Sony Alpha - High end amateur model
Although the current focus is on the impending release of the Canon 40D, there is another competitor lurking in the bush. No it’s not Nikon, Olympus or even Fuji film, its Sony.
Remember - Sony makes the sensor for Nikon DSLR and they are about to introduce 3 new models to compete against the likes of Canon, Nikon and every other DSLR manufacturer in the world. With strong competition, Sony have decided to add as many features into their DSLR such as higher mega pixels, image stabilization, faster processor in an attempt to have that competitive edge. So far, the up and coming second generation cameras seem to provide the goods.
According to the French website www.photoim.net, they have posted the following specification on the high end amateur model and this has been translated to English.
There has been suggestions the name of the new model may be called the Sony A300 with the high end model called the A500. Again, speculations are that the Sony A500 could have a sensor with up to 20 mega pixels.
Here is an interesting post from a member (akio mizumi) of the Dyxum forum that supports the above claims . Although it’s only rumors, some of the information does match the above specifications.
“I already told you that my brother-in-law works for Sony on the Alpha project. Here is some more info, some is repeated from my previous posts. The advanced model will be 14.* MP and close to FF. It will have 1.25x factor and a switch for lenses with 1.5 factor. It will be called A300. Because of the pixel pattern similar to Sony ClearVid CMOS sensors, Sony will claim up to 2x effective pixel resolution. The flagship model will be called A500 and will be 100% full frame. Nikon is supplying Sony new steppers to create FF sensors in one shot. Sony first joined forces with Konica Minolta, now with Nikon. This gives to both Sony and Nikon advantage over Canon, which Sony believes will eventually drop to a 3rd place; Sony will move up to 2nd place in overall volume of DSLR’s sales. The least expensive Sony DSLR will not have optical viewfinder and will be called A50. The flagship model will be 20 MP, 40 effective. That is the reason why Sony concentrates on top quality glass. Sony’s advantage will be fact that they are the foremost sensor maker; their output is several times higher than Matsushita, which is second largest CCD maker.”
The 2 DSLR prototypes that were shown at different shows by Sony were no wooden mock ups, but the actual cameras that will be produced. The same goes for the lenses. All these were pretty much final prototypes, but Sony could not disclose this due to its competition. The main thing that is holding these projects up is development of SSS which has to work harder with larger sensors; the insides of the cameras may be a little different than on the prototypes shown, not the outsides. That was finalized before showing them to the public.
“Sony was originally going to buy the Contax brand from Kyocera, but then used this infomation in its negotiations with KM, from whom they managed to get the DSLR division with all its expertise for pennies on the dollar. KM really wanted the DSLR division to be in the best hands; they cared about it more than about anything else; the Minolta portion of the KM team wanted to see the legacy of the system to continue and to improve as much as possible. The decision to sell to Sony was rather emotional.”
As for the release date, sources have indicated they will have the new amateur model to sell by the end of October 2007.
[...] Source and Read More: InfoDigitalCamera [...]
Pingback by Photo News Today » Sony Alpha - High end amateur model — August 12, 2007 @ 11:46 pm
Dear Info Digital Camera information manager.
The information provided on the website http://www.photoim.net, is an outdated rumor based on an asian website in July.
http://forum.xitek.com/lookupthread.php?action=dosearch&threadid=455399&userid=294039
And it’s probably a speculation on the specs of the Flagship, not the Advanced Amateur.
Thank’s for publishing this.
Michel.
Comment by Michel J Essaim — August 13, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
[...] [Via Digital Camera Information, thanks Jim] [...]
Pingback by Rumored specs for Sony’s Advanced Amateur Alpha DSLR hit the net | Start Tech News — August 15, 2007 @ 2:22 am
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[...] According to the fine folks at Engadget via InfoDigitalCamera.com, Sony’s Advanced Alpha DSLR boasts some impressive features. Heres a quick breakdown: [...]
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[...] [Via Digital Camera Information, thanks Jim] [...]
Pingback by Planeta IPLegal » Rumored specs for Sony’s Advanced Amateur Alpha DSLR hit the net — August 15, 2007 @ 4:55 am
[...] Sony told us at PMA in March (that’s when we took the pictures you see above) there would be an even higher-end pro model forthcoming, too, but would tell us nothing else. Now rumor has it that one of the models will be called the Sony A300, with the flagship called the A500 (pictured above), and that one’s packing a 20-megapixel sensor. [Digital Camera Information] [...]
Pingback by My Geek News: All the latest news, just for Geeks! — August 15, 2007 @ 5:23 am
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[...] [Via Digital Camera Information, thanks Jim] [...]
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[...] http://www.infodigitalcamera.com/blo…amateur-model/ [...]
Pingback by Zaplecze » Blog Archive » sony alfa crop 1.25 — August 15, 2007 @ 8:10 am
[...] Sony told us at PMA in March (that’s when we took the pictures you see above) there would be an even higher-end pro model forthcoming, too, but would tell us nothing else. Now rumor has it that one of the models will be called the Sony A300, with the flagship called the A500 (pictured above), and that one’s packing a 20-megapixel sensor. [Digital Camera Information] [...]
Pingback by Unconfirmed: Forthcoming Sony Alpha DSLRs Spec Lists Rumored | Hizs - The lowdown on gadgets — August 15, 2007 @ 8:33 am
As somebody who’s been waiting for Canon’s 40D since the 30D arrived 17 months ago, I’m happy to see that Sony is pushing to get into the full-frame market. I sincerely hope it puts the pressure on Canon to finally release a 5DmkII and pump new blood into their dSLR line. Aside, does anyone else think this A300 prototype looks extremely boxy and clunky? Especially the panel between the lens mount and shutter grip, which looks so out of place to my eyes. Perhaps I’m too used to Apple products that perform well AND look nice.
Comment by Brendan Falkowski — August 15, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
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[...] Sony told us at PMA in March (that’s when we took the pictures you see above) there would be an even higher-end pro model forthcoming, too, but would tell us nothing else. Now rumor has it that one of the models will be called the Sony A300, with the flagship called the A500 (pictured above), and that one’s packing a 20-megapixel sensor. [Digital Camera Information] [...]
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Pingback by Pixelicia - FotografÃÂa, vÃÂdeo e imagen digital » Rumores sobre la nueva DSLR de Sony — August 16, 2007 @ 8:03 am
[...] Engadget also references this site, which has information supposedly gleaned from a French site (See what I mean about regurgitation?) that has a long list of supposed specs for the future Sony Alpha. Unfortunately, there is nothing about tethered shooting in there. Arrr! [...]
Pingback by Sony’s new dSLR: the rumor mill cranks into high gear! : Alphatracks — August 16, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
Speculated Specs of Sony’s Advanced Amateur Alpha DSLR
Unconfirmed news has been greasing the grapevine with news of Sony’s Advanced Amateur Alpha features. Here is what has been circulating on the net: the camera will have a14.4-megapixel sensor, a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, NP-FM55H battery, a CompactFlash …
Trackback by Newlaunches.com — August 16, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
[...] It seems the rumor mill is in full swing for the entire DSLR universe these days, so it makes sense for Sony’s Advanced Amateur Alpha to join the fray. According to an admittedly sketchy source, the specifications from the aforementioned camera have been discovered, so here’s a quick rundown on what to (hopefully) expect. Aside from the 14.4-megapixel sensor, rumor has it that you’ll find a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, NP-FM55H battery, a CompactFlash slot, support for JPEG / RAW image formats, anti red-eye technology, ISO 100 to 3200, and wireless flash support to boot. ‘Course, we wouldn’t bet the farm on any of this just yet, but if you’re interested in delving into dodgy French sites for potential dirt on one of Sony’s forthcoming beasts, you know where to head. [Via Digital Camera Information, thanks Jim] [...]
Pingback by Rumored specs for Sony’s Advanced Amateur Alpha DSLR hit the net at Photomania — August 29, 2007 @ 10:52 pm