For once we don’t have bad news to report about Sony financial situation. Reuters reports that Sony expects its sales of imaging sensor chips to jump 16 percent to 360 billion yen ($3.52 billion) in the year ending this month. And Sony is pretty confident to growth further because of an increased demand of high quality cameras for “selfies” on smartphones! Yep, Okamoto from Sony said that
Smartphone makers are upgrading their front-facing cameras for users who want sharper self-portraits, and that has opened up a whole new market for Sony
Sony has calculated that capacity at its existing factories would be unable to keep up with demand by mid-2015, even with a drop in demand for compact camera sensors. Now let’s see if they can sell more Sony cameras too 🙂
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Why do we have folks reading into everything about Sony’s camera business to include releases of A-mount products. I have yet to see any evidence from Sony, anything whatsoever that Sony plans to release another A-mount camera. When they say they are moving to phase two, which is alleged to be higher end cameras, why does there have to be an assumption that it includes the A-mount.
Also, Sony’s statement that they will continue to support A-mount certainly does not mean they will release new cameras. Support is often tied to products released. I understand that Sony suffers terribly in the support of older cameras (slight older) but that should be no reason to believe support means new cameras.
Yeah but the opposite is true that support does not exclude the release of new cameras.
The point being…?
My point being your insinuation’s is as meaningless as mine, except I took less words to convey the message. If you want to get condescending.
To not do something, is doing something. Here Sony has not made anything cameras for the A-mount for over a year, nor have they disclosed that they would make anything. Sony has demonstrated one thing for sure, that have not done nothing for the public to see, and that’s something.
Look at the current line-up: A58, A65, A77, A99.
A58 is entry-level, and those usually get replaced once a year. It’s not too late yet to release the successor this year.
A65 and A77 are three years old, and that level of camera is usually updated every 2-3 years. That means a replacement in 2014 is not too late. Probably the A65 won’t be replaced, since it sits kind of awkwardly between the A58 and A77.
A99 was released in late 2012, and that level of camera is usually replaced every 3-4 years (compare with Canon 5D series, released in 2005, 2008, 2012). That means we should expect a replacement in 2015, at the earliest.
If nothing happens at all in 2014, then something is wrong, but none of the current models have outlived their normal product life span yet.
I hope they drop A-mount, we can then get good lenses for just nuts to use with adapters on our NEX systems. Ohh, don’t get angry it was just a joke, hahaha, even if it is a fact.
You do realize that they can’t drop it outright, right? They’d have to phase it out slowly, while phasing in new Items that people would jump to, so that there is a viable replacement. For now, as much as enticing A7 is for me, i don’t see E-Mount as being a viable replacement. When they release a 24/2, 35/1.4, 50/1.4, 85/1.4 or 1.8 and a 135/1.8, thats when we can say that A-Mount can be slowly phased out.
There’s nothing stopping Sony from dropping the A-mount overnight. In matter of fact, that makes more sense to me than dragging it along for years if it’s not going to be developed further.
And no, I’m not saying that they will phase out A-mount or that dropping it overnight makes financial and or strategic sense to Sony.
Dropping A-Mount overnight will deliver a huge blow to Sony’s reputation and alienate millions of users.
The reputation is the problem. I dont think emount is superior to amount but if they are trying to turn their camera sales around, catering to the existing base isnt going to do it. The a7r was a step in the right decision as it generated buzz in new customers AND the current base. Execution may not have been perfect but they did get canon users to look at it. Ive personally seen a few canon users pick one up when they previously laughed at any sony camera. Point being they need to make big changes and unfortuanetly my opinion is they can build on the a7r generated interest vs anything amount has released since the a900
You may be right, but my point is still valid. Even if Sony is going to do this, they will still make effort to calm A-Mount users, instead of just dropping it overnight.
Oh no! You shouldn’t be bringing up anything about the death of A-mount! You could get two very angry trolls on your tail! XD
…Sony’s living off selfies…good for keeping the company afloat, but can’t be good in the long run.
That’s where you’re wrong. For ever camera sold, there’s 1000 phones sold that are used for selfies. They’re in exactly the right business
I mean leaning their business towards the low end isn’t good for technological development. They won’t have much motivation developing x3-like stacked sensors if they make most of their money off phone sensor modules.
What on earth makes you think that producing sensors for phone sensor modules is incompatible with technological development? Indeed, it might be argued that the technological demands of camera sensors are higher than for large sensors due to their small size. At least some of those developments will apply to large sensors.
Of course, Sony will spend development money on market segments where there is a chance of a return. They can’t just decide to spend all their money on large sensor development if that market segment can’t stand on its own.
You’ve got a point, some tech like BSI and electronic shutter move from small sensors back up into larger ones.
But as a whole, the industry gives me an impression that most advances in technology come to the high end models first, then move down the line. A typical example would be how Nvidia refreshes its architecture in its product lineup. Focusing on low end kind of shifts your priority from technological superiority to cost reduction. Good thing we hear a statement from Sony that it’s about to focus on high-end in its camera business.
Tech is one thing… Ergonomics is another.
a7R is the worst pathetic ergonomic image maker of all time. Makes me sick every time I use it.
Magnified playback always goes to center. a900/a700 takes you to the actual focus spot.
Battery door requires a manual lock. a900/a700/a77 is one click close door.
a7R vertical grip is a bad joke. a900/700/77 allow both elbow’s to rest upon chest.
a7R tethered cable feels cheep and body/lens flex is inexcusable. Please make a serious high MP contender Sony. The MIS hot shoe stinks… to be polite.
Have any Sony designers ever worked with a camera all day, in the field, under real client conditions? Seems they’re more concerned with techno-triumph than with real aesthetics that make photographers job easier.
Just buy another camera, your whining won’t fix any of your troubles or make other users to sell theirs 😛
He’s not whining, he’s making a list of requests. Read before typing.
Sounds more like whining/complain than a request. If the camera makes you sick every time you use it.. I would still suggest you buy a different one, why suffer?
Which Sony camera would you suggest I get for high MP without AA?
Another brand is out of the question. What would you have me do with the twenty A-Mount lenses I’ve been using since 1985?
Yes, the camera makes me sick. Does it not bother anyone that the batteries go in both ways, including the wrong way, then another movement required to lock the damned battery door? Does it not bother anyone that magnified playback ALWAYS goes to center spot, rather than the AF point chosen… like on a900/700 and even the old a200 had this accommodation.
It’s rather silly the nuances that have been lost in the name of technology. Almost stupid that pros have been waiting for high MP for so long, but are then given a teensy toy cam that BARELY matches the Alpha system… Almost an insult they put an Alpha logo on it.
Let’s call it (a7/r) what it really is… It’s a design experiment that forces professionals to abandon everything they know for the sake of living out the nightmare of a camera designer who makes togs fumble with crippled function in front of paying clients.
Does it not bother anyone that the camera won’t charge the batteries with the vertical grip on? Yes, you must remove the vertical grip and charge one battery at a time inside the camera.
And when in tethered mode, with 2x battery grip, the camera warns low battery at 20% every ten shots… STOPPING ME FROM SHOOTING… even though there is a second battery in grip waiting to take over. I don’t like dealing with that kind of BS in front of clients.
Do you honestly not have battery chargers as per any other camera??
Got four of them… none came with camera. And my charger status doesn’t change the fact that Sony botched the design for battery charging with vertical grip attached.
That makes no sense…anyone with a battery grip is going to have charges….Every other camera with a battery grip is exactly the same…You can pick up chargers for the fw50 for $20…With four chargers why would you need to charge in camera…Bit of a non issue…I have never bothered to charge in camera..As per you I have 6x batteries and 4x chargers. Batteries 2x in camera 2x ready to go 2x charging if needed…Sorted.
It makes perfect sense. My chargers were delivered later than the battery grip. Was stuck for a few days without charger. That’s how I learned of the issue.
And regardless of how many chargers we both have, how does that excuse Sony for botching the charging design with battery grip installed on a camera sold without a charger? The design is flawed.
Your comment above about “Like any new camera you take the time to learn how to use it.”
I voiced my concerns because I DO know how to use it… and it doesn’t do many things that professionals enjoyed from many previous Alphas. Knowing how to use it means that I know how to work with a crippled camera. It doesn’t make the camera better.
I also know how to attach that stupid little hot shoe adapter for my Phottix Odins. That doesn’t make it better. It just gives me something extra to think about and keep track of in the bag. Knowing that the batteries go in both ways doesn’t make the batteries any better. It just makes me have to watch which way I put them in, and then make an extra move in the field to get the door closed… something that I didn’t have to do until now. Knowing that the magnified playback always goes to center, instead of focus point, doesn’t make it any better. It makes me wonder why Sony is leaving out the details that professionals have enjoyed previously, and it makes me wonder what else went overlooked. Sure wish Sony would give greater consideration to the more refined ergonomics of the Minolta aesthetics of past. Are there any well reasoned elegant designers at Sony?
Sony has referred to their mirrorless cameras as ‘gadgets’. Maybe that says something about the priority they’ve given to the usability and ergonomics needs of professionals.
He is a professional photographer that uses the camera for a living. Small niggles like these may not be a big difference to you or me but to people using it very often it can be frustrating.
He has clearly mentioned which points he doesn’t like so its constructive criticism and not mere bashing.
Pointing out design flaws that anybody with a common sense can figure out on a $1000+ camera aimed for pros isn’t whining. It’s critique that Sony should pay attention to.
“…or make other users…sell theirs…”
That gives me an idea.
I’ve totally been using the A7R and it’s awful. We should all sell our A7R’s on Ebay for a couple hundred dollars. Who’s with me?!? Come on people, put your A7R’s up for sale super cheap cause of how bad they are.
Really?? I’ve been shooting a lot with the A7 and find the ergonomics fine. Like any camera you get used to it and then it becomes 2nd nature. As for the mount flex. I havent experienced that. Are you hanging from a tree with it??
I find NEX-7’s grip pretty comfortable to hold, but A7/r’s is too shallow. It’s because the rest of the body’s become thicker while there’s no apparent change in the grip size.
I fear I may drop it if I hold it only by my right hand, but there’s no such issue at all, with the NEX-7.
Careful now – you’ll have the fanboys braying for blood… At the end of the day the a7/r have their flaws and the design needs refinement for the mk ii.
I agree definitely room for improvements. But not quite the apocalyptic visions of CTphotographX…..Like any new camera you take the time to learn how to use it.
so.. a new APS-C RX100III is coming? can’t wait!
It would be nice if the sensor covers were made with something more durable than Saran Wrap. Otherwise you’re looking at a new sensor after 2-3 wet cleanings.
Where do you get bogus info like this? Maybe you should learn how to do a proper wet cleaning before spewing garbage like this!
Since Sony sensors are used in cameras from multiple manufactures without issue…I think we can safely call B*S on this nonsense….Better luck next time…
Where is the A77II specs you promised earlier?
Seconded
LOL….what has this world come to…..demand for better/sharper selfies …..omg! I guess good for Sony I guess….
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