Sony's First Digital SLR--Good News for Minolta Customers
Posted by Eric Butterfield | Monday, June 05, 2006 1:01 PM PT
Today Sony is announcing its first digital SLR camera, the Alpha A100. The 10.2-megapixel model will sell for $899 (body-only); a $999 kit includes an 18-70mm lens.
Following Konica Minolta's announcement back in January that it was exiting the photo business, this is good news for previous Minolta customers: The A100 has a Minolta A-type bayonet mount, and so will work with many Minolta lenses.
For the rest of us, here's the skinny: The Alpha A100 has a 2.5-inch LCD, its lithium ion battery is rated to last 750 shots on one charge, and the sensor moves both to remove dust and to fight blur in photos. The camera has a nine-point autofocus system and an eye sensor so the camera begins focusing as you put your eye to the viewfinder rather than waiting until you press the shutter button. The A100 takes CompactFlash cards, and comes with an adapter for MS Duo cards.
If all you're counting is megapixels, this new Sony delivers a lot for the money. Our lab tests show that a lot of megapixels alone don't ensure better photo quality over comparable cameras, though Sony also claims that the A100's new image processor optimizes dynamic range to improve detail in highlights and shadows. We look forward to testing this model, especially to see how well its noise reduction works at its highest sensitivity--ISO 3200. Many digital cameras that can shoot at such high settings deliver images with an excessive amount of digital noise.
Sony is announcing six lenses with the camera, and plans to introduce about nine more in a few months. A total of 22 lenses (mostly rebranded Konica Minolta lenses) will be available.
Would you consider a Sony SLR?
Will I consider a Sony dSLR?
Not really. For all I know, this, SLR may be an good one. Even an excellent one. But Sony doesn't have what Canon and Nikon has: a long history of reliability and excellent.
Price is not an issue because there's a Nikon and Canon camera for all price ranges. Some cheaper than the Sony's.
And for me, the most compelling factor to go with a Canon or a Nikon is the availablity of lenses. There are hundreds of these available! From cheap entry level ones to top-of-the-line professional lenses.
I look at it from a different point of view... I've been using a Sony F828 and have recently taken a test drive of the R1 but I couldn't wait for Sony to release their first DSLR; it turns out that Sony develops most of the chips/CCD's for the large manufactures out there including Nikon. The chip in the Sony R1 is the same chip, although a bit smaller, that is found in the Nikon D2X. The only thing that Sony was missing was the removable lense technology, but once they bought it out from Minolta, well here's the result. If Sony plays its cards right, I can see Sony being a competitor in the professional market in about 2-5 years.
Photography enthusiast says Canon and Nikon have the availablility of lenses, but Konica/Minolta has over 16,000,000 lenses out there on the A-mount, many of which are substantially discounted given the large market share that have gone over to Canon and Nikon. So, ya'll go over, and I'll buy your cheap lenses to use with a better camera, as their "sure shot" will give all Alpha lenses image stablization!
good news in a way but how will they go into the real camera shop not the electronic seller....will they have new lenses or rebadged minolta lenses. they will be there before PANASONIC fur sure
i hope they get help by ZEISS as LEICA is helping PANASONIC I WISH THEM LUCK
having been in the camera repair business for over 30 years, I learned to love Minolta and to hate Canon. There is not a Canon product I will buy having experienced the kamikaza mentality of this company. The Maxxum 7D was an ideal camera for the starting ametures and proffesional photographers alike. It is a pity that Minolta was driven out of the business by Honeywell, for reasons of greed. I salute Sony for carrying the torch. Bravo
Yes, I have a 200SLR I purchased in 1977, if it is true that the A byonet mounts are correct, I will be able to 22nd Centurize with this new body and my old lenz's! Yahoo!
I simply like Minolta design. I have the XD-11 film camera, G500 and A200 digital cameras and will be carefully looking at this camera for purchase, as soon as it is available. The hype seems to suggest that they have attacked some of the main weaknesses of DSLRs: battery power, sensor dust, focus, stabilization and noise. If true, it sounds great.
Bravo Sony,
Using the Minolta A mount is a good move and should ensure that your entry to the serious amateur / Pro photographer market gets a kick start. I currently use a MVC500 but will certainly by a Sony A1 SLR body to compliment my Dynax 35mm gear. Hoorah for Sony
I've been a Minolta fan since my XD-5, and was glad I waited until the Dynax 5D appeared, instead of rushing to Canon et al DSLRs, so was pleased to hear that Sony are combining their CCD expertise with the Minolta technology. Most of their other equipment is good stuff, so good luck to them with DSLRs
A - Great that Sony will carry on with Minolta-origined photo gear as Minolta was always a superlative designer of ergonomic and PHOTOGRAPHIC gear, as if their engineers actually USED the stuff!
B - Lenses? I don't want to start a war, but take any amount of money and buy new and or used lenses in any make, and you'll get more, more, more from the Minolta offering than from Nikon, Canon, Pentax, even Olympus/Panasonic/Leica/Sigma in the 4/3rds system now ... all have great lenses and a full line of lenses, and Minolta ALSO has some unique lenses, as do the others. Quantity is NOT an issue with any choice.
C - Competition is good for everyone. Watch Nikon and Canon scramble.
D - Sony NEEDS to infiltrate the professional market, like National Geographic and Sports Illustrated and so on.
E - Sony needs to marry their customers and maintaining an avenue of two-way communication. Good luck Sony!
I have been a Minoltaholic since the 70's. The equipment has always delivered excellent images and been extremely dependable. In that time I have only had to have camera repair done three times. Once because someone sat on the camera and broke the flash shoe, once because of a shutter problem and once because a shutter button fell off. Thanks Sony for continuing to use the "mind of Minolta" to give all of us Minoltaholics products that will continue to satisfy.
I wouldn't like to be so much sceptic..
I'd like to leave offside the analyse of competition and other bla..bla...
Let's think simple and let's congratulate Sony for their new entertainment!
Wishing you success, I hope you will hold on and even improve further the prestige of Minolta on digital camera Market!