[stoppingdown]

http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/sony-say...owing-down

 

Hardly a surprise, at least for me... The "lightweight" thing was just a strategy to lure customers into the brand... to me it was clear since when a lot of FF lenses came around, with almost no news for APS-C.

 

Fortunately with my latest approach to equipment I decided to have the smallest equipment set possible, and I'm fine with the things I have, a long tele being the only exception, but it was clarified that a specific APS-C design for a long tele would make a negligible size benefit.

 

I only wonder:

1. whether it's a smart move. Had Sony offered only FF mirrorless since the benning, I wouldn't have moved away from Nikon. 
   
2. whether Fuji will take advantage of the move (I'd say: yes)
   
3. whether third parties, such as Sigma, will fill some gap.
   

[Klaus]

I can't imagine that they'll stop APS-C.

I reckon it'll be about me-too products from here but then this is what they have playing for the last 2 years in the APS-C segment.

[stoppingdown]

Well, marketing language is a lie that is always difficult to interpret... will "focus" mean "only make" or "prevalently make"?

[marco]

I don't think that the A6000 was me too only. The interesting part is that they want bring FF to the mid range price level. Maybe the plan is give the people who want a small and convenient a RX cameras and the GAS driven users a FF camera. I think this strategy can work. I don't think the APS-C will go away but they will not invest so much money in it. So there will be no new lenses but new cameras. It's the sensor + image pipeline which makes the camera so they have it anyway. For most entry level APS-C users there are enough lenses so the price is the important factor. Maybe Sony is decreasing the lens prices a little bit.

[popo]

If I'm interpreting it correctly, there's some fighting talk there! Wanting to become leaders in the interchangeable lens category. Good luck with that. I think last year, even with all the contractions in DSLR land, Canon by themselves sold more units than the entire mirrorless market. Total mirrorless units have been relatively flat in recent years so are they either looking to actually increase that in absolute numbers, or counting on further (bigger/faster) contraction in DSLR land to help them land the top spot?

 

I think there can be no question that, in the consumer camera space at least, Sony are a leader in imaging sensors. Can they utilise that to make full frame more affordable? That could change things a bit. I don't think they'll get far if they play a premium only strategy.

[stoppingdown]

Maybe the plan is give the people who want a small and convenient a RX cameras and the GAS driven users a FF camera. I think this strategy can work. 

 

It can be interesting, and work, but depending on some details. Actually, FF doesn't necessarily mean A7. I can imagine an A6000-like body with a FF sensor. To me, the important thing is that the thing doesn't weigh and doesn't cost more than the current APS-C line. If they put a, say, 36MP sensor in, with the capability of cropping to APS-C (which means 16MP), it's fine. You can have the best of the two worlds. BTW: why cropping to a fixed size... the important thing in cropping is that I see in the EVF what I want to shoot, and that you don't put the cropped pixels in the raw file, to keep it smaller.

 

If FF means bodies such as the A7... well, it's another story.

 

I'd be curious to understand their rationale, anyway. Clearly, they have less competition in the FF. But how do they think to move people to FF? Hype? Real need? Actually, I think the only need for FF is shallow DoF (which is a key point for some styles) and better quality at higher ISO (a key point for only a niche, I think, a good feature for many, but not so important). Can this really move the market? And last but not least: is this a deliberate plan since the beginning, or things aren't going like they planned?

[Brightcolours]

 

 

I'd be curious to understand their rationale, anyway. Clearly, they have less competition in the FF. But how do they think to move people to FF? Hype? Real need? Actually, I think the only need for FF is shallow DoF (which is a key point for some styles) and better quality at higher ISO (a key point for only a niche, I think, a good feature for many, but not so important). Can this really move the market? And last but not least: is this a deliberate plan since the beginning, or things aren't going like they planned?

Of course hyping stuff can do that.

Two examples:

The DSLR hype. Many people were buying a DSLR because they told themselves they wanted a "serious camera". Part of those never needed a DSLR, or never got passed the point and shoot level. 

 

And then there is the silly high DR craze. Most forums are focussed on high DR sensor measurements, while most people do not get that they never will see the difference, or use the hidden-in-RAW high DR numbers.

 

So, yes, high ISO performance will be a consideration for many, even if rationally they will not need it. And that they won't even understand that equivalent ISO brings FF and APS-C close together.

[stoppingdown]

Of course hyping stuff can do that.

Two examples:

The DSLR hype. Many people were buying a DSLR because they told themselves they wanted a "serious camera". Part of those never needed a DSLR, or never got passed the point and shoot level. 

 

And then there is the silly high DR craze. Most forums are focussed on high DR sensor measurements, while most people do not get that they never will see the difference, or use the hidden-in-RAW high DR numbers.

 

So, yes, high ISO performance will be a consideration for many, even if rationally they will not need it. And that they won't even understand that equivalent ISO brings FF and APS-C close together.

 

If hype is so relevant (and I'm not arguing against), the size-factor will be also important. I mean, "mine is bigger/longer than yours". From this point of view, mirrorless will always be a loser with respect to DSLR.

[Rover]

I can't imagine that they'll stop APS-C.

I reckon it'll be about me-too products from here but then this is what they have playing for the last 2 years in the APS-C segment.

Well, the APS-C E-mount lineup is filled out decently, and of course the FF lenses are also usable. However, I don't think they'll stop innovating, and some of that will inevitably trickle down into the "budget" segment.

Actually I thought that the A6000 was kinda hot.

[stoppingdown]

"Decently" is correct, and for me is satisfactory. But if you compare the lens lineup to Fuji's, well, ... I definitely see Fuji (the corporate and their customers) performing some kind of aggressive marketing now, pointing out that their APS-C commitment is different. After the fact, I'm fine with the Sony gear I have. Objectively, having used them for a couple of years, I'm really ok. But should I start an evaluation today, well, there are high chances that I'd go for a subjective evaluation in favour of Fuji.

 

This lens-wise. Sony's camera bodies such as the A6000 are clearly superior for what concerns AF and tracking.

 

Anyway, with the newest FF commitment from Sony I expect that some long lenses, today only available only in A-mount, will see a native E-mount version... right? :-)