(SR4) Sony November 18 rumor…

Dear readers,

we had a second small talk with our trusted source. He again confirms that a new camera will be announced next week. And certainly it will not be the Sony Alpha 750 or whatever. The Sony 700 successor is planned for next year.

The rumored camera will be a completely new one. It will be the first movie and still camera from Sony!

Other sources can’t confirm this rumor. Could be that he received false informations? Improbable, but he promised me to tell me more in few days!

(SR2) Sony

A dpreview user wrote following text: “I found that the Sony RAW file (ARW and SF2) Exif metadata includes a camera model code, stored as the Sony makernotes tag 0xb001. You can read this tag using applications like ExifTool or PhotoMe. The (decimal) codes are as follows:

2 = DSC-R1
256 = DSLR-A100
257 = DSLR-A900
258 = DSLR-A700
259 = DSLR-A200
260 = DSLR-A350
261 = DSLR-A300
???
263 = DSLR-A380
264 = DSLR-A330
265 = DSLR-A230
???
???
???
269 = DSLR-A850
???
???
[??? = DSLR-A500 Files not examined]
273 = DSLR-A550

The “holes” in the list suggest that six (or seven, depending on the unknown A500 code) additional cameras have at least reached the stage in which they get their own code.”

(SR4) UPDATED -> Sony will launch a new camera on November 18!

SonyAlphaRumors has got an important information from one of our most trusted sources. Sony is ready to launch a new camera on November 18! The camera will have the new (4/3 ?) exmor sensor and Full HD video recording. With the camera Sony wants to compete against the Panasonic GH1.

UPDATE: The only thing we know is that Sony will launch a direct GH1 competitor on mid November. This will be the first Sony camera with Video recording! We do not know if the camera will be the first model of a mirrorless system. We are working to get more infos!

UPDATE2: Most of the mystery is given by the “4/3” sign. We don’t know if it means that:
1) Sony will become a strong competitor of the Panasonic GH1 camera (which has a 4/3 sensor)
2) Sony will use a 4/3 sensor but with a proprietary mount
3) Sony will join the MicroFourThirds system

Option 1 is the more realistic answer.

Keep following us in the next days.

UPDATE: We downgraded the rumor from SR5 to SR4. We heard the source again and he still confirms the rumor. Anyway we thought we should only give SR5 value when we have a real proove (image or whatever).

Andrea
SonyAlphaRumors


(SR3) Sony A750 Rumor Update

Neutralday claims to know the specs of the Fullframe Sony Alpha 750!

-High quality in 35mm full size image sensor with 14.6 effective megapixels
-Column-Parallel A/D Conversion method -Column-Parallel A / D Conversion method
-Ultra high speed digital output (12 digital channel parallel LVDS output) -Ultra high speed digital output (12 digital channel parallel LVDS output)
-12bit-AD converter on chip -12bit-AD converter on chip
-Multiples readout modes -Multiples readout modes
-Scan mode 15.2 frames/s (12bit) -Scan mode 15.2 frames / s (12bit)
-Window readout -Window readout
-Diagonal width 43.3mm (type 2.7) -Diagonal width 43.3mm (type 2.7)
-Total pixels 4752 (H) x 3213 (V) approx. 15.26M pixels -Total pixels 4752 (H) x 3213 (V) approx. 15.26M pixels
-Effective pixels 4692 (H) x 3115 (V) approx. 14.61M pixels -Effective pixels 4692 (H) x 3115 (V) approx. 14.61M pixels
-Active pexels 4661 (H) x 3096 (V) approx. 14.43M pixels -Active pexels 4661 (H) x 3096 (V) approx. 14.43M pixels
-Chip size 41mm (H) x 31.9mm (V) -Chip size 41mm (H) x 31.9mm (V)
-Unit cell size 7.91μm (H) x 7.91 μm (V) -Unit cell size 7.91μm (H) x 7.91 μm (V)

Price: $1400-1800

They recieved this specs from an anyonmous sender. So take it for what it is…a rumor only!

(SR1) Some Sony roadmap speculation

A new forum poster inside photoalphaclub wrote following”prediction” about Sony’s next stuff:

Most future video cameras will be 3D. Still cameras will follow.

DSLR’s have 2 major problems: 1. Mirror that slows down the frame rate. 2. Mirror that causes long “lens to sensor plane” distance.

So APSC DSLR’s will be replaced by EVIL cameras in the future – with electronic shutter and high frame rates. Sony new prototype 3D video camera uses frame rate 240 fps at 2×2 MP.
and
Sony knows that by eliminating the mirror, a superior system could be developed. Sony is in the forefront of display technology, unlike Conikon, so it can produce better EVF than the competition – a VF that will not go dark with the push of DOF preview button, or when it’s dark outside. It will also zoom and allow for easier manual focusing. Add OLCD’s. The OVF suddenly loses its strength. If Panasonic, Olympus, and Samsung are working on EVIL, so is Sony. Look at their past and you will understand. Also this is the only explanation for the gap between the 300 and the 900 series, as the 500 series is only an extension of the 300 series. The 850 is only an extension of the 900 series.

It is my belief that Sony will fill the gap between A550 and A850 with a superior EVIL system, maybe with 14 and 18 MP bodies, which will be, with an adapter, usable with A-mount lenses .

APSC will be phased out in time. Current FF will be expanded up and down.

If Sony planned to bring out A700 replacement, it would be here by now. The hole in product offering between FF and APSC has existed in Japan now for some time. This is not normal. Sony is dumping A700 even in India, where it has otherwise hardly any presence.

Sony created, from their A200-350 line, the two new lines, one is the 500 line. There is no 700 camera (line) replacement. The APSC lens offering is weak, although APSC is the Sony’s bread and butter.

Few FF’s are sold, but all new serious lens offerings are FF.

EVIL camera can have same or better resolution as FF, because of less diffraction. The lenses will be smaller. The cameras will be lighter and can be smaller.

EVIL will make APSC redundant. FF will still have an advantage in DOF control and sensitivity. You need to have it to demonstrate that you play with the big boys.

I see it as follows:

Now 2 lines:
230-550
850-900

later 3 lines:
100-550 (the 100 series will have no OVF)
EVIL 14 and 18 MP models to fill the gap between FF and APSC
800 – 1000

later 3 lines:
100-550
EVIL (2 series, 4 models)
800 – 1000

later 3 lines:
EVIL basic to full pro lines
EVIL 3D
FF

(SR2) Sony EVIL cameras?

Just found this inside the Dyxum forum:

I have some inside info.

Sony is preparing to introduce EVIL cameras. They will have 3 lines.

A230-550 – low end – eventually will be phased out – within a decade – Sony considers this to be an interim format.
EVIL LINE – full line eventually – basically 35 mm replacement
A800-1000 – pro – basically MF format replacement

The effort goes now to the EVIL models, with new Zeiss and Sony lenses. They will have superior video with high performance contrast focusing.

The evil cameras will be small, high performance; you’ll be able to use older lenses with an adopter. The cameras will be “APSC CMOS size” based. Because of close flange distance, therefore smaller diffraction, lens design will be simpler, smaller, and resolution will be on par with FF. With checkerboard pixel pattern, similar to their ClearVid CMOS pattern, expect 25 MP cameras with 50 MP performance soon, but not initially.

Don’t expect A700 replacement. A new EVIL camera will be a replacement – with two models – one will be 14 MP, another one will be 18 MP.

is a real bargain. Get it when you can. The EVIL model will cost a lot more, but will be superior.

Sony will come out with less and more expensive FF bodies.

Future concentration will be EVIL and FF.

Sony just introduced two HD camcorders. Their XDCAM PMW-350 and EX1R. The #350 has better performance than Sony’s HDCAM 900, which used to cost $150K with a lens. The new model is about $22K with lens.

Technology is marching on. Sony is in the forefront of this technology. Just as they lead the worldwide broadcast field, with convergence of video and still photography, they aim at being the world still camera leader. Don’t think that the convergence happened already. The future cameras will be quite different, and so will be the way photographs are taken and displayed. Think 3D and ability to select picture from before to after you push the trigger.

Don’t think that Sony is lagging in introducing new APSC technology. They will be introducing superior technology.

source: Dyxum