Rumors from anonymous and new sources are coming in almost daily now. According to one of them the next Sony A99II (or whatever the final name will be) is going to use the same 36MP Sony A7r sensor. The real highlight will be the fastest autofocus of the world (which Sony claims to be from the A6000 right now). The camera is also featured with NFC and Wifi while rumor has it that there is no built-in GPS because apparently customers do not care about having that feature. Keep your feet on ground for now until trusted sources will confirm the A99II launch and specs.
The source also said the current A99 will keep remaining for sale with likely lowered price. Right now Sony sells them for $1,799 only at [shoplink 27915 ebay]eBay US (Click here)[/shoplink].
The camera is likely going to be introduced along a new Sony 24-105mm G lens. Hopefully that lens will match or even beat the already very good Sigma 24-105mm f/4.0 lens performance.
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Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
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0 Responses
Fastest (*)
*A6000: Fastest AF with APS-C sensor.
and only supported lens.
and only among mirrorless cameras
(**)(+)(++)
and only in good light, in a laboratory, with a dead chicken waved over it.
*** the dead chicken accessory sold separately
and available mid-2017
While funny, how would you like them to ‘prove’ a blanket claim.of world’s fastest AF? They can’t. Make those claims if they can’t prove it, so they provide the conditions in which it was tested – why is that so hard to understand? Everyone does the same thing when making such claims.
NO 4K? 🙁 Whyyyyyyy?!
It’s much more useless that GPS ever was, I guess that’s why.
You forgot to write, “…useless for me.”
For the time being, it’s mostly useless for most people. The technology to showcase 4K video isn’t wide spread enough for it to be extremely useful to your average user. Given a few years, though, that paradigm will shift.
It’s very helpful for HD production today in much the way that a 24mp photo is ultimately useful for low res web output – it enables zooming & cropping with no loss of resolution. This also opens up much more leeway for stabilization in post (which zooms / crops to stabilize) and flexibility while shooting.
What about entry level and really cheap full frame (not slightly reduced price, but really cheap, like a7)?
a7 already cheap as the entry level full frame,no reason to release a “New Cheap FF A mount” camera but the price not cheaper than those a7 selling.
Except for anyone with a-mount glass who would prefer not to use adaptors and wants to go full frame…
Exactly. If I sell my a-mount lenses to buy other mount FF it certainly won’t be Sony.
Because?
Cheap A-mount FF with A65/A77 body? Hell yea!!
If they are to use the A7R sensor, then I’d hope it won’t suffer the same limitations with regard to the lack of EFCS and the A7R’s relatively slow FPS. It’s notable that the (presumably very similar) sensor in the new Nikon D810 does have EFCS and manages 5FPS. It may, simply, be that the A7R is limited by power and heat dissipation issues imposed by the small body.
As far as AF is concerned, then presumably it’s the A77 MK II that is the relevant reference. That always raises concerns over the area covered by the PAF module. I can’t imagine we’ll see a hybrid (off-sensor) PAF/CAF approach, although an SLT allows for this in principle.
At a guess, it won’t have the largest mutations given they’ve had a year to work on them and have more space in body to play with.
It is the same sensor as in some Nikon camera, do you here problems with shutter shock there?
Yes.
The Nikon too has issue with vibrations caused by vibration. They are somewhat less than on the A7R, probably due to it’s much greater mass. ECFS has been found to reduce it, and here’s somebody’s tests showing exactly that on a D810.
http://blog.kasson.com/?p=6638
D800 (A7R sensor) didn’t have EFCS, so it is presumably a newer design. The A99 II may well (we can hope) have the newer EFCS enabled 36MP sensor. In fact I think the limitations of the 36MP were why it wasn’t found in the original A99, but people sooked and moaned because it didn’t have it, then we get it in the A7R and the crying and moaning begins with shutter shock and loud shutter, slow FPS etc, all issues the D800 had, but nobody saw those as defects then (nor now) they just saw a ‘better’ sensor in the D800.
A dish with something to eat, small hope we dont have to change the name to *deals.com! 😉
Thanks Andrea for serving real free lunch!
Don’t bother coming here then 😉
Sony will apparently finally catch up by providing 36mp like nikon has had for years.
But this is just catching up and does not in any way make Sony a leader.
I still would like to see the new 54mp 3 layer sensor released for Sony flagship model.
Canon is expected to release a high resolution 3 layer sensor in Sept and I would rather see Sony lead than play catch up..
Ah Barry and his 54mpix 3 layer obsession, it never grows old.
It’s not really catching up since Sony produces Nikon’s 36mp sensor and will have produced a camera (a7 r) with 36mp for a year by this camera’s release.
A 54mp sensor seems unlikely in the near-term future logically since Sony just released a 50mp medium format sensor.
I love you.
Get a room. ;^)
We all love Barry. I think he’s the life of the party here.
I’d rather Sony made an A-Mount camera with the amazing A7S 12Mp sensor, optimized for speed and sensitivity. I only need FullHD resolution for pictures, which is about 3Mp anyway.
Can you show me the site where the new Canon with 3 layer sensor is rumored complete with specs, please I’m very interested in that.
Strange thing is that Canon has patents for a multi layer sensor back in 2000 why wouldn’t they have a camera yet? As Sigma can, why not Canon?
Rumors!
Well, if Canon comes out with some amazing sensor tech that leapfrogs Sony you can rest assured Sony will respond since being a leader in sensor technology is their bread and butter.
However, I’ve been following both the Canon (and Nikon) rumor sites and there isn’t a lot of credibility, IMHO, in the expectation Canon will come out with some sort of Foveon tech any time soon. Canon is expected to come out with replacement 7D (bearing new name?) that’s alleged to push the pro APS-C envelope. I doubt it will be their platform for introducing something as radical as Foveon tech. There’s some low-level mumbling of a replacement for the 5D Mark III but nothing radical is expected in it (dual pixel tech, maybe?).
The 36MP sensors Sony uses in their a7R and is used in the Nikon 800/810 are absolutely amazing for stills. I expect it not to only introduce a significant bump in detail to aid me when I need to crop but it’ll really bump up the a99II’s low-light ISO performance. I’d love to see 4k in the a99II for future-proofing my purchase and grabbing stills like lightening but I don’t expect it. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if video plays 2nd fiddle in the a99II as usual and ends up just so-so 1080P. The fact Sony is upping the AF performance significantly is exciting and indicates they’ve smartened up over the mistakes they made with the a99’s AF.
I agree with you Sony is playing the IQ catch-up game in SLT FFs. However, I expect it to offer an overall price-performance ratio Canikon can’t match. Especially, if they can bring the body in at $2,500-$2,800. Under $2,500 and it’ll fly off the shelves even given Sony’s lackluster lens support.
Sony has the ability to exceed anyones sensor specs.
Unfortunately they have consistently chosen to do the bare minimum necessary to stay slightly ahead of the competition.
Unless Canon introduces a radical new sensor Sony is unlikely to introduce thier own.
Personally I find it disgraceful that Sony will only strive for good enough…but never for the best they can be.
If Sony had a new sensor that they were holding on to, Nikon would buy it and be using it. Sony would want to make money from the R&D not leave it gather dust!
Seeing any real difference in a77II IQ? Some talk of better ISO but Dr. Mike has some YouTube tests indicating the a77II consistently shoots at a lower shutter speed than the a77 at a given ISO. He have a bad copy or is his test flawed?
I will not even be trying it out for a couple of weeks
ñice conspiricy theory! I think that as Canon has multi layer patents since 2000 and still have no camera with that technology your complete theory is wrong! There is a reason why these cameras are not comming: The multi layer sensors are not as good as the bayers at this moment (look at the Sigma Foveon sensors, all low light pictures are very noisy! It is maybe not possible to solve that with the technology we have to day.
And looking at a brand that is not giving new sensor technology I look at Canon, not at Sony…
I own the current A99 and I would definitely miss GPS. I also have a NEX7 that I use with the external Sony GPS-CS3 … and I would prefer an internal if space and battery life permits.
I also see the benefits of WiFi tethering, but space in A99II is not as much of an issue as in more compact models. (yes, I know that A77II is similar in shape – yet compact, light full-frame is now A7* territory.)
It’s probably more correct to say that the majority of customers do not care, rather than what the Admin said about nobody caring. GPS was switched off on my A77, so I couldn’t care less about the A77II not having it.
Never had it on in mine either…
I always have it on in my A55. Would never buy another camera without the GPS.
Same here,
Never turn on the GPS on my A77,
and I am happy A77 MK2 don’t have it and sell at lower price.
If you make all your photos at home (or close by) you would not need GPS. But if you are traveling and uses your camera at different locations a lot, GPS is a wonderful feature. You should use SW on your PC that makes use of it of course
I’d use my NEXUS 5 and an app. Job done. I really don’t see what the fuss is about.
I’m much more interested in fast AF than 36mp. I’ll be very curious to see if they finally developed an AF module specific for fullframe.
Wish they would come out with an updated 24 mp model.
Anyway, my guess is that the a99 pricing would drop to $1899 ballpark, while the a99ii may be priced slightly less than the original a99– around $2500. Maybe $2999 as a kit with the new lens.
I guess that is a little bit too optimistic.
As it is a G lens the SRP will be qround 1.000,-€
The A99 started here in good old Germany with a SRP of 2.799,-€.
So expect nothing less.
A kit with the new G would be around 3.499,-€
Just my assumption. Maybe Sony surprises me.
They may be more competitive on price then they were 2 years ago. And I doubt the new lens will be a G, more likely along the lines of the 28-75/2.8. So priced around $900 new, discounted with the camera.
Personally, if I were to seriously consider upgrading from my current a99, $2500 is the top I could consider.
18-105mm f4 G is rather inexpensive, no real reason to believe this couldn’t be.
Because the 18105 is an APS-C and apparently designed too cheap, that’s why it is that bad
Drop the price on the A99 significantly and keep both models going.
Odds are they’ll port the af module and rebrand it as an a88…
What kind of buffer and FPS would something lile this have? Sony is often tempted to compress RAW to allow for higher FPS shooting, so I am a little suspect.
I assume that with 36MP current processors the A99II will not become the perfect sports camera. Maybe something around 6 or max. 7 fps.
I am also interested in higher buffer size. 2GB would be a suitable buffer, and probably not all that bad from power consumption point of view.
With that comes the requirement for UHSII support in order to be able to clear the buffer in a reasonable time.
6FPS would be hard enough. The D810 only gets to 5PS, and that clearly uses a very similar sensor, of not quite identical. The issue is likely to be readout speed, power consumption and heat dissipation.
If Sony wanted to produce a 10-12FPS capable sports camera, they’d probably have to go down the route that Nikon did with a lower resolution sensor. Of course Sony have the A7S sensor, but that has a curiously slow frame rate on that camera.
damn, was hoping for something new on the mirrorless side…. i guess i can go ahead and buy the a6000 or a7 now…
Same sensor as A7R…
So no Electronic Front Curtain Shutters ??
A99 is still $2290 minimum price here in Moscow. If it dropped to $1799, it’d sell like cupcakes.
Also, there’d be no reason to release an A88, since A99-I would fill this niche.
GPS yes or no – that’s the question
It says no right above… but I LOVE that feature, if you do a lot outdoors and traveling, it’s required. NFC That’s what’s stupid. Why would I want to transfer a 36MP to a stupid cell phone.
NFC is not for transfering your file (It’s made via wifi) It will just setup your camera to communicate with your phone. It allow your phone to act as a deported trigger device (image and shutter release) and also for tagging your photos by using your smartphone GPS chip.
You have the option to either send the full 36mpx or a smaller version of the photo. I do a lot of outdoor photography and I do travel a lot and take pictures while I’m doing so, that being said I have never needed or wanted GPS built into my camera. I’m not saying that means no one else should have it, all I’m saying is that the idea that GPS is required if you travel or take pictures outside is laughable.
Also, Sony’s saying that “A6000 has the fastest AF” (instead of “fastest mirrorless AF”) is a marketing gimmick.
Hope with A99-II it’s not like this. Specifically, I hope they don’t repeat their mistakes and stick A77-II’s AF in there.
they did say its the fastest aps-c AF i think 😮
Even so. They can’t realistically compare A6000 with a Canon 7D, or even the entry-level DSLR.
Sony did not say best tracking just fastest. Based on whatever test they used to determine that it probably was at the time (I assume the test was done in good light and that sort of thing). The A77ii might be as fast or faster but that was released after the A6000, the Canon 1D X and Nikon D4S are also probably faster, but not APS-C.
“Good light and that sort of thing” – that’s it.
OSPDAF is made up of teeny-tiny sensors. There’re a lot of them, so they may do well in good light, but in low light they fail.
That may actually be the reason why, contrary to popular belief on this forum, mirrorless may never replace SLT.
Well A7S can focus down to -4ev, A77 II with newfangled AF down to -2ev. But A77 II has the tracking ability, A7S not so much.
Oh dear Admin! Your A-fans will do harakiri if this is not happening.
No GPS !!! What a bummer….again !! I For my part i won’t buy a cam w/o GPS, and i can say for sure the same goes for all my friends in photo club and/or most of my pro-friends.
If the A6000 had GPS, i would have had such cam now
If the A7/r/s had GPS, i would have had such cam now
And If the A77II had GPS, i would have gladly changed my existing A77
GPS is a wastly usable feature of modern cam´s, way more than NFC/WIFI !
I don’t know any “pro” (people who do photography to pay their bills) who uses GPS around here in the Nuremberg area – I’m the only one and just because I’m too lazy to adjust date/time….
If you NEED a feature like GPS then you use one of the many smartphone apps available to do it. It’s easy. Not buying a camera purely because of GPS is silly.
Why use another device if you could have the GPS built-in? It is stupid to ommit this feature.
The point is that if you NEED it, you can still do it. Basing your purchase on one feature while missing out on all the rest is stupidity.
I just want to know why you need it? Why is it so necessary? I’m not saying you should have it, or that since I don’t need it then no one else should be able to have it. I just can’t see a situation where anyone absolutely needs the feature built into the camera.
Probably a battery drain issue. GPS drains batteries very quickly. Add GPS to other power drains like NFC and WIFI (which presumably already allow for GPS tagging and which have more uses other than just to geolocate) and something has to give or you end up with a camera that can only take 10 photos per battery charge, but has everything anybody would want.
GPS is a great feature for some users, but the tradeoffs for what you get, especially when the feature is potentially redundant and many users won’t use it, make it an easy thing to cut out.
+1
D7100 and 70D doesn’t have GPS either, so what?
good bye cruel world, I love you so … It will be sad without you taking pictures. Imagine how much money you saved until now and you are going to save in the future. There is nothing better to change or save the world that the word “IF”.
“and i can say for sure the same goes for all my friends in photo club and/or most of my pro-friends”
Definitely my favourite sentence in your post. Thank you for making me laugh today.
But what i would like to hear also……is …..available non-compressed raw files !
and a no noise rework that is a “no noise rework”. Even switched off, most Sony cameras flatten noise, even in raw. If I want no noise flattening at all, I mean it that way.
All the rumours mean little, although quite interesting, but so often the discussion revolves around the wrong things!
First, none of the bells and whistles count if they are unreliable. By all means give me the fastest AF, but if it only hits the point 1 out of 10 then you might as well not bother! Indeed, it is the reason why the top end Canon and Nikon are praised so highly, as they can nail a shot to a very high percentage.
Then we see about MP size. The issue with this is not so much the resolution (very nice to have but not the be all and end all), but rather the data storage and transfer. You can see that highlighted in the attempts to implement 4K. It creates so much data that it gives you headaches with card size and speed, file handling if a computer is over a week old, and then keeping it all safe!
You haven’t test the A77II AF, have you? 🙂
The A99 AF’s speed and precision are quite fine by me.
It’s definitely not WIDE enough, though. It’s no use if it’s going to be rocket fast, but all points are in the center of the frame again.
Even the A77M2 has at least not enough AF points – nothing in the top quarter of the image (in landscape mode) and as I’m doing a lot of concert photography you can imagine that my “beast” (the A77M2) tries to focus on the guitar instead of the nose… (in portrait mode this problem is much much smaller).
But preciseness and speed of autofocus are superb – did use the A77M2 e.g. three days in a row on Nuremberg’s “Bardentreffen” (a big open air in the historic center of Nuremberg) and at a vernissage with a Rolling Stones cover band under very bad lighting (some halogen spot lights together with some neon lamps) – no comparison neither to an A99 or all those 5D MkII/III that were around.
If an A99M2 uses the same AF module it would be a little bad esp. in portrait mode (see above…) but even with this AF module this camera would very easily outperform anything below the D4s/1Dx.
My only complaints on the A77M2 are:
It’s getting really warm, even “hot” on some parts – might be good in winter for my hands 🙂
It seems to drain heavy current peaks because some older batteries that still work quite good on my A65 and A77 are only good for some 200 images – but the newer batteries work nearly identical on all cameras (best result: more than 1200 shots with one battery – ok, display was of, WiFi is always off and there had been a lot of bursts of 5…8 images)
No GPS – because now I’ve to adjust time/date settings…
WiFi is unusable at the moment for any serious usage.
So “the bells and whistles” are only reliable on Canon and Nikon?
The A77II hit rates are higher than than Nikon, or Canon’s flagship cameras, it stands to reason that the A99II will be equal or better.
That sounds great, but where is your evidence to back up this claim?
Im sure it will be equal(Same) Just more centered on the a99II like they did with the A99. Will be another EPIC fail for Sony if they do this again.
Well then choose the 24Mpix setting in the menu.
All the good features of the “old” A99, the higher res sensor, quicker AF (although the A99 is fast enough for most situations) – take my money. 🙂
Sure I need to go for some working overtime to earn the money. 🙂
It will be interesting if they release only this model or another lower res version (or keep the original a99). Seems like 24 mp is a good balance between low light performance and plenty of resolution. Similarly, not every FF user in Nikon buys a D810…they have other options for those who don’t need the megapixels. Just a thought, I personally use an A7r and don’t mind the resolution…but seems odd they would make their only a mount FF max res without having another alternative.
There is an a newer flagship inbound called the Alpha One.
Where is this rumor coming from?
Yeah, I believe it’s possible. But what else could they possibly throw in?
I think they should keep heavily discounted original a99 as entry-level FF.
“Keep your feet on ground for now until trusted sources will confirm the A99II launch and specs.” – Admin
The only thing that makes this rumor look credible is the fact clueless Sony marketing thinks they can drop GPS from bodies because they assume nobody wants it. In an era where teensy tiny, cheap cellphones come with both WI-FI and GPS Sony somehow thinks we need to make a choice in much larger, more expensive camera bodies. Really, folks?
I want this rumor to be true so bad. If Sony can put out a high-performance a99II as described above (even without GPS ) by October 1 (figure the odds), well, just take my money if it’s no more than $3,000. After October 1 I’ll definitely buy but my ‘need’ will lessen until spring so I can wait for the inevitable fairer pricing 6 months out.
they never says nobody want a GPS, it’s about the majority who don’t need it.
I have GPS chip in my smartphone and it’s always turn off, and why would I want to pay a second one when the camera can link to my smartphone and use his GPS chip to tagg my photos.
Because on a trip you now need to keep 2 electronics charged all the time, bot wasting power on remote communication, Better only one electronic device and only one charger to carry
If you don’t keep your smartphone charged all the time, then what’s the point carrying one? GPS is a non-issue for the vast majority of camera users.
but you save the battery of your camera when you’re out in the field, which is a good thing and rely on the battery of your phone for the GPS part. I’d rather choose to save some power for taking more pictures despite having all of them tagged.
And honestly who own a smartphone and don’t bring it on a trip, so you end up with 2 chargers anyway.
Would it be nice to have the GPS included? sure but since the majority don’t care it make sense to cut the expense and that’s why Sony made a separate GPS device for those who need it.
But that just me and I’ve always, liked the modular concept for almost everytthing: pay for what you need.
Turn GPS off if you need extended battery life. Based on my cellphone wi-fi experience radios eat up far more battery so I probably will rarely have wi-fi turned on in a a99II.
On my smartphone It’s the GPS that eat more batterly life than Wifi (always turned On on my Xperia)
I would rather my phone ran out of juice than my camera…
GPS is a great feature for a still camera, the fact that you turn it off on your phone has nothing to do with this discussion. Your opinion that “it’s about the majority who don’t need it” is presumptuous; it means your camera doesn’t have it, you don’t know is value, and therefore no one else needs it. Senseless.
It’s not my opinion, I was just explaining to Earl (and pointing out his exageration) that when the article say “that the customers doesn’t care about GPS” it doesn’t mean that Sony believe that NOBODY want it but that they probably made a survey and the MAJORITY of Sony ‘s customer doesn’t need it and that’s why they skipped it.
Of course some people want a GPS it’s just they are not enough to make economically sense when Sony had to make a choice.
Also It’s presumptous of you to assume that I don’t know the value of a GPS inboard. I’ve try it and for me it doesn’t worth the cost and apparently like the majority of Sony’s customers if we believe this rumor.
The key word is MAJORITY and unlike you I’ve never use NOBODY which is a senseless statement.
You’re getting obsessed with nitpicking over “nobody” as some literal then thinking “majority” makes marketing sense (it doesn’t, IMHO). So stiff-arming a minority of customers could p*** off up to 49% of the customer base.
The thing is GPS probably isn’t critical for most though we can already see it’s killing the deal with some on SAR. Wi-fi isn’t that important to me either and probably many others but Sony decided to stuff it in anyway.
My point is both wi-fi and GPS are incredibly compact and cheap. If you think you’re getting a break on the price of a $2,000+ camera because Sony dropped it you’re delusional. If markets don’t allow it like China it can be crippled through software.
If you believe that Sony make the cut for a 51 against 49% you’re the delusional one, it’s more likely a 90 to 10% figures that can convince Sony to lowered the axe on GPS.
I don’t deny the use for some of the GPS but since they put WIFI in all their cameras and that it give you access to the GPS chip of another devices they probably ruled out in favor of the later.
I agree with you, w/wo the GPS won’t change the retail price, but the few cents they saved make a huge difference on their margin at a production scale.
Also like Nolivfr stated in comment there is currently 8 DSLR with GPS and 4 of them are Sony. If it was such an important feature don’t you think more manufacturers would have add it.
No, I think they removed it only to have one model to manufacture because it’s restricted in some countries (China?).
I´m very happy with the A99 but I would like to hope that they could minimize the viewfinder blackout between the shots and increase the AF coverage area.
I’d like them to take the last preview that you get in the EVF when you press the shutter button and use some kind of motion sensors to keep that aligned with where you move the camera, and make it look like you can still see. It will be out of date, but at least it will let you hold the framing for subjects that don’t move too fast, or pan across slowly if that’s you expect that they are doing.
No GPS, No video, No problem. Great Sensor, Fast AF, just take my money.
This! Plus a huge buffer 🙂
ah ha, what you can expecting are:
-old sensor, like had mentioned, its same with A7r/ nikon D810
-because of old sensor, it comes with AVCHD video format
-Fastest AF mean similar like what happened on A77II AF system
good value for money!
It’s probably because the Alpha One system will become Sony’s, “Flag Ship” camera, and the A99II is going to be their mid-level Full Frame DSLR.
The A88 is still going to be their 24mp entry level.
By the end of the year Sony will have three full frame A-Mount SLT cameras, for sale.
This is the second mention of an Alpha One in this thread. Source?
Sony knows that the A99 was overpriced. Hopefully they’ll learn there lesson this time around.
with the ton of minolta, sony and zeiss lenses behind Amount, they will priced it lower than canikon as usual but above A7s. that is the eco-system benefit to a manufacturer, like it or not, you still have to buy with this price if you are looking for upgrading lol…
I must have this camera. I’ve been waiting to long and I really don’t want an A7R. Sony is about to asss rape my wallet- but there is nothing I can do. I have to have it!!!
So, you think that Sony need absolutely to change the pixel count when they make a new sensor. A7S sensor is also based on the “old” Nikon D700 sensor, despite being a completely new sensor layout with same pixel count and size. If they want to make that fast AF that is claimed here, they need definitely a new layout, thus a new sensor. For the rest, let’s wait it to become reality.
Sony didn’t make the D700 sensor, it was Aptina/Renesas I think (with a Nikon design).
A600 speed is very good news … teeth just yet this mirror that did not buy it!
The A6000 speed is good for a mirrorless that is all it is.
So far about what I would expect in the A99X. 36 MP, hopefully with the EFCS that Nikon managed wedge in the D810. Fast autofocus, would be better than A99 if only A77ii module, but hopefully it is a new module with more coverage for FF. No GPS, Sony does seem to want to drop that feature, saves a little money, reduces the number of camera models that need stocked as some countries do not allow GPS, so non-GPS had to be around. At 36 MP, it will not be a fps king but perhaps faster than the A99.
36MP almost certainly means no full sensor readout for video. That means a lot of line-skipping and some pretty unimpressive video quality, whether they support XAVC-S, or 4K, or not.
*Sigh*
I was hoping they’d finally introduce a high-end video capable DSLR, after the rather consumer oriented A77II disappointed.
If you want a video camera, buy a video camera.
Ugh. We’d love to go back to video cameras if Sony/Panny/Canon would go back to making useful ones. As it stands, “still” cameras are most of the options for those of us who can’t afford an F55. But then, you knew that and you still trolled the comment anyway.
But aren’t there other options out there if you need it? I mean if you really need a video capable DSLR, shouldn’t you be looking elsewhere anyway?
Depends how invested in the alpha mount you are. I have a lot of alpha lenses so naturally I’d like to see an alpha mount hybrid photo/video DSLR. Plz. If I was buying all news, yeah, go A7s or GH4 perhaps…
I understand that but at the same time, if you really needed a video capable DSLR, you could (or should) have guessed that Sony would not be making a serious video capable DSLR this time based on the fact that they never had before and never really hinted that they had plans to do so. You can’t be mad at them for that.
Not mad. Disappointed. Sony has obviously never announced if they will or wont release a serious video capable DSLR. All we can look at is their other product releases (which sees better codecs like XAVC-S and full sensor readout like the RX10, RX100III, AX10 and A7s). Is it unreasonable to hope that they would apply some of those trends to the Alpha mount DSLRs, as they have for the RX cameras and FE mounts? But no. The A77II missed out on all that tech (as did the A6000, so not just a-mount) and the A99II looks like it will be first and foremost a stills camera. Which is fine for some, but not for others who are looking for a serious hybrid a-mount camera.
I join this statement, there are too many photo-cameras now on the market that do video and one video camera that does also great photos. If your goal is high end video only, get a video camera.
Too many? If you want a photography camera, go and buy a plain old DSLR. You can buy my A700 of me if you like…
I want a video + stills hybrid in a DSLR style body. Is that ok with you?
A7S or GH4?
Or RX10
Why would you want a DSLR for high end video capabilities? Sounds like the A7s was made for you!
Yeah. True. I suppose I could rock the A7s with the alpha adapter to reuse my lenses.. But it doesnt offer great AF – It uses phase detect AF from SOny’s 5 year old tech, circa A77 (mk1).
It has great AF, superior to the A7/A7R.
I own an a77-1, and I can safely say that it is the absolute easiest camera to use if you want to create web and personal video, or to learn DSLR video generally. It just isnt broadcast quality, and there’s never been an expectation that it would be – that is what it was designed to do, and it does it very well. There are issues with AVCHD, but none are difficult to get around (just lift the shadows via a low contrast filter, DRO or plain old exposing right… the footage then stands up pretty well). After learning DSLR video on an A77, I have moved to a Panasonic GH2 and now a Black Magic Pocket camera, both of which I bought for peanuts.
So now have lots of wonderful Sony Alpha lenses, which work perfectly well (manual only of course) on the other two cameras. Do I regret buying an A77? Absolutely not. I would never have got as far into video as quickly if it had not been for it, and I still use it for video.
The A77II is a stills camera with blisteringly fast AF, it also happens to have a movie button that I rarely press.
There is nothing “consumer oriented” about the A77II performance, it is up there with full frames costing thousands.
Sony are World leaders in broadcast video, if they wanted a SLT to do it, they would make one, they just don’t want to.
Then they shouldn’t have advertised the movie aspect so heavily on the last a99.
The A77II video is very consumer oriented. Bog standard, line-skipping, 28Mbps AVCHD. I mean, that’s not terrible quality, but it’s not pro or even enthusiast quality video.
We still don’t know. It could happen- right?
To summarize the whole thread here : Sony is rumoured to release a new camera, but it won’t be perfect; such a disappointment!
And even somehow if it was, people would still complain.
Until they invent a camera that can cook bacon, file my taxes, and babysit my kids while simultaneously taking the best pictures possible without me putting any effort, there will be no such thing as a perfect camera.
Still, not enough to stop the complain.
I think they should just give up making cameras. I mean come on make a perfect camera damn it. Like Canon & Nikon…
Preferably one with self oiling shutter!
They did, it’s called the A77II, now to buy a Full Frame version of it.
‘Like Canon & Nikon…’ please tell me its irony
Aaahhh, I miss something here, tell me more?
I care about built in GPS! 🙁
+1
no luck then 🙂
GPS is an important feature for me! I can understand that that not everyone feels same way. Same goes for WiFi! What I don’t understand, is Sony breaking the system with the MI shoe and suggesting that it opens possibilities for hot shoe attachments like GPS and WiFi — but then never produce those attachments! Its sort of like selling us these cameras, giving us (if we are lucky) one FW update — then no more! I guess we should buy a new camera to get the FW update! But wait,whoops no GPS? Well I guess I can gripe all I want. Doesn’t matter. These threads are like a kindergarten class — everyone’s talking, but not one is listening! 🙂
Sony had an external GPS but I think it has been discontinued.
Sony doesn’t neccessarly need to make that GPS dongle, they could leave it to a third party company. But since no one does it maybe the market isn’t big enough to be economically viable.
They did a few years ago. But we are talking about accessories for the “Mulit Interface shoe” here. To my knowledge, no one has made one yet. Nor have they made Wifi/NFC accessories for that shoe. Maybe that is also not something that people need or want. Maybe also not economically viable! At this point, I’m thinking that this rumored A99II won’t be economically viable for me — nor necessary! The 24-105mm f4 G is, however very interesting and possibly will be on my wish list!
Actually there is an Wifi/NFC accessory for your need: It’s called an smartphone with a GPS chip.
Apparently all those questionaire cards that came with the A77 and
A99 were for real – Sony actually listened. Apparently, only 17% of
those who filled them out claimed that GPS was ‘an important feature’ .
So…we did it to ourselves We cant blame Sony 🙁
Here you go : DSLR with GPS :
http://snapsort.com/explore/best-DSLRs/have-a-gps-48-months-recent
Only 8 cameras have embedded GPS (including the “Unicorn” 7D MII) ! 4 out of 8 are Sony cameras.
Just use a smarphone app!
Oh! OK! I guess I don’t need the A99. I can just use my phone! Sorry Sony!
So when you are on a photo safari somewhere in Africa, you use your smart phone for GPS? 🙂
Why not? GPS is independent of carrier.
When I was on Reunion Island on the Fournaise (volcano), there were no network, but I had GPS data.
why not? it would be exactly the same as using your embedded GPS in your camera. You just have to hassle to import the data.
You’re one of the 17% of the population who does…
Almost i told….. but we dont need, 36… is large file… 24megapixel is good… we need the ISO like a a7s…… the 24-105 will be nice… my dream 28-300 sony zess…. or i will buy tamron.
You can’t tell what “we” do or don’t need.
When you have what you want, you never have what you need, and when you have what you need, you never have what you really wanted. That is very ancient wisdom, unfortunately we have to live with that. Life is a compromise, and the yes can not be without no, all you get and all you have has both, so take out of the mess what you need, ignore the rest. The universe is just a computer simulation, and every computer uses as main sytax, If …Then …Else, and you just confirmed this once more. For the rest, I speak for myself in a singular form, only kings say “we” for themselves.
Interesting.
Sorry about that, perceiving, if I may use the word in your context, life as a simulation. It is not. Life is real. That is it’s first quality out of which the entity called meaning is born. When you have two opposing things, only one of them is true. in other words, real. Reality Vs Simulation. Only reality is real. I am real. I am meaning.
We need a Japanese girl in hotshoe, will be nice.
im still hoping for an A-mount camera with the A7s sensor or something with simular DR and ISO as well in in camera stabilization. i also really hope they spread the AF points around better!
That’s what I’m holding out for–or switching brands to whoever puts that a7s sensor (or something like it) in a proper body.
uuuum, I hear you, but I hope you realize that the a99 does have better DR compared to the a7s (a99 is 14evs, a7s is 13.2evs – this is not a negligible difference). The a99 is also internally stabilized, just like you wished. Yes, it lacks in ISO, but you already have 2 out of 3 in front of you, easily accessible – just buy an a99.
I’ll be upgrading from the A900 so I’m not going to upgrade into “old” tech. I have waited this long and whatever the A99II has will surly be better then the A99
They already have that… Its called an A580. But people like you bought into the A55/A77 marketing Craze. My a580 SMASHED my a77 Image and High Iso Quality.
A580 is not full frame
Put me down as a customer who cares a lot about GPS – as a matter of fact I have decreed that I will not buy another camera unless is has GPS built in (and I’ve only broken that promise twice since I said it).
You can buy a 5 dollar compass at any store.
Yes – because most $5 compasses that I have seen automatically embed GPS data in your digital photos as you use your camera.
Just use a smartphone app and import the data in LR : done!
(hint: several apps are free)
I get it- I just think the majority don’t care, never used the feature and it adds little to the picture taking experience. Either the background is so obscure there is no reason for me to pinpoint the location- or- I’ve provided enough context to immediately recall where it occurred. I actually find it creepy that every picture I might own has data identifying my location at every turn. It never bothered people in the past, and I think smartphones added the feature because it was possible- not because people were demanding it.
I think that Sony, or any other company, can live without the 3% of people who think to need GPS. If no company had ever introduced that feature, the world probably had to exist without you being a photographer …….. sic. I ask myself how the billion of photographers in this world could exist prior to GPS being invented. when I read your statement.
The problem is though that 90+% of photos being taken today are being taken with smartphones, which all have GPS built in – whether we like it or not it is now part of the expected EXIF data of any photo. I am certain that in 20 years we will be looking back at photos that didn’t have GPS data embedded and feel like we are looking at something from the Dark Ages.
most of the people who take picture with their smartphones don’t know what EXIF is and probably don’t care.
Most people who look at the images don’t know what EXIF is, and don’t care. They are interested by the photos.
When I look at a photo from the film era I’ve never think of the dark ages (except if it was taking during this period but then it would probably be the most unbelievable photo of all time)
Mainly the GPS tag is for you to remember where the photo was taken and the data is only revelant to you.
I’ve looked at al my prints and you know what, there is no EXIF data on any of them. So when people are looking at pictures, they are not looking at how it’s made, they look at how it looks! that is all.
I’ve seen a couple of B&W pictures from the past lately and you know what? They all llok great, not from the dark ages when color was not a mainstream thing.
Personaly I think that GPS was an other check box on a buyers list. Most people want to know when the picture was taken, when seeing date and picture they know where it was taken!
For some moments the GPS tag can be handy, but not for many!
IF this 36mp a7r sensor does 6fps Full RAW and 8fps in APS-C crop mode , edging out the D810 and 5D3. with FAST AF-C , and 300,000 shutter count (with shutter actuation count IN the EXIF). Knowing what the a77 m2 is doing now. Now with the cleared Mirror , WHY NOT have a Stainless Steel Mount to do E-Mount Lens with AF , and by saying that ANY Lens 🙂 THAT would be a WOW ! Game Changing WOW. 🙂
You do understand the AF-D will use both a A77II like PDAF, and the on sensor contrast AF like the A6000 to make the A99II AF-D system much faster than even the A77II. Of course you need to have the right lenses.
It will make the A77II look slow.
Boo, Dropping the SLT and going with ONLY PDAF / CDAF ON-Sensor. and Calling it the “FASTEST” AF in the World. To do that on A-Mount … You MUST be talking about Fastest vs Anything including DSLR’s. Now you are talking D4s and 1Dx. To do that now on a FF 36mp a7r sensor is not a given. And it would NEED PDAF points at least out to the 1/3 crossing points. “Fastest AF” means Fastest AF (and AF-C), and “that” would be HUGE and Game Changing for MirrorLess. and hopefully at -4EV AF too ! 🙂
I’m guessing I’ll be capable of continuous 8 to 9fps JPEG/RAW, and likely support the SDXC UHS-II (280MB/s) standard in order to accomplish this.
The A99II will likely using an updated Dual AF systems, and will likely be much faster than the A77II.
Auto Focus Dual AF-D for short that uses the on-sensor phase and contrast detection in conjunction with the dedicated phase detection module, which should be an up-scaled version of the A77II’s PDAF.
It’ll make the D810, and 5D MK III seem antiquated.
That all sounds good, but it would be a shame to lose the GPS. I really like that feature, as I shoot in very remote places and it’s nice to geo-locate the photos. Also my website features mapping, so I wouldn’t want to lose that capability.
I’ve got an A77 and never ever used the GPS, so this is definitely something I can live without. As for the rest, I only hope they will actually continue selling the A99 at a lower price, so maybe I will get it as an upgrade to the A850 😀
It’s a nice feature in theory, but given the already poor battery life and the weak GPS signal (does not work indoors / have to upload assist data to card to decently fast connection) it ultimately isn’t a huge loss.
If the A99ii is really coming in 2-3 weeks, then we should start to see SR4 and SR5 rumors in the next 10 days or so.
Price and ISO performance please.
at issue or 4 month later ?
At issue. But lets think about this….the A7R will appear to be vastly inferior in almost all regards except IQ. With such a bump up in performance I see it hitting at around 2800.00. Although, if Sony could drop the cost a few hundred it would really create some excitement in the DSLR market.
I have to ask, why is GPS such an important feature? I really don’t understand how not having it can be a deal breaker for some. The only people I’ve ever met who care about GPS are people who take pictures only to upload to Flickr, 500px or Instagram. Not trying to be little anyone who needs it, but just trying to understand why it is so necessary.
When you travel a lot and take 200 or more pictures a day, GPS may be handy for some folks. Or if you are a location scout…
How many people are a location scout. How many? We’re talking less than a fraction of a percentage of consumers. I’m sure Sony has done it’s research to determine how many people actually want this feature.
I like to use GPS as one way to sort the photos in my library. This makes it easier to find all of the photos at a given location, no matter what day they were taken.
The dropping of the GPS sounds to me like “You want it? Then go buy the external one and give us more of your money”. Exactly like you have to do when you buy Nikon.
At least they should add a time lapse/intervalometer in the menu: like the good old Minolta 7D had and like Nikon has.
Oh yeah, true: “You want time lapse capability? Buy the fü@king app!”.
Damnasses…
I mean, I’m a loyal and happy (used to be) Minolta/Sony user, but I really don’t understand this crappy marketing going on.
Just leave the GPS, add the damn WiFi and NFC and if one wants them on he’ll turn them on, otherwise they’ll be off and save battery.
So in about a month we may have two alpha full frames for sale for the first time. A99 will continue as the 24MP lower priced option and A99II as a D810 killer. Sounds to me like there is room for one more camera. What will it be?
A-Mount with the a7s sensor … No Brainer … 4K internal , Sports Camera with a Very High fps. 🙂
They should slam the A7s into that “Alpha One” body they’ve been demoing that looks like a A99 with an integrated battery grip.
are you talking about the prototype with the FZ mount?
Yup that’s the Alpha One’s body, however its apparently its now an A-Mount camera. The base specs were published on SAR, but I’m having a seriously hard time relocating them.
Basically, this camera is going to be everything the A7R should have been. Modest size to balance bigger lenses and actual usable AF. Count me in.
Still prefer 18-24MP with better high ISO performance, but will buy this camera anyway.
Extreme high ISO performance? A99 II “s” is coming~ to town~~~
24mp with better high ISO. I like that.
For reportage work, 36mp is too difficult to maximise the profit in sharpness and detail that comes with the 50% more pixels. In other words, a waste of storage space and file size for not much better than 24mp.
24mp is plenty and I suspect that, at 100dpi, you can easily print more than a 1.5m on the long side and look at the image from 50cm away and see great detail and sharpness.
EDIT: Just calculated an RX1 print size on the long side at 100dpi. 176.4cm. That’s nice.
at last a proper a900 successor…I’m in.
I’m in too.
The Alpha One will be a D4s killer.
Just wait and see. =)
When it’s finally finished. When will that be 2020. Sony’s been taking forever to complete it.
LOL. No. 6 months ETA.
What is this mythical Alpha One? All of the sudden, numerous people are talking about it.
Either there really is something awesome on the way, or someone coined something that sounds cool and it’s being repeated.
my preferred sensor would be 24mp with iso standard between A7S and A7R
I have the current a99 now and those new features including the 36 MP sensor are very welcoming. The part that is not welcoming is losing the GPS feature. I use this 100% time when I travel and I never turn it off. I use Flickr and 500PX and it’s very convenient to be able to see where each picture was taken. Additionally, I like to keep track of all the pictures and GPS coordinates for future trips back to the same locations. I really hope Sony doesn’t duplicate what Canon does with their 5D Mark III and sell a separate GPS module that attaches to the top of the camera in place of the flash. Its absurd and inconvenient.
I don’t understand. If you want to retrieve the spot of a former photo you need an external GPS to find the location with the coordonates. Would be more easier to carry a GPS smartphone that can do both: lead you to your former spot and tag your photo.
How would that be easier? You’d have to match up the photo with the GPS coordinates on your phone. Also, the places I go have no cell phone service. So having the smartphone run for the sake of have a GPS coordinate while trying to search for a cell service is a massive battery drain. Having the GPS built-in to the camera is the most efficient way of automatically having your photos tagged with a GPS coordinate.
Disagree. I used GPS on my iphone even without cellphone signal in some of the areas I hiked. Yeah! My carrier is that pathetic when it comes to cellphone signal.
I mentioned a smartphone with a GPS chip (lots of models out there and mostly all Sony Xperia) so cell reception is irrevelant, It work like a GPS. Also the GPS in your camera would only tag your photos with coordonates, how would you retrieve this spot without an external GPS? you need to put those coordonates in a GPS device to retrieve the exact spot (hence the GPS smartphone or a GPS device).
You don’t seem to know how a GPS work. Pretty ironic since you claim the need of it.
There is app that record the coordonate on your phone every time you trigger your shutter then you have to import the data (LR for example).
I don’t understand how that is more or as convenient as having a GPS chip built-in to the camera. I have my camera, I take pictures, GPS coordinates are captured. I don’t have to smartphone anything before, during or after I take the shot.
because you’ve mentioned that you need those coordonates to retrieve the spot where the photo was taken. If so you need an external GPS device anyway (The camera won’t tell you where the spot is on a map), so why not combine the recording and the guiding in one device: a GPS smartphone.
That’s like saying why even bother bringing a separate camera unit. Just use the camera AND GPS in your smartphone. Heck, why not elminate the shutter button from the camera too since you can just use your smartphone to tell the camera when to take the picture via NFC.
because the camera of your smartphone won’t give you the same result as a proper camera (more true if we are talking about a FF one) unlike the GPS tagging + the tracking ability of a linked smartphone.
Most manufacturers are rationalizing their production. get rid of the GPS won’t change the retail price and I understand that you feel like just loosing a feature, but the few cents they saved make a difference in their margin when you think in a industrial scale.
they probably have made a survey and since most of their customers don’t seem to care (and it seem true for others manufacturers) they made the cut on GPS and the decision was easier since there is an alternative solution (even though it’s cumbersome to some people).
I was being facetious about using the camera on your smartphone vs an actual FF camera. It’s folks that don’t understand this are the folks that probably said they don’t care about GPS. I went from a non-GPS camera to a GPS camera and it made a world of difference in streamlining my workflow.
So you implies that because I don’t see the need of a GPS I can’t understand irony, very clever.
I don’t need GPS but I do understand that you are loosing a feature that matters to you. But since you have never try those app, I will encourage you to do so and you will realize how poorly this GPS feature is integrated in camera. And like I said in the comment above judging by how you use those coordonates those apps will even improve you workflow greatly.
Good day.
I have used these apps as I used to have an NEX. It does nothing to streamline my workflow. It really doesnt. Having a separate unit OUTSIDE of my camera to geotag my photos – regardless if its a smartphone or GPS module is redundant. The apps have yet to really show a real purpose with the exception that you say “neat” and then really never use it again. To me, the apps feature on the newer NEX cameras are a marketing gimmick. If anything, Sony should have used android – not their own proprietary camera OS. Again, separate unit outside of camera for geotag is redundant. Period. If I didn’t want to carry a gps module like I did for mg canon 5d mark3, what makes u think I’d do the same with my a99 and a smartphone?
OK we don’t understand each other. I wasn’t referring to the app in the camera like on the Nex but to an smartphone app that run on ios or android.
Since you have mentioned that you checked the coordonates on your cam and then enter them into a GPS device(being a smartphone or a dedicated device) you could do it all in once with those smartphone apps. While they are recording the data they also put them into a map and you can track your path directly.
Sorry when I was referring to play memories it was the Xperia app that run on Sony smartphone and not the portal from which you have access to Nex’sapps.
Those app run way better and I think it will increase your workflow as you described it in your Iceland comment.
Here’s an example to why your method is so inefficient: I was in Iceland in June and there were several key spots that were very close to one another. 3 key spots within 5 miles of each other and within each location, there’s a radius of a half mile where you need to be in an exact spot or your composition would be off. I took about 30 pictures in each spot within the half mile within the same day and within a range of 4 hours. If you have 90 pictures of GPS coordinates stored in your smartphone, how the heck are you going to know which photo is it? By file name? Here’s what I did – I went right to my camera and located the picture I took that I plan on gonig back to. the GPS coordiantes are shown right on the screen. I plus those coordinates in my GPS system/smartphone and it takes me to the exact spot. What you’re proposing is this: have the smartphone track all pictures you take with a GPS coordinate. What I would in turn need to do is find the exact picture I want, locate the file name on my camera and then match it up to what’s stored in the smartphone to get the GPS coordinates. I want one picture with all of it’s data within it’s own file – not separate. Keeping these two things separate on a trip to places like Iceland where you don’t have time to play around in lightroom just doesn’t make sense. And what if you lose your phone that day? Having your photo geotagged the time it’s taken and embedded to the file itself in real-time is crucial for some. Having a smartphone do that is a huge risk and additional work that is just not needed if Sony would just keep that geotagg/GPS coordinates feature in.
You have never try one of those app, don’t you.
The app actually tag and put every photo you takes directly to an map, you don’t even need to hassle to read the coordonate on your camera screen and then put them in your GPS, it’s all made at once.
When I mention LR it was for definitively embedded the data in your EXIF file. You can do that once at home but on the field the app does all the tricks for you.
I think even Play Memories (Sony photo app) does it. I don’t care of tagging my photo so I’ve never dowload on of those apps but I guess GooglePlay or Appstore will be your friend.
Loosing the smartphone is a ridiculous excuse, if you can loose your smartphone you can also loose your GPS device or even your camera.
When I did a little bit of research into using a cellphone for GPS back when I was pondering getting an a77II (which I passed on) I kept running into a consensus it’s a hassle and much of the software claiming to sync to your images sucks. Again, it’s irritating Sony took it out and I can’t believe manufacturers can put it on every tiny cellphone yet it’s being claimed by someone Sony engineers can’t fit it in an SLT camera body without affecting the AF.
Sony obviously took a shortcut just swapping modules and we’ll probably see it in the a99III touted by Sony marketing as the greatest thing ever after they get tired of customer complaints and it getting pinged in reviews (like many of the a77II ones).
So, practical use (last june in Reunion Island) :
– I set up GPS Logger to track my position every 5 minutes (I think you take more than 5 minutes in a spot…) and have it uploaded every 4 hours on my Google Drive/Dropbox just to be sure. You can even do positioning according to distance and shut down the GPS module between checks.
– trip started at 6AM and finished at 9PM, battery use : 15% (Data disabled/carrier not present in Reunion Island, but WiFi enabled).
– Importing the GPX file in LR, every place was perfectly matched with the time of the pictures (except one small glitch), even if I made only a few steps away from my initial point!
Is that really difficult to do?
One warning though : be careful of time differences, GPS often log in GMT, not actual smartphone time
You can simply open up a picture file that contains the embedded GPS coordinates in LightRoom and select the map function. LightRoom will flag exactly where the image(s) and the quantity on the map.
but not on the field. You still need a GPS device to physically go to the spot.
Is there a smartphone version of LR?
You bring a hard copy of the map with you, it’s that simple. No smartphone needed.
Is there any camera that Sony doesn’t claim to have the fastest AF in the world???
Not lately, because all of their cameras really do have the fastest AF. They keep topping themselves.
Yes in a carefully constructed test and sometimes in initial acquisition but absolutely not in most cases where you actually need fast and highly accurate AF – especially follow focus. Here is an article from sonyalpharumors contributor Thom Hogan on this exact topic. He is on hiatus for the month of August so he may not comment but here’s his article:
http://www.sansmirror.com/newsviews/april-june-2014-newsviews/focus-focus-focus.html
Apparently all those questionaire cards that came with the A77 and A99 were for real – Sony actually listened. Apparently, only 17% of those who filled them out claimed that GPS was ‘an important feature’.
So…we did it to ourselves 🙁
Apparently all those questionaire cards that came with the A77 and
A99 were for real – Sony actually listened. Apparently, only 17% of
those who filled them out claimed that GPS was ‘an important feature’ .
So…we did it to ourselves We cant blame Sony 🙁
I guess I should have filled mine out then. 🙁
I admit, I didn’t fill mine out either. 🙁
Why would you drop such a cheap, tiny part if 17% want it? The camera OS already supports it. It can be crippled by software if some market like China doesn’t allow it. If you’re worried about battery life turn it off.
I’m not one of those folks saying GPS is critical to my purchase but I really like the feature and can’t see why Sony would jeopardize sales by dropping it. I feel pretty much the same about wi-fi radios for the record.
Cost cutting, I’d guess. Even if it’s a cheap, tiny part.
Sony has explained why it did drop the GPS and the AF Assist lamp (and 17%? – I have rather heard 1 or 2% complained about this) – to retain these two functions would have mean not enough room for the fastest AF system they had available today.
Sony had different versions of A77 II out for pre-production testing. Versions with GPS and AF Assist but with less powerful and fast AF system, and versions without these two functions but with more advanced AF system.
The testers preferred the better AF versions. We use AF at basically every shot, but seldom or never GPS or AF Assist.
.
I have heard something similar. Sad if true.
I wish Song will come up with a lens that’s cheaper but comparable performance to current Sony CZ 24-70. That one is almost $2k still.
What is Song?
Sony with a typo…
😉
In the US Sony online store (refurb) you can get one right now for $1,499 w/1yr warranty. I have a $1,214 135mm arriving today, not a bad deal.
Finally, something maybe on par with the Nikon 800. Very interested. May have to sell my 99 in preparation of the upgrade.
This post has generated loads of comments. BUT nobody has said a-mount is dead yet. So there you go.
I thought Sony had clamped down on leaks, so where did all these “leaks” come from? I think if Sony are allowing people to test the next a99 they would be under NDAs – so I don’t think it would come from them.
Take all with a pinch of salt.
Pardon from a non-native English speaker – where do you want us to go?
It’s just a saying
They clamp down on the leaks they want to. I’m sure they quietly take advantage of leaking things they do want leaked. They’d be foolish not to.
I completely agree.
and by the way…Have you ever considered doing a musical version of Hamlet?
Is there any chance this thing will be mirrorless? Or is that not possible with a-mount?
Of course it’s possible. Can anyone intelligently debate whether it will or wont be? No.
You’ll have to wait and see.
I hope it happens! I’m investing in Sony Zeiss A-mounts and hoping it won’t become inferior if and when A mount becomes mirrroelss.
It won’t be. I have lots of A-mount glass from my A99 and use it on the A7r via the EA3 and EA4 adapters. I don’t see much difference between the A99 vs A7r+EA4. But if the second gen will have the same great 36Mpx sensor combined with the A6000 performance – man, I’m dying to buy it.
It is, but your auto-focusing speed, and overall speed will take a massive hit, and the camera will be barely usable.
What’s not to like. This camera will have the speed of the A77II, and the ISO capabilities of the 5D MKIII, for half the price of the 5D.
Plus if you have AF-D capable lenses your AF system will be outstanding.
Half the price of a 5D? You’ll be lucky.
Will there ever be one E- or Canon-/Nikon- shooter that converts to A mount? Sonys marketing calulation is: how many percentage of the A guys are gonna buy A99II? It’s of no interest for the rest of us. But you are obvious more than 200 people here on SAR!
QUIT SPAMMING!
Huh?
He’s not spamming.
I’m currently shooting nex-7, and I am one of the people that wants to migrate to A-mount.
I’m just waiting for them to build the right camera for me. I don’t have loyalty one way or the other. I like the A7 family but they haven’t built what I’m looking for there yet. First one to offer a global shutter for flash synch at any speed will have my money the day they take preorders. For anyone that has used a leaf shutter with studio strobes outdoors you know what I’m talking about.
Plenty of us are converts. Sony has an awesome lens line-up for those who can afford them.
I switched from Nikon to the A-Mount years ago (A900) in order to use the Auto-Focusing Zeiss 135mm, 85mm, 16-35mm, 24-70mm, 24mm Zeiss Lenses, and the 70-200mm, 70-300mm, 35mm and 70-400mm G-Series.
Plus I employ the Minolta G-Series 17-35mm, 28-70mm, 80-200mm, and 85mm G (d) on a regular basis, when the A99 is otherwise being employed (video) or in situations where “Minolta Blue” color rendition is more appropriate.
Plus I have a half dozen other A-Mount lenses, that are OK, but nothing to write home about.
We are getting a Nikon D800, 3 years late! woot woot!
With the left autofocus issue as well? Or will we get the wonderful crap all over the sensor when we take a photo – that needs sensor cleaning every 5ms?
Followed by constant denial, a class action lawsuit and then an “expose” on China television?
I’d suspect we will get no helpful firmware instead, sub par lens selection, and the camera will probably be overpriced. If Sony really wants do destroy the competition, let’s hope they have shutter shock and compressed data.
What is the D810, a warmed over D800 three years later.
There isn’t much Nikon can do with the D800 until Sony builds a new sensor for them.
Woot woot!
It’s likely Sony will share whatever new sensors are designed and built with Nikon and others, but you are correct in that Sony is in the driver seat.
Woot woot indeed!
A99-II might get same fast AF module from A77-II
speed wise the AF would work fast
but having all the AF points too close to the center will mean that the AF is rather poor.
And Sony have already done this dirty trick. With A99. Like Nikon with D600 and D610.
Let’s see if same attitude will remain for this case
Have all the autofocus points close to the center does not mean the autofocus is poor. It means they are all in the center.
Just a question: how often have you used the peripheral AF points on a camera like the A77II? Unless you’re doing tracking AF across the full width of the sensor, it’s not that critical. I almost always use the center group.
That’s a poor habbit. Understandable, but poor. To focus in center then re-frame. Focus in center then re-frame.
The correct habbit is focus in center, start tracking autofocus. And then re-frame continuing shooting subject using tracking autofocus.
But for the tracking autofocus be capable do the tracing over the frame, it has to be supported by the AF points. If all are in center, then it’s simply useless then.
The AF Lock on tracking of the A77 mk2 is amazing.
I love using it very much.
However, it still tend to lock on to the background sometimes.
For steady obj. I still prefer center focus & re-framing.
Because I still feel some lag when switching AF point using the joystick, hope Sony can further improve the response speed of the A99 Mk2.
As lhkjacky says, it really comes down to the situation. I’ve done both methods, and prefer the using the center group for most tracking (as I want the object near the center of the frame. But if I will be putting it in the 1/3rds of the frame I will do exactly as you state. But, this is very seldom.
I do use the peripheral focus points. Maybe 5-10% of the time.
Do some concert photos and you know why for my taste even the A77M2 (I own such a beast) has not enough AF points in the upper quarter of the image (landscape) – I want the head of the musician focused and not his guitar…
But neither an A6000 nor a Canon 70D would be a solution for me, first one too small (try to use such a beautiful small camera equipped with a 70…200 in a crowd in front of stage – you need the big bodies here to have some “grip”), latter one different system and the needed feature (wide spread autofocus “points”) only in live view (that is not usable because being in a crowd… see before)
I use the outer AF points on my A77II. In fact I have completely changed technique since moving from the few AF points that the A77 has. I have dumped the focus and recompose method to selecting clusters or even individual AF points.
Where are all those e-mount users shouting e-mount is dead. Any time now.
E and A mount are both dead. 🙂
Long live the C mount? (Curved sensor)
At least for a few months, until they come up with the sensorless camera.
They’ve already established the lensless camera market so that would be a natural evolution indeed.
Nice! haha
Next step will be cameraless system.
Just my opinion, but for those complaining 36MP is to much then perhaps you don’t need a DSLR. At this point, everything from M43 to APSC has plenty of resolution for most tasks. DSLR’s still hit the sweet spot for professional and high level enthusiasts who demand the most without mortgaging their house. I use multiple systems and for me- to justify staying in the full frame camp- I need to push the format. Accessibility to a wide array of affordable accessories and specialty lenses is important also (of which I admit Sony lacks in some departments).
There are some situations where the 36 MP would be nice, and the latest APS-C sensors are really good. M43; “forget about it”.
I have pretty much every M43 prime lens at this point. I’ve only acquired them in the past six months. I wouldn’t say forget about it. Within it’s performance range it’s quite capable and there are a lot of paid professionals who have adopted the system. Low priority ISO and the files are quite maliable in PP. Olympus may have one of the best WB in the industry as well- however I shoot mostly RAW so….
The M43 cameras are really nice, but I just don’t care for the look of the images. To me they always look over processed, and lacking in shadow detail. Some people (even “pros’) are fine with that, just not my cup of tea.
I can’t agree with the shadow detail- it’s fine on the newer cameras. But, overprocessed- you have a point. For some odd reason I have to dial down the colors a lot PP even with RAW files. Something doesn’t always look quite natural- not like I get on FF. It’s easily worked around if you don’t like the look- but yeah, it’s there.
A99II will most likely not be a DSLR, unless Sony revives A900.
Did someone say a900!! The rumor to kill all rumors.
Reviving the a900 (mk2) would be a stoke of genius, put me down for two immediately.
No it wouldn’t, according to Dyxum, OVF users are a minority.
Why would people buy a OVF Sony when they could have their choice of OVF Canon and Nikon alternatives? Sony will never be successful trying to copy Canon and Nikon models.
If you love the OVF so much, swap brands and enjoy.
The beauty of the A900 is that it has fewer bells and whistles and is more of a pure (traditional) camera. Just concentrates on still images with less singing and dancing… etc…. That’s all traditional photographers require and I believe there are still a significant number of them surviving in the market place. The A900’s OVF is one of the best if not the very best that I have ever looked through, so perhaps an electronic overlay that could be turned OFF/ON would be the way to go. It is my hope that at some point in time cameras will not be valued solely by the quantity of “TECH” onboard.
I’ve never understood the traditional camera argument. If you don’t like bells and whistles feel free not to use them. There are plenty of features on my SLT that I don’t use through choice.
If Sony released your dream camera it would be a disaster, reviewers would slate it for a lack of the very features you think a camera shouldn’t have.
If you wish to have a pure traditional camera then get a manual focus, manual exposure, manual aperture SLR. But that’s not actually what you want is it. You want what YOU think is a traditional camera, well I have news for you, what you want isn’t what the buying public wants.
Sony aren’t going back to OVF, so stop moaning and either live with it or swap to the several brands that clearly fit your traditional requirements.
Sadly when people like you can’t have a meaningful public discussion you resort to name calling. YOU do not have a crystal ball so stop putting YOUR opinion forward as the ONLY one. Traditional cameras have their place, there is currently a resurgence of Wet Plate Collodion cameras and technique (circa 1850-70). Suffice it to say that there isn’t one best camera for everyone. This has been said on this forum many many many times…. and if it were not so then SONY would not have released their recent cameras in several permutations A7/A7R/A7S for example…. and whatever you do don’t google the Leica Monochrom
A99IIS please, fast focusing + low light!!
I prefer to low my anxiety, because sony always tick one box out to make me feel frustrated.
Will be just an A99 with the AF from the a6000 and 36mpx same sensor of d810, wifi and NFC.
I would like to see a bigger, faster and sharper view finder, better than fuji xt1, -4 ev for AF, and the same or better sensor performance over the d810.
But this probaby will not happen.
It with be SLT. I doubt it will have the A6000 style AF.
The 24-105 would be welcome. I would hope Sony release a new version of the A99 o/s to include it in the supported lenses for the 102 a/f points. If not, that would be incredibly annoying.
I DO CARE about GPS. Now I don’t have to wait anymore and will buy a99. Thanks Andrea.
Should have better or as good AF and FPS that of Nikon D4S. Better buffer and High ISO performance. Improved image quality, start up time & battery life. Improved EVF and LCD screen. A99s for low light with all of the features above. A99r for resolution with all of the features above.
Hope its not SLT.
There are plenty of Canon, Nikon and Pentax alternatives, go and buy one.
It cannot use “the same” sensor as the A7R, as the micro lenses will be angled incorrectly. In the same way, the D800 and A7R sensors are different. I can’t help thinking that if they are changing this, which they likely are, there will likely be developments to tweak/improve things. I find it hard to believe this would not be the case for something that is their latest flagship product. Alternatively, I guess they may just use the one from the D800…
Ugg, we don’t need any more resolution, as JR mentioned, better AF and buffer speed, more pro qualities. I was actually ok with the rendering of the A99 in low light, very filmy. Not so much with the A7/A7R, so I hope it’s a different sensor. The 85 1.4ZA on the A7R with LA-EA4 adapter did NOT have as good a rendering as the A99 + 85 1.4 ZA. Please, please, no A7R sensor…
I’ve never used the gps on my A99 and A77 cameras. So Sony are right to remove it for wifi which I would use!
There are a lot of people who seem to be going for the “I don’t use it, so it’s useless” argument. With any feature, some people will like/use it, some not. Personally I’d rather GPS than wifi, but I’m not going to say sony shouldn’t include wifi. It’s a shame to lose any feature, when it can be disabled for those not wanting it. Especially one that is as inexpensive as this.
Well said Nick…
I use GPS and love it… I would also use it allot more than wifi but I’m also not going to say wifi should not be included… other brand have both Wifi and GPS… I believe Sony was one of the early adopters with GPS in there point and shoots as I have and use a few of them and they are great as well… If you don’t need or use GPS thats fine disable it let others enable it that want to use it…
For all the GPS lovers just know this… Its embedded there even if you cant see it. If you cant remember where you were when you shot the image (Especially since you probably saved all of the photos from that location in one folder) You are probably too stupid to remember how to turn the camera on.
Wow! That’s kindof obnoxious. I don’t need it, but do use it. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to remember which part of a trip you were on, when you take a lot of photos, and not all of them are of things that are easy to identify location. If you think you personally never need it, just turn it off!
How about we take this to the extreme – most of us enjoy taking pictures for ourselves, not just others. If I take a picture for my personal enjoyment, does that make me too stupid to remember what the scene looked like.
Wow, arrogance…
I LOVE the GPS feature and if you don’t want or need it that’s fine, simply disable it and let others that like and need it to enable it… to me it’s that simple… it’s a very cheap component and when disabled does not cause any negative impacts to people that don’t want it…
I shoot with a few camara’s and having GPS on all ensures all my pictures are viewed in the correct sequence (NO time issues or sorting issues or having to ‘remember’ to always check the clocks on each camera)… also when travailing the GPS is fantastic as I can’t always remember exactly were a picture was taken on the go (perhaps you can and well done to you)… but how is your memory going to be in 10, 20, 40 years time? or for family members you share the pictures with?… I can guarantee you your camera will win over your memory over time…
GPS is also fantastic for very quick finding, filtering and helps reduce manual data entry of meta data dramatically… once again if you don’t use or need the feature that’s 100% fine with me simply disable it and leave it for people that do like and use it… we can both be happy then, no?
There was talk a while back about a sigma full frame 24-70 F2. Has anyone heard any more? At the time it was rumored to be going to be announced about now. If it is still coming, I wonder how it would compare to the Zeiss F2.8 version. If it were good, it would be an awesome combo for an upcoming A99II.
Really missing that lens, 2.0 would simplify my concert shotings.
Do you have any idea how large and expensive such a lens would have to be? Not economically viable as a realistic product.
F2.0? FF Zoom Lens?
It seem unrealistic.
But I am looking forward to Sigma 24-70 F2.8 ART Lens.
Recently, Sigma’s Art series have many high quality lens.
Screw the 36 MP, how about a 16 MP with the ISO performance of the A7s and lighning fast AF
They Did. Its called the A580.
Err, no! DxO puts the A7S at 3702 ISO, vs the A580 at 1121. Even the A77II gets 1013… Just because the A580 has an OVF, which I suspect is what you like about it, doesn’t make it the best thing forever…
You DXO Visitors are so funny. I don’t care what DXO says. Use an A580 at high Iso and see the files for yourself (If you can actually find one). But thanks for confirming the 5-6 Year old A580 sensor still outperforms the brand new A77II.
Plus, He was referring to A-Mount. Not the Toy-Mount A7S.
A580 is still the best performing High Iso A-Mount. Period. And yes I’m sure it because it was the LAST Great OVF Alpha. SLT is the reason Sony has been rolling down the back side of the summit since the A580. Seems like they themselves would have learned (“SLT is Dead”) Like SAR reported Long ago.
The A580 is not the best performing sensor – see the images I just posted beside the next post up. The A99 is clearly significantly better. Plus, given this whole topic is directed at putting the A7R sensor (which I guess you also think is a toy?!) in the A99 II, perhaps you could look and see how it compares to the A580. The A99 already blows it out the water at high ISO, and the A7R is significantly better than the A99. I don’t personally want an A7/R/S form factor camera, but they are awesome pieces of equipment. I rented one for a recent trip, and the images it gives you are fantastic.
If you’re still harping on about OVFs, give it up. Sony is not going back that way, so you’re just prolonging your agony and doing the brand a dis-service by putting off people who may otherwise be interested. Either live with your ageing A580/900/etc, accept the direction this “for profit” company is taking, or move to Canon/Nikon.
So you confirmed it outperformed the current A77II (And it destroyed my A77 that I sold), Then you compare it to a Full-Frame A99 and Full-Frames sensors do better in low light than APS-C? OK, Since you confirmed it yourself… The A580 is the best performing APS-C Alpha Camera Sony EVER had. BUT if you take into account The A580 was 1/3 the price of the A99 That would put some points back in the A580’s corner. Some would consider that to be the “Best” Option. I mean are you really absorbing the issue here? A 5 YEAR OLD A580 OUTPERFORMING A BRAND NEW A77II AT HIGH ISO??? SONY IS HOLDING BACK ON WHAT THEY CAN PROVIDE CONSUMERS AND TOO BUSY SELLING YOU SLIGHTLY IMPROVED SLT REMIXED MODELS, OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT A FIRMWARE UPDATE COULD PROBABLY PROVIDE. And there are people like you who always buy the “Newest’ technology because of marketing and hype and not smart enough to realize the “newest” technology doesn’t mean it provides the “Best” results.
Clearly you either cannot read, or didn’t read what I wrote. So,
I will break down your post and analyse where you are clearly struggling.
> So you confirmed it outperformed the current A77II (And
> it destroyed my A77 that I sold),
By “it”, I assume you mean A580. No, I didn’t. I didn’t mention A77II
at all in my reply to your post, but I did refer to the A77 (mark I) below.
Here I showed image crops proving that A77 (mark 1) is more detailed than A580, and pointed out that A77II vs A580 – “if you compare a 16Mpix sensor from 2010 to a 24Mpix sensor in 2014, you may get the same high ISO numeric result but you have 50% more pixels! So… they get the same performance out of pixels 2/3 of the size. Not bad – that means 50% more detail”
> Then you compare it to a Full-Frame A99 and Full-Frames
> sensors do better in low light than APS-C?
This was addressing your ridiculous claim that “A580 is still the best performing High Iso A-Mount. Period.” As A-mount includes APS-C and full-frame, comparing the A99 is resonable.
> OK, Since you confirmed it yourself… The A580 is the best
> performing APS-C Alpha Camera Sony EVER had.
See my first point. I said noting of the sort. A77 beats A580 in these tests, and A77II is clearly better still. Plus, did you miss the fact that your previous argument was A-mount, not just A-mount APS-C?! Am is sensing backpedalling….
> BUT if you take into account The A580 was 1/3 the price of
> the A99 That would put some points back in the A580’s corner.
> Some would consider that to be the “Best” Option.
Price is irrelevant to performance. While we all want cheaper cameras, being cheaper does not improve performance, and that is what we are discussing here. You specifically said ” A580 is still the best performing High Iso A-Mount. Period.” This statement is incorrect, and uninformed.
The rest of your argument is entirely based on the above
list of incorrect information. If you cannot understand this, this discussion is not worth having. One has to actually read responses to give intelligent comments. The one part of it I will respond to is this…
> And there are people like you who always buy the “Newest’
> technology because of marketing and hype and not smart
> enough to realize the “newest” technology doesn’t mean it
> provides the “Best” results
You don’t know me, You know nothing about me. You have read/understood nothing that I have said. If you want to call me stupid, that’s your prerogative. However, making statements based in no fact whatsoever, and ignoring my entire argument, and then drawing conclusions based on miss-reading that I am not smart, because you have not read what I have said, and it doesn’t agree with your opinion does not somehow make you superior, or for that matter correct. Please read again.
Ok, so if you’re not using a standard test, which DxO is as good as they get, what are you using to support these claims? As to your comment on outperforming the A77 II, yes, if you compare a 16Mpix sensor from 2010 to a 24Mpix sensor in 2014, you may get the same high ISO numeric result, but you have 50% more pixels! So… they get the same performance out of pixels 2/3 of the size. Not bad – that means 50% more detail. While I cannot find images form the A77 to use as a fair test, I can find images from the A77 and A99 on dpreview that are the same subject as the A580… To my mind, the A77 (mark 1) has more detail than the A580, and the A99 blows it away.
Well done Nick for providing some facts and comparison and not just hot air… how any one can claim the A580 is the best A-Mount Period even when compared to the A99 blows my mind… Me thinks they have not used or don’t have an A77 or A99 to do actual comparisons with (I’ve had all including the A350 which also had great image quality being CCD sensor but can confirm the A580 is not the best camera and not sure how any one could say it is… If SLT does not fit your needs thats fine move on but don’t claim a 5-6 year old camera is outperforming the latest gen which is clearly is NOT! Provided some facts, samples and details to back this claim as just about any site/samples pics out there (as above) including the old A77 show otherwise…
I 2nd that Berg. Would love to see a a99s 🙂
Yes a Nikon D4s Killer at a $3,000 price range would be something to get exited about.
Ditto. I held an A7s for the first time yesterday and didn’t like the form factor. (Feels small and boxy to me). But that high ISO sensor is so appealing to me, and I’d love to see an A-mount version of it. An A99s or A88s would be really sweet for my shooting and let me use a good number of my old Minolta lenses. 🙂
Finally a decent rumor of a good camera with a great sensor. The only wish it should be fully mirrorless.
Highly doubt it. Practically zero chances
Sony will try mirrorless tech with a cheap camera first and then bring it to their more expensive models.
They should pull the plug on SLT. Nobody wants it. The fancy AF is paid for with 30% light loss
SLT is the main competitive advantage of Sony DSLR.
lol advantage infers that it is a beneficial technology regarding sales. When the truth is that SLT all but killed off the A mount. I am not saying that it was fair, but SLT was judged and found wanting by many. I am very keen on it as I have a good selection of excellent A mount lenses and would like a native mount camera but please don’t kid yourself that it is an advantage.
Sony needs to bring all the rest up to quality. Lenses, service, prices, PR, state its commitment to A-Mount.
SLT advantages are enough to win over Canon / Nikon, it’s all the rest that is lacking.
Personally, I switched over from Canon to Sony precisely because of the SLT.
And with new sensors like the A7S and new 20% mirror Sony SLT can still beat other cameras in low light.
May I ask what is so good about SLT? I am still an 850 user and never tried SLT. From what I understand is that A99 af points are still clustered in the centre, and I don’t know if it’s even noticeably faster than canon. But again, I never used SLT so I don’t want to jump to any conclusion. Any enlightenment is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Basically, a conventional SLR (read: Canon and Nikon) camera’s AF sensor is interrupted (blinded) each time the shutter fires because the mirror has to move up out of the way – this blinds the AF sensor while the exposure is occurring. For static subjects or single shots, SLT doesnt matter much. But, because the AF sensor is ALWAYS active with SLT’s, this limitation doesnt exist. Predictive tracking AF is much easier to accomplish, and for live view and for video shooters, you also get the same lightning fast Phase Detection AF you get with still shots. Canon and Nikon revert back to slow Contrast AF, because when the SLR camera is live view/video mode, the mirror must be flipped up and the Phase detect sensor is blind.
Also, a huge benefit is the ability to take photos at slower shutters speeds and handheld long telephoto shots without the mirror reflex shake found on SLR’s.
For example, I can consistently hand hold a 500mm lens down to about 1/50 second with an SLT, and need around 1/250 or more with my A850. All that mirror flipping around shakes the camera that much more.
Well said! +1
Don’t forget the fps benefit ! My cheap A55 does 10 fps with tracking! My Canikon friends do barely 3 – 4 fps on their budget cameras.
A 7D user was bragging about his 8 fps and he asked me with a sneer how much my ‘Sony’ A55 can do. When I told him 10 fps his face fell.
Now the 7D AF tracking is better no doubt but I have found 10 fps very useful for scenes where there isn’t too much movement but capturing the exact moment is paramount.
This.^ The advantage of slt is the focus while in video mode. No mirror to move our of the way while recording.
What KevinKukla said;
Besides that, electronic viewfinder is really handy, you can see all the information there. Basically, the viewfinder and the screen are interchangeable, you can do anything via either. You can compose via tiltable screen (because PDAF works in LV) and see pictures you just shot in viewfinder.
EVF is better in dark, when you can’t see stuff in OVF, EVF works as nightvision.
You can also have features such as face/eye detection in EVF.
If you shoot black/white, you can turn it on in EVF and see the world in already in BW without actually shooting. Same goes for any effect.
You have focus peaking for manual focus.
You have electronic horizon level in EVF.
Tired of writing, but there’s a lot of stuff 😀
SLT is part of system together with the EVF and together they deliver some unique features.
The SLT also means that you get the same AF performance bothe on EVF and on LCD. Suddenly you can do bird shooting with the LCD and the camera on a tripod. Or sports for that matter.
“implies” was the word you were looking for.
“infers” will do fine thanks .Duott is unequivocally stating SLT is the main competitive advantage he is not . Either way he is incorrect SLT may be a distinguishing feature of Sony A mount but the evidence in the reduction in Sony’s DSLR market share since the development of SLT would say otherwise.
Please guys do not post the slide that Sony shows which portrays the entirety of the digital camera market not Sony specific as if it is evidence ,
Market share has fallen for ALL dSLR sales, Canon and Nikon included. It has nothing to do with SLT.
I switched from canon to Sony alpha because of SLT for my personal equipment. Had the a900 successor just been an evolutionary a900-2 update I would have gotten a 5d3 versus an a99. I would say it is smart for Sony to not simply emulate canon and Nikon.
Well put!
.” I would say it is smart for Sony to not simply emulate canon and Nikon.”
I know that would be crazy they might end up making a profit , wouldnt that be shocking lol
You mean like the massive profits they made with their competing OVF dSLRs…..oh wait,,.
People like you forget that Sony were in the dSLR business for years before SLT.
Sure, it should equal the profit apple made in the early to mid 90s attempting to emulate Microsoft…
Instead of saying “nobody,” you should say “I dont want it”.
Most people understand the benefits.
Another idi0t that doesn’t understand the difference between 30% and 1/3 of a stop.
Eventualy the STL will be replaced via a A6000 PD type system and the A77III A99III will have no shortfalls In light loss .The A99II might have a mirror up function for when HI speed is not essential . SAR have released sony patent for such a devise.
The ALPHAS will be superior in AF Resolution FPS and ISO .
Sony have done the right thing .
Processors double in power ever year .Or half in price .
Current DSLRs manufactures will find it hard to emulate microchip advancment with mechanical advances in the mirror box and shutter assembly.
Also their is scope that once the mirror box is empty that the sensor can travel the Z axis and focus any lens from any mount via adaptor .How ever with Alpha glass the SSM will be active at the same time as the Z axis equating in blisteringly fast Duel AF .That no OVF could ever rival but its going to be ok as the Alphas of tomorrow will mount everyones glass and no one will way a word as everyone will be buing sony sensors in the end . Have some foresight and some faith .Lerning how to compensate for a lil light loss will make you better photographer .
You people argue a lot.
No we don’t.
Yes we do.
Please add the 12fps .. It would be a dream camera for every sport/wildlife photographer
I agree, this is what I was hoping for in the a99ii but at 36mp, probably not possible. Every 1d/d4 owner I know wants a lightweight alternative.
Only in crop mode .Will you get 12FPS .A7r is 3.5 FPS and that is using the new Bionz X .Its unlikly the A99 will sport a double Bionz needed to even get close .
But why high speed AF paired with low fps???
Nikon managed 6FPS with 36mp FF sensor .
Sony might Squeez it to 8 with a bionz X .
But to get 12FPS and a deep buffer
Thy will crop mode it .And it will still be affordable
Unless thy add a new prosessor ?Or use 2 Bionz x.
Id say at this point the A99II just got too expensive for most of us .
Also this camera would be a rival for the cannon dominated sports but without the affordable long focal length glass to back it up it would fail hard ,Too expencive for the masses and not supported for the commercial .
seems everyone is asking for an a99 with a7r sensor or a7s sensor.
if sony is smart they will deliver a99r and a99s, and keep selling the a99 at $1500 (like the a7)
wow… remember when E mount came out, and they wanted all the goddies A mount had.
now… A mount want all the new E mount tricks, who leads now?
apart from mirror lock up, electronic shutter and the ever fastest AF in the world each time a camera is released, dont know how more they can put in there.
It seems folks want all 3: a99II (a7R equivalent), a88 (a7 equivalent), and a99S (a7S equivalent). Based on Admin rumors the a99II looks to be very likely for 2014 and an a88 for 2014/2015 (depending how long the rumored a99 sale extension lasts?).
The only exception is there’s a rumored rangefinder style FE those hoping for an NEX-7 replacement are excited over that I’ve yet to see an a-mounter request. Give us time? ;^)
Regarding GPS: Can’t you pair it with a smartphone over NFC or Wifi and let the phone be the GPS-slave so to say? That would be good enough for me.
At least with the A77M2 I found no possibility to do it – with the current firmware and manuals/instructions the WiFi function seems quite useless for me (only thing I got working was a bloody android app taking over full controll of the camera and turning it in a useless P&S…)
Anybody out there you had more success?
(besides that the A77M2 is a blessing!)
I personally don’t wan to carry another device to tag photo’s, internal GPS and time sync is fantastic with the A77 and A99… I have not upgraded my A77 purely due to the fact of lack of GPS… my workflow includes GPS data and LOVE the time sync feature (no more manually syncing up times due to seconds/min apart between camera’s)…
Other brands are not including GPS and Wifi, why Sony thinks it’s not used is beyond me, many people I’ve spoken to and shoot with seem to love or like the feature and others that don’t simply turn it off and don’t care about it… seems simple to me..
Yes there is a GPS on my A55 which I keep off by default. However I kept it on when I went for a Europe trip and its was nice to see that the location of my photos were there when uploading to 500px. So while not a feature I NEED its still a useful feature and I can always switch it off if I don’t need it.
“I personally don’t wan to carry another device to tag photo’s”
You carry a SLT but don’t carry a mobile phone with a simple app on it?
Yes I carry a phone but it’s an old Galaxy S2 at the moment and the battery is NOT great by any means, (my camera would outlast my phone if I use it as a GPS logger I have tried before to see how it works)…
I also use to use (and still have in a draw I’m sure) a 3rd party device I used with my A350 and it’s just a pain and waist of time having to manually sync up the pictures remember to turn it on/off and change batteries and keep an eye on it to ensure it’s working and not run flat..etc.. It’s just allot more work doing it manually compared to it being done automatically and being 100% every time.
Not to mention the brilliant feature of always having 100% accurate time across ALL your camera’s you are shooting with (I ONLY shoot with camera’s with GPS included now days… it makes post processing allot faster)
Why should I be expect to carry a 3rd party device around when a camera is more than capable of doing the task and doing it a whole lot better and more efficiently? Also Sony has had GPS’s in camera’s for many many years including some of my MUCH cheaper Sony point and shoot’s… I’m buying Sony’s TOP OF THE LINE SLT camera I’m sure they can include the GPS FFS Sony, get your act together! You really know how to rub people up the wrong way with stupid decisions at times and other are brilliant like including it in the first place (now others are following with GPS and Wifi and Sony is taking it out!!! WTF!
Well get a working phone then. Not difficult is it.
No gps, no sale. Imaging you took a picture in venice or a wilderness while hiking and later trying to figure out at home where you had taken the picture…
100% behind you on this… no GPS no sale as well as I’ve done with the A77II (I’m still using my A77 and relatively happy with it and my A99 but need to upgrade the A99 for better lowlight ISO shots but will not give up GPS as I use it heavily between both cameras (it’s enabled 100% of the time and NEVER gets turned off!)
For any that say it’s a camera and not upgrading due to not having GPS, that’s fine you upgrade I have no issues with that BUT personally I love and use GPS heavily with my workflow and it’s that important for my needs as well…
If it’s not that important for you that fine use the features you use and I will use the feature I need and we can all be happy!
Exactly ! Its not a very expensive item to include so don’t know why Sony can’t add one in a flagship camera.
Do you have a particularly bad memory?!?…GPS is the least important feature on any camera…I won’t be losing any sleep over it… Happy to see it dropped.
PLEASE Sony… KEEP the GPS and disable it by default.. users that want it can enable it… keep all customers happy… it’s a FANTASTIC feature to have and I use it allot… I have personaly avoided upgrading my A77 to the A77II just because of the lack of GPS… don’t hold my A99 upgrade as well I love both camera’s but would like better ISO performance for low light shooting…
I personally don’t need 36MP and would be happy with a much improved 24MP and also need much better AF coverage please, I find the A99 coverage far to small at times…
” I have personaly avoided upgrading my A77 to the A77II just because of the lack of GPS.”
Then you are missing out on an awesome camera, if you want to be that daft then its your loss.
To release camera that is focused mainly on landscape photographers WITHOUT GPS is the stupidest idea ever! All folks who talk about pairing cam with cell phone, go move your amateurish ass from fantasy land, pull out your camera from LV bag and go on a 14 days trip in Alaska. Then we will talk. For now I’m buying next a99 body as it is still avail 🙁
[SR5] A99II features Thundercatttt! sorry i mean Thunderbolt 😀
How many are with me…DAY ONE PURCHASE!!!!!!!
I’m going to REALLY want to, but given they brought out several E-mount FF bodies in short succession, if it doesn’t have the features I’m hoping for, it’s going to be a tough decision! To wait and see or jump in… If it looks good though, I’ll definitely be in the queue.
Liverpool
If GPS is included, then YES!
No GPS, No problem
No Video, No problem.
No OVF, No problem.
A-mount, FF , better AF, better ISO -> DAY ONE PURCHASE!!!!!!!
Will wait for full reviews before purchase.
Agreed, no need for GPS.
What I would like is an A mount DSLR with a mirror! I prefer to see the true image, colors, and light. Plus, the eyepiece monitor is impossible to use at concerts, weddings, etc. Total disturbance.
you can use a Canikon instead if you prefer OVF
What is important is what the SENSOR sees not what YOU see. Get it? After the sensor has recorded the image and you have processed the raw, the resulting image will be nothing like what your eyes saw and you won’t even remember what you saw anyway, you will adjust the image to suit what you THINK you saw.
I’ve just shot a concert and my EVF allowed me to see stuff that no OVF would ever allow me to see, it was simply too dark for an OVF. As for weddings, of course you can use an EVF at a wedding, in fact it is a real beneift for white balance and exposing the dress.
Have you ever use an EVF?
The advantage of EVF is much more than it disadvantage.
White balance, exposure, histogram, peaking, zebra, focus magnify, review image,etc..
EVF exactly show what the sensor see.
First thing I do on all my camera’s is turn OFF GPS. No need for it and it saves battery life.
Would you be happy if Sony included GPS but disabled it by default meaning people would need to turn it ON if they wanted to use it? I understand some don’t use it or need it for their workflow but the argument is it’s not needed to me is counter-productive… It’s like saying spot meter mode should be removed as my friends and I don’t use it… (understand you did not say that but it’s just a point I’m making to every one)…
Question: I’m sure you and others would not mind if GPS was there incase you ever wanted it (as well for us that do) BUT is turned OFF by default right?
I really don’t care about GPS either, just another battery drain. Curious why the rumor is talking about the worlds fastest AF.. For a 36mp camera I am more interested in the worlds most accurate AF. Oh yeah, I also hope it has EFC.
But you understand others need/use it? I take it you would be ok to have it included in the A99II but just have it disabled by default yeah? I see this simple solution as a win win for all…
Personaly I don’t use the TOP LCD screen any more as I’m now so use to using the rear LCD and EVF for all the details I need… I’m not asking Sony to remove the TOP LCD because I don’t use it as I understand others might have a use for it..
Come on Sony include GPS, it’s a very cheap component and can be disabled by default and users like me that need/want it can turn it ON, I’ve had no battery issues with the A77 nor A99 with GPS and it’s enabled 100% of the time!
I kind of agree.
I don’t really need the GPS, but the top-LCD is totally pointless to me and if one should be dropped for cost reasons, then Bye-Bye top-LCD.
For any new Sony, I’d say it is time for a proper Flash system… no delays with Sony-flash triggering, and at least make the hot shoe fit generic equipment properly – too much wobble and
still no accurate matching/lining up of contacts between camera hotshoe and and generic flash contacts and radio triggers – too much plastic use to make for secure and robust use –
I am not sure what you are talking about. I do use Nikon SB-28, SB-80 and Elinchrom Skyport on my A7R and A77 MK II without problems. Looks a bit strange though, but works like a charm.
Some ISO triggers simply do not fit, this is a known issue.
I own a6000 and DSLRs. A6000 AF is much slower than any DSLR. But it is first apsc sensor size camera with ideal autofocus for video work. Also good in dark conditions.
much slower?
A6000’s speed on autofocus is comparable to D4S, although D4S is smarter in complicated environment, but A6000 is faster than most of the DSLR, undoubtedly.
No it isn’t. You need perfect conditions to get fast AF on the A6000. It is very good for a mirrorless though.
Really? Just watched this review. It seems the a6000 is recommended as a DLSR replacement as long as you own an older cat who doesn’t move too fast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIwTmGTuwlQ
For the A6000, Imaging resource got an average 50-65% hit rate at 12fps AF-C averaged across a variety of occasions and dpreview reports a hit rate of at least 75% at 12 Fps AF-C. So not quite bad getting 6-8 shots in focus a second.
I compared the A6000 with the 70-200mm f/4 directly to the A77II with the 70-200G2. The A6000 managed less than 50% of usable photos, even with the E-Mounts premier Sports lens. The A77II with the $3000.00 70-200G2 however consistently produced 10 to 12 solid fps.
The A6000 11 fps is just marketing, in reality it’s a 6 or 7 fps mirror-less camera, pushed beyond its limits.
The “world fastest” statement was of course with a specific lens, was that the one used in these tests?
Also, at around 10 minutes, he says ” I usually pick the AF sensor to use, and see how akwards it is to choose” ,
So, had he crippled th AF system (with manual override) before the tests?
I see it like this: If someone shows hi-fps sequences in focus on youtube, that wins over someone showing failures.
Because the first one shows it can be done.
It is a bit like seeing 10000 high jumpers failing at 240 cm, and then seeing one making it. Claiming it is impossible is the wrong conclusion even if statistics support that claim.
No, he used the kit lens. Nice of Sony to bundle a lens with the fastest AF body in the known universe without a lens designed to achieve it. Northrup was also critical of Sony’s relatively meager selection of lenses. I guess if you deduct the ones not designed for fast AF that list gets pretty darn short, eh?
I’d rather have A7s sensor and internal 4k recorder on big SLT body, then add A77II AF, the 5 axis ibis would be wonderfull
That would be nice plus ad 12FPS.. This would be a dream sport camera
A77II AF would be a showstopper in FF body. All AF points in the center again.
They need to design an A77II-like AF, but full-frame.
Yeah, no GPS, no deal. Dang. The A99 is so lacking, I guess I have to go Canon or Nikon now? That sucks.
For canon & Nikon, you need to use a separate GPS device for all the slrs except the 6d.
Customers are not interested in GPS?! Apparently there survey was conducted by people on the lamb or hiding from authorities because I think that would be just as important as Wi-Fi. Speaking of which, I hope their Wi-Fi implementation includes direct linking.
Crazy talk
Sony may feel that they are building in wifi to replace GPS since a camera and phone can connect enabling the camera to use the phone’s superior GPS.
Sounds like the right answer to me, so thanks!
400th comment
Lots of interest in the a99II. Imagine the response when we get better than SR3s closer to Photokina. Hopefully, Sony will notice the interest in the a-mount and give it some more love.
It’s their “FlagShip” camera, and should be their most capable camera when/if its launches. I’ve already sold/liquidated my current A99, and decided to conduct the rest of my assignments with the A850 and F58AM flash, until it arrives.
I’m holding out for the A88, and a flash that isn’t garbage. If the rumours are correct, and a 24mp 12fps capable A88 is launched (alongside the A99II) I will be the first in line.
However if both the A88/A99II are really 12fps capable, I’ll have a 4DS ($6999.99 + 15% sales tax) operating co-worker who’s going to be in utter shock, when I show up to work with a camera that is twice as capable for 1/3 the price.
Maybe with the left over money I’ll buy the 400mm f/4, and retire my minolta once, and for all.
That’s unfair. Bringing a gun to a knife fight.
That love will end if they do something stupid like put the focus system of the a77II on the full frame sensor like they did with the small focus area of the A99. with the A77 AF Area.
This is the single most interesting thing about the new camera.
If they stick A77-II AF in there, it means Sony totally misunderstands the DSLR market, or simply doesn’t care about it.
If they, however, make a A77II-like full-frame AF, it’d mean they are serious about challenging Canon/Nikon.
+1 …. “Hopefully, Sony will notice the interest in the a-mount and give it some more love.” I hope that, too. They need to realize that ignoring any mount could be considered tantamount to abandoning the mount.
Don’t worry GPS Lovers, Sony will have GPS on the A99III 3 months later. Then you can buy it and only “Forget” where 3 months of photos were taken with your A99II.
I bought a GPS – CS3KA when I bought my A850, it’s small cheap and works very well.
Will they later release an A99IIs with the A7s sensor?
No, the A7r sensor is already two years old. This camera will likely have a sensor that is optimized for the SLT (20% more sensitive like the A77II).
A7s, nor A7r
I do very much care about GPS, dear Sony Company!
Sony will likely launch a updated version of its GPS – CS3KA for those who absolutely need it.
Sony will launch another model with GPS. So you have two upcoming models:
A99II and A99IIG
i dont think there will be an a88
what can you remove from the a99 to make that a88 real?
EFV i dont think so… but i would trade my a99 for the a88 if that happend (i hate EVF bumps) 😉
what else? there is not a single thing they can remove from the a99 that reduce the price (maybe Magnesium body)
or maybe they remove the top lcd, or put an ordinary EVF, or remove the built in flash (ok the last one was pure sarcasm)
i bet its more like i said
they will launch an a99r and a99s, keep selling the a99 (in reality, the a7 its pretty much the a99 sensor, its the only FF sensor with PDAFoS)
and the A mount range would end up like this
$500 a58 aps-c entry body
$1000 a77 aps-c pro body
$1500 a99 ff entry body
$2000 a99r ff pro resolution body
$2500 a99s ff pro sensitive body
E mount in one year should be a7 $1000, a7r $1500 and a7s $2000, and when FF drop the $1000 line many will jump in.
A99II, 36MP ,6.5FPS.Mirror lockup Resolution, portrait & landscape
A88 ,12MP,12FPS, 4K Speed & sensitivity ,Sports
A77II, 24MP.12FPS. Amateur Sport wildlife
I dont think the A88 is going to be this cheep FF that pepole are hopeing for as the A99 will come down to 1500 and is still a verry new and awesome option .
A88 as 12Mp sensitive camera would be more expensive than A99-II (think A7R vs A7S), which doesn’t make much sense
I understand what you are saying .
But I dont think the a88 will be a entry level is speculation
The monica A88 is also speculation It could well be A99S
A7R 36MP A7 24MP(Entry all rounder) A7S 12mp 4k
A99II 36MP A99 24MP(Entry all rounder) A88 12mp 4k
A6000 24MP
A77II 24MP
A88 with the 12MP 12FPS is the only one that could be used in conjunction withe somthing like the NEW 400mm F4 effectively .
The A99II will be too slow theirs no way it will prosess 36mp Raw files in time the BIonz X is just not upto the task .It will be as fast as the A7R so it will be a lously sport camra .Fantastic at portrait and landscape tho .
Fast AF for studio only camera?
” Secretary job interview – I can type 3000 signs per minute. And silently – there is so much errors”
I prefer 20 MPs FF with most precise AF in AF-C mode.
Any new news/rumours about this camera.
the a77ii was announced earlier this year. I believe this camera will be announced around the same time next year