Sony will launch two Olympus OMD alike Full Frame E-mount

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

A common misconception. There is almost no oil produced in the Houston area, but most of the world's major energy producers have offices, if not home offices, located here. Google: energy capital of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW2ORu5QGLo

Houston's economy is extremely strong right now, but I'm not able to participate it in the way I would like. It's complicated.

kuuan · Expire: 2014-12-26

the first 'rumored' low res. pic of the actual camera indeed looks a bit 'OM-D like', at least the EVF housing

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Looks like a square NEX body with an EVF planked on top, rather than a camera where the EVF is an integral part of the body. Ugly to my eyes.

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

I agree with Nordentro. I rather like its looks. I find it very illuminating that Sony is reversing the industry-wide almost 30 year trend of designing streamlined looking cameras, first begun by Canon with the T90. You could argue that the first NEXes showed this trait. But the A7 and A7r are much more in your face about it.

At the Sony rumors site, the article's author goes on to state, "All sources that saw the camera say that the A7-A7r cameras are built like a Tank. They also were surprised by the design but almost all of them will end buying it because they quite liked the camera after a couple of minutes of testing and holding."

It's the "built like a Tank" bit that I find informative. We already know that both cameras are being weather sealed against dust and moisture, and that the lenses that they will be offering for them will be weather sealed as well. So now we know that, not only are they weather sealed, but they're built like tanks. Excuse my atavistic viewpoint, but it sure does sound as if they are describing a Canon F-1 or a Nikon F2 to me. In other words, it appears obvious that Sony is targeting the Pro and advanced amateur with these two cameras. I'm thinking that they will be stouter than any of Canon's 5D-series, for example, and especially more robust than the 6D. We'll have to wait and see though, won't we?

The rumors site also reports that Sony plans to introduce "many more lenses during the next 12 months." So this might be a good indication as to Sony's commitment to release a brace of pro quality lense as well as amateur ones. But given that they are Zeiss designs, I suspect that even the more pedestrian ones will be quite good. Another rumor making the rounds is that Sony will be making available free adapters for Nikon, Canon, and Leica users. The free part seems too good to be true to me.

A comment from Sony/Japan is mentioned: : “We stopped thinking about the way that the camera should be, then we started to see a new way of the camera. A camera, no one ever made.”

You know if you've been following the rumors the way I have for the past year or so, the rumors seem to have tracked this viewpoint rather closely. When I read that comment, it made sense to me because it almost felt as if they were floating trial balloons during the early design stage. It has become obvious that, the further they got into the design, the more possibilities they began to see, and rather than put things off for future updates the way Canon (especially) and Nikon would have done it, they've elected to go all-in. A smart move, you ask me.

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

New picture! I like it, simple & small! Looks little bit like OM-D for sure!!

It is interesting, almost 65% didn't like the design when showing the first sketch!

Only 32% didn't like the design after the last pictures Wink

And seriously, this camera looks way better than any NEX IMHO

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Hmm, it's not as ugly as the sketch made it seem. The grip on the right is a good thing.

Still, I don't like the way the EVF looks like they just stuck it on top of a NEX body.

But as long as it's a good camera, who cares.

It will be out of my budget, so I hope they produce a version with the 20mp APS-C sensor from the A3000 as the A3000 is a case of a good sensor in a crappy body.

RnR · Expire: 2019-08-29

Boxy like a Volvo... but a Sonnar lens on 36mpix in a compact format is kinda tempting. Shame my camera fund is poor Very Happy

kuuan · Expire: 2014-12-26

looks alright to me, anyway what I am most curious about it now is IQ, specially how it will performs with RF wide angles

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7568 Location: Hong Kong

edz · Joined: 20 Aug 2009 Posts: 82 Location: UK

My initial impressions:

- Looks odd, very disjointed design. It's as if the design team took an RX1, glued a NEX 7 grip on and a pentaprism and thought that'll do.
- No IBIS
- Lenses are quite unexciting.
+ The rumored EVF specs look good.
+ Weathersealing on body (not sure which lenses will be weathersealed though).
+ Not using NEX user interface.
+ Competitive price

I'm skeptical about corner performance, so will have to wait to see if their modified sensor works well in that regard.

David · Expire: 2013-01-25

I'm glad I already ordered my K-3. This would have made that choice a bit harder.

cyrano · Expire: 2016-12-30

The lack of IBIS isn't great news but isn't it good to see the first of hopefully more FF digicams that will take manual primes?
I read that the lower spec model has an AA filter, the higher spec doesn't. Odd.

cyrano · Expire: 2016-12-30

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

IBIS is great tool to have, but I also find my self using a lot of time to adjust the IBIS every time I change lens on my OM-D Wink

I use to love my E-p1 as well (and still do), which was a really simple camera compared to present standards...

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

norentro, i found there is no reason to use IBIS unless its low light or big telephoto. in normal light with normal lens i just shut it off. makes life simpler.

having said that, lack of IBIS and inclusion of AA filter=non starter for me personally. absolutely a groundbreaking product, and it makes me happy to see a dial on top for analogue exposure compensation. another separate dial for shutter speed would be a huge plus for me.

bogolisk · Expire: 2011-11-18

I'm very interested in the A7. I've never liked DSLR (hate the mirror) and APS-C (weird factor). I'm primarily into portraits that's why I've been using u43. But this is FF, my manual lenses will be use as they should be. I'll primarily use this in "studio" (the standard flash hot shoe is a good thing), cam on a tripod (no IBIS), mostly at f/11 so I expect most old lenses will be good! Smile

Time to get some 85mm or 100mm lenses! Sad

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

AA filter is not a downside really, sharpening overcomes that. I've noticed that my older cameras like my EOS 450D and D50 with stronger AA filters produce output that benefits more from sharpening than my newer cameras like the NEX-3 and NX100.

Never really used IBIS and never felt I needed it, but maybe I just have steady hands. My A100 and A200 both had SteadyShot Inside and it broke on both of them, so for me, it's just another techno-gizmo of dubious benefit to go wrong.

Olivier · Expire: 2015-08-06

Sorry, what is IBIS ?

kuuan · Expire: 2014-12-26

Olivier · Expire: 2015-08-06

Ooohhh yes !
Thank you very much Kuuan. Smile

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04