Sonystyle is not exactly the most reliable source to understand if a product has been discontinued or not. Fact is that the Sony A850 is “no longer available” in their store. But as we have seen in the past that could be a temporary status. My trusted sources do still confirm that Sony will put the A850 out of production and lower the price of the A900. The next Sony Full Frame cameras will be announced in 2012.
Check the camera price and availability status:
Sony A850 at [shopcountry 3028].
Sony A900 at [shopcountry 3032].
26 Responses
Hi A99.
And the A99’s successor should be called the A100. And thus the circle is complete.
Currently, SonyStyle in the US doesn’t even list the A850.
What stupid company discontinues products before there is a replacement? Nikon until just this week was still selling the D90 even after the arrival of the D7000.
Sony Digital Imaging marketing people are incompetent.
It is not said, that the A850 is discontinued, just that is not available at the time, remind yourself of the situation in japan
The D90 was one of the best selling DSLR’s. The a850…not so much. The D90 was a groundbreaking camera. The a850…not so much. Also, the D7000 was a step above the D90 and they only discontinued the D90 before the D5100 was released. So in a way, Nikon does the same thing. Perhaps you’re incompetent.
The a850 was the first full-frame digital camera for under $2000. That’s pretty groundbreaking in my book. Nikon buys the same sensor for use in their D3X.
You’re daft. Nikon does not do the same thing which is to discontinue cameras without a replacement already available. In fact Nikon and Canon will often release a new camera and still be selling the old one for a time. That was definitely the case with the D90 and D7000. The D90 was only just retired. It is only Sony that will kill an entire class of camera (the A700, pentaprism APS-C) for two to three years before there is a comparable replacement.
Congrats on blabbering absolute crap.
(That was not aimed at you Ryan, my mistake!)
Sorry Ryan. My comments were to Knurd.
so why don’t you go buy Nikon? Move.
It makes sense to phase out the a850. I don’t think that the a900 would be phased out until a successor is at least completed in the labs. I’m not familiar with the sales of a900, but I’d bet they’re not anywhere near Canon/Nikon pro models. The inventory out there currently could fulfill the demand for the next couple of years.
If the a77 is a solid step in the right direction, then the a900 successor would be worth the wait. Hopefully, it’ll be truly revolutionary — merging pro photo with pro video quality.
I recieved B&H spring/summer catolog and noticed that B&H didn’t list ths a850 in it………..only the a900
I’m sure they know what up.
It’s now gone from their website all together too.
Wow!!! I’m glad I still have mine. I’m sure the next one won’t be around for a while…sadly….but my A850 will always take great photos….I’m willing to part with my A700 when the replacement comes out…assuming it looks, feels, and performs like a pro. My main concern for all future Sony pro bodies is AF, Exposure control, and skin tone realism…
I’d have thought they would drop the A900 rather than the A850, but apparently not. Well, I have a 900 rather than an 850, so maybe there is some logic there.
still time to consider the A900 it seems
It is too early to talk about the Sony Full Frame cameras!! It will be announced in 2012? God knows?!
I have two of A850 and know that with the exception low light/high ISO above 3200 my camera with my Zeiss lenses produce RAW images equal the IQ of any top-end Canon or Nikon FF camera, and at a price, much lower than the others.
Now, Sony has a very long way to go to match Canon and Nikon in professional lenses and other odds & ends to satisfy the pro photographer.
Hopefully the new A77 at what looks like unbelievable price-point could be the start of something different from Sony, but I wouldn’t be surprised of Sony doesn’t discontinue both the A850 and the A900 soon………….way before an announcement of a replacement, just like they did with the A700.
I hope to purchase Sony’s replacement of the A850/A900 class, even if its an A99 unless its sucks then I’ll be forced to move from the A-mount.
I guess this will happen within about 18 months.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the A900 positioned in the market in the near future with a much lower price.
Lol wut. The a850 has already been ‘discontinued’ in Sony Malaysia for almost a year I think. Might be wrong here as I only see them displaying the a900. Awhile ago there were even clearance sells selling a850 at about $1500 body only.
I think these news of “discontined” products must be treated locally rather than generalized on a worldwide basis.
I, too, am from SE Asia and just shopping from one country to the next makes comparing stuff insane.
today 22th May, 45 days to go! a77
Sonystyle in Australia and New Zealand took the a850 of their website ages ago. They only have the a900 now.
The A850 has definitely been available in stores in NZ in the last half year, although I haven’t exactly been looking recently. It may well be that they’re just selling through the last of their stock, of course.