Camera Labs

I don't know about the rest of you, but all these rumours about new Alpha bodies aren't just driving me mad any more, they're starting to annoy me as well. However, I found this information, which seems to have some truth behind it, and thought you might want to hear.

Source: fotomateforum.net
The Alpha 800 (mini FF camera) will be announced to the market before Photo Kina. Announced that is, I think in prototype form, because it'd be very sudden to shock the world immediatly with a fully functioning camera. The Alpha 900, will be introduced on either the 9th or 10th of September, already known dates, but this is now pretty much certain. In China, on the 10th of September, at 10:00 AM, the A900 will meet the press. It's price tag is rumoured to be 18000-19000 CNY, which would equal 2700 USD and 1800 Euro's. This info does not only come from China, also from Spain and Germany.
Along with the A800's presentation, some new Zeiss and G full frame-compatible lenses will be shown.
Furthermore, a reliable Dutch sourse, a salesman who wishes to remain unknown (don't they all?) says he has already ordered 7 A800's, which may mean that unlike my own suspicion, the A800 will be introduced directly.

Believe it, or don't believe it. It might just be yet another rumour, more speculation. Or it is an actual accurate prediction of what we can expect the coming few weeks.

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

It's a known rumor that the Sony Flagship will not be the only FF. A Flagcheap could be announced at the same time or in 2009.

However, it's more likely that for the Flasgship 2700 USD = 2700 euros

Yeah, the price was converted using currency exhange rates, so the pricing in USD and Euro's is probably far from accurate.

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

The A900 is already a mini-FF camera.......

I don't believe any of these rumors. It makes me believe that this camera doesn't exist.

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~A200 | 18-70 | 75-300 | 50 f/1.4~
Flickr

Would a better way to 'guess' from China prices be to see how their current ones compare against the $ or €?

I can dream they will produce a FF in the Canon 5D price region :p Could the A800 be it? That would be not unrealistically affordable whereas I couldn't seriously justify getting an A900 based on current rumours. Yes, I know they're rumours...

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I'd prefer anything, really. As long as it comes with a four pin FS-1100 (hotshoe adapter).

Really, the flagship is basically very similar to the 5D (Canon), yet designed around the Minolta Maxxum 7/A700.

5D: FF, Half Body, no pop-up flash, etc.
A700: JUST LOOK AT THE PROTOTYPE. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE A700. Same Grip Sensor/Grip (design), practically same button layout, same high-res. screen.


You'd think it's not the actual pro body but the successor to the A700.

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~A200 | 18-70 | 75-300 | 50 f/1.4~
Flickr

maybe the A900 is much suited to go against the 5D and the D700...

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Gear:Sony Alpha a350, Sony H9, Nikon FM-10
Gear:CZ85mm F/1.4 Planar, CZ24-70mm F/2.8 T* ssm, Sony 70-200mm G F/2.8 ssm, Sony 50mm F/2.8 macro, Nikkor 35-70mm

I think so to, actually. Especially when you seen the price rumours on some forums, they're more like the prices of those those two camera's, that the 1D series and the D3.
I couldn't afford a super professional (or D3 like) camera anyway, so if it'd be at the level of the D700/5D, that would be great. Might just buy one some time...

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

is there any way to check sony's patents? I know a lot of times the FCC has a leak in the video gaming world. it's how the gaming public knew about the PSP-2000, and PSP-3000 long before they were announced (I'm talking months) and knew it's general features. pretty sure we found out about the dual shock 3's as well that way. *shrugs* not sure of your sources or if it's the same way in the camera world but I know the gaming world tends to get a lot of it's rumors and speculation from that.

Good to see so many rumors floating though, means people are interested in sony's SLR line-up at the least. shows there is a place for them in the market. though, it is sony, there arent many markets they cant seem to keep their hands out of

I'm too lazy to check myself, but the whole idea of patents is they are published. I believe applications are published regardless if they are approved or not, at least in some countries if not all. So if there is any new stuff, you might see it there before you see it in a product. Snag is patent language is rather unique and I can't stand it! Not helped at all as I recently had to do one at work...

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Fresh news, only hours old! Read it .

Today, I had a photographic assignment at work, I had to shoot some images of my colleagues at the bookstore. Lots of fun and some nice results. However, I wanted to get a photo of myself holding a DSLR, but we only had one camera, which was mine. So we (me + colleague) walked to a camera store (same shopping mall, about 30m walk). There I asked for a camera, choose the A350 (nice, that Live View and tilt screen, feels small though compared to the A700). My colleague took some shots of me holding the A350, and as we gave that back to the salesman, I heard some magical words:

"Volgende week krijg ik de A800 en A900 binnen..."
Which translated into English is:
"Next week, I'll get the A800 and A900..."

That was my face, I guess, a shock-face. I felt a little excitement at first, but then remembered how the same salesman had given me incorrect information before, about the A700 before it's introduction. However, even though the man wasn't speaking the truth, it seems like both the A800 and A900 are available for ordering, for stores at least. On a Dutch forum, the site admin has heard from a total of 7 stores already, that they have ordered both camera's.

- Bjorn -

_________________
Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

...

The A900 has been talked about enough, but that does now raise the question, what is the A800? Will it be the A700 replacement or a cut down A900? Randomly speculating I'd guess it is the A700 replacement given all the discounts on it recently and other rumours around it.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

There are indeed very little rumours about the A800. If it would be the A700's replacement, it would probably be pretty similar with Live View, higher fps (hopefully), higher resolution (perhaps), better high ISO performance). What do you think? What would you like to see on the A700's replacement?

- Bjorn -

_________________
Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

I think you summed it up nicely. Also connected to PC remote shooting would be nice.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

The a800 could be true, I hope this has arround 16MPx and don´t 12 or 14Mpx, because 16MPx could has very good quality to high ISO.
This camera could be againt 5D MII and D700 in performance and quality and could be the high speed Pro from Sony.

I hope Sony use the 14MPx CCD from the a350 in some new model like a700, this sensor with 4fps and good image procesor and ISO 6400, could to go againt D90 and K20D/GX-20 and the a700 sustitute should to keep the 12MPx CMOS sensor with improvement in speed and ISO quality and Sony should not pass in APS-C sensor of 14MPx.

Well, soon we know...

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Samsung NX100
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS
iFn 20-50mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
iFn 20mm f/2.8 (coming soon)
30mm f/2
50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED OIS
Sony VAIO CR140F White