About time! The new NEX-7 successor will be announced before the CP+ show in February. There are no specs or price info yet. The few rumors circulating on the web do suggest that the Megapixel number will not change (24Mp) and there may be a second “R” version without Anti Aliasing filter.
That’s all for now, but I am pretty sure more info will leak out soon!
8 Responses
T’is about time indeed !! After a disappointing experience with the A7, I happily stuck to my trusty N7, but anxious to see what kind of upgrade Sony will offer. If there was an R version, I’d go for that.
How did A7 disappointed you?
No Touch LCD – no Touch To Focus and no Touch to Shoot – also no Fast Zooms on the horizon – and there is the dilemma with FF – by nature FF lenses are large and fast FF zooms will be large and heavy –
So that nice little A7/r body with a small grip just cant deal with it –
So if one wants a fantastic small camera with few Primes then the A7/r is fantastic –
Sony only has two zooms go go with the A7/r – a large and slow kit lens with around 24-70 focal length at F3.5-5.6 – then a whopping $3000 relatively slow and large and heavy 70-200mm F4.0 – Ok a bit lighter then the Alpha mount but still huge – and who will mount that on the little A7/r and hand hold ??
As much as I want one for it’s FF my logic tells me that I better not and I think many buyers will run into this later on especially when after a year or two they discover that there will not be any fast zooms –
look at the current E-mount for NEX and there still is not Fast Zoom – only a limited very expensive Zeiss F4.0
It will take some more years before we can see smaller and much lighter FF lenses – until then we will have to hope they can squeeze better IQ and ISO performance out of M43 🙂
I don’t know about Nianys, but the video was the biggest disappointment for me.
1. Sony built a brand new Bionz X image processor that processes a 14bit raw bit feed from the sensor. Compare that to the Canon 5DMK 3, with only processes an 8bit raw feed from it’s sensor. Yet Sony’s A7/A7r can both do a stills playback from the HDMI port in 4K…but not the video. The processor video output compresses the video data and thus you loose a lot of detail and clean shadows. Why Sony decided to purposely not optimize their video output and offer 4K as an option (which they could have done easily) is beyond me.
2. Low video bit rate. I was like, “Really Sony? Really? Only 24mbps? In AVCHD?” The GH3 has an 24mbps bit you can also shoot in an optional high 72mbps in All Intra video codec. This shows that any camera company can implement phenomenal, un-handicapped video output if they really WANT to. Yet Sony purposefully choose a sub-standard 24mbps. 52mbps should be the standard average video option today. It’s been over 7 years, there is no excuse for camera makers to not have this as an option.
3. Video codec is AVCHD. Not a big deal but certainly is quite unacceptable. As for the AVCHD is a codec, it should go the way of the dinosaur. AVCHD has a strange file structure that is complicated. I do video editing on a Mac, and Quicktime X does not have proper support, Final Cut Pro X has to waste time encoding all videos I import. You’ll notice even on PC’s after an AVCHD file has been imported to the desktop, occasionally I’ll open the folder and it looks empty…because AVCHD creates their own subfolders that confuse most operating systems. Stupid. Sony should have chose a different codec or written a new one. But we all know firmware updates and general software improvements are not a priority for the company. The other small gripe I have with AVCHD is you can’t push color grading and HDR very far in post editing or the video falls apart.
4. False color, some aliasing and moire. EOSHD gave great examples of this in their review:
http://www.eoshd.com/content/11380/new-sony-a7-a7r-rx10-exclusive-hands-look-video-quality
Now I very rarely see any false color, but the moire is what really pisses me off. Sony video cameras and DSLRs all have been plagued with moire, but I was ignorant to think they would take it out this time. WRONG! The Canon 5DMK 3 and 1DX has NO moire, but Canon allows lots of moire on their lower level DSLRs. So we know it’s possible for Sony to not include it, bit it’s there.
The body of nex 7 is probably the one I like best, on the market. Rangefinder like, small, with nice grip. I think they’ll live it about the same shape in the incoming model. Strange if they leave the same sensor, considering that they upgraded the nex3 (now a5000) to a 20mp one.
I seriously doubt it will be the same 24MP sensor, I wouldn’t doubt it will be something updated and including on chip PDAF sensors.
It surely has an updated sensor – hopefully with optimized micro lenses for wide angle lenses. I also hoped it is optimized for low ISO, like the Nex-7.
If they only went back to the “NEX” name. “A7000” sounds like an unattractive, technoid naming in comparision.
Nex-7 was one of the best body designs of mirrorless cameras. Simple, effective (tri Navi), elegant looking, small and just beautiful.
I do have both the NEX5n and NEX7 – great sensors for it’s time – and an awesome grip – but that is where the fun stops 🙂 – horrible menu system – no Mode Dial – Tri Navi in NEX7 that is way to easy to bump – no touch LCD in NEX7 – native 3:2 vs 4:3 etc etc –
So as everyone agrees the NEX7 is due for an update – due to the lack of fun factor to use I have bought the Fuji X100s and X20 and then full steam ahead into M43 with two GX7’s and OMD-5 and GX1 and just love them and m43 has a fantastic lens selection including fast zooms.
I still acknowledge the advantage of a larger sensor and that Sony makes great sensors – and as I also have a few E-mount lenses I am keen to see what the A7000 will be like.
But based on the various NEX5 updates and now the a5000 I am pretty sure I will be totally disappointed –
I expect a new better sensor for sure with better low light ability – and yes WIFI and NFC – and possibly a mode dial – and APPS – and some few other tweaks and improvements – but I am convinced that the body size and shape will remain the same which means same horrible menu system and no Touch LCD – and no additional buttons or controls so basically a NEX6 body – so basically geared for folks that are happy to be on the Green Auto setting and do not make many setting changes –
I think Sony plan to produce a cheaper A7/r models with FF – which not be aimed at the Green Auto mode folks –
My wish is that the A7000 had a similar body as the A7/r and had Touch LCD with Touch to Focus and Shoot – with C1 C2 C3 settings on Mode Dial – and the menu system of the A7/r – and of course fast zooms like a 24-70mm F2.8 and a 70-200mm F2.8 –
I like what Pentax is doing with AA – make the camera be able to do both AA and no AA.
So as much as I am dreaming to get a real nice NEX7 update I somewhat know that it will be a total dissapointment for me –
The NEX7 body is unnecessary low and there fore would allow for a 4:3 ration and a better menu system like in the A7/r – as the camera with a lens will only fit in a large jacket pocket anyway – also it can be a tad thicker – just like Fuji X-e2 or OMD-EM5 or Panasonic GX7 or just like the A7/r –
I just think that Sony has deemed the NEX line as a beginners to advanced beginners camera so there for are more concerned with ultra sleek looks and less concerned with manual controls and hot shoe etc etc