noise is there from Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc, etc, etc. No Company gives advance notice of future products, as this could give an advantage to competitors.
They don’t need to, there is no doubt over their commitment to their systems.
And what has Sony done exactly to show that its winding up the A mount other than some ramblings of some users on SAR ?
If Sony release a couple of serious new A-mount bodies that provide a clear indication of the direction they intend to take with the A-mount in the future, people might start to regain some faith in the medium to long term viability of the mount. SLT was not that.
Will Sony still keep and maintain A-mount? They say they will. Sure, but for how long? Will they keep 2 mounts with (soon to be) the same kind of body (AXXXX is E-mount in a DSLR/T like body)..? They will also keep the NEX, E-mount in compact body. Two mounts, same body..? Or, one mount (E-mount) with different bodies (compact and bulky one)..? The last one sounds more logical. goo.gl/o0KDHd
Zero logic for your reasoning. A mount is not some electronics and some metal. Its a system with lenses and other accessories and please don’t say a $279 adapter which lacks FF compatibility is the answer.
Sony is just going to make mirrorless cameras that take lenses from all mounts by shifting the sensor, so it won’t even matter what mount your lens is anymore.
Does anyone actually have numers of how it goes for the different mounts? People keep saying A-mount doesn’t go well, but nobody knows whether Sony makes a profit on it or not. “You almost never see photographers using Sony cameras outside…” and neither do I see Panasonic, Olympus etc… but hey, they still make cameras and sell! I doubt that Sony would have developed these cameras we have today if they didn’t make a profit on it… and espcecially considering that they bought a whole division from a Minolta for this sole purpose…
It depends on a continent. In USA and Japan Sales of E-mount cameras are much higher than A-mount. In Europe and rest of the world sales of A mount is much better than E-mount.
If Sony had plans to drop the A moiunt then they would tell third party lens manufacturers such as Sigma, Tamron, Samyang first and you notice a lack of new lenses from these in Sony A mount. The lenses keep coming.
No they wouldn’t. Third-party manufacturers wouldn’t be told anything, it is commercially sensitive information.
Sincere question: Why is it supposed to be good to continue the A-Mount product line with new A-Mount cameras, if and when E-Mount cameras can fully support existing A-Mount lenses at some point of time in the future? When even A-Mount cameras will be mirrorless anyway?
Given two hypothetical, perfectly identical, future cameras – except for the mount, one with A-Mount and the other with E-Mount and a simple adapter providing full A-Mount support without needing an SLT mirror – for the same price, what would you buy?
I, for one, would buy the E-Mount camera, even if I was a long-time A-Mount-only user, and even if it just was for the potential option of being able to mount E-Mount lenses if someday I should want to do so.
Because existing A-mount users are a captive market, that don’t require a lot of marketing effort or capital investment to make a profit from. It’s probable Sony just subcontract the majority of their lens manufacture to Cosina or Tamron anyway which makes continuing A-mount simply an accounting and not a strategic decision.
They already DO subcontract to Tamron and others, and THIS applies to E-mount too. SEL1018 and SEL50F18 were developed by Tamron. Under the hood there is much more than we’re told about.
Yup, I wasn’t trying to exclude E-mount from the analysis. Just explain why A-mount is not the cost-centre that some claim.
It’s alot about the image stabilization I’d say… E-mount image ciricle can barely cope with the FF sensor… and if that sensor would move… good luck. So IBIS on FF E-mount is likely impossible. It’s maybe possible on APS-C….
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_stabilization#Sensor-shift
Then we have the screw driven AF of the A-mount lenses that many have invested in… Can they get AF on E-mount cams?
It wasn’t long ago that people were saying that FF E-mount was impossible too.
Yeah, but since that is/was on the physical limit, I doubt this is possible… simply because of a too small image circle. Maybe it is possible for APS-C, but FF I’m very doubtful. I hope I’m wrong.
I wonder if it is possible to keep A-mount and instead of the mirror have in-built filters, ND, IR, etc. That could be nice.
If all the recent rumors are not false, the upcoming full-frame NEX will have the excellent 5-axis sensor-based stabilization designed by Olympus, which is probably even more effective than Sony’s existing stabilization in A-Mount cameras. So I don’t think that will be a problem…
Hubertus I sure hope that the rumours are right and that there will be IBIS in E-mount cameras, but I will believe it when I see it. IBIS requires physical space for the sensor to move, and I doubt that space exists in Nex cameras, but maybe in the ILCEs… If Sony would provide a camera that has IBIS and full AF support for lenses other than E-mount, they could own the entire market with that camera… Nikon/Canon owners could switch and get all their lenses stabilized. And that’s pretty good… And in such case it doesn’t matter if native A-mount cameras aren’t made, as long as we who have invested in the optics can use it with full functionality.
Just on the point of AF on E-mount cameras – isn’t that exactly what the LA-EA2 provides?
I know it provides AF, but not on what lenses. Does it include screw-drive lenses such as old Minolta glass or only SAM/SSM?
Both. LAEA2 supports all lenses similar to every Sony DSLR/SLT.
The lea2 adapter drives all screw mount alpha lens including Minolta lenses. It is a common misconception that it only works with ssm/Sam. That was the case for the older lea-1 adapter
and indeed the newer LA-EA3
Colin, the newer LA-EA3 does NOT support AF on A mount lenses but it covers FF… it’s … Typical
Yes, that is what I was saying, though I see my comment wasn’t very clear. I was leading on from Mr M’s comment, “That was the case for the older lea-1 adapter”
…and indeed the newer LA-EA3.
LA-EA1 doesn’t support AF for screw-drive lenses, LA-EA2 does, LA-EA3 doesn’t, maybe LA-EA4 will be compatible with AF for screw-drive lenses as well as full-frame?!
Yes, it is, but it is rather bulky and expensive and it suffers from the disadvantages of the SLT mirror, which is going to be completely abolished now if rumors are true.
Does that adapter have an SLT mirror?
Yes I see now that it has an SLT mirror… I hope that Sony may realease a new adapter that doesn’t have the mirror, since the cameras are assumed to get OSPDAF.
Here’s what’s supposed to be the LA-EA3 adapter… no screw drive AF motor.!
Here’s what’s supposed to be the LA-EA3 adapter… no screw drive AF motor.!
http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/img/avw/docs/558/881/html/P1060090.jpg.html
The LA-EA2 adapter provides APS-C coverage with some additional vignetting. It doesn’t support FF lenses on a FF sensor. Currently there exists an LA-EA3 which supports FF lenses but is extremely slow in focusing.
Agreed. Maybe there won’t be enough space with E-mount for stabilization? Or something else? And I see many commenters here not liking the option of adapters.
Another useless comment. Are you trying to land a job with Sony? Or you already have one? A cheap one, to be sure. Moderation would be good here.
Take your pointless comment elsewhere please.
Are you the moderator? Are you “Vlad”? Are you sad?
What is there to like about an electronic adapter ? First off you have to have many of them if you have multiple camera bodies. Secondly you are adding 2 additional points of failure to your set up – either side of the adapter can develop contact issues. I already have 2 busted ETs as the contacts have degraded.
That IF is the big question. Right now the only option is via a bulky and expensive adapter. Not a good solution at all IMO. Secondly an adapter is adding another high point of failure especially if you mount a heavy lens.
You can ask any user of ETs or TCs who use them with heavy lenses.
Why do people think A mount is going to die off. That’s pretty absurd thing since they just released a few more lenses for it. Do you really think that Zeiss would let Sony release a new lens if A-mount is getting discontinued? Seems like alot of whingers on this site. Get out there and take photos and stop worrying behind a computer screen 🙂
You do realise that product lines continue to be developed right up to the day that they are dropped? I guess you don’t!
Zeiss will continue to develop lens designs as long as they get paid to do so, they couldn’t care less if Sony drops the manufacture of them as long as they get paid for the design.
Is there actually any point in keeping A mount if Sony made a dust and splash proof A-E adapter? Lenses that actually need it have tripod collars anyways. Besides, if you actually knock it over, a system with an adapter in between will probably have a higher chance of surviving as it has a higher degree of freedom (the force will be dissipated over two mounts instead of one).
Most of serious photographers or advanced amateurs don’t have any desire of using adaptors. And the more expensive camera you use the less likely you’ll be using adaptors.
There are many reasons for that, whatever adaptor is dust-proof or not changes very little.
“We currently do not have advanced information on the release of cameras, lenses and accessories, as well as software and firmware updates. ”
In other words, “I am a low level support agent and don’t have any information on the future of A-mount at all, so go and read a magazine”.
Yeah, that really inspires confidence. 😉
Actions speak louder than words, there are very few signs of Sony committing to A-mount compared to E-mount. A couple of lens updates doesn’t cut it for me and they actually dropped an A-mount camera in favour of an E-mount dSLR type body.
Why you are so worried?
Don’t have any camera? you got a77 for APS-C, a99 for FF
There are more than ediquate lenses for your A mount camera – Zeiss, G and cheap option as well.
Need an advanced camera? Wait few months, and you will get it.
It took many years for Canon and Nikon to reach this far, so please have patience my friend 🙂
Sony have had 8 years, how long do they need?
Sony is selling A mount bodies including a FF one and many many lenses. Why are you worried ? Because of some people on SAR who have said it is so ? What proof do they have ?
Well, that was pretty clear anyway, but it is nice to see that Sony are communicating.
e-mount was designed specifically to build the light weight small compact nearly pocketable cameras.
As the sensor is supposed to be cropped, the decision was also made to make it with shortened flange focal distance.
small lens size means also light weight for the autofocusing elements in it, so the CDAF is also doable.
So, this is a perfect fit for mass general family photography.
But for FF keeping the short flange distance is not a good idea – the edge losses of light and detail will be noticeably bigger then for the normal case.
For bigger lens having CDAF – is no go. Simply because it is impossible to move focusing lens group back and forth fast enough.
Until now there is no any sign of presence on the Earth of the on-matrix PDAF, which can compete with the DSLR/SLT one. The best attempt is Canon 70D live view. Impressive, compare to the on-matrix PDAF competitors, but way less impressive then native DSLR focusing of the same 70D.
So, wenever there is a need for bigger lens or higer quality FF – the e-mount is just not about to work.
Well, it can work if you have very, very limited requirements. For example – if you only do street photography. Than FF E-mount might be nearly perfect.
Not so much for anything else though.
If only the opinion did not change too fast!
Well well,
what else should they say if they still have a lot A-Mount Lenses in the stores, 50mm ZA still not yet available in some countries.
Manufacturers will never tell you that a product line will die. So this email ist just marketing blah. Time will tell.
It is a bit scary though as you only hear from e-mount now, If you go for Nex-FF you will need to buy a whole new lense set anyway, whether you are a or e mount user. Good for sony, or not.
As for my a-mount lenses I would really be disappointed if they d drop the alpha models. I don’t think an adapter is a good solution, the current a-e adapters are bulky and I think they loose af speed.
Upset users might take the opportunity to switch to Canikon.
Let’s see
maybe in the long run they will go the same way as oly. with an a-mount to e-mount adapter. or even a real interchangeable mount camera for higher precision. but I don’t care about the a-mount anyway.
I take the statement from this Sony “representative” with a pinch of salt. Sony, like any business, will go with whatever makes them money. For me it makes no sense to have E and A Mount “competing” against each other.If Sony decide E mount is for NEX and A is for SLT or mirrorless DSLR type bodies, then that would probably work. Right now I have absolutely no idea which direction Sony is going, it’s very confusing and does not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. One thing is for certain – Sony is spending an absolute fortune on E mount and not so much on A mount, yet. I have no intention of jumping ship, I will use my current Sony equipment until it falls to pieces, and then explore my options. It does the job perfectly – for me anyway.
A mount will be useless (no advantage),
1)When Sony develops very good / comparable Autofocus speeds with PDAF
(See Olympus patent of double layer sensor for PDAF on sensor)
http://www.43rumors.com/new-olympus-patent-describes-improved-phase-detection-af-tech/
2)Sony has very good camera with FAT (AXXX series)E mount system
Then it is better to get off the disadvantage of having A mount
a)Bulky ..like other DSLR’s
b)Less light reaching the sensor..as partial light is taken away by fixed mirror to PDAF sensor
Afterall better innovation over-rules yesterdays innovations
FAT E mount camera is to give better camera handling with heavy lenses
If the only difference remaining between Mirrorless A mount and mirrorless E mount is the mount dimension…then they should not co-exist as resources will be wasted in developing both simultaneously.
I agree E mount is a waste of resources 😉
E mount is the future but nowhere near complete right now. Lens line up is so far from complete right now that its a joke. No f1.4 primes, no fast f2.8 zooms, no long zooms/teleprimes nothing.
It will get better but A mount is far more a complete system right now and I doubt Sony will commit suicide by dropping the A mount system right now. I would prefer to believe the Sony rep than some random person commenting on a blog without proof.
I don’t understand why people say future is only mirrorless. Mirrorless bodies need full frame Mirror lenses like A-mount or EF lenses to exist.
Mirrorless are successfull because you can mount full frame lenses FROM ANY BRAND on them.
A-mount still has future because it could operate on Fuji X, EOS-M or m4/3. Can a FE-mount (FF e-mount) do this?
Universal body (E)
Universal lenses (A Full frame)
Stucked Mount body (A-mount)
Stucked Lenses (E-mount FF)
Yep. Good point.
Add to this the fact that people buying high-end gear usually have very little desire to use adopted lenses (heck – they have a huge restrains for using 3rd party glass like Tamron or Tokina – and these got native bayonet with all the features in), and you suddenly come out to the conclusion that Full Frame E-mount got very limited appeal.
so what do we learn: no matter who says what, people will only believe what they want to believe 😉
very funny: claiming full transperancy from a large company by using an acronym/anonymous web comment system, rotflmao!
Strange ppl still have this discussion. From the very start when E-mount appear Sony already stated that. A mount is high end, E mount is more consumer.
“Rest assured that we will further develop the A-mount system together with the E-mount, introducing new technology and upgrading features. We will continue to expand our lens and accessory selection, as well as better the functions of the cameras to adapt to our customers growing needs and wants”
This statement could also relate to the hybrid with sensor shift AF and the rumored A Mount lens upgrades. I believe that if they find a way to move their customers to E-Mount (e.g. with the Hybrid cam) they would drop A Mount immediately. They are just in a trap at the moment, dumping A Mount will produce a lot of noise and unsatisfied A Mount clients. Not what you want when you are already in troubles and you try to win with a new, improved line of cameras (FF NEX, NEX 7, RX..)
Also if the new products are really successful I wouldn’t want my A Mount system back, I think they will reach soon the point when stopping A Mount will be too tempting!
If a-mount cameras /lenses lose money or cannibalize higher profit sales of other Sony cameras/lenses than Sony will probably move to consolidate its users. So long as the line stays profitable than what reason would there be to kill it? The R&D that goes into it from now on will be shared amongst all the alpha lines.
Even if they do more to consolidate, it will probably be through the now to hybrid camera bodies / using a simple adaptor – which could be a good thing as it will open up more lens choices for a user if executed properly. I suspect the z-axis sensor may be for a hybrid mount camera (not for AF on manual lenses).
The reason would be that they can strategically focus on one system. Olympus did the same. Just think how easy it would be to communicate the advantages of the E Mount System to current CaNikon users without being careful to not harm your own A Mount. On top of that they could also focus all internal resources on E Mount (one R&D, One Production, One Marketing, One Sales).
Sounds pretty tempting to me!
Sony is a giant company with a huge imaging division (stills, video, broadcast, cinema, et al.) and they produce lenses in many different mounts. Supporting two mounts for still camera lenses is more than within their design and manufacturing capabilities. Olympus is quite small compares to Sony, and for them it makes sense to focus on a lone mount/system. Sony can handle it and should continue to do so if it is profitable.
And then comes Microsoft and buys Sony camera department for $7 bln to save A-Mount and puts WP on all Sony’s cameras 🙂
@Brendon, you asked “why would anyone buy a Sony lens when they could have a Nikon or Canon.” Perhaps because they are less expensive. Sony does need to build anti-shake into the lens. This gives them a manufacturing cost advantage.
You mentioned “expensive adapter.” I doubt they will be very expensive and you only need to buy one for every FAMILY of lenses that you want to use.
This was done years ago by Konica and people bought an adapter to use the Nikon or Canon lenses they already owned, on Konica bodies that had short flange distance. This was was back in the days of Film and prior to auto-focus. Every that was old is new again.
I seriously doubt this hybrid cam will make any financial sense for Sony. Why buy Sony lenses then when you can buy Nikon and Canon lenses ?
Also how will you mount these lenses ? On some expensive adapter ? Not too many people are fond of adapters you know.
I was referring to the hybrid a-e mount camera that was rumored (not the AF on MF lens universal camera).
I posted this in the wrong place. Hopefully it in the correct place now.
@Brendon, you asked “why would anyone buy a Sony lens when they could have a Nikon or Canon.” Perhaps because they are less expensive. Sony does need to build anti-shake into the lens. This gives them a manufacturing cost advantage.
You mentioned “expensive adapter.” I doubt they will be very expensive and you only need to buy one for every FAMILY of lenses that you want to use.
This was done years ago by Konica and people bought an adapter to use the Nikon or Canon lenses they already owned, on Konica bodies that had short flange distance. This was was back in the days of Film and prior to auto-focus. Every that was old is new again.
Always when these discussions come up it awakes in me the opinion, that the e-mount enthusiasts really want a-mount to die. 🙁
Furthermore, if a-mount lenses are supposed to be high-end products, this forbids use of an adaptor, sensor shift, mount shift or whatever. High end technology requires consistancy and “high-endness” of all parts with no compromises at all.
+1 E-mount people love to troll about A mount death, but we also have A mount trollers like that…
obviously fake…. no support rep would ever say anything like this….another hoax
well, there is not ways Sony gonna reply that the A mount is dead, don’t buy it. A-Mount will continue to live in E-mount with the adapter (and yes, for Nikon, Canon and olld SLR lens too). If the on-sensor-PD-AF can focus as fast as SLT or DSLR tech, E-mount will rise.
And this answer should confirm?
Really? Hope you are jokking!!!?
As reported in last sentence for new product:
At the same time its officially released
You should just understand that the answer to the questions:of A mount drop, model production stop, change in hot shoe format…
Sould be also:
At the same time its officially announced
This applies to sny company and product
Not only Sony and A mount.
Great to see a direct answer. I won’t be 100% assured until I actually see new cameras, but this answer will make me a bit more patient.
I do wonder whether the internet chatter pushed them into giving a direct response.
“develop A TOGETHER with E”, sounds like an adapter or a dual mount, which, if works properly, should be fine for A users after the introduction of the ILCE line, and would also benefit E users through access to A lenses
Don’t be ridiculous.
A mount users DO NOT WANT E mount bodies with adaptors.
E mount has bad handling, awful menus, no styling or ergonomics and terrible design.
First, e-mount is not just nex, an Ilce can have exactly the same design, controls etc. as any a-mount, if Sony only wants.
Second, the market just better likes nex design and handling than any of the a-mount cameras, otherwise there would not be a question on a-mount future.
I am one of those who like mirrorless and would never buy a dslr/slt, but I could buy a-mount lens if they worked properly with a simple and light adapter.
Oh really ? You read that line but not the bold line which says E mount will not replace A mount (at least not in the very near future).
Adapters are NOT a solution for everyone. I will never accept a system that requires me to buy adapters to use my lenses and I bet I won’t be alone.
I am not against a-mount, or a-mount cameras, though I am personally not interested in any a-mount or dslr camera . But to me the letter does not sound like an assurance that there will be many a-mount cameras in the future. It only speaks of a system, which may be Ilce plis adapter or double mount or anything like that. Personally, I think there is little difference between a mirrorless a-mount camera and an Ilce (havng the same controls etc.) with an adapter or double mount, actually, it is more flexible. But again, I am not advocating against a-mount cameras.
I have no doubts that A-mount will continue to be sold as bodies and lenses for the foreseeable future. If A-mount totally tanks and Sony is losing money then they eventually will drop it. If E-mount progresses to the point A-mount is not needed they might drop it, they might not if it continues to make money. Sony is not financially sound enough to keep a money losing product afloat for long, on the other hand they need stuff that makes them money. I really expect the compact camera line to go first with the exception of the RX series, and maybe tough cameras.
Olympus said the same 3-4 years ago.
Olympus is a far far smaller company and was embroiled in financial misdemeanors. Please don’t compare Olympus to a company like Sony where the camera division is actually turning a profit.
Look at the parallels in the smaller Olympus. They kept claiming that they will not abandon the 43 mount and apparantly even made a E7 prototype. In the end they just came up with the EM1 and an adapter.
This is exactly what is going to happen with the A mount. No need to lose one’s hair arguing for and against. We have seen Sony struggling/experimenting with the A mount- only mirror box to pseudo live view (last camera in that experiment. The A390) to the SLT.
Surely they can not totally orphan the A mount lenses like What Canon did to their FD stuff. Like Olympus showed, they can come up with an adapter. There also they have been experimenting. How many LA-EA adapters are out there in a very short time?
Cyrus’ post on the flash mount change is a sobering thought.
Sony are not Olympus, 4/3 was a waste of resources and doomed to fail.
I suspect many 4/3 normal users already have gone to other makers, EM-1 nice or not (overpriced no question) isn’t going to make a lot of sense. You can buy a FF DSLR for the same price.
Olympus have already lost most of their original 4/3 users anyway, it’s a mere token effort to round up the 8 people who actually still shoot with normal 4/3 cameras 😉
“round up the 8 people still using ..”. You are cruel! CRUEL.
Four thirds was doomed to fail from the outset. It failed at the promise of a smaller, lighter system. The E5 is bigger than any semi pro APS-C camera and its lenses weren’t much smaller either. Why would anyone buy such a system when its sensor performance was handicapped ?
m43 is successful as its got two companies driving it and it got first mover advantage.
Honestly even I wouldn’t bother releasing another 4/3rd camera anymore just for a few people.
The A mount base is far far larger than the 4/3rd base.
Sony pulled the plug on the A3x series. My guess is that they will eventually pull the plug on the a5x series. It would seem Sony does not want to add any more A-mount users via the low end SLT line. To get new camera bodies for the A-mount, you will have to keep climbing the Sony product ladder. So yes, technically they are not dropping the mount, but you will pay a premium to get new bodies…until they ultimately pull the plug.
I stopped at Best Buy to look at the a3000. The price is nice, but the features are slim and the quality is cheap. I’d prefer to spend $100 more for an a37 (I have one and think it’s very nice). I saw they had NEX-F3’s on clearance fro $170. I picked up one. No point standing outside and shouting at the rain. It’s time to start moving to eMount and this clearance item was a cheap way to try my lenses out (need to get the adapter).
Sadly the A58 is all we have now, a notable step back from the A57.
I hope the A58 is pulled soon it’s an embarrassing product, but the A3000 actually is far far worse, even cheaper feeling and downright awful design and handling.
It is a product that I would not wish to be associated with it sucks basically, terrible EVF, no eye sensor, awful NEX controls. This isn’t the future, this is a sick experiment which is going to flop badly.
Sony need to concentrate on class leading A Mount bodies and not cut down junk like the A3000
Which part of “A3000 is a CHEAP camera” do you not cope?
He is right, do not be arrogant, try to learn something instead.
By the way, has anyone tried a G15 yet? I find it much more usable than the internet-famous RX100 and all those low-end NEXes. It surely gives me more keepers, with its well-studied UI; but it may be down to my style.
Go try one in the shop it makes an EOS1100d look well built and that it a damn cheap feeling camera.
A3000 is a joke, it’s a hilarious one at that. Cheap or not it offers nothing for most users, and will flop sales wise. Oh and I forgot to mention, all these “E mount with A mount adaptor fans” well A3000 does not have IBIS, BIG downer for many
I’ve tried the A3000 in the store. And guess what, I bought one. So, obviously, it offered a lot to at least this one buyer.
With a great 20 megapixel APS-C sensor, an 18-55 kit lens that is decent and the same as most all NEX models before this year, a good solid grip on the right side, an admittedly low-res but serviceable EVF, and an also admittedly low-res, but again serviceable LCD (that is as good as those on the EOS 1100D/T3 and Nikon D3100), it is a good value for an entry-level APS-C ILC at US$399.
Is it an enthusiast’s dream camera. Of course not. DIfferent strokes for different folks. And that’s why Sony has the NEX-3N, -5T, -6, -7, A58, A77 and A99. And more to come I’m sure. CHill out and tolerate man.
The A58 never claimed to be the A57 successor. Its a cheaper camera and it made no bones about that fact. Still it has a newer better sensor and a better EVF which are two important things. It does lack in the burst department but not everyone uses that. The screen size is reduced and so is the resolution but honestly its not that bad as the A37 which is downright ugly.
The A3000 is the cheapest new ILC camera ever ! AND it comes with an EVF. If you don’t like the EVF don’t use it. Also as on date its got the best IQ for a mirrorless APS-C camera.
+1 Brendon. Well said.
“The best IQ”… What is it? Camera on a tripod, with plenty of time to focus, maybe even focus-bracket, we shoot some charts.
Then we run the results in some software, who knows how well made.
Here is another way to measure “IQ”: little time, focus must work at once, focus control too (so: good LCD/EVF), exposure metering too, controls must not be fiddly or one misses the shot, the RAW must have latitude to fix errors or simply improve the curve.
The camera must not break, either (a sore spot for Sony consumer products, don’t get me started).
Then, instead of running the result in some dodgy software, we print it in a decent size, or watch it on a top-notch calibrated monitor. The eye will see stuff the software cannot, for example, artificial colours or a thousand other things.
See where I am going? Cameras like the A3000 are useless, no matter how cheap they are. The “tests” you find at DXO or Photozone are even more useless. I know, I am full of it 🙂
A3000 useless? Not hardly. Just because it doesn’t measure up to some sort of “professional” reviewer torture test does not make it, or the A58, or any camera, actually useless. If a user is satisfied with its features, or even the lack thereof, and can make good use of it for their purposes, then it is, by definition, USEFUL for that user. I find mine quite useful so far. Its image quality, in general, far exceeds my previous HX100V in similar situations. And if you want Sony’s camera line to expand as most here seem to, then you want new NEX and Alpha users like me who want to get their feet wet, learn, and move up to more “acceptable” cameras.
EVF on the A58 is worse despite being OLED it’s quite a lot smaller than the A57’s. I’ve used the A57, A58 and A3000.
Simon is right the A3000 is pathetic horrible build, no IBIS, bad controls, very cut down and the flash is an insult to anyone it has the power of a matchstick. How Sony can put this out and expect it to get anything other than panned is amazing. A3000 is a horrible camera and even the reviews so far mock it. And yes the EVF is terrible
A57 was the strongest camera Sony had bang per buck, and they do pull it and offer the A58 in it’s place. I have news folks people want “new and better” not new and “worse”
I Hope the A58 ends production soon it’s a step back for the SLT range and tempts nobody to A mount, tiny buffer (really tiny) offers very little over the A57 and is worse in almost every respect. Anyone coming here saying the A58 or the A3000 are “great” are deluded. They both are quite poor cameras and don’t stand a chance v rivals.
I am getting very tired of the “hating” on entry-level DSLR/mirrorless cameras like the A3000 and A58 here by some who would prefer everything have better, better, best features and specs and so-called “build quality.”
As is clear from my other posts, I am new to DSLR and mirrorless ILCs, and I have chosen to start with the A3000, which nicely, so far, meets my needs for a starter camera that doesn’t destroy my fragile budget.
I’m not, by any stretch of the imagination, saying it is a “great” camera for everyone compared to everything else out there at any price. And I recognize that the EVF and LCD are both lower resolution than other higher-priced cameras, (heck, the LCD on my HX100V is higher res)and I agonized over that before purchasing. But in the end I recognized that to reach a nice price, certain corners had to be cut and certain specs left unmet. But for US$399 I simply could find no other camera, new at retail (not used, or off eBay or something) that offered a mirrorless mount, an APS-C sized sensor, and a DSLR-style body with solid grip. The only other competitor was the NEX-3N and I found it too small and unbalanced for my hands.
If Sony Alpha A-mount and NEX E-mount fans want Sony to continue putting out “great” higher end cameras like the NEX-6, NEX-7, A77, and A99, then you better hope that SOny doies indeed sell plenty of A58s, NEX-3Ns and A3000s to new customers like me. And you, sir, are “deluded” if you think bashing the A3000 and A58 will change Sony’s mind.
@Hawkman – Leave these fanbois to their rantings. They expect everything including the kitchen sink at even $399. They will not say that xyz camera manufacturer is offering all these features at $399 since no one is but they will bitch about the ‘lack’ of features all the same.
They crib that the A58 isn’t better than the A57 but they conveniently forget to mention that the A57 always sold for a higher price than what the A58 was launched for. They can pick up the A65 if they want a similar priced camera.
If people can’t take good photos with the A3000 then they can’t be very good photographers anyway. I remember this youtube channel called digitalrevtv where they take famous photographers and make them shoot with cheap cameras like Lego cams or Buzz Lightyear cams and at the end of the shoot I was quite amazed at what results they came up with.
People in this and other forums simply can’t think… They’re comparing cheap entry level cameras with more high end and then whine that they are worse. A58 is an entry level camera, not a sucessor to A57, with some features less good (fps, EVF) others better (object tracking). As is the A3000 a cheap entry-level camera, not only entry-level… and therefore it lacks features that cameras costing twice as much don’t have! It probably suits well the needs of those who purchase it. If it doesn’t suit you? don’t get it! if you have the money to spend on better? Do it! But not all are as lucky as you so stop complaining about the availability of cheap products that lack high-end product features. The A3000 costs 3500 kr here in Sweden, which is 1500 less than my A330 costed when I got it! AND IT HAS ISO UP TO 16000! ffs people you can’t compare the performance of a Fiat with that of a Lamborghini ONLY, have to look at the price too.
“The A58 never claimed to be the A57 successor.”
I suppose it would have been OK to name the A58 the A88 then if numeric product naming ranges no longer have meanings. If anything, the A58 probably should have been named the A48 (or A28). Yes, it has incremental improvements (as is the case with any new camera) as well as some steps in the other direction (such as a plastic lens mount).
It’s aliiiveeee it’s aliiiveeeeee…
I think when the no compromises FF A mount and hybrid mount cameras come out next year people will more understand what’s happening and how you progress from an A3000 to an A99.
I think you are new here if you believe that. 😀
Progress from an A3000 to an A99?!?
I’m pleased to see the a-mount may be alive and well for a while yet. In the future, I can imagine and e-mount camera that looks/feels just like an a99 that can use an adapter to AF my a-mount lenses as well as a real a99. (Maybe even better if on-sensor AF matures nicely maybe even with a better spread of AF points. )
I rather like my e-mount lenses. No mechanical aperture, modern electronics and great exit reporting. A mount lenses are quite dinosaurish by comparison (excepting the IQ of course…)
Of course, I mean “exif reporting”, not “exit reporting”. I was done over by the autocorrect while typing 😉
Great, so A-Mount users will finally stop bashing E-Mount, they won’t whine anymore wile every NEX news they want more A-Mount stuff and they will now respect others’ pleasure with NEX cameras, right?
Glad to see the A-Mount firmly on the future road map. Now for some new lenses 🙂
Okay, that takes care of the mount. Is SLT the only future for the A mount (assuming DSLR is the sole alternative)?
“upgrading features” as in overdue updates which dont come…..
The death of A-Mount will not happen overnight and It will be bad for both Sony’s own reputation and for the whole industry. If something like that happens it just might jump start the death trend for all the larger form-factor lens from other manufacturers. I bet that 1mm-thin nanoglass lens capturing photons at amazing wave lengths and simulating all the properties of current thick and heavy glass will come to market earlier, redefining the industry and designating the death of all currently available mounts.
Bummer…
That means no 100% compatible A to E adapter any time soon…
The LA-EA2 was pretty good for its time, but some of us NEX users actually want to use A lenses with an aperture larger than f3.5 in video…
I really wish Sony had made the E-mount with the same bayonet as the A-mount, only with a different flange distance. Then a hybrid camera would be a real possibility once movable sensor technology is implemented. It might eliminate this whole A vs. E debate, and would allow for IBIS on the NEX as well.
LA-EA2 is too expensive almost the cost of a budget A mount body.
The Video f3.5 AF limitation is more to do with Sony than a technical reason, they made it like that, just as they made the A65/77 with a max ISO in video of 1600. Now Canon have a 70d that does AF off the sensor and doesn’t have they annoying f3.5 limitation and you can set the ISO way higher too.
Not hard to work out Sony have been well trumped by Canon this time around. Let’s hope they up their game with new “A mount bodies” and not more boring NEX ones.
I cant believe that people STILL dont believe that A-mount is safe. This proves that NOTHING will ever convince them. Even if Sony’s CEO reported this news, under penalty of death if false. Nothing will convince them.
There is absolutely no way that Sony would report this news if it was false information.
I guess there will always be crazies. Conspiracy theorists. People saying the world’s gonna end. And it’s part of Sony’s legacy that there’s a bunch of freakin’ nuts out there (yeah, I’m lookin’ at all of you disbelievers here) who want to always spread the Sony jitters.
Most likely, 99% of you who do so are CANON or NIKON shooters who are insecure little boys and girls, scared to death that Sony is going to soon rule the imaging world. And rightly so.
I very much doubt Canikon users are in any way scared. Nikon 1? Not done very well at all, EOS M again pales v the normal EOS mount options.
Sony WILL NEVER rule the imaging world, they have some talent (at times some stupid mistakes) Until Sony can demonstrate they look after their current customers with proper firmware updates to fix flash delays, lag, bad jpegs etc, doubts will remain and yes “rightly so”
Look after the customer, not abandon them
You’re thinking of the old “Sony”. Not the new one. Kazuo Hirai seems to be doing good things. I don’t think *most* Canikon users are worried…but they are certainly sitting up in their chairs thinking ‘WTF is this?!…..cool….’
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr4-sony-will-launch-a-new-service-program-for-pro-photogaphers-and-camera-owners/
That is good news, but there is much to be done not just on this service side of things. Speaking from experience Sony’s normal service isn’t very good at all (lots of delays, lack of spare parts, poor communication)
I hope they can sort that out, this is a step in the right direction..but many more are needed
+1
+1
This is negative news for me. I’d rather they focus on E-mount rather than diluting their efforts across multiple systems. The fact that their are continuing the A mount basically means that E-mount development will continue to be slow, and perhaps crippled to not challenge the A-mount system. At this point I doubt we will see IBIS in e-mount because that is a differentiating feature that sells the A-mount.
Oh come on. Its not all about ‘YOU’.
Clearly, Sony is expending TONS of R&D and effort on E-mount (E mount Full Frame ALONE would be proof of that).
Entitled much?
E mount is quite limited in it’s potential reach. It’s not about just you but overall what people want, and many just don’t want an ILC system when they already have many A mount lenses. You have to cater for many types of buyers.
If Sony are aiming pro, then E mount will NEVER be able to offer the range of lenses or system that “A mount could”
If Sony went E mount only they would basically be giving up any hope of getting near Canon or Nikon, quitting isn’t smart it’s tough out there but you don’t just give up.
I have 0 interest in NEX APS-C or FF it does not meet my needs it has no IBIS and I don’t like the bodies. Many share that view too.
Risho, I agree with you assessment, but think this is good news. I guess I’m happy because I do not own any E-mount lenses and a ton of Alpha and legacy glass.
As I see it a FF Nex will be mount neutral. You will be able to use your E-mount lenses and still have the anti-shake within your lens. The rest of us will be able to use the IBIS in our older (or future) glass.
Others seem to be wringing their hands and think it’s the end Alpha mount. I see it an opportunity to use all my glass on a better camera. I guess I’m a hopeless optimist.
I might even buy an E-mount lens for when I want to travel light.
Anyone owning a ton of non stabilised A mount lenses on a NEX body is not really punching with it’s full weight. It’s good news because it beats down this crazy NEX fanboys who insist we use what they want, even if we don’t like it.
E mount is the poor cousin of A Mount, no IBIS, bad handling, no really good bodies to make use of it, bad lens range. It’s for travel shooters and the soccer mom crowd. Read it and weep yes that’s the reality, and A Mount is here to stay like it or not.
E mount isn’t the future, it’s just another ILC compact system that most people don’t care about, Dave can hike on that one 😉
Why would they drop the A-mount? They have a lot invested in it and it’s the least amount of work for Sony. Think about it people. REALLY think about it. This is a no brainer.
It may be that going forward in the development of new lenses for APS-C that the design requirements are for E-mount with A-mount.
The reply is from Sony Support.
Even when the R&D for A-mount stops, Sony should provide maintenance and repair service for 5-10 years after the end of Sale!
A-mount is developed for DSLRs, bigger, heavier and you need 2 hands to operate it!
E-mount is just like range finders, smaller, lighter and you can handle it with just one hand!
I see no reason to replace A-mount, if Sony has limited production capacity for lenses, then fill the gaps for A-mount lenses (28mm T&S, 14mm wide, 100 macro w/ssm, 200 macro w/ssm etc)2-3 lenses a year. Complete the E-mount APS lenses (zeiss 60macro,50-135/2.8 etc), launch basic E-mount FF lenses and ask Zeiss to launch full range of ZM lenses for NEX-FF (manual AF is ok!)
Ladies! (and gentlemen), I wouldn’t read too much in this standard PR answer. Typical corporate response: they start with a thank you and after that tell you FOAD, we’ll decide when we decide.
Lol at this post in general and all text above this one.
We all knew this for a long time confirmed from many different sources at different stage and there was nothing ever to dispute that, other than a few hilarious posters on here. Why waste Sony supports time?
The chicken little – “sky is falling” mentality on this site is truly a marvel to behold. Exact same with “Sony full frame is dead” after a900 a850.
Guys, you got it all wrong. NEX is eventually going to be nothing but full frame in the future. The alpha lineup of cameras are going to be reserved for medium format 100 mega pixel cameras the world has never seen. And cheap as dirt:)
You would have thought by now people have learned to take any public statement from any company with a pinch of salt.
Yet again faboism and brand obsession prevails.
Not quite surprisingly is the fact that SAR is yet another consumerist resource just fueling spending.
ok let’s face it: dear administrator that was a joke to put such a post on the website. Maybe because there were no proper A-mount post you thought you gotta post this, but honestly better post nothing then such unqualified comments from a sony employee. I hope you have some real news soon!
😉