One of my good sources sent me a new message to post on SonyAlphaRumors (I rewrote the text):
“Hi Andrea, the price of the A77 body ($900-1200, close to the [shoplink 5117]Canon 60D[/shoplink]) could be correct. I can confirm the focal length of the new A77 kit lens (16-50mm) but not the aperture f/2.8. The naming of the A77 is not final yet! At the moment Sony is working close with Zeiss Germany (they had a lot of meetings in 2011). We will see some new lenses (for [shoplink 3003]e-mount[/shoplink] to) in near future… May directly from Zeiss? Greetings from XXX 😉”
Thanks XXX!
A second very good(!) source told us that while is true that Zeiss will focus on fullframe lenses for Sony there are still two APS-C lenses planned for release in 2011-2012! So the new rumored 16-50mm kit lens should be real!
So we are getting closer to some exciting new announcements. NEX-C3 and E.mount lenses in April and a few months after the A77 and new lenses. If you have some rumor to share contact me at sonyalpharumor@gmail.com. Thanks! And invite your friends to follow us! And join us at Facebook, Twitter and follow our RSS-feed!
Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!
54 Responses
hmmm if it’s not f2.8 then it doesn’t really serve the purpose does it?
Weather sealing , maybe ?
Last time I checked Zeiss 16-80 served it’s purpose very, very well, and it’s not f/2.8 so… I don’t see much of a problem if sharpness wouldn’t be compromised. Personally I’d prefer sharp f/3.5-4.5 than butter f/2.8 and semi-decent f/3.5 after stopping-down
16-50mm f/4.0 with amazing quality optic, I hope 😕
still. the old 1680Z will be better seller for its range, F4.5 at 80mm is not a big deal.
Hmm, I wonder what kind of focus motor will be in the lens, probably a SAM. I’m curious to whether the internal focus motor will be quiter than that in the A33/A55.
No news on the release date?
Yea… good point. I don’t see how SAM lens would work on any video-dedicated camera with all the noise it makes – it’s nothing better than the screwdriver in this matter, sometimes it’s even worse actually.
But SSM…. it’d be too good to be real, seriously – this would make a dream-lens… sadly dreams don’t come true too often.
why the price 900-1200 not a single price? offer various packages?
It may depend of the country you are in. Usualy cheaper in US and more expensive in EU and GB if you translate dollars to euros.
It also may show that the price is not set in stone, as there is no anouncement of the camera yet. Depending of the market they may go anywhere between the 2 limits.
^ no. This way source just cant go wrong…
16-50mm is disappointing. What I was really looking for was an updated 16-80mm say f/3.5-f/4 with SSM and better wide angle performance.
wait so, as of now, is there any expected release date for the A77? Are you guys thinking August announcement to coincide with CLIQ?
Where is the CZ 50mm 1.4 and 35mm 1.4 SSM??? Sony you can do better than that.
Maybe it’s somewhere along the Zeiss plans for 2011?
Or maybe we’ll get MF Zeiss 50mm f/1.4? Or maybe we’ll get MF Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 with added AF? (again: dream-lens)
I was thinking the same…some smart guy went on and on in some other topic about Sony being so innovative and that they had to shed the old minolta artifacts….and yes, here you say what others are may be thinking, Sony should do a lot better, it’s about time…the 35 1.4 G is just an old Minolta lens, far from being a very good one, decent at most, soft at wide apertures, the same goes for the 50mm f 1.4, good enough at 1.8 on apsc(what’s the difference from the 50mm f1.8DT lens then!?) and quite soft wide open on FF, usable from 2.2 and good at f 2.8, but then I see no difference from zoom lenses with 2.8 aperture, the Zeiss and the 28-75(just another tamron).
So right now Sony’s marketing tells us that we are entering a new era so I say it is about time that we see some good lenses, primes.
Sony, please consider SSM primes!!! It would make a big difference.
There are many lenses that need to be changed with a new generation and quite a few that are still missing from the lineup…so maybe along with the new camera, the possibility of a complete great system would more than buy (back)you some much needed confidence and should I add…loialty!? Show that you are seriously committed into offering your customers only the best and that you really care for their demands and the sales of your products will bring you much more than 15% of the DSLR market(and SLT in this case :)) )!!
can we have the a77 true spec???
I second that request. I’m salivating at the thought of the a77 arriving in the very near future.
900$ – 1200$ awesome
plus battery grip 400$ / 1300$-1600$
Very reasonable
they should call it the a777 it would be my new lucky charm
16-50mm suggests that it’ll be a constant f2.8 aperture lens to me, otherwise they would have just upgraded the 16-80mm instead.
It may not be 2.8, but a constant aperture should be a fair prediction.
Otherwise, the tele end should be longer.
(Remember, 16 x 3 = 48)
16-50 gives equivalent focal length of 24-75, and IF it is F2.8, that makes it a perfect APS-C solution for wedding photographers. It’s a smart lens for Sony to have in their lineup, but I can’t see how it would be a kit lens…that’s the only part of the rumor that doesn’t make sense to me.
You know that Sony 16-105 and Sony 28-75 f/2.8 SAM were both Kit lenses to higher-end camers? Kit lens doesn’t have to be the cheapest one, it can be really expensive & really good lens too 🙂
This isn’t news. a77 between $900-$1200. We’ve been hearing that for months. Narrow it down a bit. You might as well say, “It’s going to be between $1-$1,000,000.”
Yeah, but a Sony 16-50 f2.8 should be a $1200 lens (give or take a few hundred $). That would more or less be “buy a lens get an A77 for free. I don’t see it happening.
The aperture of a f/2.8 would be to good to be true in my opinion. This is why I think it will not be the final specs. It’ll likely be f/3.5-4.5. I doubt it will perform near the the 1680z.
It can perform near it if the lens would be made as successor to Zeiss 16-80 – what would be really nice surprise IMO. 🙂
how they call the camera dosn’t matter. More importand is, that the camera will be released soon!!!! But i think we will see the scussor of the A700 at the end of the year becaus i think sony is sleeping.
I think we will first see a lot of ugly stuff, like new nex and other cheap dslr bodys for begginers before we will see realy good cameras.
Nikon and Canon sells the pro dslr’s very well. Because the price isn’t to high and alot of people who buy a DSLR want to have a pro slr. Also if the people buy there first dslr. But it must be a very good camera. And Sony do havo nothing at the APS-C Segment. Because the highest. The A580 isn’t a pro dslr!!!
There’s something else to consider…almost any person I know who used a beginner or intermediate level camera bought an upgrade after. And I do not mean the succesor of that model, but somtehing trully better, the next one in line, the upper model.
So Sony needs the A77 not only for existing pros and semi-pros, but for those who are using todays SLTs and will most certainly outgrow their present needs.
But if they really want to matter they should be more present in the FF market also. FF is a statement, more usefull for image purposes which helps marketing more than sales.
How can they go head to head with Canon and Nikon for the entire market without serious FF cameras and lenses!?!?!
SLT really brought something new, but the people they are adressed to right now will consider an upgrade at some point.
Let’s hope the wait pays of and turns into some new “toys”!!
They aren’t going head-to-head with Canikon, that’s the point. They are creating a new market for SLTs and leaving Canikon behind using old SLR technology.
Right now Sony doesn’t care about the tiny Sony FF market. You capture market share at the lower end and work your way up through the range.
At this time it makes no sense what-so-ever for Sony to release a FF dSLR, volume sales are in APS-C and NEX and the people who are buying SLT cameras couldn’t care less about FF.
So 16-50mm would equal 24-75mm on 35mm film, is that right? That’d be pretty nice!
Sad that Sony only considers it worthwhile to update the 16-80 CZ for E mount. That’s a much needed to update lens for A mount. The 16-50 is way too short a range.
Does this point to ending A mount in the not too distant future? They sure are doing a lot more in E mount and near neglecting A mount with only a dribble of lenses for years.
Uh, the A-mount just got a good set of new primes (3) last year and will get atleast 1 more lens this year. On top of that, it has a much more expansive lensbase to begin with whereas the E-mount has virtually nothing in comparison. No wonder the E-mount is getting more lenses out this year (that is, if there indeed will only be 1 lens out for the A-mount, no one knows for sure).
Spoon, this won’t grow into a habbit, but as it happens I much agree with you on this one. I’m sure it won’t happen again anytime soon though :))
How is 16-50 too short? It would be effectively the APS-C equivalent to the 24-70 high end lenses offered by Sony as well as the other big manufacturers…provided that it is, in fact F2.8.
Indeed, I don’t think my Tamron 17-50mm is too short, it depends on your shooting style, it is VERY rare I shoot over 50mm. In fact I have a gap between 50mm and 70mm but have never missed it.
Stop whining Walt!
I don’t think there’s any reason to panic, Alpha is safe(that’s the main topic this year, isn’t it..the A77 and the questions about A FF), it would mean the end of Sony’s DSLR bussines to drop it, they are investing in it as we can see, just they seem to have too much trouble with their strategy. Too few solid new presences to the A mount lineup of lenses.
A 16-50 f 2.8 would be nice. I believe its range would ensure that it is very well adjusted and optically corected. Building a longer zoom than this rumoured wide to short tele lens would imply issues with aberation&sharpness control. So a very good performer with SSM would be great in this range.
It has been missing from their lineup for such a long time. I see why it would be of much interest to anyone using APSC Sony cameras. For such a long time there were only two choices the tamron and the sigma f 2.8s.
It would be nice to see a new 16-80 , but i guess Sony would not put these two lenses in direct competition. Considering the rithm of Sony’s updating habbits I bet it won’t be anytime soon that we see a 16-80 update.
They need the 16-50 f2.8…they need it to have better light gathering capabilities and faster and quieter autofocus to go well with the SLTs and the A77 of course. A wider aperture makes perfect sense when you think that not all the light goes to the main sensor. More light, better control for the sensor capabilities.
Anywhay, such a lens will be more expensive than the Sigma and Tamron together in Sony’s traditional style..:))
Native A-mount 300 Sony/Minolta/Tamron/Sigma/Tokina and a few others.
Native E-mount 3 from Sony
I’m thinking of a little brother to the 24-70 Zeiss, just as fast, just as sharp but smaller in overall dimensions and weight 🙂
….and a new 50mm f1.4(maybe even f1.2) also with SSM…
it would be the time for a new 35 f1.4, but this would appeal more to FF users, so it won’t end up very high on Sony’s agenda.
Another thing that would have been neat: A movie-AF mode. The camera still uses phase-detection AF, but doesen’t focus at max speed in order to get a more film-esque look when auto focusing. Normal AF modes would of couse also be an option
Also in order to reduce noise.
Yay! Sony’s first Mid-level camera since the a850!
Not 16-50mm F2.8?? not 2.8?? That’s quite disappointing… then it will be just like the normal cheap plastic kitlens .. urgh.
Who knows Sony really surprise us with jaw dropping specs.. Zeiss 16-50mm F2.0 SSM!.. must BREAKTHROUGH!! haha.. dreaming.
Imagine the cost of a CZ 16-50mm f2 SSM 😀
With Sony’s links to Tamron, has anyone considered this may just be a rebadged Tammy 16-50 with the possibility of an included SAM/SSM motor?
The Tammy 16-50 is a very popular lens across all brands bodies, and it would be quite a handy kit package for anyone looking at buying into this level.
The Tamron is 17-50mm 😉
LOL yes it is 🙂
Ever since buying the 16-80, i think i’ve become ignorant to anything else in that range 🙁
F4 should be fine F2.8 is better
16-50 is so useful. but from Tokina’s plant?
F4 would certainly keep the cost down for a kit lens I guess.
how difficult to produce a prime lens with f1.0 f1.2 f1.4 f2.0 f2.5 f2.8? why is has been to be expensive when f number small? what is the limitation to produce 8mm-135mm macro USM OSS II …
USM? Very difficult, mostly cause USM isn’t what Sony makes 😉
Also: producing good, quality bright lens isn’t something you can make for 5$, you know, even if it’s just prime lens – people expect primes to be noticeably better than zooms, meaning you have to develop well-aligned production lines and this alone with quality control makes it not an easy thing.
Short answer: The F-number is simply the focal length divided by the diameter of the lens (for focal lengths shorter than the distance sensor–mount (~50 mm), this simple relation becomes more tricky…). I.e. the smaller the F-number, the larger the diameter of the lens, the larger are the deviations from the ideal shape of the lens, the more difficult to get those errors under control, the more difficult to control the manufacturing tolerances, the more material is needed with more weight, the less customers are willing to carry the heavy lens,…
@pancanikonpus:
> how difficult to produce a prime
> lens with f1.0 f1.2 f1.4 f2.0 f2.5 f2.8?
> why is has been to be expensive when f
> number small?
Because the front element has to be big, maybe even HUGE, to get the low f-numbers (aperture-to-focal-length ratio), and VERY precisely-made, plus, such lenses need extraordinary engineering for flare-resistance, and other optical problems that begin to creep in at f/1.4 and faster.
> what is the limitation to produce 8mm-135mm macro USM OSS
Wider than about 18ish mm’s is VERY tough to combine with more-telephoto than 250ish mm’s; the optics just work very differently, specially out near the edges. Small-sensor cams (point&shoot, consumer videocams) have long had more zoom-range for this reason, whereas the large-sensor (SLR & bigger) are just recently getting the megazooms.
Macro introduces its own whole range of design-difficulties.
There a lot of really good and affordable 50mm lenses out there, it really just comes down to which brand your prefer. They are all quite good.