This is the very first picture of the Sony A68! It’s displayed at the Salon De La Photo show in Paris. Image courtesy: Fisheyelemag on Twitter!
The known specs so far are:
SLT A-mount model (translucent mirror)
24 megapixel sensor
79 AF points
19 AF Cross points.
4D autofocus (seems to be the [shoplink 41697 ebay]same as the A77II[/shoplink])
LCD info display on top of the camera
Price around $600
Shipment early 2016.
Stay tuned on SAR as more hot rumors are coming!!!
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Thanks Alex!
33 Responses
A-Mount is dead… Or hey wait, a new camera!? Lets hope for 4k Video and new IBIS 🙂
4k video !!! I wouldn’t hold my breath. Seems to be 95% of the A77 II with a lower quality body and less dials and of course lesser price.
Still. Should be a very decent camera if bought with an optional 18-135mm kit lens.
That looks big…..
So much money wasted to quieten the Minolta shooting old fellas who just don’t die.
Both control dials, top lcd plate, things looks promising. AF dial is replaced with a simple switch and side port cover looks different
Well, it certainly won’t win any major design awards… But a good day for A mount fans nonetheless.
Whoa, an extinct species from a distant era has come back to haunt us!
Why haunt ? 😛
Its just a rehashed A77 II in a smaller less featured body at a cheaper price.
Should sell well considering the specs if Sony hadn’t abandoned the A mount.
Too litte too late.
“It would have beën better if A-mount users got stood-up than a awfull date.”
This dying animal is being released as an offering so that Sony can say they are still in the A mount game. End the suffering, Sony. Put the A mount out of its misery and focus on the worthwhile!
press release: http://presscentre.sony.eu/pressreleases/precision-photography-sony-introduces-a68-a-mount-camera-with-4d-focus-1247627
Thank you for one of the very few useful posts on here so far.
Anybody looking at Rudiculo’s link and wanting to compare to the A77ii & original A77 (as far as written specs go) should also go here and scroll halfway down http://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/news/unveiled-new-sony-a77ii-dslr-camera , you can “sort of” do a side by side.
A-mount still not dead ?.?
No – actually this body is the proof it is dead.
I guess they made it just to show people how terrible a-mount can be.
I have no interest in this thing at all. I’ve moved way past A-mount. This seems like a consolation prize lol
Looks good.
Some obvious body updates compared to the a65 (and my a57) beside the top LCD. Two more buttons on the top besides exposure compensation and ISO. A lock button on the mode dial. The strap lugs are the same as a77, not the other variant used by a57/a65, this might imply a more metal internal build. And as noted below, the side port cover is different.
Looks very interesting for us hobby shooters on a budget. I really do not understand why some people think this is lame or uninteresting. High-end cameras with new tech is fun to read about and play with at expos or in stores, but I (and a lot of others) are not interested in buying those expensive cameras. This is a very positive launch from Sony, thank you!
Based on reaction from all these early comments, it looks like no one cares about A-mount anymore. I really think they should just scrap this. I don’t really see the point of having A-mount anymore. With E-mount, they can just make bigger cameras if people wanted it. They can also just make translucent mirrors for it, if its really necessary. Either way, with E-mount progression the last few yeras, I think everything people are complaining about will eventually be fixed and improved up. So…………might as well just end it, or do something truly amazing with it instead of just releasing this very unspecial body.
They are nothing but trolls.
A-mount lovers wanted to have a cutting edge new feature loaded body in FF.
A68 is the opposite – except it is A-mount.
The entry/mid level user is not well represented on SAR. I would not hold too much importance to SAR comments for entry level stuff, as they will get bashed by default via ‘where’s the expensive features, nobody with my experience level (or price range) would consider this’ comments.
One big thing to bear in mind is that Sony cameras have become more of a recognisable brand since the days of the Alpha100/Alpha200, so entry level may start doing well simply because of this!
You can’t base your opinion on SAR comments. This page is filled mostly with A-mount haters and those haters are coincidentally E-mount users. This only happens within Sony camp where some users trash other offerings from the same company.
Dimensions wise it’s virtually identical to the A77ii, which suggests they at least share a very similar base body style. Weight is 610g (A68) vs 647g (A77ii), which also suggests it is perhaps less robust. 2.7 in. rear LCD is a shame, as is lower res OLED EVF (2,347k vs 1,440k dots). No word on microfocus adjustment, but if past is any indication I’d guess not (just speculating on that last point). That said, I suppose there needs to be clear differences between lower and upper models, otherwise what’s the point, right?
Bottom line: Sony releases A68; Death of A-mount crowd hardest hit.
E-Mount is dead!
SLT is still alive with full PDAF, great video and IBIS. I was an E NEX 5N e emount user. I moved across to A mount because of the EVF, IBIS, great video and PDAF. PDAF on sensor not quite their yet. Oh and the E mount lens prices are high. Until E mount improves PDAF on sensor, IBIS(yes than can do it, look at Olympus). I am happy with my Sony SLT, great choice of lenses across the focal range.
The A68 and A77 mk2 were certainly released to keep A-mounters happy whilst Sony is developing the A99 mk2 which obviously should take more time if it is to compete with Canikon… Would this not be a sound strategy ?
perhaps, but this sound strategy is making me consider making a move to canon instead of waiting another year just to see if the announce the a99ii. And if they announce it, there is still the question of how good it will be and how well it will be priced.
sorry, but “meh…”
OK people… Just because this is a camera you may not want, you don’t have to bad mouth it. If a car company wants to be a player in the world market they have to offer products that appeal to a diverse market, just as in the case of Sony wanting to gain market share in the photography market. One line of great cameras will sure help their goal but to use another analogy they need to be strong in all aspects of their game to win the championship.
Good luck with Canon, it would be funny when you start complaining from Canon two years from now.
Well, if you stick to ambient lighting and one-shot strategy there are a lot to complain, probably except for moderate high iso performance (around iso 3200).
However I do notice Canon has a wide range of good lens at more friendly prices compared with Nikon. The 1st gen of 100/2.8L macro is just a little more expensive and better than SP90 wide-open thus you can use it as a portrait lens. Canon 16-35/4L is reasonably priced. 24-70L is not worse than Nikon 2470E and is cheaper while MIJ… And Canon’s WB is quite consistent during daytime and skin tone is quite pleasing, which could save you from the hell of post-processing. Really, depends on how you use it, there is probably not much to complain about.
As I always try to say, improving skills is important. It’s not a good idea to let post-processing do all the job.
Another thing, if you are happy for 2 years with a camera it’s quite good. Sony is updating products sooner than that.