Alphatracks

This will be the final post on the Sony Alpha full-frame sensor / anti-shake quandary. The first in the series outlined the full frame with anti-shake problem, while the second consisted principally of remarks by Bert Pasquale, a well-respected optical engineer.

Since several readers are sill somewhat confused, I have created some illustrations to help explain the situation.

Figure one shows the relative sizes of various sensors, They are drawn to the exact size, but since monitors and screen resolutions vary, the sizes may not be correct on your screen. The size of each sensor in relation to each other, however, is accurate.

Figure 1: Sensor sizes compared

The red rectangle represents a “full-frame” 24×36mm sensor. The green rectangle is a 17×2mm APSC sensor. The blue rectangle is 90% of a full frame.

Figure 2 shows the APS-C sensor overlaid on a circle that represents the minimum coverage of a 35mm full-frame lens. As you can see, there is plenty of “wasted coverage” as only the area inside the green rectangle will be captured. It is obvious that the sensor can move freely in any direction and still be covered by the lens.

Figure 2: Coverage of a APS-C sensor by a full-frame lens

Figure 3 is a full frame sensor contained inside the exact same coverage circle. There is no established size for the coverage area, as lenses will vary slightly. The designers only have to create a lens that will offer adequate coverage and sharpness of the 24×36mm film area, and still fit within the lens mount. Of course, the greater the lens coverage, the larger and heavier it will need to be. It will probably be more costly as well, so typically lens designers try to keep near the minimum dimension.

As Mr. Pasquale mentioned, the circle of coverage doesn’t immediately fall off to nothing. Rather, the edge of the circle gradually starts to provide lens light and become less sharp.The fall-off increases slowly until the image eventually fades away.

As you can see from Figure 3, there is little room for the sensor to move without clipping at least one of the corners. Again this will vary from lens to lens, as well as with different focal lengths of a zoom lens.

Figure 3: Coverage of a full-frame sensor by a full-frame lens

Figure 4 is an arbitrary 90% sensor. You can see that such a sensor is much larger than the APS-C size, yet still has room to float inside the coverage area. I chose this because several people “in the know” have suggested they believe this will be Sony’s answer to the problem. However, some other authorities have suggested that Sony may opt for a 1.25 crop sensor.

Figure 4: Coverage of a 1.1 crop sensor by a full-frame lens

On the other hand, Mr. Pasquale has suggested that the sensor may not actually move sufficiently enough to require a “crop” lens of any sort. That would be ideal, but until Sony announces the sensor, we really won’t know.

The final figure is one suggested by Alphatracks readers Warren Massey and LEdgars. In their comments, they suggest Sony could simply build an oversize sensor. As you can see by the rectangular outline in figure 5, such a sensor can move some distance in any direction without clipping. The idea is that the big sensor can move around and the camera can crop to a 24X36mm dimension at exposure. it’s a novel idea — but I not sure we will see it in the near future.

Figure 5: Coverage of a oversize sensor by a full-frame lens

First off, it would be expensive. As sensors increase in physical size, the manufacturing yield is less because typically there are more rejects. Even more significant however, is that an oversize sensor would most likely be confined to the Sony flagship. A full-frame sensor would be attractive to many other dSLR makers and in the past, Sony’s sensor division has profited by selling sensors to a wide range of camera makers. Would Nikon have any interest in an oversize sensor? It’s rather doubtful. Nikon uses a lens based image stabilization method, so there wouldn’t be a need for an oversize sensor.

So if Sony does produce an oversize sensor, their principal customer would be Sony — and for the time being only for the top-of-the -line, limited-production flagship. Would that justify designing and manufacturing an oversize sensor? Or would Sony prefer to invest their resources in a sensor they could sell by the truckload to other camera makers as well as their own dSLR division?

Time will tell, but I’m guessing Sony has a plan up their sleeves. It should be quite interesting!

Sony Alpha
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Last week, I posted about the alleged difficulty of using a full-frame sensor with the Sony/Minolta anti-shake system. See the post: Can Sony build a true full frame dSLR? I made critical error in my post, when I suggested that the sensor had room to move up and down but not side to side. This is incorrect. The typical 35mm image circle only needs to cover the full-frame sensor from corner to corner, so there would be no room to move the sensor in either direction.

So I was mistaken, but sometimes mistakes can be a positive thing. My error encouraged Bert Pasquale, an optical engineer (and Sony/Minolta SLR user) to write me with his assessment of the full-frame, anti-shake situation. In addition to pointing out my little misconception, he has several innovative ideas on how Sony could deal with the problem.

I asked Mr. Pasquale for permission to reprint his comments and he readily agreed. His remarks follow:

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Bert. This is exciting stuff! In camera, computer controlled gain? Falloff curve corrections. Sensor based warning that the stability could cause vignetting! Wonder how much of this Sony has considered — and more importantly how much they will actually implement in the Alpha flagship camera. Stick around. it looks like things are going to get really interesting. It looks like its a great time to be a Sony A-mount user!

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Can Sony really make a full-frame dSLR? Not will Sony…but CAN Sony really do it?

Some months back, I wrote that I expected the so-called “flagship” Sony Alpha (possibly named the A900?) to carry a full-frame sensor. I still believe that to be true, however I’m hedging my bets a little. It will be “almost” full-frame or “close” to full-frame. It may not be the actual size of a 35mm negative, however, which is the definition of a full-frame dSLR to most photographers.

It isn’t that Sony lacks the technology to build an actual full-frame sensor. Sony has the ability to build just about any sensor they could wish.

Super Steady Shot doesn’t play well with a full frame sensor

The problem is the Super Steady Shot (anti-shake) system. Not that there is anything wrong with SSS itself, the in-body image stabilization is one of the Sony Alpha dSLR’s major advantages. However, one of the Alpha’s other major advantages is that it can use the extensive line of Minolta A-mount autofocus lenses. And thereby hangs a tale.

Twenty-some years ago, when Minolta engineers were designing the original A mount glass, there were no digital SLRs and no anti-shake systems. Thus, there was no reason to design a lens to cover anything other than the standard 35mm film image.

Thus the AF A mount lenses were designed to project a circle that would encompass a 24 X 36mm area at the camera’s film plane. There was no need to cover a larger film plane, because no Minolta SLR offered a larger negative size.

Maxxum 7D and Antishake: no worries

When Konica Minolta engineers developed the Maxxum 7D, they designed an in-body anti-shake system. The system works by moving the camera’s sensor in relation to camera movement. In essence, if there is camera vibration, the sensor stays in one place, despite the lens and body movement. The same system is used in the Maxxum 5D, the Sony Alpha A100 and the Alpha A700. All of these dSLRs use a 17 X 23mm APS-C sensor.

See the problem? If Sony develops a 24 X 36mm full frame sensor, any lens will need to cover an area larger than 36mm — at least when SSS is turned on. If vibration occurs in an up and down motion, there is room for the sensor to move in relation. If, however, the sensor moves to the left or right, it could move outside of the area covered by the lens. Update: I was in error about room for up and down motion. See these remarks by an optical engineer to understand why the image would be clipped in any direction the sensor moves.

This isn’t an issue with the current Sony/Minolta dSLRs, since the smaller APS-C sensor has plenty of room to move in any direction without moving outside of the lens coverage. When you move up to a full frame sensor, however, there isn’t nearly as much breathing room.

Lens coverage varies

Of course lenses vary. Some of the existing Sony/Minolta lenses may offer enough coverage to allow the SSS system to move — but others would probably exhibit some vignetting if the sensor moves too far to the left or right. Who wants to drop a ton of cash on a professional dSLR when many (most?) of the available lenses might display some vignetting?

How will Sony handle the full frame design?

Sony can tackle this problem in a number of ways. The first could be to drop SSS for the flagship model. That makes little sense, since Sony would then have to develop a line of image stabilized lenses. If they are going to develop an entirely new lens line, they might as well design larger coverage lenses and retain the in-body image stabilization.

Neither of these options are very credible, however. As I said, one of the Sony Alpha’s major selling points is that you can use those millions of Minolta A-mount lenses. Start redesigning the lenses and there is far less reason to choose the Alpha over the competition.

The rumor sites are suggesting that Sony could eliminate any vignetting problem by reducing the sensor size. The sensor could still be much larger than the current 1.5 crop sensor, but not exactly the size of a 35mm film negative. The figure bandied about is 1.1 crop. That would indicate a sensor of something like 21.6 X 32.4mm.

I want my super wide angle lens back!

Loosing 3mm on the width and 2.5mm on the height doesn’t seem like a lot — but it will affect the camera’s ability to display the widest angle of view with current lenses. One of the biggest problems with the APS-C sensor is that most of the original A-mount wide angle lenses aren’t very wide any longer. Cropping a 35mm lens to APS-C size yields something equivalent to the “standard” 50mm lens on a full frame camera. A 24mm lens is now closer to a 35mm. Even a 16mm fisheye is will only show what you would see with a 24mm lens on a full frame camera.

So one of the prime reasons for choosing a full frame camera is to make all those Minolta wide angles truly wide again. A 1.1 crop would be much better than a 1.5 crop in this regard — but is it enough? That 16mm would now be equivalent to 17.6. A 35mm would look like a 38.5 lens.

Those differences seem fairly insignificant, but there are times when you need the widest angle of view you can get. I hate to give up even a millimeter when I am working with an extreme wide angle.

There is one other option that Sony could adopt. Create a full frame 24mm X 36mm sensor and allow the camera to use the full sensor only when SSS is turned off. Turning on the image stabilization would automatically turn off the outer ten percent of the sensor. This would give the best of both worlds. When SSS is engaged, the sensor size is reduced so there is no chance of movement causing vignetting. Turn the image stabilization off and you get the entire full frame area and the ability to shoot at your lenses widest field of view.

Taking a page from Nikon’s book?

This isn’t as far fetched as it seems. Until recently, Nikon didn’t have any full frame cameras in it’s line up, and they sold a ton of APS-C type lenses to go with their 1.5 crop dSLRs. With their all new full-frame D3, Nikon users who owned a bag full of 1.5 crop lenses faced a big problem. “Big N” sidestepped the issue of the APS-C lenses not covering the FF sensor with a switch that reduces the sensor to APS-C size when shooting with a 1.5 crop lens.

Sony could do the exact same thing with their offering, simply reducing the sensor to 90% when SSS is turned on. Of course to be truly useful, there would need to be some way of indicating the crop area in the view finder. This would probably be in the form of engraved lines on the ground-glass to show the crop area.

Would this be worth it? I’m not sure it would be worth the trouble and cost — but it would sure be slick.

If you were on the Sony design team, how would you handle this issue?

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With the launch of the new Advanced Amateur model expected this week, everyone in the Minolta A-mount world is holding their breath to see what Sony will finally unleash on the dSLR world. There are all manner of rumors, some which sound plausible, others that are so far-fetched they make Roswell and the UFO “coverup” seem mainstream in comparison,

Will Advanced Amateur dSLR finally get a name?

One thing we do know, the Advanced Amateur model will finally have a name, and it will offer a number of features not available in the A100.

I really like the A100. It is a good, even excellent, dSLR for many applications. All cameras have flaws however, and the A100 suffered somewhat as Sony’s initial foray into the digital SLR market. It inherited some limitations from the Maxxum 5D, and Sony may have erred in some respects in creating their first dSLR entry. One thing is for sure, however. Sony has been paying close attention to the A100 critics. I expect the Alpha AA release — whatever it is finally called — will offer many improvements based on real or imagined problems with the A100.

Here is my guess about which flaws Sony will correct with the new AA model:

How well as Sony been listening?

1: Lack of a vertical grip
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 100%

Easily the most talked about problem with the A100, Sony has shown both future dSLRs (that we know about) with a nicely shaped vertical grip. This was a no brainer. The vast majority of A100 users want a vertical grip, and Sony stands to sell a truck load of the new grips. The new grip will not fit an A100, but Sony shows it has been listening.

2: Noise at higher ISO settings
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 90%

The only reason I gave this a 90% rating is that unlike the vertical grip, we don’t know anything about the picture quality of the new model. Still the A100 has been criticized, perhaps overly so, for producing unacceptable noise at higher ISOs. While the A100 is as good or better than any 10MP dSLR at 100-200 ISO settings, abundant noise starts to creep in at the higher settings. The A100’s upper ISO noise was criticized by many respected journalists. Sony has to have been stung by the critics, some of which may have overstated the problem. I’m guessing that Sony will have addressed the issue big-time, but we won’t know until we see high ISO images from the camera.

3: Lack of a PC Sync Terminal
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 100%

I’ve already discussed the A100’s lack of a PC sync terminal in an earlier post. If the concept mockups we’ve seen are to be believed, Sony has already addressed this issue.

4: No tethered shooting
Odds Sony will address this flaw: ?

I have seen no mention of tethered shooting in any of the rumors I have followed in the last month or so. To me this is a major failing of the A100. You have to believe that Sony will address this. After all Sony is also a computer company, producing laptops and desktops under the Vaio name. How could they fail to offer communication between the camera and the computer. Neither Canon or Nikon manufacture computers, but both offer excellent communication between their dSLRs and computers –both Windows and Macintosh flavors. Yet the Sony community hasn’t been too vocal about this flaw, so maybe Sony has placed it on the back burner. I hope not.

5: Slow flash sync
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 60%

This is another area that hasn’t received too much criticism. Still the A100’s paltry 1/160 second sync speed pales by comparison with many of the A100’s competitors. Not every shooter needs a fast flash sync , but if you shoot action, a sync speed of 1/250 – 1/500 can make a real difference. I think Sony will recognize this.

6: Limited ISO range
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 75%

You can’t look at the concept cameras and tell what the AA’s ISO range will be. I’m guessing, however, that the new camera will exceed the A100’s top ISO of 1600. In order to stand out in the crowded dSLR field, camera makers need selling points to make their models appear better than their rivals. Megapixels is one selling point. High ISO numbers can be another. Even if most users won’t use it very often, I expect Sony would like to advertise an ISO of at least 3200 on the new camera.

7: Slow film advance
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 90%

The A100 offers a continuous 3fps film advance. The new sensor is said to offer as much as 10fps, but I doubt we’ll see that. Most of the rumors are indicating 5 or 5 1/2fps. I think we’ll probably find they are on the money when Sony makes the big announcement,.

8: No Live View
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 75%

Personally, I’m not into Live View. It is nice to have when the camera is mounted on a tripod, but for most of the shooting I do I wouldn’t use Live View even if I had it. So I really don’t get Live View and if the AA SLR doesn’t offer it, I won’t be disappointed. Still, the masses seem to want Live View, especially those moving up from a Point & Shoot camera — most of which offer some sort of Live View capability. My guess is Sony will see this as a marketing opportunity and build some sort of Live View into the AA camera.

9: Lack of wether/dust seals on camera body
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 55%

I’m unsure which way Sony will go on this one. Most serious photographers realize that weather sealing is very important. It is even more of a concern with digital cameras, which are more susceptible to environmental harm then film cameras. Still, this isn’t a big selling point at the big box department stores. I would trade megapixels for better weather sealing any day, but this probably isn’t a concern for the average consumer. Hopefully Sony will learn toward the serious lensmen on this issue, but I’m not sure the demand is great enough.

10: Body feels too much like plastic
Odds Sony will address this flaw: 90%

I’m not convinced this is really a true flaw, but even though the A100 features a magnesium alloy chassis, many commentators insist the A100 has a “plasticity feel” — whatever that means. I think Sony will address the issue, simply because the Advanced Amateur model and the future flagship dSLR appear to share the same basic body. Since Sony has implied that the flagship will be aimed at the pro sector, I’m guessing the body will be professional grade. That mean the AA model will be as well.

So that’s my predictions. Anyone have any others? Comments are always open.

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David Kilpatrick at Photoclub Alpha is suggesting that the A100 is no longer being produced by Sony. He goes on to speculate that Sony may have exhausted the run of sensors used by the original Alpha SLR and couldn’t produce any more even if they desired to.

Is the A100 at the end of it’s life?

Kilpatrick doesn’t end there. He is of the opinion that Sony will introduce some sort of replacement for the A100 along with the forthcoming Advanced Amateur dSLR.

This ties in with two or my earlier posts. First I noted that the A100 was out of stock at the Sony Style website and wondered how Sony could run out of their only dSLR at a time that most would-be buyers were holding off until they saw what Sony would offer next. Secondly I posted about the Sony Alpha test-drive being offered at children’s sports event n certain parts of the USA. It sounds like a great program, but the target market doesn’t seem to match up with that of the future Advanced Amateur dSLR.

In Kilpatrick’s scenario, Sony will off the A100 and introduce a similar replacement, possibly with less features at a lower price point.

All along I wondered why Sony was targeting the upper end of the dSLR market while so much of the action was going on in the starter-SLR segment. I’m happy to see pro and semi-pro Alpha models in the pipeline, but I wondered where Sony’s D40 fighter was.

Reports are circulating that Nikon went from a distant second to a strong first in worldwide SLR sales, supplanting Canon in the number 1 slot. How did they do that? My guess is on the strength of the D40 and D40X models, which are aimed at those just entering the dSLR market. Even the higher-range digital Rebel models couldn’t compete with the D40 on price. It’s an easy sale: I can buy a genuine Nikon dLSR for five hundred bucks.

Sony planning A100 replacement?

Most of the attention on Sony’s new dSLRs has focused on the Advanced Amateur or Flagship pro models. Sony has shown us the mockups, so we know they are coming. If Kilpatrick is right, they have also been quietly at work on a starter SLR model that can offer an upgrade path for those moving up from a point and shoot camera.

You and I probably aren’t the target market for such a camera. If Sony does go this route, they will be aiming at those just getting their feet wet in the world of dSLR photography.

That doesn’t matter. Anything that increases the number of A-mount camera bodies out there is a good thing. It makes Sony more of a viable brand in the dSLR arena and makes the Alpha line more attractive for after-market lens, flash and accessory manufacturers. Even more importantly. it will help establish Sony as major dSLR brand in the minds of the consumers.

For myself, I’m still more interested in seeing what the Advanced Amateur model offers. If Kilpatrick is right, however, it is comforting to think that Sony will be covering all the bases.

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The dSLR world is suddenly bursting with news — Canon announced the EOS 40D, Nikon reveals both the D3 and D300 and Sony takes the wraps off their new IMX021 sensor.

Still no word on the future Sony Alpha SLRs, but the Nikon announcements may shed some light on future Sony development. Perhaps…perhaps not.

Probably of the biggest news is Nikon finally will offer a full-frame sensor in the new D3. Everyone was expecting this, and up until now, I had assumed that the D3 and the new Sony Alpha flagship would share the same sensor. I’m not so sure any longer.

Nikon Designed 12MP sensor

According to this article by Ron Galbraith, the D3 will use a sensor designed by Nikon. Galbraith also says that Nikon probably won’t reveal who will make the sensor.

Since Sony makes the sensor for almost all previous Nikon dSLRs, there is a good chance that they will also make the sensor for the D3 well. Would Nikon go elsewhere to find a manufacturer for their new sensor design? At this point, Nikon isn’t saying.

This invalidates my earlier assumption that the Alpha flagship and the D3 will automatically share the same sensor technology. If Sony doesn’t actually make the sensor for the D3, there is no chance they would buy a sensor from another manufacturer. Of course, only a handful of industry insiders really know what is brewing behind closed doors at Sony and Nikon. Would Nikon license their design for Sony to use? Would Sony pay Nikon for that privilege? Or will Sony prefer to develop full frame technology that they could then sell to other camera manufacturers — as well as use in their own cameras?

There could also be a problem in perceived value if the new Alpha Flagship actually offers less or the same amount of megapixels than the advanced amateur model. Most photographers realize that meagapixels aren’t the most important aspect of a digital camera’s stature. Still, there are cases when megapixels matter, and it does seem a little strange not to have MP boost in your flagship model. Canon’s top of the line full-frame dSLR currently offers 16mp. [Update 8/27/07: The Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III actually offers 21.1 MP] If the flagship weighs in at 12mp, that will hardly be a deal-breaker. It will still be an excellent, professional camera — it obviously will be every bit as capable as the professional level Nikon D3.

On the other hand, if the flagship could offer as many or more MP as the Canon, the perceived value of the camera would be that much greater. Sony has been largely snubbed by much of the mainstream press, who lavish an over-abundance of coverage on Nikon and Canon, tossing mere crumbs to the other dSLR brands. If Sony’s new flagship were to usurp the MP crown from Canon, it would be much harder for the press to ignore.

We’ll probably have to wait until Sony actually takes the wraps off the flagship model. Interestingly, Thom Hogan, a true expert in all things Nikon, starts his review of the D3 and D300 with the provocative title: Nikon D4 rumors start

He then, never mentions anything about the D4 or any rumor. Still it suggests that rumors are already circulating about a Nikon D4. Does this suggest a full frame Nikon with more MP (possibly sharing a new high MP Sony sensor) is coming? Or is only wishful thinking by Nikon fans disappointed that Canon still has an edge in megapixels?

Nikon D300 to use modified Sony sensor?

Meanwhile, Nikon also announced the 12MP D300 with an APS-C size sensor. Sounds like a likely candidate for the Sony IMX021. This is currently a hot topic on the dpreveiw Nikon forum. On his site, Thom Hogan seems to confirm that the D300 will use be Using a variant of Sony’s new CMOS sensor…

Not a real surprise, but it is interesting nevertheless. If Hogan’s comments are accurate, it appears that the D300 will use a modified version of the IMX021. How much the sensor will vary from the standard IMX021 is unclear. Obviously, we can expect that Sony’s own advanced amateur camera will display some differences to set it apart for the D300.

This also makes me wonder about the proposed naming scheme for Sony’s new hardware. I’ve heard numerous suggestions, although Sony has given no clues as to the names of the new models. One popular, but unconfirmed tale has the AA version carrying the name A200 while the Flagship will be the A300. Confusion ahead! Nikon calls their new 12mp model the D300 — will consumers then assume that an A200 is somehow less of a camera? Will they assume that the A300 and the D300 are more or less equals? Of course other rumors assign the AA model the title of A300 and indicate the Flagship will be known as the A500. Cosy, eh? Sony and Nikon each produce a similar camera, using basically the same sensor and both carry the 300 designation. Time will tell.

Sony has yet to reveal any more information about their future dSLR plans. The new Nikon models provide at least a hint of what is to come in the next several months.

Buckle your seat belts, everyone. It’s going to be wild ride!

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When Sony entered the dSLR field, Minolta A-Mount users were encouraged. Sony had the marketing resources and promotional budget to promote their camera hardware well beyond anything Minolta could attempt. Minolta had great cameras and lenses, but their advertising budget was crippled after losing the expensive Honeywell patent lawsuit. With Sony at the reigns, Minolta enthusiasts could expect the camera line to expand exponentially. At least that was the expectation.

Sony marketing fairly quiet about the A100

Sony’s marketing of the Alpha line has been rather luke warm at best. Even their ads in photo magazines has been low-key, just a small camera image and the slogan “Like no Other.” Very little copy explaining why the camera was like no other — or why someone should invest n a new Alpha. It seemed like the general press was generating more buzz about the A100 than Sony was.

All that may be about to change. Maybe the impending release of the future Sony dSLRS has something to do with it. Maybe Sony’s strategy was to get a foothold in the dSLR market but not actively promote the line until they has a solid, multi-tier product line to offer.

Two things indicate that Sony maybe ready to start promoting the Alpha line more aggressively.

Sony announces Alpha test-drive program in the USA

The first is a new Alpha Test-Drive promotion in the US. According to this story in picturebusinessmag.com Sony has started a program to let people actually test an A100 at various sporting events and tournaments in the US. There will be a manned informational kiosk and visitors will be able to leave their driver’s license and borrow an A100 to shoot the event. Then they can return to the kiosk and print their images.

According to PBM, Sony is “organizing and sponsoring a 15-week tour aimed at arming parents of young athletes with a camera that, as Sony explains, can capture pictures at lightning speed.”

The story goes on to say that Sony “will offer this unique experience at youth sports games in Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina.”

I think that’s great. This promotion could create a real impact, since Sony is actually getting their camera into potential users hands. When those people visit a big-box electronics store, they will be less inclined to allow sales people to steer them into another camera. They’ve actually shot with an A100, they know how it feels and how it operates. Even if they eventually buy another brand, they will at least consider the A100. That is excellent marketing strategy.

More free online photography resources from Sony

The second indicator of Sony’s interest in promoting the Alpha line is a new section of the Sony UK website. The new Take your photography to the Next Level flash presentation is a interesting multimedia learning experience. OK, I’m not convinced that the concept of “aperture” qualifies as an advanced topic. So what? The initial release is obviously slanted toward beginners. It’s still a step in the right direction. It could easily be expanded to include more advanced topics, and could help the Alpha get some recognition and respect. In the dSLR market, recognition and respect translate directly to sales.

If you’ve been paying attention, you probably noticed something a trifle odd about these promotions. Both of them are targeting new dSLR users — photographers upgrading from point and shoot cameras or people new to photography in general. Yet we are collectively waiting for Sony to announce their next new dSLR, which almost everyone expects to either be an advanced or pro level dSLR.

Who is Sony aiming for with these promotions?

Thats great, and serious Sony A-mount users are eagerly awaiting the new Alpha SLRs. But neither of the above promotions are aimed at advanced amateur or pro level photographers. Instead, they are targeting the first time dSLR buyers. There is nothing wrong with that, actually I applaud it. But what camera is Sony expecting to sell to these intro level photographers? Sony hasn’t said anything about the price of the new SLRs, but if the rumored specs are even half right, it is doubtful that Sony could offer these cameras at any where near the price of starter-SLRs offered by other manufacturers. That means either Sony will keep the A100 as it’s starter model or they have a true low-end dSLR planned in addition to the two semi-announced cameras we already know about. I speculated about this over a year ago in a post entitled “What if the A100 is Sony’s low-end dSLR?”

Sony can’t expect the new advanced models to compete against the basic, no-frills starter models from Nikon and Pentax. They need their own starter SLR. Will it be the A100, perhaps with a price reduction? Or will they roll out something brand new to sell to those soccer moms and dads?

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File this under “nothing new to see here folks, just keep going about your business.”

The big technology site Engadget has just posted a article about the rumored specs of the Alpha advanced amateur dSLR. Nothing that we haven’t heard before: 14MP, possibly a 1.2 crop, a 2.5-inch LCD and ISO to 3200. There have been lots of similar rumors around, so either everyone is just regurgitating the same rumor or these are real leaked specs.

Meanwhile David Kilpatrick at Photoclub Alpha has the new model pegged at a more reasonable 12MP.

Engadget also references this site, which has information supposedly gleaned from a French site (See what I mean about regurgitation?) that has a long list of supposed specs for the future Sony Alpha. Unfortunately, there is nothing about tethered shooting in there. Arrr!

Like all rumors, you need take all this stuff with a generous grain of salt. Don’t start making room for that shiny new 14mp, 1.2 crop Alpha until Sony actually announces it.

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What is this? As this is written (August 12, 2007) the SonyStyle website shows the A100 body-only configuration as “out of stock.” You can buy either of the Alpha kits with lenses, but the $699 body only package is not available.

This could mean almost anything. Maybe Sony had an influx of orders for the A100 body and decided to fill them before re-stocking their own online store. Or maybe the kits that include lenses are selling more briskly then anticipated, so Sony opted to divert all their new bodies to the packages that include lenses. Or maybe someone in the production department was asleep at the wheel and forgot to place a standing order for body only packages and they ran out.

I honestly don’t know. Maybe this happens all the time at SonyStyle, I am not in the habit of checking availability at the Sony site, so this could simply be a common just-in-time production scheme.

Is Sony trying to play Apple’s game?

On the other hand, I’ve already compared Sony’s secrecy over their future dSLRs to Apples Inc.’s extreme cloaking of their future products. Apple users have to read tea-leaves, put their ear against a railroad track and consult the magic-8 ball just to have any clue about Apple’s next plans. One sure-fire indication that Apple is brewing up something in the near future is that various products become out-of-stock at the Apple store. When they are ready to release some new exciting product, Apple will often allow the older products to become depleted, rather than building up a stockpile of merchandise that won’t sell as well when the new stuff appears.

Could Sony be playing this game with the A100? Although I haven’t seen sales figures, it seems likely that sales of the A100 have fallen flat recently. Not because of lack of demand — just the opposite.

New Sony dSLRs are coming…Soon?

Everyone knows the new Sony dSLRs are coming — we just don’t know when or at what price or what the feature set will be. So many would-be A100 buyers are holding-off to see what Sony will offer next. In such a climate, how could Sony’s own website run out of stock on their premier digital camera?

Could Sony have ramped-up production of the new Advanced Amateur or Flagship models, causing stocks of the A100 to run dry? Does this mean Sony will at long last make an announcement and start shipping one of the new cameras?

Expect the A100 to remain in production

This doesn’t mean the A100 is about to be replaced. Both of the new models we know about appear to be a couple steps above the A100. If they were to totally stop production of the A100 that would leave a huge gap in their product line as they would have nothing to complete with against the inexpensive low-end dSLRS from other manufacturers.
So unless Sony is secretly planning a third new model to compete ln the starter dSLR segment, they will need the A100 to have a semi-complete model lineup for the immediate future.

So maybe that out-of-stock message means just that, that SonyStyle is just temporarily out of stock on the A100. On the other hand, it doesn’t take much imagination to conjure up a situation where Sony needs to temporarily stop production of the A100 to divert employees, parts and manufacturing facilities to assemble the first batch of the all new cameras. Once they have a solid stockpile of the new units. they can then resume production of the A100.

Maybe. With my ear against the track, I predict we are very close. Very close indeed. Maybe…

SonyStyle A100 body-only page

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At last there is some word from Sony on their new dSLRs. While it is not very satisfying for those of us thirsting for information on the future Sony dSLRs –at least it is something.

A few weeks ago, Rick Clancy, a Sony employee for more than seventeen years, started the all-new Sony Electronics blog. As the name implies, it is not a blog dedicated to the Alpha cameras or even digital cameras in general. Instead, Clancy will be blogging on all Sony products — and that will naturally include the Alpha dSLRs.

This is great news, because it means there finally a way for US based photographers to communicate (somewhat) with Sony. Just as importantly, the blog should be a source of semi-official information about Sony cameras, lenses an accessories.

Sony Alpha users have needed something like this for a long time. Relying on rumors is never a wise idea, but until now, Sony has declined to provide any information on the next phase of the digital Alphas. This has led to some over-the-top rumors, including one so-called writer who recently announced that Sony was abandoning the dSLR market. No official word, no reference to any source — just a bald statement that Sony was closing the door on their SLR plans. Of course he couldn’t name a source, because this is pure fiction. Sony has no intention of leaving the dSLR market, but with no official word from Sony on when the new bodies will ship, people are taking it upon themselves to make up whatever stories they can come up with. Another recent rumor making the rounds is that Sony has recalled all their lenses from dealers. Again, it is untrue, but it has been repeated in several online forums.

Which is why we need something like Clancy’s blog. When you let a rumors like these spread unchecked, a lot of people start to believe they are true. Until now, however, Sony has stood silent, providing no details, ignoring the rumors, blissfully going about their plans seemingly unconcerned about customer input.

On the August 4th edition of his blog, however, Clancy invited Mark Weir, the Senior Technology and Marketing manager for Alpha and Cyber-shot digital cameras to post on the blog. You can read the Response to Alpha DSLR Comments yourself, but I felt it important to echo several of things Weir had to say.

Sony is “sensitive to the voices of Minolta users”

Weir says “We are listening to the voice of our customers through this blog as well as other user forums on photo enthusiast sites. We are particularly sensitive to the voices of Minolta users as we look forward to their acceptance of Alpha as a strong continuation of Minolta’s prestigious heritage.”

You have to read between the lines to glean much information about the future Alpha dSLRs, but Weir does have this to say: “I want to assure you that the models are on schedule and that we are dedicated to fulfilling your high expectations for the Alpha system.”

I know it isn’t much. But it comes at the same time that some irresponsible blogger posted a unfounded entry entitled “Sony bails out of the dSLR market.” I won’t link to the post, because I don’t want to send any traffic to a loser who would post garbage information with no truth behind it. Yet, while the post has no basis in fact, it was picked up by several search engines. At least one other blog has already linked to it — strengthening the perception in some people’s minds that the Alpha is history.

Sony is still dedicated to the dSLR category

Thankfully, we have Weir’s remarks to indicate that this is far from the case — that the future Alpha models are on track and that “these new models demonstrate our long-term dedication to enthusiast photographers and the Digital SLR category.”

About the fictious lens recall, Weir says “There’s no truth to this – Sony is committed to the Alpha DSLR system and its expansion – cameras, lenses and accessories and the Minolta heritage which they share.”

Weir: “…it won’t be much longer!”

Weir concludes his remarks with the statement “Thanks for your confidence and patience- it won’t be much longer!”

I am confident that a year from now, the Alpha line will be on a much stronger footing. Actually, all of this gloom and doom talk about the future of the Sony dSLRs reminds me of one of Sony’s rivals. You may of heard of the company — Apple Computers, now known simply as Apple, Inc. For years, Apple users had to endure a stream of unfounded rumors that the company was going out of business. It got so bad that one Apple web site complied the “Apple Deathwatch” — a list of magazine articles and online opinion pieces explaining how Apple could no longer survive. According to the folks at the Mac Observer, “Apple Has Been Declared Dead 52 Times [by media experts] Since April, 1995.” The latest entry to the list dates back to 2006 — apparently the folks behind the rumors realize that no one is going to buy their stories with the Mac increasing in marketshare, the iPod continuing to defy all challengers and the new iPhone frenzy. Apple users knew all along that Apple wasn’t going anywhere, but those rumors used to crop up on a continual basis.

What has this to do with the Sony Alpha? The same sort of short-sighted blow-hards who continually tried to spread Apple’s obituary in the media are now focusing their attention on the Alpha. Until Sony steps up to prove them wrong, they will insinuate that the Alpha has failed to meet Sony’s expectations. The Alpha, they will tell anyone who will listen, is dead.

Nonsense? Of course. But the voices of reason have been drowned out by the gloom and doom of these muckrakers. Until now, trying to bury these rumors was a case of “my word is a good as yours” since Sony was mostly silent about the future. Now thanks to the semi-official Sony Electronics blog, we now have Mark Weir’s statements to use as ammunition against the ill-informed rumors running wild.

Thanks, Mr. Clancy!

Read the Sony Electronics Blog here!

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