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No further development of Sony APS-C models?


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I was disappointed to read that Sony is intending to concentrate their efforts on full frame cameras

 

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sony-aims-to-beat-nikon-and-canon-by-focusing-on-the-full-frame-market/

 

The long awaited a7000 has as yet to appear and the rumours seem to have dried up.

 

Clearly the largish sensor compacts are also receiving attention, but has the mid range NEX type been abandoned?

 

I am a generally happy NEX 6 user, (we could do with a bit more competition in the lens department, they tend to be either mediocre or very expensive) but camera development seems to have stopped with a6000.

 

This is a pity, as, in my view, the APS-C camera is ideal for stock photography, providing better IQ than the smaller compacts and greater depth of field than FF. While a mirrorless FF camera body can be usefully small and light, the lenses certainly are not, and adding an adapter doesn't help.

 

Hopefully I will be proved wrong, and the long awaited a7000 will arrive shortly, but I've given up holding my breath!

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I read the same thing Bryan, and was dissapointed. I'm looking to upgrade my Nex 6 so, I'm hoping they keep going with APS-C, which as you say is ideal for stock. I also wish they would make some better lenses for the wide end.

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I decided not to go with Sony when I went mirrorless for just this sort of reason. I did not feel that Sony had a strategy that I understood and could buy into long term. Even David Kilpatrick (long time Minolta/Sony user) voiced concerns in one of his magazines a few months ago. My feeling has always been that Sony behave as the consumer electronics business that they are and don't seem to appreciate that serious photographers buy into a system long-term. A new strategy every other year is offputting.

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Me as Sony user have to admit that i am impressed with Olympus and their collection. Shooting with the OM-D series is a pleasure.

 

Mirco

 

I bought the OMD EM-5 as a carry around camera and it was probably the most frustrating camera I've ever owned.... the IQ doesn't really make it and the menus were designed by somebody who clearly had a devilish sense of humour. Luckily there was someone who had more time to waste on using it and it quickly sold.

 

As a long term mirrorless-phobe, I have to say I was staggeringly impressed with raws from the A7r, so much so I may buy the Mark 2 when they sort out the reported teething problems. Quite happy to use TSEs on one, less happy with 42MP......

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Both my NEX-6 and original NEX-3 continue to serve me well. In fact, the NEX-6 still looks brand new. Perhaps Sony will backtrack once FF fever has cooled down a bit and go back to developing their compact mirrorless line. Camera companies in general appear to be in a bit of a slump. The "flavour of the month" strategy doesn't seem to be working any longer. Maybe that's a good thing.

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I decided not to go with Sony when I went mirrorless for just this sort of reason. I did not feel that Sony had a strategy that I understood and could buy into long term. Even David Kilpatrick (long time Minolta/Sony user) voiced concerns in one of his magazines a few months ago. My feeling has always been that Sony behave as the consumer electronics business that they are and don't seem to appreciate that serious photographers buy into a system long-term. A new strategy every other year is offputting.

 

I wasn't happy with the overall lens quality with Sony when I had the Nex 7. It was a nice camera but the lenses at that time were not great (beside the 24mm). They were also taking a long time to refresh the Nex7 and I had a feeling it was going to be a one off camera and as such, bailed out. Glad I did now (using Fuji). I think it's a shame they aren't going to continue the apsc line, they had great potential.

 

I have looked at the A7r but the examples I've seen  (raw files) still seem to exhibit a lot of CA, which happened a lot when I had the Nex 7. It was also at that time I had several sin bins for SoLD. It had the habit of back focusing a lot. I've read reports that this is common problem with the A7r as well. 

 

I think they are doing a great job in terms of sensor development and innovation, just not when it comes to their own native lenses and sporadic focusing problems. I've never had to worry about focusing with the X-T1.... provided I do my bit right anyway! I'd happily shoot 90% of the time with the 50-140, it's the best lens I've owned on any system.

 

Now, if you could combined the best of Sony with the best of Fuji, that would be something. 

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I think that Sony is in for a big surprise if they think that everyone is suddenly going to upgrade to expensive FF cameras. The APS-C sensor  has  a lot of advantages -- as Bryan has pointed out -- for everyday photography. Time will tell whether or not Sony's apparent (?) decision to focus on FF for competitive reasons is really FFF (Full Frame Folly).

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I think that Sony is in for a big surprise if they think that everyone is suddenly going to upgrade to expensive FF cameras. The APS-C sensor  has  a lot of advantages -- as Bryan has pointed out -- for everyday photography. Time will tell whether or not Sony's apparent (?) decision to focus on FF for competitive reasons is really FFF (Full Frame Folly).

 

What I find worrying with them is the apparent ease in which they can abandon a project. 'A' Mount, Nex and now APSC as a whole. FF is popular now but if something else comes along that's more appealing I have a feeling they would be quick to drop it. I want to see commitment from a manufacture if I'm going to commit large sums of cash in lenses and other system equipment. If I wanted 36mp+ at the moment, I would go Nikon just for stability rather than the Sony option. That said, if Fuji can upgrade their sensors to 24mp, that would be enough for me.

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I have looked at the A7r but the examples I've seen  (raw files) still seem to exhibit a lot of CA, which happened a lot when I had the Nex 7. It was also at that time I had several sin bins for SoLD. It had the habit of back focusing a lot. I've read reports that this is common problem with the A7r as well. 

 

CA is a product of the lens used, you can hardly hold that against the camera. A colleague sent me some A7R raw files and I was very impressed, IIRC they were shot with a Zeiss zoom and the quality of the sensor blows away my Canon 5D 2 by a country mile. I was opening up shadows to try to find noise and couldn't find anything worth mentioning....and those were night scenes.

 

Add to that being able to use such a wide range of lenses especially one like my TSEs and it's understandable why Sony may concentrate on the A7 stable.

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I have looked at the A7r but the examples I've seen  (raw files) still seem to exhibit a lot of CA, which happened a lot when I had the Nex 7. It was also at that time I had several sin bins for SoLD. It had the habit of back focusing a lot. I've read reports that this is common problem with the A7r as well. 

 

CA is a product of the lens used, you can hardly hold that against the camera. A colleague sent me some A7R raw files and I was very impressed, IIRC they were shot with a Zeiss zoom and the quality of the sensor blows away my Canon 5D 2 by a country mile. I was opening up shadows to try to find noise and couldn't find anything worth mentioning....and those were night scenes.

 

Add to that being able to use such a wide range of lenses especially one like my TSEs and it's understandable why Sony may concentrate on the A7 stable.

 

 

I know, but when the lens is designed by Sony for that camera then I can blame the manufacture for not producing high quality lenses to support the new tech camera bodies.... for me, I can't live with an excellent camera if the lenses don't match and end up increasing my processing time because of imperfections. When I seen the amount of CA for a £1000+ lens I just shuddered as it brought back memories of the Nex7. 

 

I had a number of adapters for the Nex 7 and at first, it was fun using other manufactures lenses with your camera but the added bulk (large FF lenses plus adapter) on a small body and sometimes random IQ and even more random focusing issues, I preferred to stick to lenses designed specifically for the camera. That's the same with Fuji, adapted lenses never match the quality of the lenses designed for the system.

 

If they sorted that out, back focusing issue (random SoLD) and show a little more long term commitment then I would seriously consider their higher mp offerings. But spending approx. £3500 on a camera and 1 quality lens I would need to know they aren't going to do a Nex / 'A' mount in a couple of years time. Even the A7s is rumoured to change in the next version.... constant change / little stability. It annoys the hell out of me when Fuji change button positions on cameras, a bit of consistency with handling between cameras would be great rather than figuring out where X button has now moved to what part of the camera  :D

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I bought the a5000 and have not used it that much.  I usually just take the Nikon D3200 when I need a small camera, and it has a viewfinder.  I hope Nikon doesn't abandon the APS-C or DX formatas that is what I primarily use.  I don't think Nikon will go away from the DX format as they have invested heavily in the DX lens lineup. Not sure if there is any future for the old Minolta-Sony a mount system.

Marvin 

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I have looked at the A7r but the examples I've seen  (raw files) still seem to exhibit a lot of CA, which happened a lot when I had the Nex 7. It was also at that time I had several sin bins for SoLD. It had the habit of back focusing a lot. I've read reports that this is common problem with the A7r as well. 

 

CA is a product of the lens used, you can hardly hold that against the camera. A colleague sent me some A7R raw files and I was very impressed, IIRC they were shot with a Zeiss zoom and the quality of the sensor blows away my Canon 5D 2 by a country mile. I was opening up shadows to try to find noise and couldn't find anything worth mentioning....and those were night scenes.

 

Add to that being able to use such a wide range of lenses especially one like my TSEs and it's understandable why Sony may concentrate on the A7 stable.

 

 

I know, but when the lens is designed by Sony for that camera then I can blame the manufacture for not producing high quality lenses to support the new tech camera bodies.... for me, I can't live with an excellent camera if the lenses don't match and end up increasing my processing time because of imperfections. When I seen the amount of CA for a £1000+ lens I just shuddered as it brought back memories of the Nex7. 

 

I had a number of adapters for the Nex 7 and at first, it was fun using other manufactures lenses with your camera but the added bulk (large FF lenses plus adapter) on a small body and sometimes random IQ and even more random focusing issues, I preferred to stick to lenses designed specifically for the camera. That's the same with Fuji, adapted lenses never match the quality of the lenses designed for the system.

 

If they sorted that out, back focusing issue (random SoLD) and show a little more long term commitment then I would seriously consider their higher mp offerings. But spending approx. £3500 on a camera and 1 quality lens I would need to know they aren't going to do a Nex / 'A' mount in a couple of years time. Even the A7s is rumoured to change in the next version.... constant change / little stability. It annoys the hell out of me when Fuji change button positions on cameras, a bit of consistency with handling between cameras would be great rather than figuring out where X button has now moved to what part of the camera  :D

 

 

I stick mainly with Sony brand lenses on my NEX-6. The IQ is fine with the 16 MP sensor. From what I've read, the NEX 7's sensor was much harsher on optics. The a6000's 24 MP sensor is reportedly improved in that respect. Haven't used the a6000, though. I do have a couple of old Minolta MD manual prime lenses, which are fun and easy to use with Sony's focus-peaking, but as you mention somewhat bulky with the adapter. I still find the compact size of these cameras a real boon after spending years lugging around SLRs. Hopefully, camera manufacturers will keep older photographers with aging joints and dwindling budgets in mind. We're actually a growth market according to the demographers.

 

Re back-focusing and Sony mirrorless: I've learned to choose my focus points carefully. No SoLD problems lately. Not an issue with MF lenses, of course.

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 Not sure if there is any future for the old Minolta-Sony a mount system.

Marvin 

 

Yes, Sony might be wise to lower the prices of their adapters so more photographers might be tempted to use their a-mount lenses on Sony's mirrorless cameras.

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Sony a6000 with 16-70mm is my main camera. Also use a3000 with 10-18mm, and NEX-6 with various lenses, mainly kit 16-50mm and 55-210mm. I started accumulating them three years ago, and the more I use this stable, the more I like it. No QC failures, sales with about every combo. If they stop making APS-C, I'm sure these will last me a few years.

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Like Bill and John, I'm committed to Sony mirrorless and have no need for an FF upgrade. 

 

I have NEX 3, 6, and 7 with three of their best lenses, 24, 50, and 10-18. I also have the Sigma 30. But my go-to now is the Sony RX10 with its 24-200 (view) Zeiss zoom. I assume that most of this stuff will outlive me. I bought the RX10 when I saw the price and the size of the quality street zoom Sony introduced for NEX at the same time. 

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OTOH, Ed, if someone thrust $10K into my hand and forced me to go to B&H and buy an A7RII and lenses, I would not resist. I could even get my old bones to carry it around.

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I was disappointed to read that Sony is intending to concentrate their efforts on full frame cameras

 

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sony-aims-to-beat-nikon-and-canon-by-focusing-on-the-full-frame-market/

 

The long awaited a7000 has as yet to appear and the rumours seem to have dried up.

 

I am a generally happy NEX 6 user, (we could do with a bit more competition in the lens department, they tend to be either mediocre or very expensive) but camera development seems to have stopped with a6000.

 

Hopefully I will be proved wrong, and the long awaited a7000 will arrive shortly, but I've given up holding my breath!

 I don't understand, Sony had stated that they won't develop new APSC mirrorless cameras? When?

A6000 is barely one year old, and the A5100 is even newer. We will definitely see new models by October, as usual.

I think it will be hard to see a NEX7-like camera, hard to believe today people want to pay $1200 for an APSC sensor camera, when for little more they can get the A7II

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I was disappointed to read that Sony is intending to concentrate their efforts on full frame cameras

 

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sony-aims-to-beat-nikon-and-canon-by-focusing-on-the-full-frame-market/

 

The long awaited a7000 has as yet to appear and the rumours seem to have dried up.

 

I am a generally happy NEX 6 user, (we could do with a bit more competition in the lens department, they tend to be either mediocre or very expensive) but camera development seems to have stopped with a6000.

 

Hopefully I will be proved wrong, and the long awaited a7000 will arrive shortly, but I've given up holding my breath!

 I don't understand, Sony had stated that they won't develop new APSC mirrorless cameras? When?

A6000 is barely one year old, and the A5100 is even newer. We will definitely see new models by October, as usual.

I think it will be hard to see a NEX7-like camera, hard to believe today people want to pay $1200 for an APSC sensor camera, when for little more they can get the A7II

 

 

The A7ii (body only) goes for about CAN $2000 here in Canada, while you can pick up a new a6000 with 16-50 zoom for around $700. I bought my NEX-6 body for under $500 (new, on sale) a couple of years ago. The rumoured a7000 with a better EVF (like the NEX-6's) and in-camera stabilization would probably have to be priced below $1000 in order to attract buyers. Perhaps Sony doesn't see much profit being generated at that price. Guess we'll have to wait and see. Lenses are another story, no new APS-C models most likely would mean no new lenses.

 

This rumour (?) posted recently at DPReview.

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