According to the japanese website dc.watch.impress.co.jp Sony will not produce the Sony A230 anymore. The text is in japanese, click here to read the very bad google english translation.
Announced the 18 May 09 the A230 had a relative short life cyclus.
—
Currently the Sony Alpha A230 with 18-55mm Lens sells for $429.00 at amazon.com
Yesterday we posted the Amazon US Top 20 chart. And today you can compare it with Amazon Germany and Amazon Uk charts.
Before you read the rankings keep in mind that:
1) Amazon charts do have many variables and are not reflecting the real whole US or Europe sales.
2) Amazon Europe has not always the best prices.
3) They are not that big in Europe
4) They have different deals than Amazon US
Top 5 cameras in Amazon Germany (click on the camera name to visit the product page):
| Position | Position in US | Brand | Camera | Price |
| 1 | 14 | Olympus | Olympus E-520 inkl. 14-42mm & 40-150mm Objektive |
EUR 490,45 |
| 2 | 9 | Canon | Canon EOS 7D Gehäuse |
EUR 1.327,95 |
| 3 | 2 | Canon | Canon EOS 450D inkl. EF-S 18-55mm IS Objektiv |
EUR 540,45 |
| 4 | 1 | Canon | Canon EOS 500D inkl. 18-55mm IS Kit |
EUR 667,95 |
| 5 | 13 | Canon | Canon EOS 500D Gehäuse |
EUR 595,45 |
| Sony cameras | ||||
| 24 | 63 | Sony | Sony A230 inkl. SAL 18-55 Objektiv |
EUR 348,00 |
| 27 | 61 | Sony | Sony A500 inkl. 18–,55mm Objektiv |
EUR 590,00 |
| 39 | not in the top 100 | Sony | Sony A850 Gehäuse |
EUR 1.697,95 |
| 47 | not in the top 100 | Sony | Sony A200 inkl. SAL1870 18-70mm Objektiv |
EUR 398,00 |
| 49 | not in the top 100 | Sony | Sony Alpha 330 Gehäuse |
EUR 418,95 |
And here the results for Amazon UK:
| Position | Position in US | Brand | Camera | Price |
| 1 | 1 | Canon | Canon EOS 500D incl. EF-S 18-55 mm IS Lens |
£569.10 |
| 2 | 3 | Nikon | Nikon D3000 with 18-55 mm VR Lens |
£369.00 |
| 3 | 2 | Canon | Canon EOS 450D incl EF-S 18-55mm IS Lens |
£482.60 |
| 4 | ? | Canon | Canon EOS 1000D EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens |
£392.08 |
| 5 | 5 | Nikon | Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera 18-105 VR Kit |
£774.70 |
| Sony cameras | ||||
| 7 | 63 | Sony | Sony A230 with 18-55 mm Lens |
£329.95 |
| 11 | not in the top 100 | Sony | Sony A380 with 18-55 mm Lens |
£468.20 |
| 14 | not in the top 100 | Sony | Sony DSLR-A200K 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera + Zoom Lens Kit (18-70 mm F3.5-5.6) |
£399.99 |
| 34 | not in the top 100 | Sony | Sony 350 with 18-70mm lens |
£499.00 |
| 39 | not in the top 100 | Sony | Sony DSLRA350 Digital Single Lens Reflex (D-SLR) Camera – body only (14.2 MP) |
£439.99 |
Conclusions? Easy, Sony seems to sell far more cameras in Europe!
No Sony cameras made it into the amazon top 20 chart. The best Sony camera is the Sony A500 on position 61. Click the camera name to visit the product page on amazon:
Just recieved a rumor from a new source. This rumor has not be confirmed by any other source.
The source says the TX5, Sony’s underwater point and shoot should be announced soon. “We can glean two things from the title. T means touch screen and since all of Sony’s touch screens are resistive they can actually work underwater and the X indicates the Exmor CMOS system, most likely the BSI R sensor.
Don’t know pricing, or specs, though, based on other X series cameras it’ll be 10mp and likely the 4x Zeiss formula in the lens, though if it’s of the 25mm variety like the TX7 or the 35mm variety like the TX1, that remains to be seen. I am personally hoping for the former.”
Send us your rumors at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com
Thanks!
Lenstip made a comparison between the two 85mm lenses. And the Zeiss clearly wins the duel!
Amazon US: Sony Zeiss 85mm f1.4 is in Stock for $1,369.00
Amazon US: Minolta 85mm f/1.4 is out of stock
I made a check up of the current prices of the Sony A850 (Body Only). In USA we don’t have any price difference. Then cheapest price in Europe is form Amazon germany:
USA
Amazon: $1,999.00
Adorama: $1,999.99
BHphoto: $1,999.99
Germany
Amazon: 1.599 €
Pixmania: 1,631 €
UK
Amazon: £1,499.97
Pixmania: £1,519
France
Amazon: 1.679,00 €
Austria
Pixmania: 1.704 €
Spain
Pixmania: 1.739 €
Italy
Pixmania: 1.714 €
Holland
Pixmania: 1.689 €
Belgium
Pixmania: 1.719 €
Suisse
Pixmania: 2.911,33 CHF
Poland
Pixmania: 7.282,06 PLN
‘
