Sony A99 24MP Full Frame Press Release

[Axilrod]

http://www.eoshd.com/content/8960/sony-a99-press-release
I must admit, Sony is really tearing it up this year.  In terms of specs it looks better than the 5DIII in just about every way.  I'm a video guy so the 1080p 60fps and clean HDMI out are very appealing.  These are such small things that Canon should (but foolishly didn't) add to the 5D3.  Also it has "full time continuous AF" in movie mode, not sure how well it will work, but very cool.

[dr croubie]

More thoughts from me later, but this sentence caught my eye:
"A new AF range control allows photographers to manually select foreground and background distance to which the AF system will not respond, especially useful for shooting fast moving sports or animals through a nearby wire mesh or in front of a complex background that commonly distracts camera AF systems.".

So now *every* lens can effectively have a focus-distance limiting switch, not just those huge white or macro ones? As long as there's no downsides (like there is for sensor-stabilisation vs IS), me likey.

And i knew that '102pt AF' would be a bit of a stretch, it's 19pt AF and lots of 'in-sensor' points, which (probably) don't work as well as the other 19, or the 19 wouldn't be there at all...

[Imagination_landB]

IMO If Sony continues like this and extends its lense line up, it could steal the camera market to Nikon and Canon. They do everything consumers are asking for, if only canon was doing like this

[drjlo]

Personally, I'd rather see a Sony full frame flagship without the whole Translucent Mirror thing, with its half stop light loss and probably some detail loss. 

A full frame mirrorless camera with that 24.3 MP full frame sensor, however, is something I hope Sony eventually makes, ahead of Canikon.

*Edit*
Just saw the leaked photo of Sony full frame mirrorless RX1 camera.  I guess Sony has done it already..
http://photorumors.com/2012/09/09/breaking-sony-rx1-the-first-full-frame-compact-camera/

[adhocphotographer]

They would need to seriously catch up with the glass!

[verysimplejason]

They would need to seriously catch up with the glass!

What glass are you exactly looking for?  I find the Sony and Zeiss lineup comparable though some are expensive are comparable to Canon lineup. 

[Hillsilly]

Their glass is the main reason I'd ever consider switching to Sony.

[Marsu42]

So now *every* lens can effectively have a focus-distance limiting switch, not just those huge white or macro ones? As long as there's no downsides (like there is for sensor-stabilisation vs IS), me likey.

This is only the start of what you can do with a dslr and some more creative firmware. Sony is an electronics company and is used to innovate with features, while my impression is that Canon's dlsrs are still analog dlsrs but a digital sensor and just the necessary firmware added. They wouldn't even consider adding things that Magic Lantern does, let alone help any 3rd party development.

[SambalOelek]

They would need to seriously catch up with the glass!

What glass are you exactly looking for?  I find the Sony and Zeiss lineup comparable though some are expensive are comparable to Canon lineup.

Sony shooters have some very good lenses at their disposal, such as the ZA 24-70mm f/2.8,  ZA 85mm f/1.4, ZA 135mm f/1.8, and the 70-200 G, 70-300 G and 70-400 G.

However, in targeting the professional market (as they obviously are with the A99), it is a drawback that none of the abovementioned lenses are weather sealed. No wonder they're making a huge point of the fact that the new 300 f/2.8 and the A99 grip are sealed.

[AvTvM]

both products are utterly unappealing. A99 .. bulky DSLR with a mirror in the lightpath, RX-1 with a fixed lens only.

It is really beyond me why they are not bringing the obvious killer product: a mirrorless CSC liek the RX1 but with lens mount and a top-notch EVF. Included in price would be a new native pancake kit lens and a small extension tube adapter without mirror in it but with an A-mount in front.

That would be a game changer.  A99 ... yawn. RX-1 ... useless.

[adhocphotographer]

Ooops...  your right...

[Axilrod]

both products are utterly unappealing. A99 .. bulky DSLR with a mirror in the lightpath, RX-1 with a fixed lens only.

It is really beyond me why they are not bringing the obvious killer product: a mirrorless CSC liek the RX1 but with lens mount and a top-notch EVF. Included in price would be a new native pancake kit lens and a small extension tube adapter without mirror in it but with an A-mount in front.

That would be a game changer.  A99 ... yawn. RX-1 ... useless.

A99 bulky??  It's the lightest FF DSLR available....

[AvTvM]

A99 bulky??  It's the lightest FF DSLR available....

its still a bulky DSLR.

Rather than clunky SLT A99 and a small but one-focal-length-only RX-1 Sony should have announced the APS-C NEX-6 and a very slightly larger NEX-9 with the 24 MP FF-sensor. 

[verysimplejason]

Maybe for you but there other sony users especially their handful professionals that prefers a little bit of muscle from their camera.  NEX is nice but I still like the feel of big DSLRs.

A99 bulky??  It's the lightest FF DSLR available....

its still a bulky DSLR.

Rather than clunky SLT A99 and a small but one-focal-length-only RX-1 Sony should have announced the APS-C NEX-6 and a very slightly larger NEX-9 with the 24 MP FF-sensor.