While the Sony US website is still doing a big mess by NOT displaying the A6000 and A7r we have at least some other good news to report. Sony is growing fast in the US market as you can see from those charts. Here is the full official Sony press text:
SAN DIEGO, June 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Electronics – an overall leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer – is experiencing record growth in sales of mirrorless cameras, a rapidly expanding segment of the interchangeable lens camera (ILC) business.
According to The NPD Group, overall mirrorless camera revenue has grown 16.5% over the past 12 months, with DSLR sales declining approximately 15% over the same period. During this time, Sony has experienced a robust 66% boost in their company’s mirrorless camera sales, strengthening their dominant position as the #1 overall mirrorless brand, a position they have held for 4 consecutive years.
“Growth in the mirrorless segment shows this new technology and form factor are resonating with consumers,” said Ben Arnold, executive director, The NPD Group. “Going forward, mirrorless will continue to command a greater share of the interchangeable lens camera category.”
On top of the sales momentum, InfoTrends’ customer surveys demonstrate how strong innovation in the mirrorless space is continuing to attract a younger and more photo active ILC customer. The latest data shows that over 61% of first time ILC buyers are under the age of 35, up from 54% approximately two years ago. Key motivating factors for their photography include travel and family.
“First time buyers in today’s ILC market will play an integral part in future growth of the segment, especially considering the increasingly younger customers that are buying into new systems,” said Ed Lee, group director of the Consumer and Professional Imaging group at InfoTrends.
This news comes on the heels of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) decision to recognize “Mirrorless” as the official term for interchangeable lens cameras that do not include a mirror mechanism.
“This information shines a spotlight on where the mirrorless market has been, where it is today, and the bright future it presents,” said Neal Manowitz, director of the still image business at Sony Electronics. “Our business continues to thrive based on strong innovation and the unique value propositions we are delivering with products like the a7 series and the a6000. Their impressive imaging credentials allow photo enthusiasts, hobbyist and professionals to capture content in ways they never before thought possible.”
Source: Prnewswire.com
120 Responses
Very interesting post, thanks Andrea!
That’s great news…but why not show how much A-mount department has shrunk?
Dramatically I am sure. That’s because Sony has abandoned A-mount users.
Make us to move on to E-mount then announce “poof…gone” A-mount so we wouldn’t put up too much fight.
The not so shocking reality is that FE has done more for Sony ILC than the A-Mount series ever has, so as such this is the priority for them. Only fools think it is BECAUSE they have ‘abandoned’ A-Mount.
I give Sony execs full credit for being ahead of the curve (move to mirrorless). But there’s only two ways to look at what happened with A-mount: (1) they failed to establish it as a clear third choice to Canon/Nikon; or (2) they abandoned it to try to get to the next thing before Canon/Nikon. In all likelihood, early awareness of #1 led them to try #2.
Heh… sONY wouldn’t even be in this league had it not been for Amount.
The only reason Emount is getting traction now is because they become more and more like Amount already was, stiffer mount, IBIS, Amount Menu system, larger lens selection… And STILL, the only way for Emount to get better is to become STILL more like Amount already is.
What a joke. The a33 was super small enough to provide all compact needs, and could have been full frame without issues or wide angle corner performance compromises. Anything smaller could have been RX1 style.
It’s all based on compromises being sold as benefits.
Less lenses.
No more flash system.
Weaker batteries.
Weaker lens mount.
Less LCD articulations.
Worsened ergonomics.
Adapt! Adapt! Adapt!
I call BS.
probably, but how much of that success is because of no a99r s ? and the at most optimistic way of putting it,half hearted a mount lens refreshes.
NPD certainly has that data. Sony has elected to show (and pay for) only one positive element: that dollars from ILCs are going up for them in the US. Note that they don’t elect to even hint at volume of sales. The positive news here is that the FE cameras are bringing in money for Sony in the US, and given the lower cost of producing them, this also has to have a profit implication for them.
In terms of unit volume market share, though, nothing I see puts Sony above the teens in the US for ILCs, with Canon and Nikon still the two dominate players. But effectively, we have a triopoly now, as when you put the DSLR and mirrorless shares together, more than three-quarters of the market is Canikony.
Yep Sony are on the right track. Good times ahead!
The increased success of E mount makes the unlikely return of A mount even less likely.
Sony has never been a big fan of telling the truth, especially when they can invent a loophole to avoid doing so, and even when ther are no loopholes, the truth ok is simply not on Sony’s priority list.
The numerous claims abought Sony’s commitment and support to A mount are simply Sony’s way of keeping the back door open so Sony can get back in in the unlikely event they choose to , while closing the front door so A mount users wont all exit the burning building.
Sony will throw us a ladder….Laea6, and IBIS and smile and think no harm done.
Since this is inevitable Sony does need to make the nore specialized lenses necessary to complete the system..for me whats most lacking is a supertele that is modestly better than the current 150-600s at a modestly higher price.
Mayby half a stop faster in the $3000ish price range, and/or with a little longer maximum focal length.
The Marketplace has proven that this type of lens is in demand , of course the market has also demonstrated that a $10,000+ version has substantially less demand.
Sony are also stubborn and won’t abandon a product line that is still profitable. We will just see the same slow but continuous development of the line until there isn’t a profitable market there. People saying A-Mount is dead and therefore not investing in it is what will (and probably has) kill it.
Sony lack of A mount support is why people talk, not the other way around..in fact Sony woild like nothing better than to manipulate people like you into thinking that is why A mount died.
Then they can convince themselves that thier lies were not lies….they can’t really be lies if they convince thenselves it’s the truth now can they?
More baseless, evidenceless nonsense barry. The only thing that has changed with A-Mount over tradition is that there aren’t dozens of new and barely different entry level models being released every month. Other than that very little has changed, however perceptions HAVE changed due to rapid releases of FE series cameras and lenses.
Take your tinfoil hat off dude.
Sony is a bunch of Liar’s! Speak the truth Barry!
Just one question Barry; How can Sony show they support the A-mount?
When they release a new camera (they did last year) or by releasing new lenses (they did this year).
So Sony show they are commited to the A-mount.
You ask how Sony could show support for A mount.
This is totally hypothetical and it will never happen, but Sony could show thier support by releasing the latest technolgy highest res sensor in an flagship A mount camera before E mount.
That is just to answer your question, it will not happen.
Why must the A-mount get the higher res sensor before the E-mount? When the A-mount gets that sensor before E-mount does that shows that Sony is not supporting E-mount? Sony shows support by creating new lenses, and new bodies, it doesn’t matter if the A-mount camera is first or second with the new technology…
You asked how Sony could show they support A mount..that is how.
But clearly you don’t want your question answered you just want to set me up to critisize the answer.
No, it shows that Sony is not supporting the few professionals that need larger systems to compete for commercial client affection.
If Sony give best sensor to Nikon pro body, then they support Nikon pros more than their own. That’s after killing my flash system, then telling me to use adapters for flash and lenses… on a weaker mount. Not the way to treat a business partner… me.
I think you need to define “support.” You can, for instance (a) just keep selling what you’ve previously designed; (b) make simple and easy iterations to keep previously designed gear as close to current as possible; (c) introduce new, additional products to the line that weren’t there before; or even (d) stop producing the line but continue to sell off current inventory and give warranty/repair support.
In Silicon Valley, we used to talk about when products went on “life support,” essentially the time when we were winding down that product for good but still had an interest in pulling the last dollars out of customer hands. I think Barry’s saying that the Alpha mount line is nearing or on life support. Which is a shame if it is, as Sony makes some pretty nice products there.
But at least here in the US, Sony has to face one fact: their market share in DSLRs is in the low single digits now (and DSLRs are in decline) while their mirrorless cameras are getting some people to switch from DSLRs. Their mirrorless cameras have less cost, and the FE line in particular, brings in high end money (though not top end money like a D810). They’d be stupid to ignore the facts on the ground.
First lets take a look at other brands. How long did Olympus take to tell their buyers that their 4/3 system was dead? How long after the last camera? I can help you 3 years in 2013 when they launched the EM-1! Sony did come with a new A-mount camera last year. Now look at lenses. Olympus came in 2008 with the last 4/3 lens, Sony did come this year with new lenses. So maybe, just maybe Sony is telling the truth…
Will the A-mount stop being in production at some point? I’m sure it will, but so will Canon and Nikon stop at some (different) point. Yes I think the A-mount wil be the first DSLR mount to go out of production (Unless Pentax as a brand will die first)
Second your lens wish. This kind of lenses will sell to a very small group of people. Sony allready have the excelent 70-400mm lens, you want a 600mm (zoom)lens Nor Canon or Nikon has such a zoom lens. and the lenses they have that goes above 400mm are all over $8000, so not even close to your mythical $3000… This is Sigma/Tamron who can make and sell these lenses at a low price as they can design one lens and sell them for all mounts…
+1,000,000…
But don’t bother arguing with Barry…
Yes other people also lie.
2 150-600 lens for $1000
And one for $2000
All are selling like crazy.
400mm is too short for many wildlife photographers.
That is the class of lens I am talking about but a small syep up and modest price increase.
Particularly fine tune it to perform better at maximum focal length, wide open..
But you also miss the bigger point, Sony needs to begin building the lenses that expand thier system and go beyond the common everyday mass market.
The biggest shortcoming of E mount currently is not that the system is not good, it is that the system is not versatile enough to meet any but the most common basicc needs.
Dear Barry, can you show meone Canon or Nikon branded 150-600mm zoom lens? JUst one, so please don’t say I lie…
Only Tamron and Sigma are selling these lenses and Tamron has a Sony version too! You need an adapter when you want to use it on E-mount cameras, but that adapter do exist. So you can have your lens on every camera you want.
The big point is that Sony is expanding their E-mount lens lineup. Yes they start with the most used lenses (just as all the other brands did when they came with their new camera mounts in the past. There where no 150-600mm zoomlenses two years after Canon came with their EF mount… At this moment The E-mount is equipted with some very nice lenses, giving you (with FF lenses only) a range from 16mm up to 240mm. When you want primes you have the 28mm, 35mm, 55mm and 90mm from Sony and the Zeiss Batis 25mm and 85mm lenses. Quite a range for a 2 years old system….
It’s like saying:
“Dear Barry, can you show meone Canon or Nikon branded A7 mirrorless body? JUst one, so please don’t say I lie…”
Different brand – different lineup, comparable products – NOT EQUAL!!
Define “selling like crazy”. I can’t see any 150-600 lens in the Amazon Top 100, for example.
Perhaps you have some sales figures from another retailer…
Maybe he meant that it wos sold to crazy people? 🙂
But seriously, there are not that many people buying 150-600mm zoom lenses that needs a tripod when you want to get the best out of them at 600mm…
You have to compare with Canon 100-400 and Nikon 80-400, not with all the cheaper kit-like lenses.
In Amazon Top 100 I see Canon 100-400, but no Nikon 80-400. And I don’t know how reliable this is and I don’t know in what time-span this statistic is recorded…
A good indicator about sales figures is the number of customer reviews:
150-600 Tamron (Canon-EF only): ~50 reviews (in ~1 year)
100-400 Canon ~350 reviews (in 8-9 years)
Does not look as bad as you think for the 150-600.
I think there is a reason, both Tamron and Sigma are making a 150-600. Sigma even produces 2 versions – (but I expect the expensive ‘S’ does sell very bad compared to the cheaper ‘C’ or Tamron)
Also, how long did Nikon take to tell people the D400 isn’t coming and Pro-DX was dead? Ah, they haven’t yet.
If I could choose between a FE-version of a Sigma 150-600C and a SAL70400GII I would prefer the later one:
– lighter + smaller
– is more versatile (70mm Portraits)
– can be a always-on outdoor-lens
The Tamron is gets at 600mm not more detail than at 500mm due to its sharpness-loss. The the focal-range at the longer end shrinks to effective 100mm. I think Sigma is not much different.
Having the 70-400, I could skip the FE70200f4
But that is just my opinion as an allrounder. A wildlife-orientated photographer maybe would choose 150-600. Or even something longer and/or faster (as you said)
I don’t agree Sony keep A mount as a back door, Barry. This just does not make sense.
With the improvement of on-sensor phase detection, there will soon be absolutely no benefit in having a mirror.
Mirrorless technology is here to stay and has unbeatable strategic advantage, not losing 30% of light (SLT) and no blackouts and bulky prism (SLR).
E-mount is much more suitable to take advantage of the space previously occupied by the mirror. Sony were among the first to understand and realise this with E-mount. This will only grow, no turning back, no need for a back-door.
Its not only Sony every SLR manufacturer has to go through this process as well, unless they want to have a box of wasted space in their mount. Nikon F and Canon EF mounts will go sooner or later as well. Probably not as gradually as A-mount as Nikon/Canon will be hard pressed by the market, like Nokia was in the mobile phone market.
Now when you talk about A-mount there is more to it that matter to users:
– DSLR form factor – Sony will always have such options, as some uses demand that form factor;
– actual A-mount – Sony will maintain these for prob some 5-10 years, even if without mirror and using rehoused E-mount body electronics, and save you 30% light!
– mirror technology – this is going to go soon, but without impacting the above two!
Look at when the mirrorless growth kicks in: not until 2014, the first full year of FE sales. I recall having a big argument here with somebody who said that the NEX line has been ‘a huge success’ for Sony, which I contested. Well, the first chart tells you all you need to know.
Yes but this is always always the way with the Sony community.
No, that chart only tells you part of the story, since it doesn’t really show the first 3 years of the NEX line. In 2014 ALL camera markets were shrinking in general, with a recovery for mirrorless after that. The FE line surely helped, but that doesn’t change the fact that the NEX line had 3 good years either.
The second chart clearly shows that the NEX line was in decline. That -13% even includes the positive effect of FE sales in late 2013, so it’s probably more like -20%. A very successful venture indeed…
How can you tell if a venture is successfull or not with the numbers from two years? You don’t have the figures of the years before (when there was probably no decline but growth. These numbers tells us nothing about success.
When you look at the overall picture you will see that Sony had 6 years ago a marketshare of 0% in mirrorless market, and now they have a marketshare of 60%. There sales are growing not declining. Yes the A7 helps, but so does the A6000, a camera that outsells the A7 by many, many numbers…
Yes the year 2014 showed a decline of 13% but 2014 showed a growth of 12% and the first half of 2015 shows again a growth of 12% so they are over the decline of 2013 aren’t they? And that in a world that buys less cameras every day…
See my response above. Also, they’ve been able to turn the tide with the A7 series, and good for them. I LOVE my Sony cam. I just QUESTION whether the NEX line -APS-C, not FF – has been the ‘huge success’ some over here make it out to be.
Again what makes a camera a(huge) success? When you look at sales at Amazone or B&H you will see that the APS cameras outsell the FE cameras. So when you tell that the FE cameras are a ones that made the turn I think you are at best partly right, the A6000 is a game changer too for Sony. It got a very good press and the camera is selling very well for the full time it is on the market. Constant in the top 5 of Amazone and B&H!
From poster ‘Chris’ above: ‘CIPA numbers show mirrorless is flat, and actually peaked a couple years ago. The “growth” is in dollars – FE/A7 raised the price point of mirrorless offerings considerably. In terms of units sold there is no growth. Kudos to Sony for grabbing a big piece of the pie and aggressively pushing lenses and bodies. But mirrorless is not expanding.’
The margin on that $2,500 A7s is a lot bigger than that on the a6000, the price of which has been hovering between $450 and $650. This is not even to mention the FE lens lineup… But again, I don’t begrudge Sony their growth.
The decline sure didn’t start january 1st 2014… But as I said, that still ignores tge first 3 years (well over 3 actually). Baco then we saw strong growth reports too. The Nex 5n, 6 and A6000 were constantly topping mirrorless sales charts. The A7 series did very well too in numbers (usually top 5 to 10) , better in value obviously.
The first chart tells you nothing about the NEX line because it starts at 1/2014. It is quite embarrassing that you can not even read a simple chart like this one. This world really needs business experts like you.
Sorry about so much negativity, but this bulls*it is too much for me.
Oh, I’m sorry my realism offends you! I meant the second chart; apologies for that too. And I run a very successful, non-photography business, one whose revenues weren’t declining three years in, thank you.
My judgement of you business skills may be indeed totally wrong, because it is based on insufficient data. Like your statement about the NEX line, by the way. I don’t know you. The only data I have, is a totally wrong interpretation of some business charts. So please forgive me, if my assumptions regarding your business skills turn out not to be true.
Look, the original discussion a few months ago erupted – with MacReady, not coincidentally – when Admin stated that the NEX line has been ‘very successful’ and I just questioned that statement. Camera sales have been going down the drain since the advance of the smartphone began around 5 years ago. This is especially true for the lower end of the market, which includes at least a big chunk of the NEX line.
The manufacturers are very intransparent about their sales figures, for obvious reasons. So no, I don’t know how the NEX sold the first few years, and nor does anybody here. That second chart above, however, seems to support my SUSPICION that all is not that great at Sony NEX HQ. A product the sales of which decline at least 13% year-over-year, but more likely 20-25% when you net out that year’s FE sales, after just a few years of existence is NOT a ‘very successful’ product in my opinion. The proof is in the pudding, but the lack of new APS-C lenses coming out should give you a clue about the volume in which these cameras and lenses are shipping.
The primary problem with your statements is that you have no idea what successful is. What were Sony’s goals for the line, did they meet or exceed them etc. What we see is Sony making share growth they could never do I DSLR land.. by innovating vs parroting..
I have a pretty good idea what ‘successful’ is, and NEX revenues dropping 20-25% year-over-year is clearly not it. The A7 series is bringing Sony dollar growth, and good for them. But the chart above at least suggests that NEX sales are going the way of camera sales in general, which is to say south.
SLT isn’t parroting.
Ok, got it. Sounds reasonable to me. Like you, I do not know the figures, but I know quite a few DSLR users personally, who bought a NEX as a second camera and also a lot of noobs who bought a NEX (but would never ever have bought a DSLR). So I can’t imagine that the NEX was not successful.
The NEX 5 was THE kick-a*s product from Sony back in 2010. NEX 5N and NEX 7 showed up everywhere. Maybe they were not profitable, because the prices were VERY reasonable, but I would say they sold alot of NEXes.
BTW: Don’t forget that the NEX series was the basis for Sony’s success in the camera business. It was the seed for the success. The Minolta/A-Mount stuff was not.
This is of course an unbeatable argument. The A7 series are very profitable for Sony and couldn’t have materialized without the NEX.
Mirrorless hasn’t been on my radar long enough for me to be able to confirm your anekdotes, but I bought my a6000 for $448 on Black Friday. The margin on that can’t be high. I bet Sony would love for me to use their $1,500 FE primes on my cam. It’s for a reason that they’re pushing FE like a maniac now while APS-C lens iteration has more or less come to a halt.
To be clear, that chart isn’t actual monthly sales numbers, it’s a three-month rolling average ;~). That implies that the data goes back to 10/2013. It’s also NPD data, which means actual cash register sales in the US monitored by NPD.
The more meaningful thing to me was that Sony’s dollar sales seems to have gone up by 60+% with the FE product line, while the CIPA numbers for the US shipments in this same period only show a value increase of 30% overall. In other words, the implication is that while Sony was increasing their revenue, someone else was losing revenue in mirrorless in that same period.
CIPA numbers show mirrorless is flat, and actually peaked a couple years ago. The “growth” is in dollars – FE/A7 raised the price point of mirrorless offerings considerably. In terms of units sold there is no growth. Kudos to Sony for grabbing a big piece of the pie and aggressively pushing lenses and bodies. But mirrorless is not expanding.
Well relatuve to DSLR free fall by 50% in both revenue and units sold this is impressive.
Sony too forecast decline in unit sold as everyone else in camera business
Even in decline, DSLR’s still outsell mirrorless more than 3:1. Through the first 4 month of this year mirrorless sales (9% drop) have slowed more than DSLR’s (7% drop), compared to the same period last year. So they’re actually in decline as well.
Spot on Chris. Cipa data indeed shows mirrorless as quite flat for last 2 years while DSLR tanks in numbers sold; average price has actually grown for both mirrorless and DSLR. So mirrorless gains market share but not numbers as the competition is in near freefall. Sony indeed advances inside mirrorless segment; they have unique offering being only one with the FF and they are super aggressive in pricing where they have competition: in APS-C with A6000/5100. In a business overall as troubled as camera business today is Sony is in best position when looking into future; being a dominant player in sensors is a huge thing.
Sony marketing FUD probably aimed at camera dealers. Truth is all camera business is going sour . Sony will retain profitability longer than others. I would expect substantial consolidation of the market. Players like Pentax, Panasonic, Olympus, Fuhi and even Nikon may quit. While Sony and Canon will likely change their offerings to address pro and advanced amateur (Sony have already made the turn)
+1
it should read younger and selfie addicted “photograpgher”.
facebook crap does not count as photography…..
So I guess eventually even Americans are tired of lugging around heavy large DSLRs when they can take with them quality Sony mirrorless or even settle for iPhones with Sony cameras inside.
Well, at least using FF the difference is not that drastic in terms of weight for me (D750, 70-200/4g,50/1.8g,85/1.8g,35/1.4 Art), amounts to about 200g compared with the A7ii and equivalent lenses (new Batis as reference). Sure, if you want MF you can have it lighter. So I would state it such that we have the option to have a lighter kit if it suits you when going manual. The size difference certainly is an advantage for some, that’s true (not for me).
Sure with a full set of lens, but a lot of people just need the one lens to take photos if they see something interesting. That said, I hear that a lot of people carry both the A7r and A7s instead of a single Canon 5D mkIII.
Yes, it’s an increasingly mobile world, and with prosperity comes more travel. Smartphones are a great example of how in the end, the convenience of a small form factor is decisive. This is why camera makers have decided to bet their future on bigger, heavier full-frame gear. Wait. Exactly how does that make sense, again?
Not all of them. Sony bets on the RX, high end cellphone cameras and the A7 family, all selling really well and offer better portability and quality than the competition.
Reading this document, I understand that Sony is selling more mirrorless gear than traditional DSLR. I also understand that people with ILC are using their camera for lots of trips or vacation, and family.
This is somewhat a good news for A-Mount waiters like me. First because while sony isn’t releasing any new a-mount camera, there won’t be lots of sells in the DSLR department. Yes there is the A77II but we all know that the mediocre communication around it doesn’t help the sells. So the numbers needs to be carefully taken with others market aspects.
Then, the primary use of the ILC, which for me is 90% (and more !) of E-Mount or FE, seems to be basic things like your mum could do. I don’t see in this survey any pro level use of the camera, or a small amount.
In conclusion, I understand that mirrorless is selling well, DSLR not, but that’s more the market and the consumers habits which are changing, and that E-Mount and FE is not representative of the Pro user which seems to still use a classic DSLR. Either sony needs more pro stuff with E-Mount, or A-Mount is going to still have that little pro aspect about photography. My 2 cents.
Look at the events and situations- that explains the lack of pro features like dual card slots. It looks like Mirrorless can expect a steady spike in sales over the next few years. It’s not exactly rocket science. They really need to focus on marketing and getting the product into peoples hands. That’s about it. Word of mouth can only do so much…and for the love of god make a premium pro A7 camera already.
In my opinion I think the weak link with Sony is service support. Sony has deep pockets and they could easily grab more of the pro market if they would simply develop in this area. Every time I need to call Sony support I’m transferred to some offshore Island where the phone connection sounds like something we had in a combat zone with a person who barely speaks English.
Every camera product I purchase from Sony I add the Extended Accident/Service Warranty (3~4yrs) but I pray I never have to use it.
How do you grab the pro market when you don’t support the pro grade lineup?
You certainly don’t do it by…
Killing flash system.
Forcing wobbly unreliable adapters upon both lenses and flash.
Less battery life.
Less ergonomics that cannot be used with gloves.
Less LCD articulation.
Less AF performance.
Weakening lens mount for larger lenses.
Never answering requests for SSM upgrades to best prime lenses.
Giving best sensor to competition in three versions.
Putting best sensor in toy camera but leaving pro bodies with dated tech.
The absurdities are disgusting. Sony made pro photo harder… not easier. They foist questions upon pros… rather than answering them, and to them.
Why not get a SquareTrade warranty? They are much more competent with repairs than Sony.
Free shipping to and from, as well as repair within 5 days is guaranteed
I may do just that but if I recall SquareTrade doesn’t offer a four-year plan. At least for now I had already purchased the Sony plan for my f1,4 35mm lens that just now arrived. Boy, is it a beauty and while it’s lighter than my ZA’s, it’s about the same size overall.
Sony doesn’t have deep pockets, they are just coming out from years in the red.. They may soon as they seem to have guessed right while Nikon and Canon missed big time. But I agree Service is not a good way to skimp. Long term costs are high.
I’m D4 and D810 non-pro user. I’m too seriously considering of making my D810 as my last DSLR. I think all my future camera will be mirrorless. I always take my big cameras with me whenever I go on trips. But numerous times I found myself leaving my nikons in my car or hotel room because I became too tired to carry either one. I continued on with my NEX-7.
Try an a6000 and you’ll never look back! It’s so small and light I found myself carrying it around in my hand, with a wrist strap, and forgetting to put it back in my backpack. Got many great travel shots because it was always there and ready.
It’s the Kodak Brownie all over again. Fast food cameras till their sick of it.
Fine until the market wants more, and returns to larger cameras with full system approaches.
Up until recently I wasn’t interested in mirrorless due to the type of native lenses produced. Then along came the new f1,4 35mm lens which equals or exceeds that of my f1,4 50mm on my A-mount that I use on my faithful A900. It’s now apparent to me that we’ll see more fast primes on this format with a 72mm element. Anyway, that’s what finally brought me into the fold.
You think the 35mm is sharper than the 50mm zeiss for A mount?
Not positive and that’s why I said “or”… However, I will be testing the two later today. I absolutely love my ZA 50 and especially after applying the Heliopan Digital Filter that I found provides improved tonal rendering.
Not positive so that’s why I said “or”… I sure like my ZA 50 and it’s now the last lens for my A-mount. I recently sold my other ZA 24 & 135 to make room for the new set of E-mounts. After trying out the 35mm I was sold, and next up will be the new G-90mm Macro. My copy of the 35 arrives at any moment. Yes, I’m excited and feel like a kid though clearly not!
Got it. I’ve considered switching out the 50 1.4 for the 55mm 1.8. I’ve shot both and the 55 is sharper, but nothing shocking. Maybe I’ll just have both- not sure yet.
You sold the sacred 135mm 1.8? Wow. I couldn’t get myself to do that. Maybe the 50mm and I can understand the 24, but the 135! My whole switching over to FE hinges on the Batis 135mm. That’s how much I rely on that lens.
Yeah I know and there are times where I kick myself for doing that. It was my very first lens when I purchased the A900 and it stayed on my camera for two-years without ever coming off. However, when I went over to Italy to stay with my fiancé for 2/12 months I seldom used it as it was so darn heavy to lug around. When I returned I decided it was time to go but in hindsight I do miss it.
The files were so incredibly sharp but I have to admit that I have since determined that the ZA 85 would be a more useful focal length for the way I shoot. Moreover, the files from the 85 are more reminiscent of the Minolta warmth and saturation. If Sony updates that specific lens with SSM I would seriously consider it. As I may have mentioned I have no intention of giving up on the A-mount anytime soon.
You and Thinkinpictures should have tried the Minolta 100mm F2.0 small light and fast focusing and so close in sharpness to the ZA 135 that I didn’t make the jump to buy one. I use the Minolta 100mm F2.0 for portraits and sports and it rocks!
Nothing here about photography…just that folks are buying Sony ILCs for travel and family, where presumably SIZE is of paramount importance.
Wondering if Canon missed the mark by not pushing the M3 in the US market.
Lots her about photography the DSLR revenue numbers are for the market, not just Sony the tools are evolving.
We’re buying the a6000 for travel, then finding out its so good there’s no compelling reason not to just use it for everything, and leave DSLR in the past.
It is called marketing. Percentual growth in small numbers is big. Like selling only one unit in one year and next year selling three units také 300% growth. 😀
And US mirrorless market is really tiny. 😉
I saw this coming. Sony is owning the mirrorless market. Canon & Nikon really dropped the ball, Sometimes a company can get too big for their own good, and they become arrogant & lazy. They underestimated the mirrorless market, and now Sony is eating their lunch. I can’t tell you how many die hard Nikon & Canon friends of mine have jumped ship to Sony. It really is quite staggering. Including the Rx1, Sony has come out with 5 full frame mirrorless cameras already! Soon to be 7 when the new A7r & A7s are announced. They are leaving Nikon & Canon in the dust in the growing market. It really amazes me how the big two are just resting on their laurels. By the time they wake up, Sony will be even further ahead.
100% ACK on Nikon.
I am not sure about Canon:
They already have EF-M mount. It’s diameter allows FF sensor. They have same flange distance than Sony E mount. They know each Sony lens can be easily produced for EF-M mount, too. They have with Dual-Pixel-AF mirrorless technology out in the field to be tested.
I think Canon could bring a mirrorless-lineup in very short time that competes with Sony’s one. They are just hesitating to do because they are still making more money with DSLR and don’t want to have the “A-mount is dead” discussion for their money-cow.
Canon has enough support to pump out a mirrorless line without choking the ever loving crap out of their DSLR’s. They can do it, Sony can not. Most likey, they’re doing as you stated- waiting for the perfect timing.
Fine line between perfect timing and missing the boat. I think canons access to resources is over estimated. As yet another lacklustre M mount camera release suggests….
Canon currently don’t have the technology. Dual pixel AF is very average. Certainly not in the same league as their mirrorless competitors. As their M system shows canon currently don’t have a clue about mirrorless. Why do people think canon is some kind of jesus??…. bizarre. ..
In general I think Canon made less design mistakes than Sony:
real hotshoe on EOS-M compared to NEX5
touchscreen from the first version and continuing
Real hotshot?? Why are you singling out the NEX5??? If the best that canon can offer me is a touch screen…I don’t think Sony has much to worry about…
All Sony is doing is stealing market share from other mirrorless players, there is NO growth in the mirrorless sector. Even in decline, DSLR’s still outsell mirrorless more than 3:1. According to CIPA, the first 4 month of this year mirrorless sales (9% drop) have slowed more than DSLR’s (7% drop), compared to the same period last year. So they’re actually in decline as well. The mirrorless market is not growing.
Sony’s revenue is up because they’re selling more units at higher prices. Sony’s overall market share has barely moved over the last few years, more people are buying its mirrorless cameras, but DSLR sales have cratered as they’ve pretty much abandoned the A-mount.
Is there any surprise the A6000 and A7r are not on the website? They are just about to be replaced.
i will be very surprised if a7R ii starts shipping in june.
Sorry, but it no way replaces my D810, so I would look back. If I would go mirror less APSC, I would prefer Fuji or Samsung due to the lenses. I find the A7 series more interesting for me.
LOL… while you boneheads are out chasing toyland cameras, I’ll be enjoying my a99/900 that fill my 5K display and make fabulous 36×48 prints. My batteries will last longer. No extra chargers to lug around. My lenses don’t wobble. My 300/2.8 doesn’t flex the mount. I get full LCD articulation and fantastic ergonomics both vertical and horizontal.
Keep trying to make Emount more like Amount… menus, IBIS, adapted lenses… and you just might one day get back to what we already have now. Happy trails you Emount slaves. Can’t wait to buy your barely used a99 for practically nothing. I hope everyone in your city gets an Emount camera for Christmas. Have fun with that… chumps.
DSLR market is down fast. Clearly this is a failure of Nikon and Canon in advertising DSLRs or building enough bodies for people to choose from. [Aren’t we told Sony just needs to advertise a-mount and make more bodies and that will make them grow?]
Or maybe its just what is happening. What we are seeing is the same change in computing from large systems to smaller mobile systems.
Large systems/cameras will be needed and even Apple with its 10% in PC share still quietly sells Macs and even Power Macs. But in general not for most.
Very well said I completely agree. I just recently received my new MacBook with the so-called pithy 1.3 Hz processor and its 500 SSD. As it turns out, it handles LR6 CC just fine. Granted I still use an external for my photos but while I’m out and about it’s very hard to be beat. In fact, it fits into my carry-on ditty bag. It takes up about the same amount of room as my iPad with the keyboard case. I plan on purchasing the new 12 inch iPad provided the overall form factor doesn’t exceed that of my MacBook.
I have a new Acer Switch 11 with Core i3 and 128GB ssd I can upgrade. It cost me $400!! and the screen is a removable full Windows 8.1 tablet with pressure sensitive stylus.. for notes and sketching It is faster than my Quad Core 3.4 GHZ Desktop I built 6 years ago and even faster than my work i5 note book from 4 years ago.
Moore’s law sort of bent to power vs size etc.
You guys are nuts. I still build my computers- no more laptops for this guy. Gen 4 i7, SSD, stupid other stuff I don’t need. Works great! No bugs, easy fixes and I can upgrade later on should I decide to take over the world.
1.3 Hz would really be pithy…
nah, DLSR market is older and therefore more saturated than mirrorless market. there’s no canikon fault
It’s Apple’s, Samsung’s and Sonys (phone business) fault. 😀
even if there were no smartphones there would be less new DSLRs. there’s little innovation in digital camera market, so people use even old things like R1 and F717 (just have seen them today)
Despite the rize of mirrorless and the drop in dslr, the net volume still shows that mirrorless shipments are 16% of the amount of DSLR shipments. 16% is quite small.
Wrong.. Keep in mind the SLRs sold from 1960 to 2000 were smaller than most DSLRs. The average size DSLR is an anomaly because of the size needed to put a sensor where the film was. It is not, nor outside of the last 10 years been a requirement for a good usable camera.
The A7 line is much closer to traditional SLR sizes.. Mirror is not what defines the camera, controls and sensor are. Let me choose my focus points faster like I do with the A77 M2 joystick and I will add e-mount to my system.. So I have a camera with me all the time.
Would love to see the joystick transplanted to the A7. Loved it during my brief flirtation with an A99.
Ditto a joystick on an A7 and I would sell stuff to buy one and keep the A77m2 for long lens and action work.
That is so true. It isn’t ‘photography’ at all, any more than reading web sites on a phone or tablet qualifies as ‘computing’. If camera makers would start thinking that way, they’d make better decisions about the future.
The A99 is still available,it is a great camera that can still be used with lots of lenses, so the pro can still work with their A-mount cameras…
Sony cameras are a different department as Sony sensors. Yes the company name is the same, but the sensor department depends more one sales to other companies (like Nikon and Apple) then they depend on Sony cameras. So it makes sense that Nikon can have some sensors before Sony have them.
And again a real pro don’t need the newest technology at the times it hits the market, they can live longer with their old cameras them most amateurs can. It is a myth that a good professional allways needs the latest technology.
And still Sony is the best selling mirrorless company in the world…. And at some time they will surpass the DSLRs, it may take some years, but at some point people will see the benefits of the mirrorless system, look even the states are shifting to mirrorless, the country where DSLRs ruled the most.
CIPA shows mirrorless tanking 20% in the last couple years. That’s some “flat.”
There is only 1 thing I think Sony should really enhance, in order to make pros dump their nikon and canon and switch to Sony. The 1 thing is, lossless RAW file. I can’t understand why Sony isn’t doing this simple thing, for the sake of attracting pros to switch. The 2nd thing which is lens library, i think Sony has been a fabulous job by increasing high quality lens one after another together with the cooperation from Zeiss. So I am not concern about it. So common Sony, please listen! Give us lossless RAW and you will be the perfect camera brand today!
If they believe in the mirrorless future so much, where are the big cameras, without this ‘compact’ bullshit and limitations that come with it? Where are the big lenses, that justify buying a FF body in the first place? There’s zero reason to buy an A7 with f/4 zoom if you can get same results with an APS-C body and f/2.8 zoom
Samsung seems to be doing the right thing with DSLR-sized NX1 and f/2.8 zooms, but they don’t have FF offerings in their system…
All Sony is currently doing is waving the bogus ‘compactness’ around (of course it’s more compact – the lenses are darker!!!), while not doing anything with their A-Mount system either
“…bogus ‘compactness’…”
LMFAO
Good for you
WTF is “other” under events?
pporn. gees even the p word is censored
LOL. That is true!