A new source just shared some new info about the upcoming A58. He confirms the rumor that the A38 might have been taken off the table in the very last minute. He also shared some specs:
– The A58 will have a 20 megapixel sensor capable of shooting at 8fps (frames per second).
– The body has the same size as the current A57.
– It will have a brand new focusing system that he said is “very cool” (you may tell us more about it?)
– you will be able to control the camera from a computer (like all the Canons) but it wont have Wi-Fi.
– Price is $599
Announcement is expected on February 20th (although there is also a rumor about a second Sony announcement on February 24th). The source also said that the new 50mm f/1.4 SSM Zeiss will be announced too.
Thanks anonymous source!You may use a nickname so that I can recognize you in future and eventually mark you as “reliable”? 😉
Soon to come on SAR is a NEX rumors. So stay tuned! Don’t miss any rumor and subscribe the RSS feed (Click here) and Twitter (Click here) stream and the Facebook fan page (Click here)!
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Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=probably fake rumor
SR2=rumor from unknown sources
SR3=50% chance it is correct
SR4=rumor from known sources
SR5=almost certainly correct!
190 Responses
Oh come on Sony! Seriously? no Wifi?
less camera models, more lenses please.. FFS!
You have to remember Sony loves to cripple lower and mid range products to try and push customers up to the next level. Sure you might hope that the only difference between cameras in a range would be the sensor but that ain’t gonna happen with Sony.
“You have to remember Sony loves to cripple lower and mid range products to try and push customers up to the next level”… Just Sony??? Think before you write something.
No kidding. Nikon is the ultimate in this regard. Want wireless flash commander? D7000. Want a lens AF motor? D7000. And until the D3200/5200, you had to go with the D7000/D90 to get a simple microphone input for video. Basic features that even the A3x series offers at $500, you have to spend $1200 with Nikon to get. And not only that, but the D7000 doesn’t even have the articulating LCD that the D5200 has.
I switched from Nikon to Sony for precisely these reasons… I was tired of getting forced upmarket for a few simple little features when I didn’t need the AF/DOF preview/resolution/extra scroll wheel/size that the D7000 offered.
Looks like Alpha WIFI will exist.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAowGfUeqjY&feature=player_detailpage#t=46s
Alpha wifi DOES exist. It’s in the Alpha NEX series.
It’s very useful for small online store owner to control the camera on computer. It saves time.
That’s ridiculous – even A58 will have thetering, and the twice so expensive A77 still have no one.
I hope SONY will change this irrational and absurd situation in the new FW-update before releasing A58.
It will be called a78.
I’ve been using Alpha since 2006 (KM) and now I’m camera-less. I was about to buy an A77 but now I am reconsidering it and will wait until the 20th…
I’m pretty sure they’ll add tethering to the a77 replacement if the a58 has it. I’m not sure if they can do this via firmware update for the current models, but it would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Typical Sony. Instead of asking PHOTOGRAPHERS what they want, they release the A77 without tethering only to add it back in again in a lower end model 18 months later.
It continues to demonstrate that Sony don’t employ photographers in the R&D and Marketing departments.
+1
Sony is one arrogant son of a bítch…
+1
1
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
You guys are unbelievable. You KNEW what the a77 was when it came out. Sony hears and raises the bar. You bitch that it wasn’t out earlier or as a free upgrade. Finally, Sony is a ‘son of a bitch’.
It cannot be easy looking at life that way…
“…Instead of asking PHOTOGRAPHERS…”
Because real photographers cannot live without wi-fi? Get real brother.
If this is true and IF they do not offer an A77 firmware update to enable the PC connectivity Sony is really going to annoy allot of people as launch there has been many people wanting tether support on Sony’s top of the line camera, and like me I did not even think to check as all camera’s in this range all support it as did Sony’s previous camera’s… It’s the one thing that still really annoys me with the A77 as I really want to setup a home studio but this feature is holding me back…
Even the A99’s integration of tether is not great and does not plug directly into Lightroom which I just find strange, Sony need to get these issues sorted out work with Adobe to include support with the base product as other manufacturers do.. The A77 and A99 produce fantastic results in studio lighting but the lack of tether support on the A77 is simply not acceptable!
Sony please ensure you release A77 ‘firmware’ updates not just a lens database update and support your customers that have supported your rather expensive camera’s… Speaking to a few Sony reps they have all told me the SLT technology is much less expensive to manufacturer yet your camera’s stay higher priced than the competition and you remove the basics like tether…
I do accept some of the features like focus peaking are absolutely fantastic but why mess around with your customers by taking the most basic of features away and then not getting back to your customers as Sony UK and Sony Australia has been trying to get information from Sony Japan about Tether support since release and NO answers or reply from Sony Japan to date (that I have read or heard about anyway)
I’m a afraid that a reason for lack of tethering is a hardware limitation, not software (i.e. there’s no controller supporting live sensor output through the USB).
But there is through HDMI. Two cables would be a pain, but better than nothing.
Thanks for the reply, do you know if that is fact of just an idea?
I know the camera supports MTP (via USB) so it does have some kind of smarts that hook into the camera right? I’m sure there must be some way to get tether support working?
I can’t accept that if a special controller chip was needed that Sony would have not included it as I can’t see the chip costing more than a dollar as many very low end competing cameras have tether support and if it cost allot to implement I’m sure it would not be included in such low end models to help reduce costs as much as possible.
Sony have an EFC, rear screen and top panel that all display camera settings and details surely they can get this pushed through the USB connection? they have infra-red, manual shutter and trigger shutter support meaning electronic shutter is already included in the camera so again surely they can pass this via USB as well?
The fact Sony Japan or Sony manager has never come out and said it’s not possible I’m sure it indicates it must be a possibility else why not just say it’s not so people move on about this topic, many Sony reps I’ve spoken too all agree 100% that tether support would be fantastic and some even agreed they assumed it would have been included as I did so was clearly a mistake to remove it on there top of the line APS-C camera.
It’s a global request, if you check in forums in Germany, UK, USA, Korea, Japan, Australia..etc..etc.. many many many people are asking for it or an update on the A77’s… why can’t Sony just give us a straight answer about if they are going to add the feature that should have been included on release or if they are not going to bother and a bit of reasoning why not.etc..
Just my $2.20 worth 😛
Lets be honest Sony could have taken there ‘most digital SLR like camera’ and blown the competition away (as I really was expecing them to do when the A77 was announced) with enhanced tether support features such as:
– Remote live view
– Seamless tether integration with 3rd party applications (eg, more open system)
– Remote smart phone support (eg, andriod, iphone..etc)
– Build in Wifi for seamless tether connectivity (would not have cost Sony more than $20 extra AT MOST, also could be disabled like GPS can to save battery or if not needed!)
– Full controll to all camera features (Eg, creative styles, RAW settings, output formats, metering modes..etc..etc..)
– Remote manual focus with peaking support
– Remote video capture and settings
– Remote time laps capture
Etc..etc..etc..etc…
They could have really gone hard and taken the studio users, time laps photographers, food artists..etc all by storm and had a leg up over them a year or two early.. instead other manufacturers are already starting to come out with some of the idea’s listed above and Sony is still just focused on getting as many new models out the door ASAP!…
Time to work smarter and not harder Sony, software is allot easier to create, design, maintain and distribute compared to hardware (it’s also significantly cheaper!)… there is nothing wrong with your hardware and you make fantastic hardware/camera’s but your software/firmware cane be improved and it can me done with allot more ease than new hardware launches every 5min…
P.S. I’m really upset if it’s true that the A77 will be made end of life already, it’s your top of the like APC-C camera and like other manufacturers this line of camera is normally around and supported for 3-5 years! Please don’t bastardise your top of the line camera’s like all manufacturers are doing with there lower end models! Your competitors have not started the war on the A77 level of products, please don’t be the company to start the war!
According to The Great Ken Rockwell, do-all lens actually is the worse lens. Maybe this is true for a camera as well. Sony can add everything in one camera, yet you all still call it a crap.
Where in the spec sheet of A77 did you read “thetered shooting available” when you were purchasing your cameras? Why didn’t you buy a camera that actually has that feature if you need it so much?
Do you run back to your car dealer to give you more horse power (for free) after you bought the car? Just stop the whining!
not every problem is just firmware update.
Finally Sony cameras will have an option my 3.2 Mpx compact (Canon) camera from 2005 has. Never really used it so it’s not a problem that my NEX-5N doesn’t have it. The remote control is much more useful for me, but I understand that for some people PC tethering is important.
Can’t wait till the 20th. Shaping up to be a big day for Sony. Hopefully this new source can share some new information on the higher end up coming sony models.
Still no details about an OLED EVF?
I currently own the a37 and love it, mainly because the smaller body. BUT I want the OLED EVF without buying an a65 or a77 due to the pretty universal sentiment that the 24mp sensor is inferior to the 16mp (for MOST general uses). Im itching to buy a new camera as the a37 was kind of a test to see if I would enjoy the SLT set up and I do aside from a few trade-offs. Im ready to buy this thing if the sensor is comparable to the 16mp and they put the good EVF in it. No reason not to IMO if they arent even going to make the 3x series anymore.
You’ve got it the wrong way around. The 16mp sensor is inferior for most general users, only the high ISO numpties want to take pictures of their cat in the dark.
Not all high ISO users are numpties. We all need high ISOs at certain times and it would be nice to at least be equal to the Canikon boys.
It was a generalised comment in reply to a generalised comment. Get it?
Ive never used the 24mp sensor so I cant say myself….just reading various reviews from camera review sites and user reviews/comments. You hardly ever see anyone raving about that 24mp sensor in the nex7 a65 or a77, at least not like you had people raving about the nex5n and the 16mp sensor in general all over the place. You cant hardly read a review of sony/pentax/nikon cameras using it that doesnt mention something along the lines of “best performing aps-c sensor to date”. Thasts all I was getting at. Wasnt putting down yours or anyone elses equipment—never used one myself. And the noise issue is a concern for me due to the fact that I use it to shoot my kids sports indoors in gyms and night football stadiums. I really wish sony would make a competitor to the d600 (price AND feature wise) but I will likely end up with an a99 when the price drops in the next couple years. Im the type guy that couldnt care any less for video performance or weather sealing and magnesium bodies–would rather upgrade cameras at a lower price point more often since the tech changes so rapidly. That was not the case with film cameras, so I think the robust build meant much much more on those. Most people likely wont keep a digital camera for 20yrs so why should I pay for one built to last that long? Thats just my opinion for my use of course. To each their own.
WTF is wrong with posting on this site? They don’t show up!
How unfortunate that it doesn’t happen with all your posts, Frank.
Sounds almost like the camera the A77 should have been.
Sigh….. 🙁
You are making me upset now.. hahahah (I’m an A77 and A99 owner and really upset about tether support)
… maybe it has the PDAF in sensor + Contrast AF together.
A77 replacement sure will have all the goodies.
A new focusing system? More than 19 points? or just more cross points?
Pointless AF? That would be something.
My wish: bluetooth (if not wi-fi) and control from Android Phones ? 😀
Live view in smartphones 😀
Yes I know … dreams
USB3.0? EVF resolution?
“New focusing system”? The A99’s AF is already outdated?
It was outdated at the day of release unless you happen to use one of these very few lenses that supported AF-D
(that said: AF-D is a brilliant idea. Though an AF system not covering even the rule of thirds is a horrible idea.)
You’d have to have photogrpahers working at Sony for them to understand rule of thirds.
Frank – why do you even bother using Sony, if Canon and Nikon are so much better in you view?
Where have I said Canon and Nikon are better?
You haven’t but if no one is better, why so upset with Sony?
In that case, it would be better just to list your wishes and/or suggestions of what they could do better, instead of critizing them like they are a bunch of amateurs not knowing photography, it just seems a little premature.
Premature? You do know that Sony cameras have been out a few years, right? I am speaking from LONG experience of using Minolta and Sony gear.
+1 Very Small Centralized AF Layout… Second biggest reason I didn’t get the a99 behind price compared to the same Sony sensor better IQ of the d600…
Same here. I’d like to have a few words with the bean counter who managed to convince everyone else that reusing an APS camera’s AF module would be “good enough”.
AF-D – ZERO Not Even One – Third party Lens for AF-D
None of the majors want any party of AF-D
Can anyone blame them?
The a99’s AF system was outdated when it was released….
I think new focusing system means dual af system in a99.
A57 is too small for me. It is obvious from all the feedback on all the Alpha cameras that Sony do not pay any attention to and then act on the Rumors site.
They cant make it the same size as the a77, then you wouldn’t buy the a78 when it comes out…
It is not rocket science to understand there’s no wifi in Sony cameras. A57-65-77-99 all using same NP-FM500H battery and this battery is weak! When you look at the competition, Canon & Nikon offer 2x more battery life. If you include Wi-Fi, this means the battery would drain even faster. To change the battery, you have to change the body, which is new design, new R&D costs, new everything. I suspect Sony would like to go into that much cost where their financials are not ideal at the moment.
im not a rocketscientist.. maybe they can make an on/off switch for the wifi?
🙂
win comment!
Yes, one can tell that you’re not a rocket scientist. Even they install an on/off switch, it will still drain the battery. With the weakest battery in the competition, wifi will not be a wise option to go for. On the other hand, wifi is not a dealbreaker for anybody. Why increase the price?
er, switch it off?
2 options.. Option 1- Increase the price, let’s say €50, to have wi-fi but switch it off through out the day and use it when you need it. Option 2- Never have it, keep the price lower. Why would you need wifi anyway? It will drain the battery, it will slow the camera (yes it will use a cpu for communicating with the access point), it will increase the price.
It will not be 50 EURO. You can get a Wi-Fi USB for 10 EURO and that is at retail prices!
The Wi-Fi chipsets are peanuts, just like the GPS receiver in the A77 is peanuts and the Wi-Fi chipset in my smartphone is peanuts.
Don’t want it? Switch it OFF!
Well, yes, if you look at single wifi chip cost, it must be around ~$2 at most. On the other hand if you look at iPhone 5 production cost (without the labor and R&D) it is $207 straight, and they are selling iPhone 5 to $649! So, do you really think that Sony would install a $2 chip and sell it to $2. You must be daydreaming. If you are so willing to have wifi, go and buy an SDCard.
The problem with your point of view is that it can be applied to ANYTHING in the camera.
Hey, lets not have GPS and save a dollar, how about less buttons as well? We could also remove those pesky extra sockets…
The point is that Wi-Fi adds practically ZERO cost to the PRODUCTION of the camera, it’s already available in compacts!
You are talking about the mark-up that the manufacturer adds and that can be nothing too. It may be a shocker to you but functions do get added without the price going up.
So why do you think Sony did not include wifi to their cameras yet? And if this is such a serious topic for you, why do you hang around this website and why don’t you switch to another brand that support wifi option?
Kursad no offence but I agree your comments are rather poor:
Price: it will cost Sony next to nothing to add, as others have pointed out it’s already included in some cheap point and shoot compact camera’s and just about most modern devices now days, wifi chips are cheep and chips (sorry about that could not resist).
CPU usage: it really does not add all that much CPU usage, the main issue is battery drain due to transmission with wifi (eg, take a smart phone for example using wifi data uses less battery than 3G connections)… yes wifi can cause slight (and i mean slight) CPU usage but so does pressing a button, any calculation does but it’s negligible.
Battery is weak: yes it’s not great with the new EFV camera’s and this is mainly due to the EVF using up allot of power… having said that going silly at an event I was able to get around 1,000 shots on a single battery (sure some were rapid fire (2-3 consecutive shots at most) but still it’s not a dead camera… what Sony would be expected to do when including wifi as they did with GPS… you can toggle it on or off as needed meaning 0 extra battery drain if you did not want to use that feature.
Why do Sony not include it in the A77: Well I think that’s what people are trying to ask WHY? but it looks like Sony might realise NOW it might actually be a good idea as it sounds like future camera’s will have it it… what people are saying why not the A77 when it came out..etc.. (as it was ready and being used in other devices already)
WiFi Card: Yes this is an option but the eye-fi cards offer a very basic feature set, a build in wifi card could be ALOT more feature rich and customizable as it’s at a firmware level and not interface level.
Why not switch to another brand and website: Well this is the comment that made me reply to your post, it’s rather silly (sorry to say)… any one like your self I’m sure has invested in Sony/Minolta lenses/equipment switching brand for a wifi feature just does not make sense unless it’s something you really really need and some people would love it as a tether option in studio for example but switching system is not something I would personally do and I can’t see many others doing either…
I think the point is people are asking WHY Sony did not include it, they have been known to say they are innovators and pushing today’s camera into tomorrow..etc… Sony have released some fantastic features like manual focus peaking (my personal favourite) but other basics they have missed badly like tether support and the obvious successors like wifi option or support which now competitors are beating Sony to market with.
Just my 2cents worth…
Keep smiling , keep shooting!
Jonathan, don’t you see that Sony is using its price for marketing purposes. Except A99, all other models have a price below their competition, around 200-300usd lower. WiFi may be a dealbreaker for entry level hobbiests but the price difference makes it unimportant for everyone.
About the power usage of a wifi chip… your assumptions are pretty wrong, not poor but totally wrong and does not depend on any technical background. A basic 11Mbps 802.11b card uses ~1.000mW for RX and ~1.100mW for TX. On average since you won’t be downloading anything, TX signals would dominate and you can say that it will consume ~1.500mW of energy, because according to the 802.11 standard, it must listen for an acknowledgement packet (physical layer ACK) and listen to sense if the channel is busy immediately after sending each packet.. 802.11g usage is around 15% higher than this. This makes around 2 Watts. Not finished.. This is only TCP Uplink scenario. Given baseline power consumption can be around 10W and power consumption due to software and hardware activities related to the WLAN tCP uplink operation is 2.00 W, Platform Power Consumption = tCP uplink Power Consumption + baseline + host Activities Power Consumption = 1.54 W+ 15 W + 2.00 W = 18.25 W (eighteen point twenty five watts!)
About the cpu consumption of a wifi chip… a 3COM chip brings ~1.5% cpu overhead to an Intel P4 3.0GHz chip. Atheros is better, with ~1.2% overhead at peak usage. How fast do you think the cpu’s are in cameras? Not much. If you are not using double processors, you may have serious problems.
We always whine about the little buffer memory of Sony cameras, right? You can only take 2 seconds of burst shots, then you have to wait for buffer to transfer everything to the SD card. Isn’t it difficult for Sony to install an additional 256MB of buffer ram which would bring 10 more RAW’s? Of course it is easy but why Sony don’t do this? Because memory is an expensive chip. Because Sony wants low prices to be able to keep up with the competition.
So.. one thing that I must make clear… if I’m writing something down, I am trusting my technical background. Your assumptions are assumptions and assumption vs estimation is another dimension.
Kursad,
looking at the power consumption of very old wifi desktop based devices and very old school pc bases systems which have NEVER been designed for power efficiency is not a great way to make a point…
Lets just say this to keep things simple and put it into perspective to what you have claimed… My home high end modem/router which has the following features:
– High end router CPU
– Memory
– IEEE 802.11n (Thats Wireless N, MIMO, 3x antenna’s for transmission!)
– 4x Gibabit ports
– ADSL2+ modem and chips
– 2x VOIP chips and supprot, including ability to power 2x standard old school phones!
– 3G access via full powered USB port
– A vast range of security, firewall and various internal software and protocols which all consume a fair amount of power.
The PEAK / MAXIMUM possible power the device has feeding into it is 24 watts… if you like I can get the old meters out and measure the actually usage (I’m sure it’s going to be even less than the maximum transformer output rating as it always is!
Don’t forget this router would not have been designed by any means to consume as little power as possible it’s been designed for maximum and high performance meaning much more power than any ‘mobile’ class device!.
Another very simply point to make is try and apply your calculations to a mobile phone handset and see how the battery life works out.
I think I’ve said enough… all the best!
Jonathan, just read this link:
http://www.p4pictures.com/2012/12/eos-6d-battery-life-with-wifi-gps/
2895 pictures on a single LP-E6 on a Canon 6D with WiFi and GPS on. I can take 1.500 photos on my A99 when GPS is off. Now.. Assume that A99 had wifi and GPS was on. From my A55 experience, GPS was decreasing battery life by 1/4, and with your assumptions above, let’s say that wifi only effects the battery life by 1/8.. so we can easily say that A99 would drain it’s battery without seeing 1.000 shots which is 1/3rd of 6D. So.. There’s no need to discuss further about this thread. Even a Galaxy S3 phone has a 2.100mAh battery which is >20% powerful than A99 battery and everyone knows how wifi and gps drains phone batteries.
Sorry Kursad, but I really do not get your point any longer…
As every one has said you can turn OFF GPS, and you could turn OFF WiFi as well if you don’t want it or need it… when out in the field I can’t see much use for most to have WiFi enabled, if in a studio or in doors I can then see a big advantage of having WiFi enabled in a kind of tether mode (as people have been requesting)… even a 1/8 power drain is nothing compared to the time saving and functionality this feature would add to users that would use it… sure if it’s not something you would use that’s 100% fine and not a problem just disable it and never use it like you can with GPS… In terms of battery life, yet the Sony is not as good, again this is largely due to the EVF, as you can see if actually uses slightly more power than the LCD AND the issue with this is it’s on all the time whilst shooting where as OFV does not have this overhead… It’s an advantage (due to the features and functionality it adds) but of cause also a negative in terms of battery life as you said.
I agree with you it would be GREAT if Sony released a new ‘higher capacity’ backwards compatible battery that offers better life on there new EFV camera’s this same battery on the older OFV camera was never an issue for me but with the EVF I can understand how it could be a little short for some at times.
The last Canon I owned was the old 550D and battery was ok with this camera but I don’t know the 6D at all but from what I’ve read it uses a 1800mAh battery which is around 5%+ in physical size compared to the Sony FM500H and offers around 9% extra capacity over the Sony so it does seem slightly better in terms of size per mAh but not as much as I though being such a newer battery.
I don’t know much about battery technology and from my readings I understand things have not improved all that much in the last few years so perhaps Sony might not be-able to increase capacity by much but I’m sure they could increase it which would be great!
The other option is a completely new battery design but to be honest I really love the fact with Sony that they have kept the same battery and I can use the same batteries in my Sony A350, A700, A850, A77 and A99 camera’s.. WELL DONE SONY!… If you could make backwards compatible ‘high capacity’ version you would be praised greatly by your customers I’m sure!
The NEXs have even smaller batteries than the SLTs, and yet those cameras started getting wifi in the 5R and 6. Sorry, battery life is not an excuse. Sony was just unwilling to do it.
Indeed
Maybe they went back to the drawing board before putting it into another camera. Wi-Fi reception in the NEX-6 is utterly s**te.
Yes, this is why according to CIPA standards, NEX6 has %25 less battery life compared to an A55 which was using the very same battery with NEX6.
DRO perhaps you should be a rocketscientist or at lest a camera design consoltant… as you have some fantastic idea’s that Sony just can’t seem to come up with.. hahah
Perhaps another idea for Sony, copy/past the code for your GPS option in your menu and point it to the wifi card… WOW, amazing stuff!
P.S. Sony’s batteries are not a huge issue, the EVF and rear screen chomp allot of power and efficiency of the EVF needs to be improved… having said that Sony also need to update the current batter by simply using the latest cells available but can keep the same battery form factor (basically release a high capacity version of the current battery that is simply updated with the latest technology.. to be fair from my understanding you won’t get any thing like double capacity as batteries have not improved all that much really but it can be improved slightly keeping the came form factor)
Jonathan, do you have any idea how much the 3″ LCD and the EVF consume battery compared to the GPS chip and a wifi chip? I don’t think so. So please stop making non-technical silly assumptions. LCD’s are the power hungry components of a camera but all other cameras are using very similar LCD’s. Yes, Sony may have more pixels but Canon LCD’s are 0.2″ larger. EVF is also pulling lots of power but on the other hand SLR’s have more moving mechanical parts compared to SLT’s. Assumptions are good in brainstorming but when you are making assertions, assumptions are worthless.
Kursad, Sigh, I’m starting to get the feeling you might not know what you are talking about and just accuse others of not knowing… to answer your question YES I do know, I’ve read all about it when I purchased my A77… but just to ‘prove’ to you (once again) hear are the facts that you can educate yourself with:
A77 camera with LCD + GPS, power consumption = 300mA
A77 camera with EVF + GPS, power consumption = 310mA
A77 camera with LCD only (NO GPS), power consumption = 284mA
The difference between using GPS or not as big as people think (I have it enabled all the time and never had an issue 1,000 shots is not a problem on the one batter!)
Hope it helps you feel a little better that I don’t just talk crap and that I do know a little about what I’m talking about… not as though I need to justify myself but hope if makes you feel alittle better 😀 hahaha
Wifi will be supported through the new hotshoe. The pins are already there and as soon they come out with an accessory you fill have fast data transfere + a firmwareupdate 😉
Rubbish.
The FM500H is a very good battery.
On the A900 the battery lasted longer than its peers, so what?
Reason for actual better battery life of the CN’s is owed the EVF and the better display. Let them go to EVF and highres displays and we will compare again…
No, FM500H is not a very good battery, actually it is the worst in its category. It’s power is 1.650mAh. Canon has LP-E6 for 5DMk3 with a power of 1.800mAh and Nikon has EN-EL15R for D800 with a power of 1.900mAh.
You are flogging a dead horse mate. The battery in my A77 lasts for FAR longer than the quoted figures (because that figure includes flash use). Plus, with two batteries in the grip you get a huge amount of shooting.
I used to have to change a roll of film every 24/36 frames. Changing a battery takes seconds in comparison.
I can shoot ~1.500-1.600 raws with my A99, this is far beyond the spec sheet but my partner can shoot up to 2.500 raws with his 5DMk3. This is what I am talking about and since this thread is about A58, and most probably A58 won’t have a batter grip option, this makes life harder for A57 owners and future A58 customers. If you are happy with the current battery, it’s fine. But I see a point that can be developed easily.
You are complaining because you “only” get 1,500 shots? Your issue is a non-issue frankly.
Frank, I am shooting >3.500 shots during a day of a concert or a wedding with 2 A99’s. I cannot carry 2 99’s with battery grips installed and a CZ2470 and a 70200G. Therefore I am wishing that batteries could last longer as they are in Canon’s and Nikon’s. You may not need that much battery power but it’s a pain in the ass to carry 2-3 spare batteries in your pockets, try to guess which ones were drained, and which ones were full.
3 batteries for you – 2 for your partner. One extra battery… Not exactly a big hoo-ha.
I’d suggest being organised – one pocket for charged batteries, one for spent ones…. If you don’t have a spare pocket then number them with something like Tipex & use them in order….
I’d far rather them keep the 500 as I already have plenty of them – a new battery is going to be ~ £100×4=£400 extra. Thats a lot of money for a tiny convenience….
Then there is the fact that most of us don’t have funds to buy/justify buying 2 new cameras at once so would find ourselves with main & backup cameras with different batteries meaning we would have to carry round MORE batteries if Sony came out with a new high capacity one….
Yes it is going to happen at some point but I question that now is the right time when the 500 does most of us fine.
If you are shooting over 3,500 shots in one wedding or concert session, then I suggest that you need to learn how to get more keepers.
Frank… you’re talking too much without knowing what I shoot and how I shoot. Your shallow field of view.. I won’t be replying any of your comments
So, why not design new batteries and make them backwards compatible?
Like the old (and current) battery works with the A100, even though it had originally a different battery.
I guess not many people would complain if Sony released a new model for the newer cameras.
This is what I think they should do. I’m not expecting to be able to put a more modern battery in my A900, but being able to use the batteries one already has doesn’t need to come at the cost of modern, power-hungry EVF cameras being forced to use outdated battery tech.
Just put some sort of plastic pin on the case of the new one so it won’t fit in older cameras.
Battery is kinda mature tech. It’s not like image sensor, today’s sensor mp is double of what yesterday’s was.
Put the cameras in ECO mode, and the battery life will suddenly DOUBLE
I got 1800 JPEGS in TESTING the A77 – JUST ONE SONY Battery and
that Battery STILL HAD more JUICE TO SPARE
Battery Shot Life Testing ?? –
I do not know how SONY GOT SO FEW SHOTS or Rated it so Low
I believe that’s a high estimate when they turn everything on during the test
That Canon and Nikon have longer battery life is due to lower consumption, not higher capacity batteries. SLT technology always powers an LCD as viewfinder as opposed to OVF cameras. And why shouldn’t Sony put wifi in their SLT, since they already do that in NEX cameras with even lower capacity batteries? Doesn’t makes sense…
so many hatred… and more details hasn’t even been released yet. who knows maybe the AF system is godly… 20 megapixel doesn’t sound that bad..
oh, man, with all the hatred around here, you see why Sony ‘DONT BOTHER’ to look at this site!!!
I’ll put it in capitals so its easier to read THE REPLACEMENT SONY SLT’S WILL GAIN THE SAME ‘TYPE’ OF PHASE DETECT MODULE AS THE A99.
Will it be the same module exactly as the A99, ‘unknown’ at this stage, but certainly a version of.
Having shot tethered ‘many times’ with various camera systems. Tripping over the cable has to be the no.1 hazard. Paul Genge suggested a wifi card back when the A77 came out, & I have to pretty much agree. Shoot raw & jpeg with a wifi card. Or, if its not a fashion shoot, just shoot raw with the wifi card!!!
You clearly have no understanding of what tethered shooting is.
You should work for Sony, because I don’t think they give a toss about what their photographic community actually wants.
Kudos to them for bringing the tethering feature on an entry level DSLT camera 18 months after releasing their semi-pro A77 camera without tethering…
Kinda leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
well said…
At least they’re learning. Something to be said for that. But people still complain.
BTW, what did the software update to the remote camera control software (that added A99 support) actually do?
Nobody else concerned that they may have dropped the A3x series???
A3x unnecessary due to NEX (in Sony’s mind).
I think it is a blessing, there are too many goddamned entry level SLT cameras to choose from…
The FullFrame high end enthuiest and professionals only got 2 to choose from and one of them has a fixed lens…
Sony
Make.Amateur
*If* there is not going to be a A3x series and it’s a BIG “if”, I think it’s a sign, not a blessing.
hmmm… good point….
I was being too optimistic LOL!
Or it’s just that they think the entry level customers are more likely to buy a nex 3… Binning the 3 is not a smart move – how many people here originally started out with low end models and upgraded?
…and then the mid-range customers will be a NEX-5 so they’ll dump the A5x series.
A sign of what?
To me its a sign of making alpha more pro and Nex less pro. That will be a good news to alpha users.
Would be great if they dropped the A3x series, Sony are releasing too many camera’s and need to focus and limit the range in my opinion.. rather provide less models at a higher standard/quality (eg, more refined firmware/features).
Also reduce the release schedule, releasing new models ever 5min is a real pain and total waist of resources I think personally… the poor guys having to keep control of Sony’s spare parts, repair manuals and support… I just feel sorry for them, must be one crazy job to try and mange and keep on top of..
Me is concerned !! that a3X series is being discontinued. A nikon d3100-d3200 priced camera would be a great choice for wannabe DSLR user to enter a sony eco-system.
> Nobody else concerned that they may have dropped the A3x series?
No, not really. It’s like release 900 and postpone 850, make 99 without 88, upgrade 5R and postpone 3N. The A38 may show up later. Or never indeed.
Can’t wait for the A58! Curious about this new AF system and controlability via computer!
Here is a good question…
if the Sensor has PDAF, what is the point of having the SLT in an entry level DSLT which is not focused on videography???
Shouldn’t Sony remove the SLT to maximize the light flow to the sensor?
…and if you remove the mirror, what’s the point of using the A-mount? 😉
They can reduce the flange distance and give a pass through adapter for the A-Mount…
NEX-T?
Please! Not everyone likes adapters. The reason why people choose A-mount is because of egronomics and natively available lenses. If A58 or A78 dropped the mirror and started using on sesor PDAF, I bet a lot of A-mount users would’ve upgraded.
And no, NEX-5R is not an option, it is uncomfortable with larger lenses. Maybe it doesn’t bother some, but it does bother A-mount users.
Y U NO LIKE ADAPTOR???
Speaking personally I often find the buttons on a normal sized SLR too small (e.g. when wearing gloves – 1/3 of the year + more at night if I’m outdoors) & not numerous enough, especially on the lower end smaller bodies – ISO, Drive, AEL, EV buttons all get used & I often wish for WB, AF area & Metering modes to be on a button rather than having to menu dive.
This means that NEX with its smaller size meaning less space for buttons has little appeal.
OK Sony could make a bigger NEX with the real estate for lots of buttons & a decent sized grip, but then I have to ask what is the point in that? You gain a couple of cm in the mount area which, when using faster higher quality lenses especially, has a negligible effect on the overall size/weight.
I don’t find the NEX cameras have any features that interest me. I have a full sized SLR on me at all times & find the size to be no problem whatsoever so I have to ask what is the point in NOT using the A mount?
+1
E-mount means that a host of new lenses have to be developed that fit natively as well. This makes it even more inferior to A-mount, which already has sony as well as aftermarket lens support. I don’t see the point in the E-mount hype.
How about gloves for camera users with tactile button to push buttons. With gloves the buttons do seem less robust.
+1
I too don’t get the obsession with (FF) NEX. It’s impractical with bigger lenses, grip is too small and it lacks buttons for quick access to frequently used functions.
See Pentax K-O1
Mirrorless A-mount WOULD include I.B.I.S.
My understanding is that in order for PDAF on-sensor to work with a lens, that lens has to be in the camera’s database. Since that only applies to a few lenses at this point — and will likely NEVER apply to Minolta lenses or third-party lenses — it would seriously piss people off if their lens options were radically reduced.
Hence, the mirror stays until the A-mount cameras are retired. And even on E-mount cams, don’t expect AF with all A-mount lenses with just a pass-through adapter and PDAF on-sensor in the future. The majority of A-mount lenses will still require an SLT adapter in order to AF.
The mirror is provided in the A-mount adapter. What you’ll lose is stabilisation.
Yup, understood. I’m just responding to WTH’s question about why they don’t just remove the mirror in the low-end A-mount cams if they have PDAF on-sensor.
So many posts, so little knowledge.
Anybody visiting this site with any regularity should know by now that PDAF on-sensor cannot compete with a dedicated PDAF module at the current time.
How so? Please enlighten us.
Not everyone knows of the issues with current gen on-sensor PDAF
YES – However
If used in Tandem – Both together
It might provide extraordinary value to just a small market segment.
but
Still – SO Highly Proprietary and so few lens options
Three D focus.
So CZ 50mm will be announced Feb 20th? Sounds nice!
So what’s the benefit of the announcement? When Sony announces things, it doesn’t mean they are ready for sale by then. The specs and price are already known as well.
Pre-orders, exact price, some hands-on previews, and the wonderful feeling that you are that much closer to owning it.
I find it hilarious that only ONE person posting in this thread of over 100 comments has mentioned anything about the Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 lens that’s now rumoured to be being announced on February 20th!
Thanks @emopunk for that!
Personally, I could care less about an A58, its specs, or for that matter, the specs of ANY sub full frame camera that’s coming out. Professional shooters in 2013 aren’t shooting with crop sensor cameras. Professional shooters DO care about SONY’s most desirable selling point, their partnership with Zeiss and the fantastic AF lenses that only SONY’s A-Mount user can use! Especially those of us who are long time Minolta users and are now SONY shooters, or people who have switched from Canon or Nikon to SONY (yes they do exist).
I guess this amount of interest in these APS-C cameras must mean that Sony Alpha Rumours is primarily an amateur photographers forum. And that’s kinda too bad. And I guess this website isn’t really for me, even though I read this site every day, often twice a day!
I’m probably a very small minority of professional photographers as I don’t intend on ever switching to Canon or Nikon. But I do intend on buying as much high end autofocus Zeiss glass as SONY can convince Zeiss to design for the A-Mount.
a 35mm f/1.4 SSM being next on my wish list for sure!
Cheers!
Ben
+1 Ben
I can’t really justify myself buying the 50 1.4 at this moment, as I guess I don’t need it right now. (24-70CZ and min 50 1.7 do fine on the a99 for now) But I really encourage the zeiss & sony partnership, so looking forward on release of more zeiss lenses. For me it’s one of the main reasons to stick with sony.
In the end of the day any recent pro or flagship camera can take a stunning picture (canon/nikon/olympus etc) if used right & with the right lens …. but I just really like the Sony/zeiss look…. so tempted to look at the cz85 😉 ..
@marold
If you’ve already got the 24-70mm CZ, I’d highly recommend grabbing the 85mm f/1.4 CZ if you can afford it. I got mine like new in box for $1460 on ebay. I mean, a deal like that doesn’t come around too often. But it’s pretty hard to find them used cause once someone owns one, they don’t ever sell it!
Plus… It’s amazing how differently the 85mm CZ looks (at f/1.4 or even at f/2) versus the 24-70mm CZ at 70mm at f/2.8, it renders a shockingly different type of image. Far more chromatic abberation mind you, but also far more beautiful.
If this 50mm f/1.4 handles chromatic aberration better than the 85mm does, it’ll quickly become my “go to” portrait lens, as I actually prefer a 50mm over an 85mm for most portraits. problem is, my copy of the Minolta 50mm f/1.4 is softer wide open than my 35mm f/2 is, so if I’m taking the 24-70mm CZ off my camera, to get better bokeh when there’s the time to properly compose a portrait, I often opt for the 35mm prime over the 50mm. My 50mm does eventually get sharp around f/2.5 or f/2.8, but by the time you’ve stopped it down that much, you aren’t getting any more low light “handheldability” than you would have had with the 24-70mm zoom lens. But the primes do offer slightly shallower depth of field, and in the case of the 50mm, quite a bit creamier bokeh than the 24-70mm does, even if both lenses are at f/2.8 and with everything else equal.
Something tells me I’ll be buying the 50mm f/1.4 Zeiss before wedding season this year!!! I’m hooked.
Anyone used the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 yet? Or are they even shipping for A-Mount yet?
Cheers,
Ben!
here’s what I don’t understand. Why does Sony keep adding more features into these lower end cameras, and still only give us ONE CONTROL WHEEL????
TO TEASE THE NEWBIES
TO encourage users to upgrade to the bigger higher margin accessories and body models once the user finds the extreme limitations of the low cost entry level model.
^^This. An extra control wheel was one of the reasons why I went for the A77 not a A5x series.
+3
If they include all pro features in lower model, why would anybody buys pro cams? Besides,everybody does that – Canon, Nikon..
more specs ar great and its really helping me make a choice of buy now or wait a little (im in no need of a new body but want to add video option )
Are posters really complaining about new features on a new camera body that are not on an 18 month old camera?
Look, when Sony announces the specifications on the a77 replacement I’m sure it will have features not on the old camera like computer control.
Tethering is on a 6 year old A700.
Wish I had some idea how this 20mp sensor will perform compared to the current A57. I have an A57 arriving today to use primarily for higher ISO and Macro work, while using my A77 for longer exposure and studio/outside better light shooting.
Downsize your A77 images to 16mpix and then do a comparison. With the A55 there was nothing in it.
I’m definitely interested in the a77 version of this – more than enough features to make it worth the upgrade… Personally I don’t have a problem with lack of tethering on the a77 – I knew that was the case when I bought and never expected it to come free with a firmware update…
I’d like to see wifi tethering though, ideally with support for Windows and android.
Is 599$ price body only!!! 🙂 !
From the mistreatment of a700 users on it’s surprising anyone would expect Sony to provide photographer’s cameras. They showed how much they cared about their users with the a700 not being replaced.
Yawn.
“Mistreatment” – belly LOL!
Walt, you are like a broken record (a very, very boring one).
Sony did replace the A700 – with the the A77. It just didn’t have the spec and features that YOU wanted. Lots of people – mostly those that actually used it – thought that it was a worthy replacement.
I mean this as a honest question WK: why didn’t you change systems already, since you seem to have lost hope a long time ago in Sony ever delivering what you need?
I’m an A700 user and don’t feel mistreated by Sony in the slightest. If and when I decide to replace the A700, Sony already have one waiting – the A77 – with another – the A78 – rumoured to be in the pipeline.
And why just A700 users? According to your ridiculous logic, A900 (and A850) users have been treated just as badly. In fact, pretty much any owner of the last line of Sony OVF DSLRs has been mistreated according to you. All of which means that Sony will never do anything to make you happy. We know how bitter you are – which makes any observation of yours about Sony biaased and therefore invalid, and your continued whining just makes you look evermore foolish.
Hmm, maybe they lowered the position of the A58 a bit after dropping the A37 replacement. Otherwise I would have expected more than 8fps with a brand spanking new APS-C sensor and a higher MSRP.
Well, 20mp could be harder to chew.
If Wifi being such a drain on the battery is a major concern, you can have a wifi gadget connecting to the top special electircal connections with it’s own small battery. After all I only need wifi to send just a few pictures without the need to open a laptop.
one of the nice things about internet is it keeps all the angry men off the streets. this forum has turned into a parody of itself.
+1 🙂
It’s amazing how much people who actively follow Sony blogs and use their products are so quick to bash them every time anything is announced. The A58 having tethering doesn’t somehow make your A77 worse, it just makes you grumpy.
I love my A99 and my RX1 and I think they’re amazing cameras. These are all just tools, and I think they are all revolutionary. If you want them to continue making them and being the groundbreaking company they have been in the last few years, stop acting like a fussy toddler.
I am excited about the Zeiss 50mm and I love what Sony is doing. No cameras are perfect, but Sony is making strides to improve cameras much more than Canon or Nikon.
Stop complaining and go take some photos.
This is a rumor. I never seen people get so upset about a rumor. When the cam comes out and you have the final spec. Then you rage about the crap they forgot to put in because you requested it. My complaint with the A series cam. Is the view finder is small.
The viewfinder is small ??? Are u serious ?
Which model? compared to what?
I have Sony A77 and I think it’s small. I like to put my eye to things. It’s bright and clear, but is small in view. The should sell larger eye cups too.
I where a hat to block the sun it would be better to have a large eye cup.
My 2 cents on the new AF system:
– Touch screen PDAF autofocus
– Or in EVF eye detection autofocus…
I would be more insterested in a a77 EVF type… i think the a57 evf doesn’t provide so good colors and is pixelised.
There is a common problem going on right now for Sony… Very angry and now verbal users of their Alpha camera… Yes I know the d600 had dust, and yes I know the d800 had left focusing issues but even those users were not as angry as Sony Alpha users right not… The Firmware ( Or lack there of ), No tethering, jpeg IQ, the new focus on Nex, No 36MP camera, No OVF Choices, etc. has a lot of Alpha users fed up (Including myself, I already sold my a77 and 2 alpha lenses) Sony constantly “barely” upgrading a new camera yearly has to stop because that tactic is not working as well anymore…
With this constant negativity towards Sony going on now, I wouldn’t be surprised of the a58 and a78 are pretty decent cameras (For their Price) because I don’t think the “Barely” tactic will work for Sony right now… I wouldn’t be surprised if this a58 had better IQ than the a77, and the a78 where it needs to be based it its price and competing brand models in that price range…
I Just wish they would come out with a better Full-frame Alpha (A1X?) in EVF and OFV ( Or On sensor ) and I would take one of each….
it can do 8fps, more than the A99 (regular mode) ????
Well of course… It’s easier to get high FPS with APS-C size. 🙂
Well, Sony will have WIFI support.
Check this video out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAowGfUeqjY&feature=player_detailpage#t=46s
this does not exist.
Sony pissed off a lot of old users invested in old flashes and old Minolta glass. The current Sony a-mount system is actually nice. A99 + CZ and Sony G glass + hvl 60 flash work flawlessly. The jpeg is fine, turn off DRO for low light and there will be little noise. Sell the tools you don’t like and get over it, stop moaning.
Thanks GOD there is someone with common sense !!! We are on the 21 century people so lets the things go on and forget about past dreams. SONY offer very good tools for every one. Take it or leave it. BRAVO SERGEI !!!
That happen a lot when a company buy out another company. I dunno why ppl are so mad at this. They are using century old minolta stuff and demand the “new” company to support it? That means doing something for nothing? (Where they got the money when u r not buying Sony product but keep using Minolta gears?)
In fact, they did support Minolta gear for quite a while. Now the A99 has new hot shoe and AF-D and ppl gone mad, refusing to buy new gears for the new cameras.
Also a fact that the old lenses and flash still work on the A99 because Sony provided free adaptors. Although, with some issues like no AF-D or flash sync issue, but no big deal, the basic still works.
I’m not concerned with Sony not supporting Minolta stuff PER SE, but there’s a whole bunch of lens types made by Minolta that Sony have yet to offer an equivalent of replacement for, so one is pretty much compelled to either use the old Minolta or a third party manufacturer if they make one. Sony seems intent on just making and updating a limited range of lenses with little interest in the more niche offerings that traditional camera companies tend to offer.
I know what will take the mind off A-Mount vs E-Mount vs features that will be present in the next camera…. This! 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5mMRiiCwak
I have an A57 this doesn’t sound that interesting really (minor update) and the hot shoe change is a turn off.
What I want is an A700 MkII with 100% Pentaprism OVF, live view/focus peaking, movie mode, a real semi pro OVF camera. A900 MkII with the stuff added as above on the A700.
A77 is not that interesting to me and it’s overpriced too. A99 is priced so high it’s a joke in Europe. Sony’s jpeg problems are still around, they suck big time and they did nothing to address them. Lots of annoyances on the SLT models and Sony did not address them in the recent firmware updates.
But bottom line is one SLT camera is enough for me I want to use an OVF one. Why bore us all with the same warmed over SLT products again? Sony’s products are not that interesting I’m only here like many as I have a bunch of Minolta lenses. A700/900 were landmark cameras that needed further development but were abandoned. Very silly move IMO.
Too much cybershot in Sony Alpha right now
Talk with numbers, talk with calculations. Assumptions are worthless when you’re making technical comparisons.
“- It will have a brand new focusing system that he said is “very cool” (you may tell us more about it?)”
in my opinion, very cool focusing system means cool sensor and less sensor noise with high iso. sorry for my english
I’m not so sure about this anouncement date for the new DSLs, something will be anounced on 20th, and That is the NEW PlayStation 4. It’s highly unlikly that the new DSL would also be anounced at the same time, It simply would steal the show.
read this
http://news.mydrivers.com/img/20130214/2cd7ab602c244982a984eaebf2903fe7.jpg
Yah, just had the comfirmation, the Playstation 4 will be offically announced on the 21st Feb, 8:00am tokyo time
A58 will NOT show up on either 20th or 21st anyway.
I fail to understand how Sony has still done nothing about their “visual diarrhea” jpeg engine, while spending so much money cranking out new hardware. I’ve moved on- sold my SLT and 5 lenses when the A77 turned out to be a noise machine. Grainy garbage indoor shots without a flash, pathetic. I have an X-E1 now, and while the AF isn’t the best in low light, the high iso IQ is amazing.
Please take a lool of a57, the jpeg engine has improved a lot, and in my opinion , it is at the same level with canon and nikon
Not sure how many are willing to plunk that much down on the Zeiss right now with the economy the way it is- although nobody can deny it’s alluring.
Sony should update the 28-75mm with a new SSM motor like the 16-50 model, make it 24mm on the wide end, and the construction quality of the 16-50mm as well. That would be a nice start for Alpha lenses.
A genuine beercan replacement.. 70-210mm f/4 internal zooming and focusing APO lens for about 500-700 USD would also sell like crazy. Doesn’t Sony know what enthusiasts really want?
A 35mm f/2 lens, is another that would go nuts so long as the build was there. Sony’s using the “we have the 35mm f/1.8 sam, why would we do a 35mm f/2?”. Simple, build quality improvement, ssm, apo element… 400 bucks. Sell like crazy.
Sony start listening to the voices that know and you’ll have less complaints like this new story clearly shows. For me personally, I’m fine with what I have for my A-Mount equipment and I’m certainly not complaining – but that also means if Sony put out some of the lenses I mentioned above I’d also be tempted to upgrade.
Carl G
While I’m sure Sony are capable of making said lenses, I suspect they would be twice as much as you want them to be, at least if they were full frame.
For all the people mentioning the battery life of the alphas, its the EVF fault, not the battery… My a580 uses the same batteries as the rest of the alphas but lasts all day!(500+ shots easy)
Here’s a Win Comment, Offer an OVF model with wifi and a EVF model without it… LOL
NICE!!!
SO i GET A ALPHA-37 FOR 350$…. and no cent more.
then 1 , 2 lenses, and not more.
i do not run with this brainless-consumer-chikken-run.
no and NOT!
Do you think the A58 will have a plastic body or half alloy? I would love to see the body construction.