From experience I know that you don’t have to take official Sony social messages as a holy grail. It happened in the past that they made incorrect statements. That said it’s worrying that they release messages like this on from Sony UK (Source: Twitter and also on Facebook). Asked if A-mount camera development is dead they answered:
We have no A-mounts planned. We recommend our A7 range. E-mount but with an adapter (LA-EA4, LA-EA3), A-mount lenses can be used.
That certainly doesn’t create any confidence at all in A-mount. I beg Sony to finally make a clear PRO A-mount statement. Or if they plan to “fade out” A-mount just give current A-mount owners a plan to switch. Like a free A7 camera in exchange of their used A-mount camera. But I know they will not do that 🙁
–
Thanks Matthew for sharing this!
219 Responses
I don’t necessarily think that someone who works in the social media department at Sony UK has much info regarding future products. It seems like in the last few years, Sony’s imaging department is working very hard to keep their products secret right up until the time they are actually announced. This is what Apple tries to do as well, but they have far too many sub-contractors in their supply chain, but in Sony’s case, almost everything is in house, and they have it locked down pretty good. Let’s see if there are any more a Mount lenses announced this year. If there are, then it really does point to more A Mount bodies coming as well, or why would they bother?
What does it take to convince people like you…A-mount is dead…get over it, move on, if you want a new A-mount camera you can’t have one.
Barry. Usually things don’t happen without reason. So maybe you can tell some good reasons why it would be in Sony’s best interest to kill the A Mount.
Why would they be updating lenses from SSM to SSMII? What would be the point? Do they think that people will buy them for E Mount? Or are there enough A Mount users with existing bodies that they will sell enough lenses to make it worthwhile. In a recent interview why did Sony’s upper management state that A Mount development is still under way? What is so bad about the mount itself? If you remove the mirror and work with on sensor PDAF then the mechanical part of it seems to be quite viable. Maybe I’m missing something. If they come out with 85mm & 135mm updated to SSMII, still in A Mount, then I will be much more confident that there are still more bodies coming.
Your post makes sense, but I think it still ignores some truths:
1. Sony was taken by surprise by the success of the FE cameras, and this dramatically altered their roadmap, which seems to be changing on the fly, thus explaining the conflicting info and no real definitive statements. The success of the A7Rii and A7Sii further cements Sony’s priorities.
2. A-mount may have figured into their future a year ago (with the minor lens updates you mentioned already in the pipeline), but the unexpected success of FE has caused Sony to reevaluate the market.
3. There’s nothing inherently “bad” with the A-mount, and future DSLR-like bodies could certainly be developed using all the technology in the A7 cameras (with the added benefit of larger size/battery), but at this point Sony must be evaluating if such a product would be able to differentiate itself enough from the A7 to make it worthwhile beyond placating existing A-mount customers, whom they apparently intend to happily adapt over to FE.
The twitter post could very well be a Sony employee speaking out of place, but given everything else we know, it fits a pattern, and that pattern points to a discontinuation of the A-mount.
IMHO there’s room for two E-Mount body line ups: One with a traditional DSLR styled body which could go into the size of a 5D or so to attract to the mount some Canon/nikon users who are relluctant to jump to mirrorless. The other line up should be the one already exists with the mirrorless look. They could make 2 or 3 pro bodies (with the same look as A7 cameras to undercut costs) which would go paired with some of this kind pricetags:
– Entry at somewhere 800-900€ APS-C. Internals like an upgraded A6000, DSLR look
– Mid Range full frame at 1400-1600€ full frame Something with some specs like the A7II
– High End 3500-4000€ full frame matching A7RII with some more pro capabilities (faster operation, faster fps, dual cards,dual battery)
Don’t think so.. I think it’s exactly as planned.. Start spreading the rumors, let people talk about it on social media.. and then make a big announcement for the new Sony A7 Pro model to replace the A99.
Well thats not possible price wise since the a7rII already is much more expensive than the a99 from new!
Sony and Canon are in a war to dominate the camera market
In a war strategy is important.
In wwii Germany went around the Maginot wall ro defeat France
The U.S. went around the most heavily fortified Japenase held islands to defeat Japan
In desert Storm the US went around Iraq’s most heavily fortified position to reduce casualties.
Charging head first into heavily fortified enemy positions is simply not a good strategy.
Canon is the most heavily fortified powerfull DSLR force in the world.
Sony cannot defeat Canon for DSLR dominence, so Sony needs to go around thier heavily fortified position.
Sony strategy is to aggressively attack and fortify thier position in the mirrorless camera market. Sony wants to replace the DSLR camera market with the mirrorless camera market, where Canon and Nikon heavily fortified positions are meaningless, and where Sony has the heavily fortified position and the advantage.
Wasting resources on A-mount is uselessly flinging them into Canon’s undefeatable highly fortified DSLR position.
It is a certain failure and those resources are better used for a battle Sony has a chance of winning.
I dissagree that Sony could make money on new A-mount products, but even if that were true it would not be in thier best interest to do so.
Sony plans to destroy DSLR and and to convert everyone to
” MIRRORLESS, THE NEXT GENERATION OF CAMERAS”
This is the headline for all major Sony in store displays
And Sony blew up the mirror with a giant explosion.
So Sony will not do battle with Canon or Nikon, whom Sony cannot possibly defeat…instead they will do battle with DSLR.
Part of that battle is to kill off A-mount, and they have done so.
A-MOUNT IS DEAD
DSLR IS NEXT
>Sony cannot defeat Canon for DSLR dominence
Yeah? Is that why they try to make mirrorless cameras that mimic DSLR as much as possible?
E-mount cameras do not mimick DSLR cameras or look like them.
Current camera users like many of the features they now have and so mirrorless cameras must also have tnose features.
DSLR cameras replaced film canera…basically the put a sensor in a film camera instead of film.
Thatcis the only reason we have DSLR
There is no reason for a digital camera to have mirrlr or optical viewfinder except for the fact that film camera users are used to those features and like then, so why reinvent the wheel.
Mirrorless will have to include some DSLR like features because some people still want those features
Most notable..based on Canon users top complaints about Sony
BIGGER BATTERY
DUAL CARD SLOT
And then
Bigger boby and controls
The current direction of E-mount is goof, but since it is Sony’s goal to convert DSLR users a second body with more of these most requested dslr like features is necessary.
Sony often brags that they listen to thier customers requests…well a big segment of thier customors…or rather potential customers..ar asking for these things….time to listen.
I’d rather prefer Sony to add features DSLRs do not have.
the downside of that arguement is they have wasted away market share, and people looking into cameras as a system would see how good sony support is long term.
SSM updates make them perform better on the A7rII and future models with PADF.
If someone is dead, please give him a certificate.
As I have been commenting on earlier posts ( see screenshot of facebook Sony comment on Sony Tid Bit article)
This is the first official definitive statement that A-mount is dead, even though it is not a huge puplic anouncement.
Now Sony has 3 choices
Do nothing…in which case that is confirnation this post is legitimate and A-mount is dead.
Come out with more public official comment confirmind that A-mount is dead
Or publicly deny this statement. ..but that is unlikely because that would not be true.
Bottom line…it is now officially confirmed…
A-MOUNT IS DEAD.
This is not a mount dead but a stupid sales pitch for a7…..sales people would never suade a customer towards unreleased product
Dead, gone , finished , no longer made, no more A-mount, never again, deceased, extinct, done, not gonna happen, get over it.
I hope I have included at least one description you can understand.
Would you eat your hat if another A-Mount body came out after all?
It’s looking like a safer and safer bet with every new Sony release that ignores A-mount, every new 3rd party lens that doesn’t come in A-mount, every opportunity that Sony has to make a statement that they ignore (intentionally or not). Nothing’s 100% until they officially say it, but if this were a court of law, the preponderance of the evidence points to the death of A-mount.
I challenge Sony to prove me wrong…!!!!
I am just curious why they bothered updating their A-mount lenses
Why are you so obsessed with convincing others with your idea that the A-mount is dead? Because you invested a large sum into the E-mount? Because you personally wish for Sony to continuously development and expand the E-mount system for your own selfish needs? If not, I do not see any justifiable reason why you need to constantly attack the A-mount. You just want the A-mount to be dead so that you can feel comfortable with your new purchases. In fact I would say the same to all A-mount bashers. Whether A-mount is dead or alive, it has nothing to do with you either way.
Because the truth os A-mount is dead and Sony wants you to believe the opposite.
I have used Minolta/Sony for 45+ years and have lots of A-mount stuff.
I continue to upgrade and the choice of A or E-mount is important to me.
It still amazes me how absolutely determined some people are to avoid the truth…to the point where Sony cannot tell the truth to those unwilling to hear it.
Sony is in a market share war with Canon.
Canon DSLR system is undefeatable.
Sony can only win by converting everyone to mirrorless ….where Canon’s power is meaningless and Sony has the advantage.
A-mount is counterproductive to Sony’s current market strategy, and therefore is no longer, and will no longer be made.
Sony wants you to convert what you currently have to E-mount, and has gone to great effort to enable you to do so.
They cannot tell you the truth because then you will become outraged and switch to another brand for spite.
Instead they wait for you to realize the truth when you are ready for it.
So the question should not be why I try so hard to tell you the truth but rather why you try so hard to believe a lie.
Barry, seems to me people refuse to believe what they don’t want to be true. It’s just human nature.
Good for u that u believe a-mount is dead n u can move on. But why being so passionate about persuading others of ur belief? Sony made no official statements n everyone is guessing the reasons of silence, and eventually everyone started to believe his guesses are facts.
When was the last time a sales person told you to wait for unreleased product since it may be better for you? I never saw this happen.
This said A is dead. Only one remaining body. Functionality in a mount is years behind a7 series….. One should be out of their proper mind to invest in a mount heavily these days. Lenses are OK as they can be used on E mount. I think Sony will make some half hearted attempt to make a99m2 similar to Nikon Df
LA-EA3 II – without mirrors and plus screw driver.
Or they could go a bit crazy and make a interchangeable mount.
But a dedicated A-mount, no way. I can bet that something like the FS5/7 can handle A-mount lenses much better than any A-mount body. They just need to make something in between the A7 and FS5 with the proper performance.
This is what in politics is called a “gaffe”. You know, when a politician inadvertently inadvertently tells the truth.
Sony said they’d build a 100 million pixel camera if customer asked! Why not make the same statement for A-Mount? Sony is on road of there own, which doesn’t jive with A-Mount users. There are many thing that E-mount doesn’t offer. Wake up Sony. I love the innovation, but sometimes making things smaller is not the best for everyone.
Why buy Minolta if they are going to abandon the line. Sony doesn’t and didn’t need to buy Minolta to get in the camera business. Unfortunately Sony is a cruel Company.
During my experience with Sony A7 the camera dug into my knuckles when carrying it. I found the AF poor, but offered options, but there is no clear info from Sony how to make there camera ( E-Series ) work the way it needs too.
The mini camera is a Sony idea, but that doesn’t make a camera better. Sony has yet to prove they cam make a True Professional Camera. It might have super Pix capabilities and have innovative AF, but not better.
A true professional could work in any area of Photography. Sony will never in my estimation make a true pro Cam. The Rx 10 comes the closest, but has a small sensor. Sony might be cool, but that’s it. ALL
Those internal features and great, but camera needs to be fast, accurate in all instances, capable, long life, battery life, Making lenses from Zeiss which is wonderful, but that comes at a price.
E-mount offers to many slow lenses. The mount is the limitation to that factor. You make camera’s smaller that’s great, but it’s not the standard in which Pro want to work. A small camera might be part of a Pro system, but not the answer to there entire needs.
If they didn’t developed the e-mount they would have ended the camera division by now, is that hard to understand?
So basically Sony are moving their whole DSLR/DSLT userbase to Nikon, since their mirrorless offerings so far are nowhere near a proper replacement. I think anyone who’d be satisfied with A7x bought them already and never looked back; for the rest, current A7x are no good at the moment.
The other possibility is, Sony is planning to release DSLR-quality mirrorless with proper lenses; they’ve been unwilling to do this so far, marketing A7RII as their flagship, so I don’t know how probable this is. I guess it will become clearer when they announce the next batch of FE lenses. If they go for pseudo-compactness again, then it’s not happening.
Meanwhile, people who want a proper camera with EVF are left with no options. Canon, Nikon and Pentax are all OVF, and FE are still a rudimentary early-adopter product that may be “the future”, but definitely not the present.
I would be very interested to know the real numbers of these “who”
I honestly don’t mind the capabilities of Sony’s mirrorless offerings. It’s moreso that we are already heavily invested in A-mount lenses and using them through adaptors is just not a solution. Shooting anything longer than an hour with a flashgun/transceiver mounted is also extremely uncomfortable on those tiny bodies, I have tried with the A7 and now only use it for personal work. The system is just far too unbalanced.
I really enjoy using my Sony A99s and A850 and am not sure what I will do if this is confirmed- no doubt Sony is the leader in IQ and sensor tech but their level of commitment (or lack thereof) is worrying to people who are investing longterm. Who knows when they’ll drop this line also… I have been a Sony pro shooter now for about 4yrs, (canon and nikon before that), doing commercial, destination wedding/portraiture, and fashion work in the Turks & Caicos
http://www.frankwithersphoto.com
Fair criticism. But you’re in the minority of Sony users. Most find the small size a benefit. Personally, I’ve learned to live with, if not really like, the feel of the smaller body, including with larger lenses (though rarely with flash). It’s a tradeoff I’m willing to make: general portability (which is extremely important for my work as a travel photographer) versus inferior handling in certain situations.
The compact portability argument is no longer valid since even Sony is abandoning it with every new generation of a7 cam. Carrying extra batts, chargers, adapters, all for the joy of using the largest lenses in their category on a cramped body is not “beneficial” in any way other than getting that great sensor.
Yes, my ZA35/1.4 is larger than my Sigma and Minolta versions, even with adapter. Yes, the 90 macro is larger than my excellent Minolta 100 and Voigtlander 125. Yes the FE70-200/4 is larger than Beercan version. Yes the FE55/1.8 is larger than the standard Sony.
So the story is turning into one of IQ, rather than compactness. a99 with 50Mino is easier to fit into pocket than a7II with FE55.
Sure most A7 owners want small, but this is a self selected group. Many in the camera market buy larger cameras and they have yet to buy a Sony. I want larger and features similar to my 1D. I own an A7 with a permanent grip attached.
Sony’s chasing the market, simple as that. They can’t make everybody happy.
He is not in the minority of professional users, I’m sorry but that battery life is pathetic. I have an A7 and it’s essentially worthless for any events longer than 2 hours where I don’t want to risk missing shots due to a dead battery!! Do I really want to charge 4 batteries every night PER CAMERA, come on
The only way Sony will keep me is as Animalsbybarry mentioned, a pro style e-mount body designed for larger lenses, flash guns, dual slots, and battery. Otherwise for the security of my work I will have to jump ship, which sucks because I have no interest in nikon or canon…
I know we’re all different, but popping an extra battery after 500 shots is not a big deal to me.
Then you likely aren’t shooting 10-12 hours sometimes 4 days in a row. The camera system works great for you but is it really rocket science to see why some of us prefer a camera that doesn’t die every 200 shots? Not to mention cripple your hand? Try shooting an event with an A7 style body with F/2.8 glass on a stupid adaptor with a flashgun, transceiver and see how your fingers feel. Give me a break.
On the contrary these cameras work well in studio and landscape settings, possibly journalism (if they are really that durable), but not a reliable workhorse for all types of shooting.
I do, yeah, but apparently not as intensely as you, and I get how the small body doesn’t work with the larger lenses under those demanding conditions. You’re right, it’s probably not the best camera for a user like you, but as I mentioned in another comment, Sony is chasing the money, and there are many more users for whom it’s not an issue than there are super hardcore ones like you.
By the way, this works just fine. http://www.amazon.com/UltraPro-NP-FW50-Charger-Digital-Cameras/dp/B00YDFUNBO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1445096992&sr=8-6&keywords=dual+charger+np-fw50
Nice find, just ordered one!
Sorry but as someone who actually uses these things I can say with absolute certainty that I can get 1500 shots out of ONE battery on the A7S in this kind of environment. Battery life on the A7R II hasn’t been quite as good but still much better than you claim.
I’m about 15K shots into an a7R II and have been keeping track. I’m getting 190 shots on average per battery from 100% to exhaustion. The best I have ever done is 285 and the worst is just 93 shots. I do not use IBIS, have WiFi turned off and have employed power saving techniques including turning the camera off between shots. I do however take a lot of long exposures in the 1-30 second regime which takes a big toll on battery life.
I shoot weddings and events, no long exposure. I have shot all day long with 2 bodies and 1500 shots each over 12hrs on the first battery in the grip. I have easily shot about 500+ on the A7R II spread out over 8 hrs (fairly sparse shooting in comparison) again on one battery. This is almost always in both cases with adapted A and EF AF glass. The A7S was using LA-EA4 and using the 3 and MB IV on the R II. The S definitely had better battery life but that is reasonably to be expected.
I’m almost thinking my camera has something leaching the power, I got double the battery life out of the original a7R
Mirrors my experience.
That’s freaking horrible.
Perhaps your usage is different then. I will get a dead battery (genuine sony) after 200-300 shots. It could be the climate. I am always using external lighting also and an LA-EA4 with screwmount lenses and SSM lenses. What I know for CERTAIN is that an A99 in the same situation lasts 4 times as long.
That’s funny considering the A99 battery is only twice the capacity.
I put it down to user error.
Brilliant! Or maybe it’s more than simply capacity that determines how efficiently a camera operates. Still waiting to see the link to your work.
Honestly- I don’t see this issue with battery. It is the only point of contention that fails to resonate with me. Aren’t most pro’s using multiple bodies for events anyway? I’ve shot weddings with both A7 and A7II plus I use my A mount bodies as well. With that said, the last one I did was mostly on A7II- about 6hrs and 80 percent of the shots. I mean, I took two batteries. I don’t see how anyone could “miss a shot.” I mean, there’s a low battery indicator right in the viewfinder.
What is your issue with minorites
To be a leader Sony most satisty every class of user , not just the select few that fit your definition of the priveledged majority.
Sony has adapted a single a7 type body for to all thier new cameras, and that is good for the average consumer and saves Sony mony.
Sony also needs to create a second
PRO-STYLE E-MOUNT BODY
To attract profesionals
Larger body
Larger more ergonomic controls
BIGGER BATTERY..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DUAL CARD SLOT…!!!!!!
And more concern for what the pro needs are.
This body can then be adapted to differrent sensors for differrent needs, just as the a7 body style now is
Sony cannot defeat Canikon unless it produces a professional quality camera, not just a professional quality sensor in an amateur guality body.
The small E-mount format is fine and I do not suggest changing it, but one body is style is not right for everyone and a more mature professional body stule is needed too.
I do not expect all pros to prefer the pro style body, many will still prefer the smaller style, and some will use both.
But pros want to be able to choose whatever equipment they need for the job.
The lack of choice…even if they do not use every choice..is a deal killer for most pros.
Animalsbybarry that’s all great, but given the limitations of e-mount does it not bother you that a native F2.8 zoom isn’t possible, at least without it being ridiculously large/heavy compared to the competition? That is if Sony even plans on releasing because right now their solution is for you to purchase an adaptor and use existing A-mount lenses? In the field it can be a pain to be switching through adapted a-mount glass, native e-mount, etc., even if they put together a professional body that will really bug me. This is the reason I wish they would keep the emount focused as it is, with amount focused on what it is capable of doing better. Don’t confuse this wish with delusion.
“Impossible” is not in my vocabulary.
I totally reject your entire argument.
lol Animalsbybarry don’t be so dramatic. You are going to ignore those flaws I just pointed out because of one word? Grow up. Sure it’s possible (there are you happy) but you know as well as I do that there are a lot of complications. Think there will ever be an 85 1.2 or 1.4 that isn’t ridiculously huge??
I’m not trying to even argue here, I am a pro sony shooter and expressing my views on a clear issue with the mount- which you have done nothing to shed any light on as a clearly pro-emount shooter. Everyone wants to say e-mount is superior in every way and the bodies are great (no doubt) but nobody ever really delves into this. I am genuinely curious as to whether this bugs you or if you really feel adaptors + a mount lenses is an elegant solution and one that should be adopted by everyone who requires these lenses. Why else would Sony update those lenses if they don’t expect e-mount users to purchase and adapt to their cameras? Have you actually used an LA-EA4? I have two, the AF is just utter shit compared to the A99.
By the way don’t be so scared of the word impossible. You might want to eradicate the words “dramatic” and “unnecessary” instead.
thats cute
No … Sony wants to move everyones DSLR userbase to MIRORLESS E-mount
What will they offer? Next year Nikon will have the same 42 mp sensor. Mirrorless can have sensor tilt and Z-shift which are meaningless for a dslr. This would make some sense. Otherwise Sony has DSLR-sized (almost) camera without advantages of DSLR
I like your suggestion, and that could go in one version of the larger pro body I suggested.
One obstactle to that is
E-mount is essentially a sensor/processor in a simple body, all the complicated stuff is electronic.
This would require a complicated body with complicated , possibly fragile moving parts.
I do not know that it would be economical to build or that it would be reliable enough for professional use.
Canon just patented 2 differren canon to m mount shift tilt adapters.
Includes are special electronics to make it work with any canon lens.
2 gen a7 already have moving parts — focal plane shutter, IBIS, so it cannot go much worse than this, and sensor-tilt and z-shift don’t need to make as fast movements as IBIS or mirror.
tilt shift adapter has drawback that it doesn’t work with native lenses, and, imagine using telezoom with it, whereas sensor tilt will work with it well.
Why will Nikon have the 42 Mp sensor next year? Why not now?
Sadly the A7 linup is not an alternative for A mount APS-C lenses. And after so many years, there is still no standard 2.8 zoom.
So many two years…
Canon just took a 10+ years after the EOS development.
A-mount is dead. I said this like 10 years ago.
First of all this is ‘Sony UK’ not the actual Japanese manufacturer Sony.
Sony UK is a retailer and they are just telling you they have no A-mount events planned at the moment. They’ve probably hired some youth to manage their FB and TW websites and do not realise what damage these two statements are doing to the brand.
Or probably Sony UK are just trying to push some more A7 series cameras, they gladly offer as replacement 🙂
Someone should forward this to Sony Japan with the links and ask for confirmation.
An employee who is in a position to give such strategic information for Sony will never post like that without two names and position at Sony as a signature.
Anyway, they want people to buy a7
“…hired some youth to manage their FB…” I seriously doubt that.
Guys, I can’t believe some of you still think there will ever be A-mount anything. This mount is dead, it’s been dead for a couple of years now. It’s obvious Sony won’t confirm it – they want to milk this dead cow for as long as possible.
Imagine how much it would be simpler if Sony made E-mount from the start in order to enable dual mount camera and wider to make more room for FF corners…
I think a more robust adapter that can be bolted to the body would be enough.
But first it need to work seamlessly with all lenses as native (specially new features like eye-af), I expect to see a solution on the “A9”, because they are already pretty close with the A7rII, just need to improve on FPS and Buffer.
Yes let’s play the hypothetical game! My favorite waste of time
Come on, free emount camera in exchange for older a mount is not realistic. No company would do something like that. What they could do, is to offer free mount conversion on pro lenses, like sigma does.
if they don’t convert focus motors, what’s the point of conversion? oh, and many lenses are simply screw-driven
So since A-mount is still alive today, 10 years after your prediction, this comes to say how poor your prediction was.
I rather think that it is the SLT system that is death, and with it the Amount, BUT if Sony could get around the difficulties that a mirrorless system brings in the Amount !! then the Amount is not death but reborn, what do you think ? is it possible and will Sony do it ?
Keynes said “in the long run we are all dead.”. Your “prediction” is infallible, Nostradamus!
Read the message rather than quibbling over words. Sony may not have said A mount is Officially
Pronounced Dead, but surely you can see it’s a Dead Man Walking?
WHY DOESN’T SONY JUST OFFICIALLY ANOUNCE A-MOUNT IS DEAD..???????
Because you cannot tell people what they do not want to hear…!!!
Sony has tested the waters with the most definitive statement yet…no new A mount cameras planned.
Yet this post is filled with those refusing to believe and trying to find loopholes to pretend what is clearly syated in front of them is not true.
That is why you cannot be plainly and clearly told the truth…you are not ready for it and will not accept it, nor will you believe it when it is presented to you.
Animalsbybarry, we aren’t crazy. We just like to see an official statement or transition plan in place. I will have to start thinking about what to do now. E mount is a formidable system but just not ideal at all for long event shooting with flash guns and F/2.8 glass. Not to mention I’ll have to use all those great lenses through clumsy adaptors forcing me to reinvest… time to look at other mounts possibly. Damn!
I do t know why adapters are clumsy? If I am using A-Mounts all day every day it just stays attached to the body and I don’t even notice it. It might as well be welded on.
The focus performance, especially tracking, through the adaptors is paltry on my A7 compared to natively on the A99. I shoot in the Caribbean and that’s just adding unnecessary weak spots for the salt air to get in and corrode things. A whole new set of contacts that need cleaning and impede AF reliability.
I’d like to see you using an A7 with adaptor and 70-200 F/2.8 with a flash gun for 10 hours with a smile on your face. Fcking painful on those tiny bodies. Have fun changing the batteries every 200 shots too. I wouldn’t be nearly as upset about this if they would just release a body that had at least substandard batterly life and dual card slots, i.e. something a working event pro can count on. The current line up has great features, great iq, but its lacking that base that we really need. I WANT to like them but it’s just not an intelligent choice atm.
I regularly do, but thank you for your concern.
Would love to see your work. And if you really love those compromises then good for you! Some of us have basic expectations out of these tools that are met by even the goddamn canon rebel.
As long as their is any significant amount of inventory still in the pipeline, they won’t officially announce it in a press release. This is basically Olympus and 4/3 all over again – check out the history of that and you will see exactly the same thing happening to A-mount at Sony. Once there is essentially no inventory to speak of, they’ll say that Sony Alpha is alive and well and to use all of your A-mount lenses simply get the LA-EA3 or 4 – this is basically a precursor to that.
I for one would much rather that Sony focus all of their photography energy on E-mount products and filling in that whole ecosystem and not waste a single human resource on any development of A-mount products.
And I would much rather the opposite 🙂
So you can sit around talking about how E-Mount isn’t there yet for a while longer? It must be obvious by now that A-Mount doesn’t have a log term future, just like F and EF mounts. So wouldn’t it be better for all concerned to have more effort put into a long term product than keeping alive one that isn’t?
I’m honestly not concerned with what other mounts are doing, this isn’t fcking sports. A mount tech is great and I’d prefer they didn’t just throw it away, simple as that. Both mounts have their strengths. The weaknesses of the E-mount are particularly specific to pro shooters (battery life, dual card slots, durability), which is why you don’t hear every single person shouting hooray. Sure I have a lot invested in glass, but it’s not even having to reinvest in E mount glass that pisses me off, as much as there isn’t a single camera in that lineup I can really count on for my line of work. http://www.frankwithersphoto.com
*sigh* when will people GET that things like the number of card slots, size of the battery or weather sealing are in NO WAY Linked to the mount that is being used. None.
My point above (which you decided to have the SAME rant over and over again to) was that if Sony stops developing A-Mount bodies then they had more resources to develop the E-Mount camera that you are asking for. If they waste time money and resources on another A-Mount for a stay of execution then those resources aren’t creating what is really needed.
Feel free to reply with a rant about how CURRENT E-Mounts are terrible (in your opinion) and therefore will always be and they should just continue down the A-Mout road because they are clearly better.
FWIW the first SLTs didn’t have WR, had the same small battery, many claimed were too small for them etc (basically all the same tired complaints we are hearing now) and guess what?! Like a stroke of genius they made things like the A77 and then A99 that fixed those ‘issues’.
Why?? Because the E mount flange distance condemns this system to a very particular lens design and limitations that are not inherent to the A-mount system. That’s why to me it makes more sense to continue both lines because they both have separate strengths. How fcking huge do you think a 24-70 2.8 for emount will be? That is regardless of body-size.
I have mentioned in other comments that I would welcome a more pro-sized e-mount body with better battery and dual slots, but its still a pill to swallow- a smaller one- but still you are choosing to ignore that when you are playing in this field (bigger camera, event pro market), the emount is inferior to amount. You are happy so you don’t get that! For the professional userbase in this particular segment the E-mount is just a synonym for COMPROMISE, not something you just willingly submit to from the fcking beginning
Urjgh! E-Mount has nothing to do with the body! Get it?! I know you have said you would welcome a more advanced body, do you think that will come if all those engineers and designers are working on an A-Mount body instead?!
Oh and great to see yet another optics engineer in here, I didn’t think we had enough 😛 your ‘facts’ are completely baseless speculation.
Good day.
MdB if they continued a-mount then they would continue to specialize e-mount in the portable segment, that’s the point. Let each mount thrive in their strengths.
Don’t need to be an optics engineer, it’s not baseless speculation lol. You can’t concede a single one of your points? Grow up! Have you seen how large the “large aperture” primes are for the e-mount system? Think about 1.4, think about those 2.8 zooms. Open your mind to this extremely simple concept. Again glad you are completely satisfied but it’s pretty evident why the emount isn’t the be all end all of photography with serious limitations for discerning users. Link to your work?
Oh wow you are SO right! Now feel better? Ok now let’s take the 16-35mm and 24-70mm lenses, the Canon DSLR versions of these lenses (both in f4) are larger and around 50% heavier… But hey don’t let some facts get in the way of your reality.
?? What are you on about?? Both F4 lenses are smaller/lighter than the F2.8 equivalents… What the heck lol, you are full of it! Unless you are actually comparing dSLR F4 zooms to the mirrorless F4 zooms? That’s a pointless comparison because I am talking about F2.8 glass! Why would anyone waste their time comparing those!
There is NO NATIVE F/2.8 zoom for the E-mount cameras. Do you wonder why? Can you guess how large they will be based on the size of our current F4 zooms? You realize Sony right now expects you to use an adaptor and buy A-mount 2.8 primes? That doesn’t bug you? Pointless arguing with someone who is unwilling to concede themselves when they are dead wrong/clueless but in the end it doesn’t change the facts. Seriously, lets see your work man! I want to know I am debating with someone who at least know’s their craft, although I am probably wasting my time.
Whereas I would *like* to see another A-mount camera, I think you’re exactly right. This is the exact same thing we saw with 4/3. People need to just accept it at this point, and either plan on using their A-mount lenses with adapters in the future, or else sell it all and buy into a different system if they’re really adamant about having a DSLR.
then their sales might absolutely stop.
If this is true it is sad for all of us with A mount glass and sad for Sony’s A mount glass line. A glass does work on a7 line (I have an a7rii with both adapters) but not well for sports or wildlife….ok for portrait and landscape. No follow focus in video with screw drive lenses….what is most disappointing is Sony’s refusal to make a definitive statement one way or the other. Buyer beware on any future purchases of A glass….Sony or Minolta or Sigma or Tamron etc… Sony get off your ass and make a definitive statement on the future of A mount bodies!,,,
For those of you who still doubt the validity of this twitter comment
Here is virtually the same carefully worded coment on Sony UK facebook.
Clearly by the similar wording these comments were deliberately and knowingly released by Sony management in an efford to graduslly release the truth to the public that is not yet ready to hear and belive it.
Yes this is legit.
The picture did not post..I have successfully posted it in my next comment.
Picture did not post the first time…I am trying again
I think the a7 series is at a point now where, if they aren’t planning any further a-mount bodies, they should let a-mount owners make a decision on whether to go e-mount or switch brands. It’s not like the announcement will hurt Sony financially – either they’ll sell more a7rii bodies (and the la-ea3 really should be bundled) or people they weren’t planning for on selling a camera to anyway will buy it from somebody else.
This is a very nasty speculation by yourself, Barry!
first it is not that carefully planned, and secondly, if it was by a proper Sony representative it would be followed by his/her names and the position at Sony they hold.
At the moment it is just a poorly worded (as far as common sense and marketing goes) and also ANONYMOUS message!
Quite the opposite you can hear Matt Granger ask a real Sony rep about the future of A-mount and the guy stands behind his words with his name and position:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYodehAOlUE&feature=youtu.be&t=33
You continue to prove my point despite increasingly clear evidence that A-mount is dead you continue to dig deeper and deeper for some ever more elusive loophole in the desperate hopethat what is clearly thetruth will somehow turn out not to be.
The comment to which you reffer was a spontanious not to well worded response to a guestion , and in the context of the interview does not actually indicate a new A-mount camera will ever come.
You cannot be convinced that A-mount is dead, therefore Sony will not tell you what you are clearly so unwillong to hear….
Barry are you reading at all what I’ve written, or just attacking me because I showed clear and indisputable evidence about Sony’s position on the issue.
The video I’ve posted is from Photokina, Sony booth, the Sony rep is Ben Pilling, Technical Marketing Manager for Sony Europe. Obviously the guy knows what he’s talking about, he’s prepared, Sony sent him to represent them at the conference after all.
I don’t want to view the interview for the n-th time, but at least several times he states in a straight manner that they are interested in A-mount and it is going to continue:
0:46 “A-mount is going to continue”
0:53 “A-mount is going to continue, both, in body and lens”
3:56 “We do have plans to continue A-mount bodies and lens”
Now do I believe this representative OR your version that is published in the internet anonymously, without signature with name or position?
Sony definition of continuing is fully met by the presence of adapters so youy can ” continue ” to use your a mount lenses bodies, and ” continue to buy new ones until Sony runs out of inventoty.
The guy clearly states in a straight sentence!!!!
“We do have plans to continue A-mount bodies and lens”
Continue A-mount bodies.
There were several other interviews by higher raking employees that also confirmed that A-mount development continues. I don’t want to search for them all over youtube.
You obviously don’t want to see the FACTS!
While the only thing we have that supports your position is one UNSIGNED post on twitter and this is what you chose to believe and keep arguing with the facts.
Pathetic behaviour, Barry.
Read your words “CONTINUE”
Never ever does he or any other Sony rep say new ones will be released even thogh he is repeatedly and directly asked that question.
A product that is no longer available from Sony is officially labeied “DISCONTINUED” as long as any Sony body and lens is still offeredfpr sale it is “CONTINUED” this word was carefully and deliberately chosen, and all other words were deliberately avoided despitr Matts best efforts to get him to use other words.
The products will indeed continue until Sony runs out of existing invenory….it is over a year since yhis interview and Sony still has existing product in inventory so his comment that they will continue is technically true.
Watch the interview again…he carefully and specifically only uses the word “CONTINUE” while absolutely refusing to use the word new as Matt repeatedly and directly tries to get him to see.
I have repeatedly shown you that you need to carefully consider the exact meaning of each word used. Sony is carefully and deliberately trying to make us believe they are saying one thing while actually saying something else.
Now I have carefully and deliberately explained to you what the words actally refer to and mean, how they are deliberately crafted to make you think they are saying but are not actually saying, and I have also showed you how he absolutely refuses to use words that do not have a double meanig, even thogh directly and repetedly aske to.
This is absolutely clearly not a man that wants you to know the truth.
You know as well as I do that A-mount is dead, but you are not willing to believe it.
A product that is no longer available from Sony is “DISCONTINUED” a product that is still available but not necessarily still being manufactured is ” CONTINUED” a product that is not yet available or not yet announced or recently released is ” NEW”.
This man repeatedly and deliberately ONLY USES THE WORD CONTINUE which in the context of Sony products has a very specific meani, while repeatedly avoidind the word new despite being asked directly multiple times.
A year after this interview sony still has inventory and availability of Some A-mount lenses and bodies, and one or two A-mount cameras are not yet “DISCONTINUED” so indeed A -mount has “CONTINUED” in the exact meaning of the word.
However there is still no “NEW” A- mount camera and never will be…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I started to reply but it dissapeared
First this is 2014 show and not curent
He is asked repeatedly and directly multiple times will a new A mount body be comming,
He repeatedly evades and carefully limits his comments to “continue” and to “intersted in”only.
Furthermore look at his body launguage…clearly avoiding the truth, evading, and carefully crafting his comments to make us believe a lie without actually technically lying.
Current A-mount products are currently being sold and are not discontinued, therefore his deliberitely misleading and carefully chosen word “continue” is true.
The fact that they are ” interested in” A mount is a totally meaningless and again deliberately misleading statement.
Other Sony comments repeatedly promise to continue to” support” A-mount…again a deliberately misleading statement but not technically a lie, since LAEA adapters do fullfill that statement.
EVERY single official Sony statement that apears to indicate A-mount is alive has been a carefully worded deliberately misleading statement carefully worded to make us believe a lie without actually saying a lie.
His body lainguage clearly shouts deception.
So believe what you choose…but as far as this mans comments…only his exact words are true…the impression he is making is a total lie but he has protected himself by carefully choosing words that are technically true.
Furthermore EVERY comment Sony has been making on this subject has been very carefully scripted in the same maner.
Believe what you choose, just as Sony wants you to,
But A-mount is absolutely positively dead.
That video was shot 13 months ago. That’s an eternity ago in business and is completely meaningless today.
Do you have any reliable data from a known/formal source?
As I said already, the info in twitter is unsigned and vague. We don’t know at what level is the person who posted it and my suspicion is he/she is at the lowest ranks and simply does not have any info.
Someone posted the question at 4AM on the 15th and at 8AM when the employee maintaining the twitter account turned up at work posted a quick reply without thinking too much, making a cheeky A7 offer in the meantime. Simple.
Obviously it has not been escalated up the chain or consulted with anyone above, there simply wasn’t enough time.
Do you think this is the first thing in the morning senior managers at Sony do – read the emails from the twitter guy, write a “carefully worded statement” (according to Barry) in 5 minutes that clarifies to the world that Sony is discontinuing 30-year-old A-mount system and goes on with their work.
I am telling you this info is as reliable as hiring Barry for a shoot.
Now please ask them when the A7000 comes out 😉
I am also curious if this is true, how long they will support the A-mount line. My bodies may have at least 2-3 years left (going strong since 2012 and 2007) but how long until they are permanently fcked? I’m almost excited thinking about the price drops in A-mount gear but not if the support is severely limited
Yummy! Zeiss lenses.
Hope the price for the A-Mount Zeiss 24-70/2.8 and primes will plummet, with or without support..
I think support would extend well beyond another 2 years even if they officially announce that A-mount development has ceased today. I don’t think you have that much to worry about in that regard.
2 years maybe but I purchase lenses to use for 5-10 years, something tells me I won’t have support for that long, thus further investing won’t make sense! Ah whatever, maybe this is just the push I need to switch to medium format..
We’ve seen again and again that regional offices have no clue about what’s being developed in Japan.
If you look on the Sony UK Twitter feed the tweet doesn’t exist and they don’t normally reply to people. Either this is doctored or it has been removed.
Actually it is there. It’s about 2/3 way down this page.
https://twitter.com/SonyUK/with_replies
This is so true!
With news of the Otus lens this week, I suspect Sony are gearing the FE range for introduction of rumoured a9 professional camera.
There are so many signs that point to Sony actively investing in A-Mount, we have the brand new series II lenses, we have the AF module in the A77 II, we have the reluctance to provide that same developed AF module in an adapter. We have Sony constantly saying they are supporting A-Mount etc etc.
But the world wants to believe it is dead and every crumb that suggests it might be is listened to with much greater acceptance than any crumb that says it is alive and kicking.
I’ve said this a thousand times before, A-Mount is dead because everyone already thinks it is.
“A-Mount is dead because everyone already thinks it is” I think this is the best line I’ve heard about this debate.
Sony is here to make a profit, if customers don’t spend enough money on a product, it will get discontinued. If heaps of customers spend money on a product, then it would stay.
Sony made the A-mount and E-mount, customers voted with their money. If there was enough money for both products, then they would keep both products.
This is half the truth. I don’t see people invest in an oldtech a99 for example. I have an A7R but I do use the A77M2 because I like it more. And I would buy an A99M2, because I would like to have an fullframe a-mount. I would never buy an A99 at this moment or in future and I do believe other a-mount users think the same.
I would buy another a99 in a heartbeat if the price dropped enough, great camera. If a mark 2 comes out, it will really have to be a significant upgrade to compel me not to just save money and stick with the first versions. I don’t need a lot to make my images, so might as well maximize my profits at the same time
That’s EXACTLY how I think.
A-Mount camera’s are eol .. not the A-Mount lenses..
They will live long and prosper on an E-Mount system with an adapter.
So your saying A mount lenses are the Star Trek of daytime camera TV land?
Exactly, a7 series saved them. Sensors would still be going strong but not cameras.
The E mount cameras look great to me. I even have a NEX-6 for snap shots, and like it alot. And I will stay with Sony if they offer me a transition plan where I can keep using my lenses (primarily the Sony 85 and 135 are those I won’t leave unless I leave Sony). So, please give me ONE bigger body than the current A7 series, and a “LA-EA5” that works with my screw drive lenses.
Yes, we are getting real sick of Sony’s method of handling any info pertaining to the A-mount. Just make a public statement already if it is dead. If not, producing another A-mount camera is more than enough to answer all of our doubts. It shouldn’t be an ardous task to just make another A-mount camera when there is continuous development for the RX1, RX100, or those ‘crappy lens camera for mobile phones’ which probably won’t sell any better anyway.
they will when all stocks of a-mount cams be sold
They will have a hard time with that when everyone thinks the system is dead.
This is some very nasty speculation, all based on an anonymous reply supposed to have been made by a Sony UK employee, but unfortunately the person “forgot” to put down his/her name and position at Sony.
Then, you can hear Matt Granger ask a real Sony Europe rep about the future of A-mount and the guy stands behind his words with his name and position:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYodehAOlUE&feature=youtu.be&t=33
Well if the management level disagrees with this they could take down the tweet any moment right?
Exactly. One of the statements is untrue. So which is it?
This video is old news.
Video shot more than a year ago – completely meaningless today.
But the video is still more reliable info than this unsigned twitter post!
Neither is reliable, the video not because it is too old and the twitter post not because it isn’t coming from Sony officially. But anybody that believes Sony is still investing in A-mount camera development is kidding themselves IMHO.
Just think how inadequate will your comment here sound when Sony announce an A99 successor several months from now.
Also don’t you consider Sony Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM II and Sony Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM II announced a few monts ago investment ten?
I’d be happy to be wrong and it has nothing to do with inadequacy. I am entitled to an opinion which I made based on my evaluation of the business case – if I’m wrong, I’m wrong, I could care less if I am wrong because when the information changes, then my opinion would change but at this time, I personally see nothing that leads me to believe an A99 II is coming – if it does, great! As for those lenses, they were already in the final stages when they said that they haven’t abandoned A-mount 13 months ago. It would have been pointless not to release them. Again, the Olympus case with 4/3 is a good study and it looks like Sony is following the same business and communication strategy.
I consider it dead. Maybe one day it will be revived. Good thing I didn’t into it when i switched over. I wanted A99 really bad because of the screen, the evf and the fact that it was A-mount and had IBIS. This photographer kept telling me how amazing it was so i went to the sony store and just played around and fell in love. While I was waiting to save money for it, I started hearing about a full frame version of the NEX will come out and change everything so I waited and waited. Sony A7 came out, but I was a bit dissapointed because there was no IBIS. But I got it anyways assuming that one day IBIS will come to it and right now I’ll get it and start collecting lens. Right now I still love the camera, and don’t really feel like upgrading yet, it does everything I need to at the moment, while I collecting the new lens coming out. I bring my 5d around with me everywhere just incase something happens with the A7. 🙂
Public bickering over future product development doesn’t give answers you can rely on.
Duh!
Then you’ve come to the wrong place.
Do you know what a rumor is?
I wasn’t referring to this site or rumours. I was referring to the tweet.
OK, got it. But I would expect that you can rely on statements made by Sony itself on their corporate facebook page. I would not think that some random dude inside Sony maintains a corporate facebook page. I would expect that they have strict rules about what they can say there an what not.
PR has a script.
Marketing has a script.
When you ask about the future, neither will want to say what is REALLY in store, or not, because they deal with the present and only the present what is on the menu today.
Only when there are specific mentions of future development you see PR and Marketing speaking openly about it, for which A-mount hasn’t had any for a while.
I am more than willing to wait until no new ever ‘a’ mount camera is officially confirmed. And when that happens, there is Pentax and Canon and Nikon more than willing to take my hard earned money.
I am not a videographer. I care nothing about that. And I hope that Sony comes to understand that a stills camera and a video camera are two separate entities… at least for me, for one time.Yes, I understand where the markets are, but for the totality of my photography, all I need and want and desire is to capture the most fantastic still at 120 thousandth of a second… or better.
You do realize that every DSLR that Nikon, Canon, and Pentax make have a significant amount of the camera’s resources dedicated to video… Heck, even medium format cameras are adding video.
Even Leica woke upt to that.
Maybe he is waiting for the FF fuji.
I am aware of the marketing reality. My point is that there is no need for video in the next camera I may purchase. I understand that “marketing” at Sony, I am just saying that there is whole lot of people who only want a stills camera.
I also have zero interest in video. I hope that over time, these products differentiate and specialize so that still photographers can have gear optimized for that purpose. .
1) Software available is not a “significant amount”. Get a real video camera and see the differences.
2) What I said was that I do not need a producer of a stills camera to add to that stills camera the ability to do video.
Then you are part of a minority. You can not expect that a huge corporation like Sony is listening to you. Thats reality. Sad reality, but reality. As much as I understand you personally, it brings nothing to the table for you when you complain about the inevitable. Face it and take out the best you can.
This is more or less true to all camera makers. In addition to that, remember that Sony is not a traditional camera maker. I still have the feeling that they don’t really understand photography. But look at the bright side: Sony is probably the most innovative brand in camera land in recent years.
There may be one exception and that is Leica. But they don’t built regular DSLRs (not counting the S) anymore, so, this wouldn’t help you either.
Leica? innovator? in 21st century?
I meant Leica is an exception because they listening to a minority. Their customer base is a minority dedicated to classic photography.
BTW, I see no problem in calling Leica an innovator these days. (Leica S system, Leica T user interface, optics) They just do not compete that much with CaNikon or Sony.
Even they are putting video in their new cameras
Not 😉
And that Nikon, Canon, and Pentax does add video capabilities to their stills cameras distresses me. I like taking stills. I have no desire to do videos. I am smart enough to know that the two are different… one still, and one moving. If I want to do moving pictures, I choose to purchase a moving object capturing device. However, all I want is to capture stills. Do you get that… Sony also!
Sure I get that, I don’t do video either but the fact remains that you are shouting on deaf ears and you can be unhappy forever or just get over it and accept the fact that ALL cameras going forward will have video! Even Leica puts video in their cameras now. If you want a camera with no video you will have to do with an old model.
Everybody is bickering on and on about the inevitable death of A mount and the flaws of current E mount, while us RX1 fans are waiting here for the reviews to come out for the RX1 mark 2
What’s your point?
What’s my point? What are any of our points? Why do we exist? Does it even all matter?
How Can Mirrors Be Real If Our Eyes Aren’t Real?
You Can Discover Everything You Need To Know About Everything By Looking At Your Hands
We exist to buy Sony products….except the RX1.
I’m sorry, that must be a very sad life without the sweet sweet RX1
A half priced A7rii for E mount APS-C camera owners
And free Tibet as a bonus.
lol
I think it should be clear by now… The Sony focus is on full frame e-mount; mirrorless is the future.
Free cameras to switch to a7 Series? Should they throw in a trip to Hawaii as well? How about Canon and Nikon users? They should get free cameras as well?
Don’t forget that their main goal is making money. Every action should make sense in this regard. 😉
All that Twitter response means is that Sony will not release data on A-mount bodies that have not yet been officially announced. Also, the typical Sony employee knows very little about Sony products especially future products they can not yet sell.
They are neglecting the below 1000 dollar segment. I seriously wonder whether that can work in the long run. As it stands now, you cannot recommend Sony to anyone who wants to get into DSLR-like segment. The initial investment is too high for most.
Because the sub-$1000-sement will be dead soon. In a not so distant future, the critical mass of customers required to make the sub-$1000-sement profitable will not be reached anymore.
In my opinion, DSLRs are a dieing technology; mirrorless is the future. Therefore, recommending newcomers invest in Canon is bad advice. What has Canon done lately?
You mess up a-mount and mirrorless. It’s possible to make a-mount mirrorless, geting rid of all problems of small A7 body — way too small battery and bad ergonomics in pro work.
The a7 Series is wildly popular and has spawned a new category. True, some people feel it is to small, and I agree they need a bigger battery. But, why have a fragmented line? They need focus. Why turn a-mount bodies into mirrorless? The a7 Series is the mirrorless line and the future. I’d like to see a larger body and better ergonomics for pros that want that in an a9 FE-mount.
Reason #1: I have invested into bright Sony/Zeiss screw mount lenses. And please do not tell me about LA-EA4 adapter, carrying along old dysfunctional PDAF array from a58 or smth
Reason #2: the adapter gives additional point of failure and considerable movement
Reason #3: there is no A9 in the horizon
they will have a9 as the big body mirrorless with a large battery to compete with 1dx ii and d5.
the a7 line to compete with the 5d line and d800/d750
and a7000 is coming. it is already done but sony is holding it back for some reason. this will be for everything below the $1500 mark.
We need an E-mount line with a bigger pro body IN ADDITION TO the smaller A7 series
Bigger body
Much bigger battery
Dual card slot
Better ergonomics.
Once they have a pro body stye…a9series? They can conitinue to put differrent sensors in it for differrent uses, while continuing to do the same with consumer a7 line.
Each sensor can go in 2 body styles, and each body style can be used for the full line of sensors.
That leaves mid/entry level cameras…but I will leave that issue for Sony to figure out….I can’t do all thier planning for them.
I was up in Salem, MA today. Tell that to all the tourists. I believe it’s true- but either people were swinging Canon’s around their neck or cell phones. I saw one mirrorless and spotted a Pentax of all cameras. It was like seeing a hippo in the wild.
Oops – deleted, posted in wrong place.
Yeah, I still see Rebels on the tourists 9 times out of 10.
That awesome, mind boggling, world beating, fantastic EOS M10 or hadn’t you heard? 😉
– obviously meant tongue in cheek 😀 😉
Well sure, mirrorless or not is actually not relevant. What I really mean is: exchangeable lens plus good viewfinder in a not-too-small, sturdy housing. Sure, there is the A6000, but for many that camera just does not look serious enough and does not combine well with big lenses. Most people who are thinking about going into “better” photography are not that well-informed about the latest technical developments and still think along the lines of a DSLR. If I am not mistaken, the Canon T5 is the best-selling camera in the above-point-and-shoot bracket and I don’t expect that to change very soon, at least not in North America. And even being better informed, I have an A57 and a Nex and an Olympus EM5, but the A57 is still my first choice and I would love to see a decent upgrade to that camera (the A58 seemed to be a downgrade) that competes with the Canon T6i, Nikon D5500 and Pentax K5 so I can continue using my A-mount lenses. The A77ii is more camera than I need and just too expensive.
The sub $1000 market is shrinking, and will be dominated by smartphones in the future. The only market segments left will be enthusiast and pro.
This seriously sucks. Being invested 20 000 € plus into a-mount. A7, E-mount is not pro body, I can’t use it yet.
If the price is right it would be good for Sony to buy Nikon.
Nikon has the lenses and pro level systen Sony lacks
Nikon cannot afford to compete in the Sony/Canom war to come.
Its a good fit.
amount is still fcked but i agree with you
I know someone that might commit suicide live on youtube if that happens. LOL
How did you get access to this intelligence? My deep sources tell me such a purchase by Sony is almost complete, and it has been financed by selling A-mount technology and licenses to Leica, who will now compete directly with Hasselblad with a Jonathan Ive designed a99ii, using all manual focus lenses and a bayer 22mp sensor.
LOOOOOL
Yup, I can confirm that rumor 😀
That would be the worst for all nikon shooters. The last we want is sony fcking up another dslr system.
This would be a nightmare. Please stop it. I wouldn’t care that much if you would have said Canon, but Nikon deserves better.
riiiiight…so they screw up another DSLR system? No thanks, I would rather keep seeing Nikon buy Sony sensors but just that. Keep Sony away from any other camera manufacturer before they f*ck up another system.
It’s dead, Jim!
i dont believe this, its not true
I’m not to worried about it. I sold off enough gear so no big deal. I mean, a few thousand in isn’t to bad right? What ticks me off is the lack of pro body- either FE or A mount. Stupid Sony.
We are slowly getting there with FE but I have my doubts… A mount the A99 was doing the job for me (Far from perfect) but far more adequate than current E-mount offerings ever could for my particular work. Hybrid camera would’ve been a dream but that always sounded way too good to be true for me personally
That’s my issue. I like the smaller bodies for personal work- but not all the time. For professional usage I have ZERO interest in those smaller bodies. ZERO. Sony seems to purposely be holding back a pro FE body. So, neither system completely does what it should while competing on all levels.
I’m really hoping for an A9 or A99II early next year.
What bugs me and that nobody else seems to care about is that if we stick to only E-mount then we are condemned to adaptors and no native F/2.8 zooms, F/1.4 or larger primes, etc without going to adaptors and third party, due to constraints of lens design of the emount- these particular constraints coupled with tiny bodies is really annoying.
Sony India http://www.sony.co.in giving extra discounts and freebies on A6000, is this meant to clear stocks for the soon to be announced A6100/A7000. Any chance of any new camera coming in Photoplus expo?
Wrong thread.
I don’t disagree with that statement.
—
As I already said, the info in twitter is unsigned, vague and unreliable. We don’t know
what level at Sony UK is the employee who posted, and my suspicion is he/she is
at the lowest ranks and simply does not have the info.
The question was posted at 4AM on the 15th and at 8AM when the employee maintaining the twitter account turned up at work posted a quick reply without thinking too much, making a cheeky A7 offer in the meantime. This is Sony UK a retail arm of the company. Simple.
Obviously it has not been escalated up the chain or consulted with anyone above, there simply isn’t enough time between 4am and 8am. Do you think the first thing in the morning senior managers at Sony do is read the emails from the twitter guy, write a “carefully
worded statement” (according to Barry) in 5 minutes that clarifies to the world that Sony is discontinuing 30-year-old A-mount system ?!?
I am telling you this twitter/FB info is unreliable. Forget about it.
Look at the facts, Sony repeatedly states in several interviews in the last couple years that A-mount will not be abandoned, the are announcing A-mount lenses, but had to concentrate on E-mount first as it was surprisingly well accepted and gained them a lot of market share.
It was probably much more efficient to update all A7 versions at one since they are so similar.
I threw in the towel a while back, couldnt wait for the next gen A mount, looks like chances are slim to non existant Sony will bother. I bought an A7r, nice but pernikity, just bought an A7r11, much better feel etc, my problem is I have a bunch of expensive Sony Zeiss A mount lenses that work perfectly but dont feel right on the camera. The A mounts get better reviews than the E mount (at least the ones I have) i.e. compare the Sony Zeiss E mount 24 -70 to the A mount 24 -70, the A mount kills the E mount in tests – given the 42 mpxl sensor it stands to reason the Amount is the better choice to get the most out of it. Also have the Sony CZ135mm which is massive on the A7 with LEAF4 adaptor, heavier than the camera body, makes it a hard combo to use easily and comfortably, also the Sony 55 macro which is good for architectural seems to have no E mount equivalent. Looks like all will have to be replaced by equivalents – thinking the Sony Zeiss FE 55mm 1.8 – 35mm 1.4 distagon FE maybe the 85mm Hate the idea of selling the A mounts as I’m guessing that if Sony doesnt intend producung a big Amount camera, the lenses are not worth much to sell, a very costly turnover.
I’m looking for a zoom allrounder, as good as the A mount Sony Zeiss 24 – 70 optically equivalent with very low distortion. I remember on my old Nikon I had a 24 – 105 which was a terrific all rounder.
So any suggestions out there, best E mount 24 – 70 or better zoom, least distortion, best optics ?
I would still say that I am looking forward to new A-mount cameras with SLT tech. In fact I would instantly buy the next mid range A-mount camera that gets released. E-mount just doesn’t work for me Sony! Small size, small battery, no proper f2.8 zoom lenses, and slow focusing, it just doesn’t fulfil the criteria for my work. And stop saying I could use an adaptor, an adaptor is additional cost, and additional bulk and weight as well which makes the E-mount even less ergonomic. Even with LAEA4 adaptor on the A7r2, focusing speed using SSM lenses on the cheapo A57 is still vastly superior. Hence, E-mount is no replacement for the A-mount.
In as close of a comparison as can be made on DXO between the A-mount 24-70 II and the FE 24-70mm, the DXO results do not support the statement that the A-mount lens “kills) the E-mount lens:
http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Compare/Side-by-side/Sony-FE-Carl-Zeiss-Vario-Tessar-T-STAR-24-70mm-F4-ZA-OSS-on-Sony-A7R-versus-Sony-Carl-Zeiss-Vario-Sonnar-T-STAR-24-70mm-F28-ZA-SSM-II-on-Sony-SLT-Alpha-99__1253_917_1538_831
what is the point of comparing an F2.8 and F4 zoom? Apples and oranges.
The guy in the post above said that the 24-70 A-mount blows away the 24-70 E-mount, DXO does not support this, that’s all. As for comparison, unless you actually shoot the lens at f/2.8, of course it makes sense to compare them. If you don’t need f/2.8 and the smaller lighter f/4 lens gives you the same image quality than that is a very good piece of information to know.
This is great information if your measure of a lens is just dxo scores.