There is a lot of noise on the web about the new A7 series camera. And a lot of other rumors sites state in bold the new camera will have 50+ Megapixel and sometimes mix the info with rumors I posted here. Therefore to avoid uncertainty I want to make it 100% clear what I know and what I don’t know about the next A7 series camera:
I am 90% sure:
– There will be a new A7 series camera between now and June (and a new A6xxx and RX series camera)
I am 75% sure:
– The camera will be a new A7r successor.
– It has 5 axis stabilization and faster focusing
I am not so sure:
– I am yet not not sure if the camera will have 50+ Megapixel. I have been told by a trusted source Sony has a 50+MP camera in the works but I have absolutely no confirmation if that camera is the A7r successor coming soon. And actually first rumors I got from anonymous sources pointed out the A7rII would have the same although “tweaked” 36Mp sensor.
– The Sony X Australia community has a touch and try session on May 15. But I am yet not 100% sure that’s for the A7 successor camera.
In summary: A7rII with 5 axis IBIS, faster focus and faster BIONZ processor is coming. But I have no info yet from trusted sources if the camera features a new 50+ sensor or a “tweaked” 36MP sensor.
One more technical note for rumor sources: Contact form did not work the last 36hours. Now it works agin. You can share the info here:
[contact-form-7 id=”14822″ title=”Share”]
64 Responses
I am 100% sure:
– Whatever alien technology Sony puts in it. The “expertise” will find stuff to whine about.
Yes mr Freddo, a full frame mirror-less that no no-one has never done before with 5 axis stabilization as a very first on a FF, top notch sensors, third party capability, semi compact, wifi, apps, EVF, weather sealed and a host of quality native glass….. and the Rhetoric will sound like this… but its too heavy, its to large, perhaps the lens line up is lacking, too expensive and even the complaint … to many Megapixels. did i miss anything?
..No optical viewfinder? 🙂
Pancakes. Cos everyone wants an f4 body cap with mediocre performance, apparently…
Yes, the shutter will be too noisy for proper upskirt photography. But that doesn’t matter because the lossy raw will still make the images useless. 😉
of course lossy Raw! notably the SONY emblem, they dont like that either.. perhaps a nikon/canon A7rII then suddenly everything will be acceptable…
No one likes lossy pussie.
And A7S II (A7s the spectacular camera correct amount of megapixels 12M and amazing video 1080p, on par with 30000$ cinema cameras!
I hope that sony continue to develop this holy grail camera!
This is the camera I am waiting for: A7S II. Not necessarily with IBIS since higher ISO can easily compensate for higher shutter speeds. But maybe better ergonomics and better battery life. Vintage lenses are waiting for it.
Hi Andrea – when you say faster focusing, do you mean faster than the a7r or faster than the a7ii?
Fatser than the A7r
A7II is faster because of algorithm optimalisations… A7r will also get the optimalisations I assume…
Strange that Sony doens’t give these optimalisations to the “old” A7 (unless this is hardcoded on chip instead of in the firmware?)
Thanks – if it was going head to head with the a6000, I’d be interested…
I talked to a Sony rep at a trade fair lately. The A6000 AF technology is something different than in the A7 series, including the A7 II. They are working to bring the A6000’s AF to the A7 series, but it’s still not there. 1 or 2 years, was his guess.
Guess is the word.
Reps job is to sell people on what is available now, it is there job to convince you nothing especially different is on the horizon.
That’s very helpful to know – maybe the a7iii will be packing it… It’s not that the a7’s af is bad, but it’s the only thing I miss about my a77…
This does not necessarily mean they have a new sensor with pdaf. From A7 to A7II there was also an improvement for the AF just by some tweaks, same sensor.
I think it will be 36mp and have no IBIS.
no ibis ? this would be a terrible choice, they’ve already the new design in which IBIS fits, I’m pretty sure it will have IBIS, and I think 36mp too.
hmm… the sensor size is the same as in a7II, it would be cheaper for them to implement it in a7r now than it was in the first one. I think they`ll put it in. Not sure about fast focus though..
If no Ibis and no MP why release new camera? I believe we will see same extras as A7ii in the same style body. May be few things more – silent shutter or at least EFCS, more MP or some other add ons
I’m sure there will be something in it no other A7 series camera has as IBIS will probably hurt the A7II sales. A multishot mode is a possibility. The CDAF of the A7S is very good and no doubt they will have enhanced the A7R’s CDAF. I also think there will be EFCS and other little things like a better flash sync speed.
Is it a bad thing for Sony if the A7R II “hurts the A7 II sales” and people buy the more expensive model of the two?
You make a good point.
Not having IBIS will hurt the sales of the A7rII even more! So what is wisdom for Sony?
No higher MP count is possible when it will be available on a other Sony camera (like the A9 or so)
It will be interesting to see if it does have IBIS because at the end of last year they didnt think it would need it according to this interview http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sony-interview-at-dc-watch-says-no-interchangeable-medium-format-system-camera-to-come-yet-new-a-mount-stuff-will-come/
Didnt Sony mentioned, on A7r announcing event, that on sensor PDAF is impossible without AA filter, therefore they couldnt implement it in A7R?
No. It is just that the A7r has no PDAF. To be honest the fastest focusing mirrorless Gh4 by Panasonic has no PDAF either.
But the sensor of the Panasonic is 4 times smaller?
Well… there are 3 problems to consider.
1) PDAF vs CDAF.
PDAF utilizes more information from the recorded light.
As a result: PDAF can track and CDAF can’t. This will NEVER change.
So a PDAF camera will work for everyone (just like they did for 3 decades).
A CDAF camera will work for 99% of customers, but will always lose the 1% of rich enthusiasts and professionals. Coincidentally, these are the people who but the $5k+ telephoto lenses, so they’re worth fighting for. And Sony should know how to make such lenses, because Minolta made some really good ones.
2) sensor-based VS separated
Current CDAF systems use the signal from the actual imaging sensor.
They can’t be faster than the sensor refresh rate.
This is fine for small and less sensitive MFT sensors (Panasonic claims 240 fps).
I don’t know the exact refresh rate for Sony, but it is a FF with a lot more precise readout (and 14-bit ADC), so we can expect it to be a lot slower.
On-sensor PDAF is not based on the imaging signal. It uses separate circuits on the sensor. It can be much faster.
We could imagine a separated CDAF, but this is not that easy to implement.
3) Sony know-how.
From the E-mount we know very well that Sony couldn’t make a quick focusing camera until they added phase-detection in the a6000. All previous NEX bodies were rubbish.
It is highly unlikely that they could suddenly make a quick CDAF. If they can make a decent PDAF, why not go that way?
Not much truth and many assertions of self delusion. GH4 tracks just as well as a6000 if not better. Gh4 sensor readout is just as precise and sophisticated if not more than Sony’s sensors. On from there all your delusions matter not.
CDAF can use lens defocusing characteristics and be just as fast and much more accurate than PDAF fact.
You assert that Sony’s CDAF is not yet where it needs to be and I fully agree on that point but it is not CDAF problem instead it is Sony’s problem to solve.
Comparing GH4 to a6000 is useless. I was talking about technical issues, not implementations. Unlike CDAF, PDAF can *really* track (meaning that it knows where the object is).
GH4 has a very good CDAF. So what? You’ve seen the price difference?
I didn’t say any PDAF will be better than any CDAF.
Compare a $500 PDAF camera (a6000) to a $500 CDAF camera (Panasonic G6). Which one is better for tracking?
Anyway, defocusing is not the best solution. It works IF it has the lens profile memorized. It works IF the scene has high contrast. It works IF the object is well isolated and “typical”.
Sorry, but this is not a reliable technology.
I have used the GH4. It is better than most mirrorless, but that doesn’t mean it is good enough.
However advanced defocusing might become in the future, it will never know where the object is. So it will not *track*. It will *guess* just like a typical CDAF does. DFD simply gives some extra hints.
The fact that GH4 tracks as well or better than a6000 shows that the PD sensors and tracking algorithms in a6000 are rather basic.
I dont think Sony`s hardware is inferior, but rather their focusing algorithm. On the other hand, there are photographers who claim a6000 is more reliable in tracking than even D4s and 1Dx, like Gary Fong and others. Cant say about that, since i used neither of those cams.
Fong is (most likely) sponsored by Sony, so what exactly did you expect?
Go to a big sport event and look at the cameras professionals use.
Plus, Fong is basically a man famous for being famous…
Have you heard about him before he started his accessory business? Have you seen his work as a photographer? Are you sure you want gear recommendation from someone like him?
As i said, i cannot give judgement before trying all those stuff. And as of those pros on sport events, well, would you be willing to ditch $20,000 worth of lenses just because some new camera MAYBE has better tracking? I am sure they wouldnt, even if it was proven to be better at tracking.
Personally, i dont believe it tracks as those pro cameras because all the best action/sports/wildlife pics i see around are taken with canicon. But, maybe it is true when Fong says that AF-C of A6000 needs time to master. His examples indeed look great. And for gear recomendation, i dont need Fong, i am hobbyist, i would look plain stupid walking around with 1.5kg camera taking pictures for fun.
They should use 36Mpx sensor with IBIS and 4-8 shot High Resolution mode. It would give 70-90Mpx HR image.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UIB9Y4OFPs
Whoaaa, don’t do this again. For a moment I thought SharpShooter is back!
Who’s that?
Will they finally fix the RAW compression issue?
I was going to ask the same thing! Non-compressed RAW option please?
Loss-less compression, not uncompressed! There is no problem with compressed RAW files if it is done losslessly like Nikon, Canon and everybody else. It’s when you introduce a lossy compression algorithm that you can have problems in some situations which is what Sony has done.
Show me one of your own pictures that suffers from the RAW compression issue.
I don’t have a Sony A-series camera, actually.
So I guess your next question would be why I choose to critisicise Sony if I dpn’t use their products? Well, it’s because I’m a potential customer looking to swich over from Canon and I find that these ommsions are unacceptable for a $2000+ camera.
Look at this example fom photographer Ming Thein. Look at the color banding in the sky. It’s awfull.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7501/15710803253_9f524a93c3_o.jpg
The banding is bad, but is it due to compressed RAW? Sony has been compressing RAW since the A900, and still Sony is not known for having a severe banding problem. In fact, that’s more a Canon issue I’m told.
It’d be nice to see, especially as people who own an a7 are unlikely to upgrade to an a7ii anyway (so it’s hardly going to hurt sakes)
IBIS is extremely handy when shooting video for non-stabilised primes, such as the FE 35/1.4 and 55/1.8. The ability to stabilise such lenses in low light can only enhance the low light credentials of the A7S II.
IBIS + wide aperture + great ISO performance would be a potent combination.
and only usable for shooting dead squirrels
I’ll have my cat produce one. She hates them more than any other animal. They are dumb enough to yell at her this time of year.
I can do 36Mpx or perhaps a nice video. My a7R does pretty nice video, just getting into it.
If Sony has been having issues with the BIONZ processor overheating an option is to have the processor do less work by having it process less data. It may be overheating at 50MP necessitating going with a lower resolution senor. There are a lot of components that have to work together and Sony is pushing limits on everything.
Based on the possibility that the nen a7rii will jave 50+ mp sensor I have preordered the new 90mm macro fe to hold my place in line.
If the camera turns out to be just another version of tje old 36mp exmor sensor I wiill immeadiatly cancel my preorder and get a tamron 90mm macro vc in Nikon mount to go with the Nikon camera tha I had to buy in order to get the Sigma 150-600 which will not be made for Sony.
I am making my purchases based on what equipment is available when I need it.
I now have the option of purchasing new stuff for either Nikon or Sony system…or rather I would have that option if what I need were available for sony which it is not
Sounds like you will be pre-ordering a 5DS R too since that has the most MP announced so far.
Too many things I do not like about that camera, that is why I got a Nikon.
“Too many things” = sensor performance (image quality)
50mp Sony might not happen this year after all. It’s all been rumors and it might be another year or two b4 it happens
You may be right…I have purchsed no new Sony products since the a77ii and will no until I know what Sony will do.
The good thing about Nikon is that if Sony does not make a 50mp sensor for them, they will buy one from someone else.
Maybe Samsung will make a 78mp bsi sensor and sell it to Nikon for the ff mirrorless f mount camera Nikon is rumored to be anouncing around tje end of this year.
I guess A7RII will be 36mp + IBIS with A7II body
and
there will be another model with 50mp sensor.
Agree!
and because it is released half a year later than A7ii, I expect at least one of this goodies:
– Smoother shutter mechanic
– Faster AF with OSPDAF
The A7S already has great battery life in my experience, MUCH better than the original A7.
Thanks for reporting, interesting. Maybe a A7S will do and be cheap after the Mark II announcement.
The feature I want most is H.265 HEVC. I was impressed with the A7S video performance till I saw the SAMSUNG NX1 stuff. Now not so much. Sony is too in love with h.264. It’s one of the main things holding the video end of their brand back. Their stills capability is excellent. But even CineAlta is sort of a joke. Everything else out there is CinemaDNG or JPEG2000 and here’s sony lagging behind with ancient lofi, cheeseball h.264. They need some more forward thinking over there.
Now, this will definitively make the A7 go below €1000. It will be hard for me not to go FF. Good news 🙂
I really hope that the shutter mechanism of the new camera will be quiet and smooth.
Today I was shooting some monkeys from an island in Malaysia. I was genuinely embarrassed with the clunky / junky noise of my A7r as others who shot with older Canikons could bearly be heard even though they all had flipping mirrors… That such a mirrorless camera of a more recent vintage than these is making such a clunky / junky noise is definitely un-acceptable.
Please Sony provide us with a silent and smooth shutter. The A7r clunky shutter is genuinely embarrassing.