Sony releases four new DSLRs
August 24, 2010 - 11:04:20 AM:
The rumors have been flying for a few weeks now, and today Sony has indeed announced four new DSLRs.
First, there are two new “traditional” DSLRs:
- DSLR-A560
- DSLR with Live-View via secondary sensor, 14 MP APS-C sensor, HD video recording
- DSLR-A580
- Same as DSLR-A560, but with 16 MP sensor
These two new cameras are direct replacements of the DSLR-A500/550 cameras, just with video recording added.
The other two DSLRs are true innovations.
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| SLT-A55V and SLT-A33 |
- SLT-A33
- DSLR with Live-View via main sensor, pellicle mirror, electronic viewfinder, 14 MP APS-C sensor, HD video recording
- SLT-A55V
- Same as SLT-A33, but with 16 MP sensor, higher frame rate and GPS
The innovation here is that both cameras feature a semi-transparent (pellicle) mirror. It deflects 1/3 of incoming light towards the phase detection AF sensors, and 2/3 of the light are passed through to the main sensor. The mirror stays down when recording images and video. There is no optical viewfinder. The viewfinder image is taken by the main sensor and displayed either on an electronic 1.15 M-dot LCD in the viewfinder housing, or on the large rear display. This is a variation of what I have described in “The Future of Digital SLRs”.
Sony's earlier implementation of Live View got around the problem of slow video AF by placing a small secondary sensor in the viewfinder housing and tilting one of the viewfinder prism mirrors to direct the viewfinder image towards this sensor instead of the ocular. This way it was possible to still use the faster phase detection AF system even during Live View. But the disadvantages of traditional SLR designs remained.
With the new design Sony has taken the big step forward to throw out (almost) all elements of traditional SLRs, the main mirror and optical viewfinder. The big disadvantage, slow video AF, has been avoided by employing a pellicle mirror with phase detection AF sensors. The disadvantage of pellicle mirrors, light loss for the image sensor, is compensated by reducing the noise from the sensor so that it can be operated at higher amplification factors to achieve the nominal ISO ratings.
The advantages of such a design have already been outlined in above essay:
- no mechanical efforts for the mirror mechanism, matte screen, viewfinder prism
- no mirror slap
- much shorter viewfinder blackout (caused only by the shutter, not by the mirror)
- higher frame rates can be achieved without higher mechanical effort (up to 10 fps)
- 100% viewfinder image is easy to achieve
- electronic viewfinder can be adjusted to low light level (especially during DOF preview), and can easily display an enlarged viewfinder image, grid lines or live histogram, etc.
- 1200 segment ambient metering
- AF in video mode just as quick as in still image mode
Sony should not stop at this point. Once you have introduced electronic viewfinders, it's easy to make them tiltable or even detachable, giving DSLRs even more flexibility.
Meanwhile, the “Advanced DSLR” previewed on PMA is not among the new cameras. It also remains to be seen if this advanced DSLR will be of the more traditional design or of the new pellicle mirror design.
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Sony releases Carl Zeiss Distagon 24/2 ZA SSM, 85/2.8 SAM and DT 35/1.8 SAM
July 27, 2010 - 07:48:59 PM:
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| Carl Zeiss Distagon 24/2 ZA SSM, DT 35/1.8 SAM and 85/2.8 SAM |
Sony has today released three new fixed focal length lenses, of which one was already pre-announced at PMA 2010, and two are completely unheard of until today.
The lenses are:
The latter two lenses are clearly optimized for low price. The lens bayonet (and probably most of the rest of the lens barrel) is made of polycarbonate, and both feature the cheaper (but also noisy) SAM micro motors. Their medium speed results in very compact lenses and low weight of around 175 g. But as seen from earlier releases like the DT 30/2.8 Macro and the DT 50/1.8, this does not automatically mean that optical quality will be reason for complaints. With such conservative designs you can still expect high image quality despite the low price.
Categories: Lenses (Sony) | Readers' comments | Archive of all entries
February 22, 2010 - 01:36:14 PM:
Sony has officially announced another lens at PMA 2010, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24/2 ZA SSM.
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February 21, 2010 - 09:36:50 PM:
Today Sony has announced the last of the lenses previewed at PMA 2009.
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| 500/4 G SSM |
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Sony releases DSLR-A450 at CES 2010
January 05, 2010 - 07:59:34 AM:
Just before the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Sony has presented the DSLR-A450 today.
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| DSLR-A450 |
The new DSLR is basically a DSLR-A550 with just MF Check Live View and with a smaller, fixed rear display. It completes Sony's middle line of cameras. There are now two lower level lines of cameras with three models each, the A230/A330/A380 and the A450/A500/A550. The lower body comes without Quick AF Live View, the upper two bodies do have Quick AF Live View, with the top body having a higher sensor resolution.
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December 23, 2009 - 04:56:01 PM:
Here are my predictions for 2010.
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Categories: Rumors, Cameras (Sony), Lenses (Sony) | Readers' comments | Archive of all entries
December 23, 2009 - 04:55:42 PM:
About one year ago, I've made a few predictions regarding Sony's Alpha system in 2009. Now is the time to review these predictions:
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New F.A.Q. entry
October 29, 2009 - 05:13:44 PM:
There's a new F.A.Q. entry titled “My camera reverts to default settings every time I turn it off. Why?”.
Categories: Articles, Cameras (Sony), Cameras (Minolta) | Readers' comments | Archive of all entries
August 27, 2009 - 07:29:02 PM:
Together with the three new cameras Sony also releases two of the lenses previewed at PMA. These are:
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August 27, 2009 - 05:00:07 PM:
Shortly after releasing three entry level DSLRs, Sony has announced another two DSLRs.
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| Sony α500, α550 |
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