Sony Enters the DSLR Market

[NMarti]

For those of you who are Sony fans (I am one of them) you might find this exciting news. I guess it's a little early to get too excited until we see how it performs but it sure sounds good. With a release date in July we'll have to wait a bit to see the reviews though.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/alpha100.html

[Wendy]

Hi Nancy ...

Thanks for the link ... :)

Wendy

[bnk1953]

Looks a lot like my Maxxum 5D that I bought 2 days before the announcement that Konica/Minolta was going out of camera production. Looks like the beefed it up in many areas. Should be interesting to see what the price tag is . I know I like my 5D - does everything that I want from it - except for doing movies - but that is what my back up - Fuji S602Z is for. :-)

~bruce.

[Jodi Frye]

I have NeveR used my movie mode on my Fuji camera...I have absolutely no desire to do so either. I already have a designated miniDV camera...that I rarely use. I guess I'm not a movie person...I just like watching them :)

SONY sounds neat. Will see.

[NMarti]

Bruce
I think I saw a pricetag of $899 somewhere - maybe the sony website. I don't know if that includes a lens or not. I'm anxious to see the cost of the Carl Ziess lenses too. My 717 took great pictures and I used a friends 828 a few times and was blown away with the color and depth of field. My choice was to upgrade to the R1 but at a price equivalent to SLR's I chose to go that route. Then they announce they will enter SLR market a few months after I get my camera. I love my Rebel XT but have had 4 total Sony's and have never had a problem or complaint about any except the limitations imposed by the models features.

[bnk1953]

Jodi- I've only used the video a couple of times:
1. - when a calving of an glacier in Alaska took place
2. - dogsledding on a glacier
3. - at Disneyland for the fireworks and also for Fantasmic
4. - at oldest daughter's graduation from Cornell University.

Pictures are my main mode also - but those vids have turned out to be really special for us.

~bruce.

[Ward Grant]

Bruce
I think I saw a pricetag of $899 somewhere - maybe the sony website. I don't know if that includes a lens or not. I'm anxious to see the cost of the Carl Ziess lenses too. My 717 took great pictures and I used a friends 828 a few times and was blown away with the color and depth of field. My choice was to upgrade to the R1 but at a price equivalent to SLR's I chose to go that route. Then they announce they will enter SLR market a few months after I get my camera. I love my Rebel XT but have had 4 total Sony's and have never had a problem or complaint about any except the limitations imposed by the models features.

Nancy,
I, too, am a fan of Sony and the 717. I think Sony is the best selling brand in the camera-happy Asian market and I have always had great luck with the cameras. I looked at the R1, but this new announcement may make me reconsider. I am curious how much of this camear is Konica/Minolta and how much is Sony.

[Carbone]

I use the video mode on my Canon A510 all the time!!! I was at a party a few weeks ago and someone did something totally silly (but very hilarious!!) Guess who caught it on video... little Ray here... :)

Granted, it's not Oscar material. But it's priceless.

Ray

[ME100FINN]

I too am a Sony fan. I have had the 707, the 717 (now in a box) and the 828. I love the camera. I will keep an eye on the dSLR progress. My hubby is itching to get me a second dSLR body while we can make the investment (after we leave Japan it will be too tough to sink any money into equipment). We talk about the Canon 5D... but I dont have a clue what to choose. He wants to get me lenses and a new body...how's a girl to choose???? He has such confidence in my work and hopes that I can do photography professionally at some time in the future since I love to do it. But, back to the Sony dSLR, I am always itching to try the latest and greatest thing... I might have to sit on this one for a bit though. I get the impression that the camera market is making some changes that could affect future purchases in a huge way.

[Jodi Frye]

doesn't it suck up alot of memory in movie mode tho ? Perhaps someday I'll give it a whirl.

[ME100FINN]

most of the mpg modes can select the size/quality you record in. Once selected, the display will tell you how much time will fit on your memory stick.

[TonyW]

I can get about 15 mins of 640x480 video on my Fuji with a 1G card - double that at the lower quality. Don't use is much but nice to know it's there when I do.

Tony

[NMarti]

Ward
I suspect it is mostly the KM 5D with Sony lenses based on the description. Sony has not had their hands on KM long enough to do a total redesign I would not think. Probably just the sensor & card slot change. I did buy the 5D but couldn't get a decent picture out of it and it went back and I got the Rebel XT. I suspect the camera was either damaged in shipping(dropped) or was simply defective. A lot of people who have them are quite happy with them. I am more curious about the add-on lenses. I have had the Sony's I mentioned but my daughter and husband also have them however their models do not have the Zeiss lens. I can see a definite quality difference. I just wonder how pricey the lenses will be.

Beatrice - If he's buying I'd be flying to the nearest camera shop.:D I would love to give this Sony a whirl but have too much invested in my Canon to even THINK about changing right now. I am, however, still looking for that awesome second carry around quick shot camera that is affordable and takes great pictures. Linda's H-5 sure sounds tempting but it is a bit pricey yet as a second.

[ME100FINN]

I am quite sure Sony will have something of good quality and an affordable price tag. It will suit most of the average photo bugs out there that dont want to make bigger investments in high dollar ranges. That's my silly guess anyway. I dont think I would go with this new Sony now that I peek at more info on it. With my Canon 20D I think it would be a step back. If anything I dont want to be in that "experimental" bracket while Sony fixes and upgrades (i did that with the 707/717/828) and I dont want that again. I'd rather go higher end on the Canon. My F828 is bulky to carry around yet, even though MUCh lighter than my 20D. I still want a pocket size camera to take along for quick, fun candids that would produce a good album print - I was thinking of trying the Canon, but my heart goes back to some of the Sony Cybershots! The H-5 looks a bit too bulky yet -- I want to get a sleek little sized one. So I would love to fly to the nearest shop (which is actually online), but any investment in cameras takes some time to think and rethink and think again!!

[Mary]

I am a great Sony fan - love my H1 and when I go DSR (haven't felt enough benefit for what I do yet) I will definitely stick with Sony.:)

[Carbone]

Not that much memory usage.. the video aren't that big, and they're limited to 30 seconds at a time. For the ocasional joke, it's more than ok.

For pure video editing, though, I have a Sony DCR-TRV18 MiniDV camcorder. Yeah, the Canon boy has a Sony ;)

One thing strikes me.. why don't Canon, Sony (or anybody else) makes video camera with absolutely no options. There are a bunch of us using Final Cut Express (or iMovie or Windows Movie Maker or Vegas, etc..) which have no use, none whatsoever for fade in fade out or any other in-camera editing feature. This would bring the cost down (not to mention remove 256 buttons on the camera!!)

Ray

[bnk1953]

Ray - not sure about the 30 seconds for vids. Maybe I missed something - but my old S602z - gives about 10 minutes of video on a 560 compactflash card - no time limit until it runs out. All I do is push the button to start - when I've reached the end - push it again. Granted the sharpness, etc. is not all that great - but when I took it to talk to a class about Disney and showed them Fantasmic at Disneyland - it showed up great on the smart board that was in the classroom.
~bruce (proud papa of a Cornell University Civil Engineering graduate)