Sony Alpha SLT-A99 - official thread - announced!

[Gordon Laing]

Hi everyone, Sony has announced its first SLT with a full-frame sensor!

See my Sony A99 preview for more details.

I'll expand this into a more detailed report as soon as I can! There's a lot going on right now...!

[podperson]

Interesting how little interest there seems to be in this camera. Fundamentally, I think Sony has several crucial problems:

1) It seems to be more interested in releasing bodies than lenses.

2) If you pick a full frame sensor for image quality, will you be happy throwing away half a stop of light for the focusing system? My guess is no. (Let's ignore the largely correctable issue of internal reflections in the pellicle mirror.

For me at least, the Sony SLTs seem like a transitional concept. Either they go completely mirrorless, take advantage of the shallower bodies this affords, put the phase detect AF on the main sensor, and you get a full frame NEX-7 or they give up and go back to making proper SLRs. When you invest in a $3000 body, you're investing in a system, and between not having many lenses to choose, no real indication of commitment to new lenses, and a compromised technology, I just can't work up any enthusiasm.

And of course the D600 just magnifies all these issues.

[popo]

The two "problems" above aren't really problems, at least not ones that are up there for anyone seriously considering full frame. Sony lens lineup more than covers the bases for most people, only lacking some exotics compared to CaNikon. Also the primary reason for considering full frame is the depth of field potential it offers. Light gathering is very much secondary. So I don't see either of those being dealbreakers for existing Alpha system users.

Of course, Sony is also betting on NEX, where the lack of lenses is more of an issue. And in the longer term, a hypothetical full frame mirrorless could be adaptable to Alpha lenses, so it could be seen as transitional in that respect. But it's a long slow transition.

So essentially, the A99 is for existing Alpha users upgrading. It isn't something that will in itself make people swap systems, so the D600 is largely irrelevant in that respect.

[djfsolo]

1) It seems to be more interested in releasing bodies than lenses.

- There are a lot of bodies released- about as often as Nikon releases D3000, 3100, 5000, etc, and about as often as canon releases a rebel. The high-end aps-c and FF bodies each had 4 year cycles. Just like canon and Nikon. So I don't see your point. Even if you had one... whats wrong with updated bodies? I'm not one of those guys that suddenly thinks my camera is obsolete because a new model is released. I just think it offers more options to those starting out their system or looking for backups/upgrades. Whats wrong with that?

As for lenses- the Sony/Minolta system covers just about every practical need. We can get a tilt-shift from schneider if we please. The only lenses lacking in the Sony system are exotic telephoto primes, but you aren't really interested in actually owning these lenses are you? I own more lenses for my Sony then most of my professional partners do for their Nikons and Canons. They just like being able to SAY that they have more options... options that they won't use.

I am perfectly happy throwing away a 1/3 stop (not 1/2 stop) of light for the focusing system. Because the focusing system helps me make images, and a miniscule, lets seriously admit- MINISCULE difference in noise performance, means NOTHING in real-world performance. I am a Sony professional shooting commercial fashion, portraiture, product, as well as weddings and high-end events, and if the noise-performance of my A850 has been adequate for my clients thus far, I'm sure the A99 with its light-robbing mirror will fare just fine. Its IQ is indistinguishable from the D600 unless you are interested in images of test diagrams and charts (really now?)

The D600? you are really going to compare a weather-sealed 6fps professional FF body to a Nikon plastic D600 with an inferior VF, inferior AF, 1/4000 max shutter speed, and not even a PC sync? Please.

I for one am looking forward to upgrading to the A99- I'm sure it will enable me to capture great images- and I'm sure I will take many clients from my competition all shooting canon and Nikon (: I'm just tired of this snobbery from canikon users.

www.frankwithersphoto.com

[JVegas]

If money had not been much of a factor when I bought my first DSLR last month, I may have stopped comparing Nikon and Canon's least expensive cameras and gone straight for a Sony A57 or A65 (or a Pentax). I decided having the money to afford a camera and a few lenses was crucial for my first purchase, especially since I wouldn't be buying great glass and locking myself into a system.

At some point I will get another DSLR, and unless I have my heart set on another Nikon I may sell the lenses and move over to Sony. Amazing electronics company, and their line of SLT's have some advantages I like the idea of. Plus, some old Konica Minolta lenses work on their bodies, which is a goldmine since a lot of people are willing to sell them off cheap.

I'm not in the market for anything right now, but I'm excited to see what Sony is going to do with their SLT's!

[jacobholmes]

whatever happened to the review of the a99, i am dying to read it

[eve55]

I would be very happy as well to read the a99 review...

Podperson was quite right with his comment:
"For me at least, the Sony SLTs seem like a transitional concept. Either they go completely mirrorless, take advantage of the shallower bodies this affords, put the phase detect AF on the main sensor, and you get a full frame NEX-7 or they give up and go back to making proper SLRs. When you invest in a $3000 body, you're investing in a system, and between not having many lenses to choose, no real indication of commitment to new lenses, and a compromised technology, I just can't work up any enthusiasm."

That is apparently what SONY has - suddenly - planned for 2014.

I now (still) have a Canon 40D with 3 Tokina lenses, all f2.8 (11-16, 16-50 & 50-135). Very pleased with this set. Buying a 7D would not give me better image quality, only speed. I am not a mpixel chaser, but the 10 MP of the 40D now seem a bit outdated and probably don't get the very best out of the Tokinas.

Therefore I would consider upgrading to full frame. For me the A99 looks tempting, but SONYs new plans may seriously sidetrack the SLTs...

[jacobholmes]

am i the only one who think it is weird that cameralabs can´t find the time, or dont care to do the review on the a99?
apperently point and shoot camera´s are more important than sony´s first full frame model in four years....
it´s getting a Little hard to take this site seriuosly... come on Gordon!!