One of the (almost certainly fake) images floating around the chinese forums.
A couple of sources told me that Sony set the price range of the A99 camera between $2,500 and $3,000. The final price will be set this summer but it will be definitely be within that range! Also the name (A99) should be confirmed this Summer.This means the camera is certainly cheaper than the $3.499 Canon 5DmarkIII (here are the specs) and the $2,999 eploding Nikon D800 (here are the specs)……LOL 🙂
Specs I got from the early prototype are also unlikely to change. It means we can pretty much be sure the camera has a 24 Megapixel sensor and a 102 “super” AF system (something unmatched by today’s Canon and Nikon cameras). Frame rate will be 10 or 12 fps (depending on the final testing and firmware). Its also sure that at least two new A mount lenses will arrive along the A99. One of them will be almost surely be the Zeiss 50mm f/1.2 SSM lens. I still don’t know the price of the new Zeiss but I suspect it will be in the same range of the Canon 50mm f/1.2 ($1,499 here at Amazon).
Curiosity: The most expensive 50mm f/1.2 lens on market is the Leica Noctilux. $29,950.00 on [shoplink 12594 ebay]eBay (Click here to check that if you don’t believe it!)[/shoplink].
Reminder: Stay tuned on SAR tomorrow (May 17th) between 6-8am London time! You can follow live on SAR the A37 and NEX-F3 announcement!!!
244 Responses
Unless this will seriously contend with the D4 and 1Dx it will be another flop.
And in order to conted it has to have a buffer for bursts FAR longer than just 1 second, dual cards (with duplicating and similar options) and other features that the before mentioned cameras have as standard.
Not that I care for this anyway. The 8 series budget FF is what I want.
D4-1DX spec but half the price ? Are you unsane ?
Agree, I really don’t expect a 3k cmaera to compete toe to toe with a 6k camera. I want it to be on par with the 5dmarkIII. It would be foolish to buy a 6k camera when you could have got the same performance from a camera 1/2 the price.
won’t happen
i hate admin!! make me spend $4500 on the combo 🙂
Oh, guy, I want it to prepare my coffee too…!
BMan
I agree.
It would be a fool’s errand for Sony to seek to dethrone the BIG TWO.
Regardless of how we chop and dice it, this is a legacy market. It’s too late in the game to attempt this pursuit.
The A99 could be a great bridge camera before the NEX-9 is delivered. Now Sony could have a jump on Canikon and just maybe, they can carve out a chunk of the full-frame market that will bring them to financial success.
Sell it as an affordable upgrade from APS-C.
+1. I’m with you. There is no point to compete head-on with Canikon in the DSLR market (they don’t have the service or lens selection to back this up). However, they can make a full frame mirrorless, develop smart SLT adapters for Canon EF to NEX and Nikon AF-S to NEX, and improve the micro-lens for Leica M. Sony would see their sale soaring to the new high. Then they can have more time and budget to develop a more compelling lens selection.
Agree. Fullframe NEX(with A mount adapter) would be a game changer. A new gaming ground actually, because I wouldn’t expect current SLR users to change system completely.
Sony are experienced motion camera makers. They should concentrate on good audio for their A99. Maybe they won’t as they want us to buy camcorders
Nikon & Canon have less of a history of motion products. Sony should consider the Pana GH2 as the camera to beat re video as it’s a better vid camera than Nikon & Canon
Dual card slots likely means XQD + CF or XQD + SD.
Only the Nikon D4 has an XQD slot with no likelihood that any of Nikon’s upcoming cameras will have an XQD slot.
While the XQD has its advantages, I am not sure how well this combo will be accepted when one considers that XQD is currently supported only by Sony.
You forgot to mention MS card, hahaha….
Sony may put in dual XQD cards – then you have to buy their cards
So the rumor that the upcoming next Sony full frame cameras “main feature” will be the low price isn’t true any more?
Here it was.
Sorry, but “Sony wants price to be as low as possible” doesn’t mean anything… at least I would not exspect it to be cheaper than the a900 was at the release date
as low as possible doesn’t mean anything, but “Sony full frame cameras “main feature” will be the low price” does imply it being a D600 competitor, not D800/D4.
Hm… how much was the a700 at releasedate and how much the a77. I am not sure, but I think both were at the same price-range. So I exspect the a99 to be at the same price-range like the a900. Maybe a litte bit cheaper, or a little bit more expensive…
According to this rumor? Yea, it’s very possible. Although it’ll pack much more features and have a little bit different aim than the A900. 🙂 (reporter vs portrait camera)
What it imply to you, mean nothing.
Considering that the usd has been in the toilet since 2007, the same price or below the original 3000 usd of the a900 in 2008, it is a great feature.
You have to get a grip with reality.
Why would it imply that it will be a D600 competitor? It certainly doesn’t.
No? Than why everywhere I look the people referring to “low price full frame” refer to D600 and/or any of it’s (non-existing-yet) competitors?
Magic.
Well if you choose to believe in the so called people. Everything right now is just a couple of rumors. I will wait and see if the new Nikon FF is actually $1500 and whatever “wonderful” features it has. I will wait and see if the ISO performance of the A99 would be as good as the 5D III and the tracking AF would be as competent as Nikon. It is too early to whine. I have set my eyes on the D800E since the day they announced it. But peaking, EVF and AF Zeiss are just too damn good for me. By the time Nikon has released the new AF-S 135/1.8 and if Sony has not come out with the FF NEX, I would make the switch. I would keep my NEX-7 as the back-up camera for the Canon MPE and the occasional long exposure photography.
Sarcasm won’t help your argument.
““Sony full frame cameras “main feature” will be the low price” does imply it being a D600 competitor, not D800/D4.”
Not at all. It just means that its price will be lower than the competition. No indication whatsoever about the class of the camera. Might be D600, as well as D800.
And that should be at half the price mentioned here.
I fear it will be DOA if D600 will really be around 1500 euro as mentioned at Nikon Rumors (Not the 2000 that keeps popping up here for unknown reasons).
Now people will probably shout something nasty at me but look at the Nikon D3200 sales compared to A77.
How could someone compare two camera only they share the same MP count!!!!!
Is it better in:
1. IQ
2. Body quality (weather sealed)
3. AF accuracy/speed
4. ISO handling/performance
5. How many pic can capture/sec
6. Handling
Compare it with a57, a37
Because most gear-heads would fixate on that, the MP count and ISO performance. They don’t care about the ergonomics or any other feature that would help them taking better picture. In short, they don’t care about photography.
“No? Than why everywhere I look the people referring to “low price full frame” refer to D600 and/or any of it’s (non-existing-yet) competitors?”
Because the majority is always wrong.
@Abu_Baqer
Ask the people who buy the Nikon 3200, not me.
I just look at the sales and they tell you all.
@ SonyFanBoi
If they do not care it’s not Sony problem
Then we should comparing D3200 vs D4 or D3s because MB is what is count here.
@lollo
You are right at the first paragraph.
The majority not wrong but you have different visions ^^
@Alpha100
Why should I ask!! you said it MB count & low price end of story for them. If we keep discuss with them like this we are going into wrong path. It’s obviously a77 had more features than D3200. Why I would talk about sales not every one in the same ground as other (means if it’s cheap it will have so many sales). Otherwise most people will buy either D4 or 1D mk4.
+1
Exactly!
Stick a fork in SONY they are done when it comes to serious Digital SLR systems if this rumor is true.
Here they are pricing a “no-name” 24mpx FF system close to the price of the top leading 36mpx Nikon D800.
Why would anybody who doesn’t already have a major investment in FF Minolta/Sony glass even think about buying the A99 when they can pickup a D800 or D600 for roughly the same money or even much less and also buy into a mature lens lineup and pro-level customer support?
It seems the A99 must be built and marketed to well heeled SONY-brand gadget purchasers or something for any of this pricing and positioning to make any sense. Clearly SONY for a while has not and is not aiming for the serious amateur or professional photographers who are buying tons of Canon and Nikon FF DSLRs and lenses.
SONY needs to understand that in the SLR market you can’t have just one foot in the water. It is either all-in or out. Ask Olympus, Pentax, Konica etc..
People who buy $2,000+ SLRs and $1,500+ lenses are expecting to stay with your system for the long run and expect that you will stay in fully too. However since SONY’s release of the A900/A700 they have given all sorts of mixed signals, retreated multiple times and changed direction too many times to count. I think the future is written on the wall for SONY and it is not in SLR cameras but in the consumer miniaturized NEX line and the “low expectations” SLT cameras rather than in traditional professional SLR camera bodies and full-system-range lenses.
I need to sell most of my SONY gear before everyone understands that there is no “pro” future for SONY SLRs and that the brand will never become #2 in SLRs/SLTs.
This better be a hell of a machine, because it seems to be too expensive…
The price range is between $2,500 to $3,000, thus, it could be $2,799 or so…thus, lower than the 5DMIII and D800.
Yes, which means too expensive (“not too expensive” means far lower that the market leaders…)
Problem is it’s supposed to be the dummied down version of the Sony FF a99. That said the dummied down version of the D800(D600) will be much less than $2500 and the high end FF a99 will be much more than the D800 and 5DMKIII. If of course these rumors are true.
One reason would be for the SLT and legacy glass. I am invested in Canon bodies and L lenses and am seriously considering a jump to the A99 so I can also reliably use my Zeiss and Leica legacy MF lenses with EFF peaking along with the Zeiss AF models for Alpha.
It is a best of both worlds scenario for me as there is no guarantee there will ever be a FF NEX.
And selling lenses to switch platforms is virtually painless as they hold and sometimes increase in value, so I see little worry in remaining loyal to Canon or Nikon bodies.
So, as long as the A99 performance meets my personal need – I’m more of a low light guy – then I’m in!
To EXPENSIVE, Nikon D800e here I come!
And be ready to be EXPLODE!!!
+1
Pfeff, this is internet, the world of “rumors”
LOL, too expensive, so you will pay even more for a Nikon FF ?
And change all your glass ? (even more expensive)
He is a troll, don’t waste your breath. Price under $3000. Hmmm, Admin, what do you know exactly about other two FF that will be announced in 2013? They will be cheaper or more expensive than a99?
Im no troll but a disgruntled Sony user, and I want a high res FF camera with great DR. The 800e is the best DSLR out there and gives you MF IQ. Am I wrong in wanting the same IQ from Sony, come on the 36MP 800e sensor is made by Sony, but if the rumours are true the A99 will have the same 24MP sensor as the D600. Its clear the A99 is not going to be a flagship camera so I see its target price as being high and uncompetitive against the suggested D600 price.
The 7d and 550d have the same sensor so 7D is a bad camera?
Interesting twist of events. So it is no longer the low end camera. I am curious about the AF system details. If its true that its something unmatched by Nikon and Canon it might be a game changer. And by unmatched I dont mean the sheer quantity of AF points – I mean it has to be super accurate and super fast. Add a fantastic high ISO performance and I will buy this thing despite it beeing a SLT.
Andrea – does this mean an A88 cheapo camera will be made as well to match the rumored sub 2000 USD Nikon D600 or was that rumor false?
Hehehe, I already see how anyone from Canon and Nikon camp believes that.
Besides: none of the magazines/websites I read tests autofocus in any way that could prove A99 superiority over anything. So it’ll be hard point to sell.
From a guy who already has 51 Af points packed into a d800, I can tell you for certain that it will only make a difference if sony increase the spread of Af points to the edges of the viewfinder. Now that would be appealing!
When will we see you billboard size bookshelf pics. You know, the ones you claim you get paid for?
Sony = Fail
So, please don’t bother yourself with us.
Maybe they have managed to put all those AF points on the main sensor ~ now that would be something.
But then of course there would be no need for the SLT mirror.
theres no reason to release the cheapo model first, and tarnish the alpha namesake. the first camera that comes out is what they will judge it by. for full frame id spend extra for higher quality better machine.
it will probably be just like the a900 price range, and then a year later they will release a dumbed down verion ala A850 for cheapo.
Only question is: where does the 36 MPx full frame Alpha fit this theme?
They cannot name it A100 – it’s already taken. 😉
Ye man of little faith. You know Sony always has a character, number or something up their sleeve – without necessarily planning ahead.
But they are not as bad as Minolta. This is how minolta operated:
usa: 400si, europe: 500si, japan: 303si
usa: 600si, europe: 600si classic, japan: 507si
usa: 500si, europe: 500si super, japan: 303si super
still not confused? what about the following:
usa/europe: 300si, japan: 101si
And yes, they continued their crazyness. Thank god that sony at least gathered them under one name.
Yep, I know Minolta had a mess, but we’re long behind this stage.
Guess your bet goes for A09 than? 😉
“A9” = flagship
I think there will be some radical innovation after A99+A88 (e.g. that hybrid-mount-stuff or square-sensor) so that they will have a reason to change the name of the whole line. It’s possible that the 36MP FF will be the introducing cam of this new line. Just my own pure speculation about how the names of future Sony cams could develop.
who the hell needs 36mp, especially if you use the video. High mp is the last thing vid needs. Stills yes. So one has to suffer. Vid will. Well, it is a stills camera
@whistler
a88, you could be so right… 🙂
A00?
Would be soo cool if they just called it “Sony Alpha”. No number to it, just plain ‘Alpha’.
Like the “New iPad” nonsense? Thanks, but no thanks.
It’s not the same as the “New iPad” non-sense. It is the “Alpha” of Sony Alpha cameras, the leader of the pack. And each generation, there is always an Alpha.
Sony Alpha Prime Supreme Triumph A-X: First Blood.
yeah..name it sony alpha and when you look for camera equipment on ebay or amazon, a bunch of alphas will appear along with the “alpha” and then everyone will complain about it. No thanks.
yellow alpha a01?
Oh I forgot to mention the Nikon D600 will be much cheaper and have the same sensor and a OVF. Sony’s FF venture will fail due to their greed!
Ha! Ha!! Funny man!!!
Lol.
agreed. if D600 is as good as A900 at $1500 then sony will have a hard time in selling $2800 A99.
Well, at this price level people also look at other features. No doubt the A99 is going to be considered also for its speed, etc., so sharing the sensor with a lowered featured camera should not be a problem per se. The real problem is that the D800 is too close in price, and for many photographers (bar the sport photogs) that is a better featured camera, with more lenses, and better pro-support over the world.
Let’s say that if the A99 delivers, and all its “numbers” on paper show-up in real life, then it should be ok (maaaybe). But if there is even one single perceived problem (like low-buffer, speed not as much as claimed, ISO not as good as direct competition, the thousands focus points not as efficient as the fewer focus points in direct competition, etc.), then the camera is dead.
We’ll see…
Of course. The 5N completely killed the D7000 sales.
And what? They will have the same sensor, low end camera with 5fps and D7000 AF class module and high end camera with minimum 8fps may be even 12fps and D800 or may be even D4 class AF module, hard featured…that mast be in the same price range?
So it looks like over the summer I’ll be dithering between an expensive fast Sony camera that won’t work with my Nikon autofocus lenses, a cheap slow Nikon camera that won’t work with my Nikon lenses and an expensive slow Nikon camera that will. But I’m more interested in speed than resolution. Bummer – I was hoping this would give me a price incentive to definitively jump ship.
For speed there is the D4 (fast + expensive) – or the Canon 5DMkIII being cheaper than D4. Or a 2nd hand D3s?
Kylberg, I thought you already bought your D800 and a m43 camera. What are you doing here? Obviously the guy has only Nikon lens so recommending him the Canon is non-sense (as usual with your logic)
Well to be fair, by the same strict logic jumping to Sony is equally nonsensical.
The difference is that I’m tempted by the innovative stuff Sony offers, and if Nikon are really going to dump all their screw drive users except the very rich ones, well….
Well, if you have only Nikon stuff, I would not recommend you any other brand. You can get the NEX as the back-up and hope that Conurus would come out with the smart adapter for Nikon to NEX.
I don’t understand that “everyone” is complaining about the possible price tag of the A99.
Yes, 2.500$ – 3.000$ is quite a lot.
But, if the rumored configuration is true, that’s the right price for that kind of camera. (At least in my opinion.)
The A99 shall be a very capable camera and if you want to be on par with the 5D Mark III/D800 you just can’t call for a price which is 1.000 cheaper than the others.
And it’s absolutely out of a question to expect that the A99 will challenge the 1Dx/D4. That’s not the goal. Since that is just a totally different league. If you want that kind of camera you have to pay for it …
And last but not least: I guess that the chance for an A8X ist much bigger if the A99 is in the 2.500-plus price range …
You’re probably right that it won’t challenge the 1Dx/D4. It’s not going to have the build or the pro-level support to justify the price premium those cameras have.
It does look like it will have a number of the features of those cameras. They’d be queuing up at camera shops if Nikon did a camera with D4 internals in a D700 body for $2.5k. The D600 will not be that camera but the A99 might be.
to challenge the 1dx/d4 sony has a square sensor mirrorless a-mount, for $6000 same price
I just hope for that price we get Good High iso. Like a DXO mark 2100+.
The problem is, all else being equal, Nikon or Canon can probably charge almost 50% more for their DSLRs and still sell more than an equivalent Sony camera
Unless they can be very aggressive on price, Sony need to have some very good “need to have” features that Nikon or Canon can’t match to convince people to buy a Sony camera over a Canikon.
On a full frame camera I don’t think an EVF and SLT are quite those “need to have” features.
A99… no $$$ feed it !
Yeah, I don’t understand the teeth-gnashing about the price of the top-end flagship camera. The A99 SHOULD be expensive, because it should include every piece of hardware and feature known to man, and be fast to boot.
The price-competitive version (i.e., full-frame based on a price-point) should be the A80 series, much as it was with the A850.
However, I think there is still some ambiguity around these camera names, only because I don’t see Sony making the 24MP version the A99. I would think that it would be the A95 or A97, with the 36MP version being the A99.
My dream would be a 16MP A95, 24MP A97 and 36MP A99, with the A85, A87 and A89 having the same MP count, but with fewer features and less burst speed. But that just makes too much sense.
A99 name for 24Mpx reporter’s camera sounds right to me. 36Mpx camera will be more portrait and landscape camera which does not need top AF, burst speed and big buffer. I think 36Mpx resolution in FF will not attract pros who go for highest resolution available like fashion photographers because they can or must have MF.
16MP FF sounds very appealing. But that’s just me.
I’m still happy using my Konica Minolta 7D. Can’t go above ISO 200 though lol
“reporter’s camera”? – Most reporter’s, photojournalists and sports shooters who work for big newspapers or agencies use equipment provided by their employers. Sony would have to come up with a camera astoundingly better than anything from Canon or Nikon along with the lenses and service to match to get those companies to dump all their Canon or Nikon equipment and go for Sony.
To make a real dent in the pro market Sony needs customers who buy cameras in quantities like this:
http://www.customminds.com/temp/nikon.jpg
(and that is less than half of the camera inventory of a company shooting weddings and high school pics)
They would also need some of the big equipment rental companies to carry their full range of full frame cameras and lenses.
A99 was rumored to be definitely NOT the top end flagship but the low end of the 2 (/3..?) FF that were announced.
The protests/disappointments are bcs of that.
If this was the planned top end flagship with the 36 Mp sensor no-one would complain at this stage.
+1
Flagship can be 36Mp, but who told that A99 will be low end? Weather sealed cameras with high fps and 102 points AF nobody makes low end.
Maybe low end is an unhappy formulation in this respect, but I wrote “low end of the 2/3”. This is not meant as a quality judgement but a comparison between the ones Sony is rumored to bring.
+1
Also Sony won’t put every feature they could & price it between $2500-$2800. If so, everyone will skip the other model & will buy the top camera of Sony.
@ Former Minoltan
You’ve got to be kidding, 6 SLT full frame models from Sony would lead to total market confusion. Sony already seem to announce many more cameras than new lenses and have too many MEX and APS-C SLT models some of which are quite similar.
Now if hey want to make a lot of different new lenses that would be a good idea.
What’s wrong with the price tag? I believe there will be another a850 budget FF from Sony.. a99 will replace a900 so naturally the pricing will be close and still relatively cheaper than Canikon’s offering’s with more specs and features..
will want to see the Zeiss 50 f1,2 to believe it though…
has to be!! doesnt make sense the other way around.
At most apertures f/1.2 normal lenses generally perform worse than their f/1.4 or f/1.8 equivalents – and they usually cost a lot more too. So, unless you plan to shoot wide open at f1.2 a lot of the time, I wouldn’t wish for an f/1.2 lens.
No way. The day my a900 will stop working I’m going to sell all my minolta/sony stuff and going for the D800 instead. Sony must fire all their Japan management and listen to their customers and even to their engineers as some of them are still from the minolta team and they know what photography is about. OVF and EVF must coexist. They’re two different products.
Yeah, look where Minolta is now.
You can buy their stuff only on eBay…
Do you own mobile with touch screen? It is similar move like OVF to EVF. You can keep A900 for rare situation where EVF is not the best option. But I believe if you try A99(A77) for a month EVF is not issue anymore.
I know what I’m talking about. I was able to try a pre-production a77 a few days after it was launched. Don’t get me wrong, the EVF is a fantastic improvement over the A55 and will definitely be better with the new a99. But it’s still a display. I don’t even watch television, why should Sony force me to watch and shoot what’s around me through an array of pixels? This is what I don’t like about EVF. You completely loose contact with your subject. It’s like watching a gig through your touch screen phone 1.3MP camera while you’re recording a video to post on youtube 😉
I like shooting pictures behind a camera knowing that the image I’m seeing is coming from a complex system of mirrors, prism and so on. I enjoy taking pictures this way. This is what I’m willing to pay for, not the EVF rubbish.
So it is not technical issue for you. Look, it is only flow of photons which enter your eye. Photos are the same in whole Universe. It does not matter if they come from thermonuclear reactor like our Sun, LED or other source of light. It is all nature in a way. We are all made of star dust … Man I’m looking into the monitor screen 8 hours a day. And yes I’m pissed off by it sometimes. But it is not so bad. Respect man. It is your decision.
It’s more of a prestige issue in your case. At first, I didn’t really warm up with the Sony EVF either. However, over time, with peaking, I found it is pretty much unbeatable for macro. I would not come back to OVF if I want to shoot macro. Then when I play with Black Glass (BG) (i.e. 8-10 stops ND), an OVF user would have to pre-focus, pre-calculate the exposure. For EVF, I just put the BG on as a regular filter. I can focus with accuracy and expose the scene correctly without blowing highlight or crushing shadow. To me, it is way too convenient.
well, this picture have to be taken by an Sony cam… brutal noisy…
Hahahaha.. it must be an A77.
My two cents on the matter.
$2000 x 10 users = $ 20000 – more users that will be able to afford the camera
= more users that have the sony badge whenever they take photos
= more users that can possibly upgrade and buy lenses, flashes
= more users meaning free advertising.
= more users that will continue to buy sony dslrs and dslts as an upgrade path.
$2500 x 6-8 users = $ 19000 – 20000 – less users who can afford the camera
=basically the opposite of what i pointed out above.
No. You are wrong. If A99 is so good it will sell for $3000. Remember A99 is to be flagship camera for real pros and not for amateurs. I will not buy it because I’m not pro. But I’m going to buy some of the new lenses which comes with it and one day I’ll buy A8X FF.
Selling $3000 for whom? the pros that will change to sony when they already have the d800 or canon 5d mark 3?
I guess some of them will buy one because they will like its speed while keeping their current equipment.
I’m a pro and my day rate start at 4k euros.
just for me, not including assistant, lighting, studios and all the bells and whistles.
Years ago, I was using canon. Then I wanted to try the sony.
Just for trying I bought 1 body and 4 lenses including 2 zeiss. Just to try for a couple of months. I liked and bought more, sold all the Canons….
I know a few, that did the same. Bought the a900 and few lenses. kept everything and ebayed the other stuff that were using.
Being a pro has nothing to do with it. It should be a great camera and I have the ability to pay for it. Therefore, I am a lover of photography and will purchase the 99. Amateurs Welcomed!
Here is my one cent!
$1,000 X 1oo users = 100,000 more money and users!
Doesn’t work this way buddy! It’s FF camera with a fantastic EVF and other modern features, so price has to be higher to cover up the costs I guess.
whuaaaa zeiss 50mm/1.2 trully release!! i can’t wait for that lens, i hope this lens have SSM and weather sealed so AF can move faster, with IS in body camera this lens would be awesome ^0^
Hehe, yea, but saving money for that will be paiiinnn…
It has to be SSM if the price is $1,500 IMHO. Also, I think it would be weather sealed as well if previous rumor is true!
All Zeiss lenses should include weather sealing and SSM. They are top of the line and should be nothing less than the best.
+1
But please without increasing the current prices 0_o
Too expensive. Yet another missed opportunity for Sony…
Take a page from Nikon’s book and release two models…one with EVF and a cheaper one with an OVF which is a MUCH better option for a FF body.
In my opinion, what makes this camera unattractive to me is that you have this beautiful FOV potential which will most likely be neutralized by an EVF. One of the best things of shooting FF is the feeling you get when you put the camera up to your eye, see a big bright frame, compose, focus, shoot. An EVF nullifies this experience.
Source: myself as an NEX-7 user and from my film days..
I have the opposite experience…
When I look through my a77 EVF, shooting seems so enjoyable which motivates me keep clicking…
We even don’t know what the camera and price will look like and started crying….
Well, we know a price range and the main specs.
Compared to the D800, the A99 looks overpriced. No OVF, lower MP, yet almost the same price.
It’s very likely that Sony is aiming at a higher profit margin than Nikon with the D800. Clearly, customers are not happy about that.
Its hilarious how you completely ignored all the other features offered by the A99 that are NOT on the D800. You have also assumed that the EVF is simply inferior to an OVF, again ignoring all the inherent advantages offered by EVF, especially for pros working events and other fast-paced environments.
The “low” resolution of 24mp. Give me a break. Are you also going to bitch about the lower resolution of the D4, MkIII, D3s, D3, D3X? Are all these cameras complete and utter trash compared to the D800 just because of lower megapixel count? Get out of here.
the A99 will also be the only FF with an articulating screen, Full PDAF during live view (not just for video but for over-the-head crowd shooting which happens often at events), In built stabilization (again the only system that offers stabilized primes, a stabilized 24-70, fish eye, whatever the hell you want, etc) – this is a giant advantage that my partners using Nikon are always envious of. I can shoot hand-held at 1/3 of a second and get sharp images with my 135 1.8 ZA. The Sony system has quick-shift flashes, again superior to every other swivel-head conventional flash. Sony has better colors at the expense of noise, although any professional or advanced amateur who knows a thing about post-processing knows that this noise is not an issue. I’m happy to post samples I’ve shot at iso 1600-3200 on a regular basis for my events. We also have access to auto-focus Zeiss lenses. Video features of the A99 will clearly dominate anything out of the D800. Ergonomics (preference based) are in my opinion far superior. The D4 is a quick camera but that grip is terrible, especially the vertical grip, when compared to my A850/A900.
But clearly you have Nikon up your butt so what’s the use of trying to convince you?
Amazing. Already complaining about pricing. How is a cheaper than the competition camera bad?
Depends on which camera you classify as the competition.
Considering the rumored pricing, I would say the D800 and 5D MKIII. Pretty logical assumption. Not to mention that we already have a precedent with the A900.
Personally, I love my A77, was looking forward to the FF, as I do mostly street photography, and take slivers of the image and blow them into a great scene. I thought the 36mp would enable me to blow up the shots and hold the IQ ? am i incorrect ? I go to about 1620 in size and am a amateur who loves the art of photography without the magic of photoshop.
Do you mind sharing your workflow for reducing noise?
Obviously the A99 is set to compete with the 5DMkIII and D800… The the Price is set firmly at the lower end of the Spectrum in this group… 102 AF points with Full time Phase detection AF… would be hard to say that any of the Canon and Nikon cameras can truly compete with that. AF accuracy we will just have to wait and see, but Honestly if I have a FAST and Accurate AF with an improved 24Mp Resolution Sensor… 2500-3000 is a steal… A900 was 2699 so why is this news that the A99 will slot in to that Price point… Remember It is Rumpred that Sony will release 3 FF cameras… Obviously they cannot put everything into one camera so perhaps the A88 or A85 will slot into the A850 price point…
Honestly if I were Sony I would have released the A85 with the 2000 price point and the 24 MP sensor and the A99 with the 36MP sensor and the 2600 price, but I am sure Sony has a team of people that thought about it longer than the 2 min it took me to come up with that.
Honestly, their Full Frame team (if they have one) seem to have no clue what the market is willing to pay for their cameras. I agree with your 24mpix/$2K & 36mpix/$2600 suggestion.
+2 but I would make them have the same capabilities with the different sensors. 24MP is fine with me. I do not care to have 36MP and I am sure that if they did indeed do that they would see what the market actually demanded. The MP race might not be what they though after all as I feel there are many people like me who would be more than happy with the 24MP sensor. I love my a900 with its 24MP sensor!
Rumpred?
a900 RRP at launch was $2999.99 – so this sounds in line with that. I don’t think the price is really what most are interested in… Sony will cram it full of wizz and bang what ever they do, making it appear better value for money at what ever price they set. End of the day, it just needs to be the right camera, a good camera, as we currently have no full-frame’s to offer all the full-frame glass…
… if it’s just an a77 on steroids I know many will sit and wait for model up. Or D800.
Sony might have thought about it longer than you but if this is the price they definitely came to the wrong conclusion. You are totally correct about this.
A900 has a very nice OVF.
what does A99 offer? faster AF to be used with super tele lens that cost $4-5K more than nikon?
Very nice EVF?
Not only “very nice” – the OVF in the A900 is much better than the one in Nikon’s new D800.
It will be very difficult to come up with an EVF that most people consider better than an OVF like that.
waiting…. patiently….
Great news, both the lens and the cam. I just want to see decent ISO up to 3200 and ill sold
you might end up selling you existing lens
Well, I’m hoping the “multiple full frame cameras” line won’t go the same way as the “ISOs into the hundreds of thousands” one did. Specs so far hardly sound like a compelling way to drop $2500 for me. I’d rather buy another lens.
Not a chance with this price! Maybe a 36mp sensor at this price, but even then it won’t sell without some great specs and professional services. They have to beat the Nikon D800 in every way, especially price.
2500 use seems exp…. but i would go for it…
I thought the SLT was supposed to be cheaper to produce and result in a cheaper price point?
I guess sony was just joking about it.
Excellent point! The NEX’ are even cheaper to produce since they do not have even the pellicle or the extra PDAF components.
Sony make a lot of profit on their NEX’. 1/2 list price still would make them profit!
No, more like SLT’s are chearper to make so Sony can make more money 😉
Yeah, good for them! The buyers also have a lot more choices now and can shop around! 😉
Sounds promising.
If rumored specs are correct and it has 3mpx VF,great 24mpx sensor with modern technology and pro-video capabilities with best AF ever -> 2500e is totally a right price range.
I need the a900 replacement to be a TOOL, not a toy.
Surely i cannot afford it once it comes out, but maybe some day… some day…;)
Really hardly compelling at $2500.
Ouch, too expensive, unless there are some major features in this camera that have not been discussed yet. Since I have Sony glass I may be compelled to buy, but it’s hard to see people choosing this over the Nikon D800 with all else being equal….
there will be too much things NOT equal (viewfinder, burst rate etc.) to say “with all else being equal”
You have a point there. Sony may be better on some of those, but they are offering 24mpix vs 36mpix on the d800, so I’m not sure they are better overall (seems Sony may be superior for sports, the Nikon for the other stuff).
For me, since video is a big part of my hobby, it will really come down to whether they allow hdmi uncompressed clean output, and what framerate they are able to push out for video. If they manage to go ABOVE 60fps for 1080p, and ability to save it uncompressed, I will be first in line to buy one.
Yes but the A77 has all those things over the Nikon D7000 – yet I’ll bet the D7000 sells at least 10x the number of A77 cameras because the D7000 says “Nikon” and it has an F mount.
actually – all else won’t be equal for people.
That’s more-or-less what Nikon guys will see: Lower MPx, plastic half-mirror in front of the sensor, lower image quality, lots of useless gimmicks, no Nikon brand == no-buy
~_~
Well, not really, it’s more like just non-Nikon brand = no buy. Until I see the review and price of the D600, I would not whine. I can always switch to Nikon if it indeed outputs the same IQ at that low price. Whining is just a waste of time.
New 24-105/4? Or 70-200/4 lenses???
I’ll buy one at $3000 USD if we’re talking about 12-15 FPS and a 30-50 frame buffer. IQ has to be unmatched.
To sell at $2699.99 it needs…
the best AF vs 5D3 & D800
at least = high ISO performance
High FPS & far better video (should be easy for sony)
& a little wow factor.
I somehow doubt Sony can convince people that this camera has all of that…. I hope I am wrong
The picture is not Fake. Real picture croped 😉
It is fake – its an a77 with the numbers changed.
Maybe it’s $2500-3000 with a 50mm kit lens. That’d be really nice, but not likely.
I think many here are forgetting the value Sony brings to the table. The a77 brought to market a lot of firsts. If the a99 can bring additional new tech to market, it’ll be noteworthy. The price should stay close to the a900 when it was released. The a77 is proof of this.
Pricing close to a900?
Well that would probably mean that sales volume will also be close to the a900.
$2500-3000 for 102 AF points? I’d be quite happy to pay a bit less for only 101 😉
my problem with this RUMOR is that the A77 was supposed to have crazy iso performance, and ended up not having it… I put little faith in rumors, particularly when they seem unrealistic.
SR5 states “…almost surely be the Zeiss 50mm f/1.2 SSM…”
Really? I know they applied for both patents (1.4 & 1.2), and not too long ago SAR3 stated 50/1.4 here:
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr3-new-zeiss-50mm-f1-4-coming-along-the-new-ff-camera-in-august/
And then another SAR5 here again for 1.4:
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-new-a-mount-zeiss-50mm-f1-4-ssm-coming-with-the-a9x/
_______
So is the 50/1.2 speculative hopefulness or closer to reality?
I must say, if Sony does go for the f1.2 model, that goes a long long way to confirming a commitment to FF Pro caliber support for the system. We need that lens just for bragging rights.
Yep. A trusted source told me that there were two different 50mm lenses. He forgot to tell me the Zeiss verison is f/1.2. That said always keep in mind that we are doing rumors! There are so many possibilities soemthing can go wrong!
Will the NEX-F5 have a built in finder?
+1 and a hot shoe?
I hope they understand just how importantly effective a 50/1.2 would mean for the image of the company… and system. They need a few trophy pieces that go beyond “keeping up”. They need to “set pace”, especially on exotic glass that people can actually afford, and put to good use in the field.
The Canon version suffered great disappointment on close focusing shift. Nikon doesn’t have one. A 50/1.2 that actually performs would be a great boutique strategy to entice togs to at least “look” Sony’s way. Just get them to look.
__________
The Zeiss ZA outperforms the Zeiss ZF/ZE (except 21mm Distagon). That is a good apologetic for lacking comparative range. I would expect the Zeiss ZA 50mm to outperform all challengers as well.
You just caught my eye again Sony. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
ZA glass is great – but it would be wonderful if those ZF/ZE primes were available in A mount as well – especially for the focal lengths where there is currently no ZA prime equivalent.
On a Sony camera they would be stabilized as well.
f/1.2? Joy.
Looks like I need to start saving cash, hehehehe, cause I hardly can imagine a price of this monster.
Slightly higher than the Canon 50/1.2, probably.
I doubt that any EVF will make me put away my 900’s, but I could be wrong. Once upon a time I thought my R-1 was the greatest thing since sliced bread,so I am trying to keep an open mind about this; were it not for the huge investment in my lens collection, I would consider other lines, but for better or worse, I am in the alpha line for keeps BUT I do not need another camera, their job is to make me want another one, and so far, they do not.
Oh agreed the a900 is going to be with me for a long time too. I believe it may be one of those classic camera favorites for years to come.
And seriously lusting at the thought of a ZA50/1.2 with an M screen in the a900.
a77 was slated for $1000 but end up with $1500MSRP. I wouldn’t be surprised if a99 is $3000.
Did you forget the earthquake, the flood and the explosion of the reactor in Fukushima NPP?
The pricing makes seems high… At those rumored specs it has to be no more than $1999/USD body alone. They got rid of the expense of the pentaprism. So those claiming it has to be priced at the A900 are incorrect. They are fabricating FF sensors for other camera manufacturers so the cost to produce those has gone way down. Again when the A900 came out it was more expensive to fab a FF sensor. As for the reputed 102 AF system… As we have seen in the past and has been proven time and again more focus points does not equal better AF performance. The AF algorithms and logic has to be improved. If they were able to combine those AF points with a well designed, quick, predictive AF algorithm then it might be a winner. Otherwise it’s just a marketing ploy. And will not know the answer to that question until real world reviews start coming in.
They are also have Steadyshot inside but the lenses are not cheaper.
True and that thinking goes back to Minolta… It just so happens that this is also Sony’s marketing strategy and was pre-KM acquisition. It’s one of many reasons they are hemorrhaging capital in the TV business to Samsung and LG.
24 mega pixels????????? Youve gotta be kidding me!!!
24mp with ultra low noise in iso 6400 and a bit of noise in iso 12800 will be great. You sound like one of stupid consumers that are yell about mp quantity. When d700 had 12mp everybody laughed at nikon but they stopped when they saw iq and low noise on high iso.
but the fact remains, if Sony tries to sell a 24mpix camera for the same price nikon sells a 36mpix camera, and considering Nikon’s brand-recognition, and the amount of Nikon glass out there, Sony will not sell a lot…
To complete fools who know nothing about output, most probably. I don’t care about these people personally.
Once again. Nikon d700 has 12mp, whereas 5dm2 and a900 has above 20 mp. People bought d700 because it has better iq, better high iso performance, good lenses and ergonomics. Even if 5DmII has more mp, supported video recording. Get it? In the end you are buying camera not for comparing but for making photo.
The D700 had better image quality and ergonomics than the A900???
Don’t forget D700 has Nikon name written on it. Nikonians used to claim they don’t need more than 12mp, now they suddenly changed their mind.
Need i remind you who is №1 and who is №3 in the market and why?
Actually, although the Nikon D700 was a fine camera with good low light performance and better AF than Canon, the higher megapixel 5DMkII sold much much better than the D700. Probably one reason Nikon decided to put a 36mp sensor in the D800 and turn the tables on Canon on that front. Seems to be working too.
24 MPx == beats 5D mk3 easily 🙂
The problem as I see it is not who win a megapixel race it is about the lens mount that has the lenses capable of utilizing the megapixels of today’s sensors as very few lenses today are totally equal to the task as I see it. Sony has a few, like the Zeiss 135/f1.8 and a few others but most of them fall short and even Nikon and Canon have work to do.
I can’t wait to see the new 50mm and the rumored 70-200 lens to see how well they perform because to me, the lens is Just as if not more important today than the difference between 18 and 36 MP and Sony has a much bigger hill to up than Nikon and Canon in the lens department.
I shoot using an a850 and the 24MP are more than enough for me, so I’m looking for improvements in ISO, AF and general IQ in my next body and next time I purchase a camera it will be more about optics and who can deliever the sharpest pixel not the most.
+1
It’s about the glass.
I have been using an 850 and a 5n. I have yet to shoot with an SLT. There is so info flying around that I cannot tell what is true. Sometimes I get the feeling that when somebody is anti-SLT they will tell you how bad it is without even using it. I plan on getting the 99. Can anyone out there who has used an SLT let me know how you feel the image quality compares to other DSLR’? Thanks for any information you can provide.
Loss of light is 1/3 of F-stop, this is negligible. Most of the filters take more light than translucent mirror. AF is really smooth and precise. EVF is better than cheap OVF of cheap dslr with 95% of image. It’s only comparable with OVF in a900, d700 and 5dm2. I’m talking about a33’s EVF, if a99’s EVF will have 3 time more resolution then it’s no brainer. If you have the opportunity then go and look at EVF on a77. It’s better than a33’s EVF.
Thanks, is the image unaffected by the SLT? The 1/3 exposure variance not a big deal to me especially since I have I hopes that the 99 will produce nice images at 3200 and 6400 iso. I was wondering if the images were effected by shooting through the SLT?
I don’t know why people are crying about prices. Certainly for those who are into pro already this will be a hard buy. But for people entering into full frame, the price is inconsequential. This is certainly not an entry level FF. So the price have to be more than 2000. If it’s 300-500 less than D800 than this is a great deal.
Not when Sony was touting the elimination of the “costly” pentaprism as the reason that margins needed to be maintained at the 3k level. So now here we are in 2012… no more pentaprism, cost to fab FF sensors down considerably, FF sensors being made for the competition in numbers that are staggering. Additionally the competition putting out products at lower price points than the models they replaced. Yet Sony is looking to maintain the 3k price that the A900 had 3 years ago.
“Yet Sony is looking to maintain the 3k price that the A900 had 3 years ago.”
Maybe Sony underprice the A900 as a promotion to the alpha line. I’m quite sure one of their management personnel once said that the OVF for the A900/850 was too expensive to make, at least for the A900/850 price point.
Also, if it has better processing engine and larger buffer, then why not.
So it is significantly less in real terms after taking account of inflation?
No because we are in a global recession and most folks are earning less – adjusted for inflation – than they did 3-4 years ago. So yeah, 3k in 2012 seems like they are asking a lot given those variables.
wondering…why all people compares this to D800 when this camera has the opportunity to compete against the mk.3 (priced even higher than d800)
even by being cheaper than d800 for 1 dollar, being cheaper than mk.3 is better than nothing.
It would need to score nearly identical to the D800 and 5DMIII in the objective tests like DxOMark to really be seen as a peer by the greater photo community. If it’s a coin flip between a D800, 5DMIII & A99 as to which camera grades out higher, then Sony will have a winner. If it scores 1500-1800 as some have predicted and gets a “C” grade it will seen as a failure.
LP
2 days ago | Reply.
I don’t think this A99 will compete with the D4, but it will also not be less than 2000, although it will be around D600 specs. The A99 for march 2013 will come a year later first of all, compete with D800 and 5DIII, and will be priced at around 3200. And Sony will be left without a D4 kind of camera at all. I will copy-paste this comment on april 2013 and see if I was right or not, because I am quite sure that this will happen.
Now if you think touchscreen, EVF or 3D or such are the right tools for a FF work tool, then you must be willing to pay Sony premium for this super late A99 (yes premium, less price for a much worst product is still a premium).
Posted by me a couple of days ago on “Chinese specs” rumor…
So Sony is gonna set prices pretty high… I guess they want to sell only a dozen of this one… and go figure the price for the top of the line A99 on march or whenever, is gonna be way higher, so maybe they sell around 5… not a good move…
canon nikon vs sony RELLAY??? A99 what a floppy camera, the whole sistem is floppy too with the introduction of the pellicle…
canon did the pellicle and the quit..
Sony go and make my tv and playstation!
Some Canon users actually liked it. No vibration, fast fps. BTW, Sony cannot rely on TV business anymore, Samsung TVs are just as good, only cheaper.
Sony will price the A99 at around $2000 or less. This is going to be their entry level FF body and there’s no way Sony can justify a higher price, not with Nikon’s 36MP D800 selling for $3000. Few people will consider a 24MP camera for more than $2000.
For myself, I seriously doubt the A99 will give my A850 serious competition. I will wait to upgrade next year, when Sony will hopefully come to their senses and release a high-end 36MP (or higher) mirrorless FF camera. That would really be something.
Agree. This makes the most sense.
Is the spec of A99 is true what competition A850 can make?
If this cam is priced @ $2500-$3000, it will push folks toward the A77 @ $1400. With the same 24mp resolution the only real difference for most people is they have to adjust their own lens line up for the crop factor in the A77.
a77 will drop considerably in price upon release of a99… probably… most likely… almost surely… maybe… jus’ a lil’ bit… maybe not.
According to admin’s rumour mill… the NEX-7 and a77 will be upgraded next year… my guess is the a77 will disappear, like the a55, and they will release an upgrade a79 or something… that will be priced the same as the original a77 so they keep their margins… Same thing happened with the a57… I think it released around the same price as the a55 did!!!… That’s how Sony keeps the margins, by releasing slightly upgraded models…
I think your right.
I am a Canon user for about 7 yrs. I never was really happy with there autofocus and some of there lenses. (there 24-70mm f2.8 mk1 is a joke). I started using some zeiss lenses for the canon mount and fell in love with them. The sharpness, micro contrast, bokeh are amazing on these lenses. The only problem is that they are manual focus. I can deal with that on certain shots but for sports it is very frustrating.
I started looking into the sony alpha system since the offer autofocus Zeiss lenses but I wanted to wait and see what there new FF camera had to offer.
This new A99 camera sounds interesting. If it can give me great shots at iso 100-800, great! 10+frames/sec. fantastic. Autofocus during video, brilliant. The EVF does not bother me. It is just a earlier step into the digital conversion that we all end up doing anyway when we take a picture. So those OVF purist sound silly. But the best part of these camera is that it takes AF Zeiss lenses. So the price to me seems fair.
So to those Sony users who complain about the price of the A99 should think twice. You don’t know how lucky you are to be able to use AF zeiss glass.
Soon to be an ex canon user.
Trying to justify the expense of Alpha bodies by claiming ZA native glass? So we should pay extra for Alpha bodies and feel “lucky” for it?
Keep the camera prices separate from the lens prices. Not everyone wants to pay extra for a camera just because it accepts ZA. The lenses can justify their own cost and there are other high quality options. Suggesting otherwise sounds suspiciously like Sony trolling.
The expense of the Sony body is no more than the other companies. Don’t get me wrong I think Nikon is a great camera company. But shooting autofocus zeiss is pretty cool.
Sony a99 body @ $2250.00
Sony a99 body + 2875 @ $2950.00
Save your money for new toys guys… 😉
More like a99 + 50/1.2 ZA
+1. Same reason why I invested in Sony system – auto focus Zeiss lenses, so no matter what getting the A99.
but only the zeiss primes are any good. the zooms are still flat and distorted.
if nikon or canon get auto zeiss primes, i will ump sony instantly
mad gay
Canikon will never do that because then nobody will buy their shitty stuff.
i have zeiss 24-70, it’s really great lens, just little distorted in wide but it’s just normal for wide lens 🙂
I own the A77 with 1.05 firmware and I hope they will come up with a newer version that has a faster CPU. The A57 which I tested at the sony store in Palo Alto fells more responsive. I can only afford cameras that are less than $2000 so the A99 is not in my future purchase plan.
Why not save money for some time and buy then?
The big news EVERYONE here missed: a new 50mm f1.2
That’s HUGE news, musch more important than the A99 to be honest. I really hope this is true.
No way more important than the 99. There is nothing more important than the 99. OK I will be getting both. Excited about both.
I’ll tell you why it’s more important: it alleviates concerns with the hoards of customers hanging on to Canon who might prefer Canon only for f1.2 lenses. It instantly makes Sony a player and makes them the default over Nikon (Nikon isn’t going lower than 1.4 at best).
A quick look on flikr will show that the Canon 50mm and 80mm f1.2 create the best looking images on that site (humor me). Truly amazing shots. For Sony to have a 50mm f1.2 in its arsenal shows it’s a real player now and the hundreds of soon-to-be f1.2 images on flikr from a Sony camera will help the brand immensely. It’s instant cache for the brand.
I almost think the rumor is too good to be true. A Zeiss 1.2 50mm on Sony FF would be a DREAM.
I wouldn’t trade my 85/1.4 for a Canon 85L II even if someone held a gun to my head, but to each their own.
There is a Nikon 50 1.2 ai-s
Facepalm.jpg
You are talking about amateurs with money like they are key demographics. Will be surprising, if 1.2 will be working aperture.
zeiss 50mm/1.2 would be amazing for sony line up lens 🙂 it’s really great news besides new sony a99 😀
Sony should be trying to price it’s A99 at $1999. Comparisons should be made to what will be Sony’s true competition and not the 36MPx D-800 Consumers are going to say ” I can pay $1700. for the Nikon D600 with the same MPx and FF sensor, why should I pay $700 more for a Sony ?”. The contortionist LCD, in-camera AF motor and 50 more AF points will be the only major selling points over the D600 , i dont really know if those features will be enough against the D600. The D600 will alsohave a pop-up flash the the Sony A99 will likely eschew.
a99 will cost more than D600 because it will have more noise. You think that noise is free? Pffft.
Good one…
Wait for the A85, it will be priced around that range. It’s a better comparison with the D600 by the way(no weather sealed, low fps, lower quality viewfinder).
You don’t have to wait for the a85 this 2013. the world will end this year.=P
reading comments on here is detrimental to your photography.
You guys need to get a grip. You keep refering to the ‘eploding’ (your spelling,, not mine) D800. That is just being childish. The problem was due to some defective batteries and Nikon has replaced them ALL.
Plus you have a much bigger problem. It is rumored that Nikon will be introducing a new FF camera, the 24MP D600, with a price around $1500. That price alone will blow the A99 out of the water.
Some odd arguments going on re EVF vs OVF price.
The advantages of EVF over OVF is that it gives you full frame view on your APS-C, plus a closer WYSIWYG with respect to colour and exposure for EVF over OVF. IMO Its not a price comparison as much as a ‘more features for the same price’ deal.
Only one of those two major features are relevant for FF, which is kinda my point: EVF currently really comes into its own for APS-C… Unless Sony really improve the EVF for their FFs (which I bet is their ace in the pocket).
While they can give you a larger viewfinder image for APS-C cameras current EVFs have terrible dynamic range – you will get much better in the actual photo – so they are not WYSIWYG. I don’t think they are nearly as good on colour accuracy as an OVF either.
The A900 has one of the best OVFs of any DSLR – making an EVF that matches that seems unlikely.
I dont believe this is any good of a strategy. Only Pros in certain areas of photography like sports etc. need that fps rate. Also the EVF is a compromise for most photographers – we take it cause we get a good camera, but given the choice we would always take the OVF. At least its not an argument pro Sony. If Sony wont bring a cheap FF camera below the price of the D600 (i dont say it has to be the a99), they will proly get lost.
Still dont understand why Sony is going for the Pro segment. Little profit, much investion, and the lenses are not comparable to Canon or Nikon segments. Ambitioned Amators and Semi-Pros will earn them a fortune, but only if they dont change to Canon or Nikon for obvious reasons. I mean, Sony has to bring something. They want to get into a closed market. So you cant just bring aquivalents or compromises which are even more expensive than the originals.
my 2 cents
10-12fps is a good thing(tm). I’m talking children photography. Active, fast moving, near-teleportation children.
24MP full frame sounds like they are delivering to the userbase what people have been screaming for: lower noise, better IQ, etc. Now people are bitching about how it is not 36MP. WTH!?
The price is about right. Considering the A900 was in the $2500-$2999 price range, this is right on regarding their product lineup.
The 102 AF points will be great, IF it improves overall accuracy, speed, and predictive aspects.
Definitely a camera worth saving up for, if it delivers on the quality. I love my A77, the articulated screen and EVF have basically changed the way I shoot for the better. Yes, files are definitely riddled with noise, looking forward to a potential FW fix for improving that. Looking forward to the A99 fixing that.
Sure, it is fun to draw comparisons with Nikon and Canon, but these are different cameras with different ergonomics. If you’re just going to go by price, fine. But each camera from each maker was designed and built with a particular set of requirements and users in mind. Ie, not all users will be happy with all design choices. Ever read up in the Canon and Nikon forums that bitch about their own cameras and threatening to jump to Canon/Nikon/Sony from their Canon/Nikon/Sony?
Yeah. Apparently, whining and bitching is not associated with a particular brand.
Let’s see what the camera can do before bashing it. The specs look great. The price is in the right range for what the A99 is supposed to replace/do.
what we need is good audio for the vid that eats canon and Nikon, longer vid times
That alone will give an advantage
too many megapixels for decent vid. High mp good for stills, not vid. It is a stills camera with vid an afterthought. Fair enough, as it’s a still camera
36 mp? LOL
Let’s concentrate on audio a bit more, shall we. That is important. Audio is 50% of video. Of course if you are into stills, that won’t bother you
I was about to buy the a 77 im so glad i waited! i for sure will wait september to get the a99;) thx sony