We just received an info from a source we know since months. He told me that “he heard” that Sony will announce at least two new Alpha models in May. And when he says “he heard” “from someone” he certainly didn’t get the info from the mediamarkt guys 🙂
So May will be definitely an interesting month. Following stuff should be announced:
– two mirrorless cameras
– firmware upgrade for A850 and A900
– at least two new Alpha cameras
– The 500mm and 24mm lens
I got some more details but I will try to double check them before to post them here. If you know something more feel free to contact me at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com. Or use the form on the right sidebar. You don’t need to give me your name or email address 🙂
Reminder (SR = Sonyrumor):
SR1=fake rumor (1% chance the rumor will become real)
SR2=rumor from unknown and unreliable source (10-20% chance the rumor will become real)
SR3=a rumor unknown source or sources which sounds realistic (20-50% chance the rumor will become real)
SR4=rumor from our trusted sources (50-70% chance the rumor will become real)
SR5=rumor from many of external and internal sources (70-90% chance the rumor will become real)
15 Responses
from my point of view, i do not think that new firmwares will be released in may…
anyway the firmware would not change much. 850 and 900 are just for test in my opinion. they can not stand comparison to canikon.
they should try to upgrade the products, no matter how proud they are of these cameras. until now sony only tested the market and did not do anything for real; all their cameras are more like toys or cheap versions of real products. even the multi-product policy is a consumer one. all other brands defined areas while sony keeps mixing things up.
even in their video professional department they still don’t define products and markets very well so very high end cameras are mistaken for TV or low budget indie production and clients wonder why they cost so much. that is because they don’t market the product for what it is, in this case the best digital acquisition camera for cinema.
the same goes for still photography cameras. they should just define for them selves and customers some goals and go for those.
it is something related to adulthood.
With the upcoming World Cup 2010, where Sony is a major sponsor, May will be a decisive month for me to stay with Sony or not. This month will tell us if Sony is really serious about professional photography or just a company for Soccer Mom Shooter
…another announcement, no real product to sell right away, same ‘ol same ‘ol.
I am enjoying my 7d and T2i, I am still waiting for sony to tell me that I should of waited a few more months for the “greatest” DSLR hey have made…..sorry couldn’t wait for you sony, I am sorry I let you down as a costumer, but you let me down first and I had to get what was available for me to start taking advantage of “film” look video from my canon buddies.
(SR5) No New alpha models or lenses in April 2010.OK OK OK[:d]
@momo: I afraid that you might need to wait for couple of more years to see the so called “greatest DSLR” from Sony. In the meantime, you can enjoy couple of more mock-Ups and millions of new rumors but definitely you gonna repent for not staying with Sony. Cheers!!!!
Funny all this arguing, is photography about taking great photos?, or is it about equipment war?….just shoot and be happy with what you already have!!, and meanwhile let the camera manufacturers work with what they know a 1000 times better than anyone else.
+1 for eerikoo…
I agree. The sarcasm and backbiting gets us nowhere. There is nothing wrong with owning non-Sony equipment, or in changing from Sony to another brand. No one would do that unless he/she feels it is necessary–and everyone makes darned good cameras these days–in spite of blacat’s remarks.
Of course we all should be shooting more. But part of being able to shoot well is knowing one’s equipment, its strengths as well as its weaknesses. That comes in part from shooting a lot, but also from looking at what else is out there, or may be in the near or distant future. So I find it both fun and enlightening to engage in discussions about what is coming. Not sarcastic and belittling remarks, but real discussions. As a result I read as much as I can about present and future technique and equipment.
We are all welcome to our opinions. But here is my considered opinion. I hope you will give it the respect I give yours.
It looks to me that, in the next three to six months, Sony will crash the marketplace with more new cameras and other equipment than they ever have–maybe more than any other company has. I think that, in May/June, we’ll have announcements of real cameras with real specs. It will take a little longer for the cameras themselves. But there will be a few real cameras in people’s hands by May/June. Sony has after all introduced as many cameras in May/June as they have in January, and just one short of August/September. And this year is both the 25th anniversary of the A-mount, and the fourth anniversary of the introduction of sony’s first dslr, the A100, on June 5, 2006. Immediately afterward, the World Cup opens–and Sony has spent a very large sum for the privilege of sponsoring the World Cup–the world’s largest sporting event, aside perhaps from the Olympics. Sony has committed more than $305 million to FIFA, soccer’s / football’s governing body, primarily in exchange for the exposure. That’s huge. And, if you follow FIFA’s link to Sony as a major partner, you’ll see that Alpha is first among Sony’s major brands that they hope to give this worldwide exposure.
What that says to me is that Sony is putting whole heck of a lot a eggs into the World Cup basket–but as of now Sony doesn’t have an Alpha camera they’ll want to push too hard during the World Cup. There is no way that they’ll waste this huge investment.
Put that together with the increased pace of teasers of the mirrorless cameras, and strong hints that I have heard that the A7xx is ‘coming sooner than you think,” and the increasing number of knowlegeable people who have suddenly become pretty quiet about what they know–and I think we may well have all of the cameras projected at PMA, and then some, introduced May/June, in time for the World Cup–maybe even in time for at least one of the cameras to be used for shooting the World Cup–and not just professional Sony video cameras.
I think that David Kilpatrick may very well be right–that Sony the “tortoise” may very well catch and, dare I say it?, even pass the Canikon “hares” in the not-so-distant future, at least as far as dslr video is concerned, and maybe otherwise.
Yes, it’s a very important month, not make or break, but very important.
Funny that i waited some PM announcement 1AM midnight. I’m +8 GMT. But nothing happen. CP+ Nothing Happen.. If sony introduce their product in May, than their firmware. hardware must be perfect. Since not many user able to buy it quickly. It will lead to not many complain/suggestion to improve it. Sony.Have.The.Ball
This site has been downgrading in terms of rumors accuracy recently. Nothing new everyday, and new rumor is old rumor rehash. Same day, same shit.
Abi, please try to be constructive. Let me know were we were wrong with our accurancy. Cheers 🙂
Thanx for the update – I appreciate that you are a focal point for collecting these rumors. Also, I appreciate your rating system and your unbiased judgment of the rumors. Also “+1” each for Dulaney, for thunder chief and for eerikoo
According too your story “We just received an info from a source we know since months.”, but then you rate it SR3 which according to your grades:
SR3=a rumor unknown source or sources which sounds realistic (20-50% chance the rumor will become real)
SR4=rumor from our trusted sources (50-70% chance the rumor will become real)
Would make it SR4 by your system, so is it from a reliable source, or not? As you rate it SR3 I would assume its just something you read on the internet…
Paul! You are right. I will downgrade the value but I have two sources confirming that there will be new Alphas.