Sony A800?

Six months ago I would have said no. But since then, Sony has come with such a range of new cameras, some very similar to each other, that I would not be at all surprised if they come up with 2-3 new top end models by the end of this year. I certainly hope they do. I have sort of already decided that I will get the 24+Mp full frame model (I am on waiting list at the largest local store) and I am unlikely to get a 12-14Mp full frame unless there are huge benefits in doing so (something wrong with the big gun, or hideously expensive).

Having just bought an a100 this January and liking it, I would probably be more easily seduced along the upgrade path by a $1500+ FF 12ish mp body than via the current A700 or by the expected $3000+ A900. That being said, sony presumably won't call a mid-mp FF the A800, as they already use that moniker for one of their models of video-ipod competitors.

Seems like the A800 rumors may have first reached the web here?

Canon set a target out there with the 5D and until now, no one has been able to hit it. The D700 may be playing on the same field, maybe not. There would seem to me to be a fair amount of interest in a competent ff camera that wasn't overburdened with professional speeds and weight for those who might not be shooting NFL games under the lights in the rain. (Besides, I've still got my 28-70/2.8 G)

Yeah, of course they will come out with a super low noise FF camera. But not this year, I just don't think it has been planned AFAIK. Next year, maybe, hopefully.

I don't want or need 24.8MP's. I wouldnt like to spend $$$$ on new glass investment to cope with such extremes either. I didn't want the A700 either, as its nothing revolutionary compared to the Dynax 7 (135mm), but I'm forced to buy it now as my A100 is dying on me.

Nikon will have two FF cameras on the market before we have any. Maybe with this D3X camera that will carry the same 24.8MP camera, they will have 3 cameras on the market before we have anyway?! I certainly hope not.

If Sony would step up a bit I wouldn't have been forced to buy the A700. If I'm spending a lot of money on a new camera, I want it to be something that I know will last me out, sure the A700 will last, just not as long as I would want it to.

Sony's having trouble marketing, knowing who their customer is. I believe they have to expand their thinking and accept that they must recognise many different customers, not just one product and marketing thrust for everybody. Yes, they're expanding to from "consumer" to include "pro", but there's more of us out here than that.

But, they're compromised by the market impression of their own 14 mega pixel sensor for so cheap in the Sony Alpha DSLR-A350. Any camera to cost "more" must have more mega pixels, or so the market and Sony now think, hence the loss of the 12 mega pixel Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 on our local dealer's shelves once the cheaper A350 came out with 14 mega pixels. Though I would LOVE to see a simple (relatively) cheap 12 mega pixel full frame sensor in the entire line of Sony cameras, I think that Sony thinks the buying public sees it as "only 12", and pays little attention to "Full Frame" or not. Heck, Sony has trouble considering us preferring and paying extra for the the controls of the A700 as worth more money, opting instead for marketing features like live view (and why can't they put on the swing LCD from the Sony DSC-R1 if they're gonna put on an articulating LCD at all?!?)!

I think Sony is working on (a) upping the total mega pixel count so that any new sensor has more than previous sensors regardless of sensor size, full frame or APS-Classic, and (b) incorporating live view, and (c) expanding the consumer lens line with the additional focal range of Tamron and their competitors, like 18-250mm over 18- 200mm and so on, and (d) expanding their Carl Zeiss lens lineup to win respect in the professional photographer circuit. Kudos to Sony for marketing a NEW flash design in the rotating body for vertical shots - shame the head doesn't stay orientated to the capture frame, staying a horizontal flash on a vertical frame capture, though.

I do NOT think Sony is working on (a) knobs, preferring fast computerized "Quick Navigation" controls instead, we'll never see another Minolta Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum 507si/600si/650si/9/7 with direct input and readout knobs; nor (b) full frame in the entire DSLR line for the next few generations at least, which would be my preference, but the public is happy with APS-Classic lenses for now - give it 10 years, and let Canon or Samsung lead; nor (c) the "enthusiast" market, instead bifurcating us into only two groups, consumer and pro; nor (d) leading pros with on-board flash, as Minolta did; nor (e) allowing display and view of all control settings through the viewfinder, heck, I'm even addicted to image capture review through the viewfinder, but I suppose I must give up expecting a DSLR to offer that!

DSLR wise, what I want is an A750 with a full frame CMOS sensor, on-board flash, and I'll have to take live view because I think they'll cram it in, but if they compromise the viewfinder, I'll buy a used A700 instead, and then Sony will miss me as a "new" Sony customer. What we'll probably get in a Sony A750 is a 14 mega pixel CCD or 16 mega pixel CMOS APS-Classic sensor instead, probably, because Sony now feels they MUST up the sensor mega pixel size if they are to charge more. That is, if they continue the A700 control design at all! I'm not so much interested in an A800 or A900 without on-board flash, having married the much smaller and lighter Minolta DiMage 5/7/A-series cameras with EVERYTHING in hand and through the viewfinder. I'm like the ol' rangefinder folk who don't want to carry a big SLR kit anymore.

And, besides, the Internet is making "professional" a miscible category, isn't it? I wonder if anyone has compiled a break-out of people who make money with their cameras, total image sales count wise, total dollar value wise, and compare that to the cost, weight, and mega pixels of their cameras. Especially with iStockPhoto and the like, I think the word and practice of being a photography "professional" ain't what it used to be. Perhaps I should even see what the photographer's use to supply the dozen or so photo booth vendors I see at local street markets throughout the weekend.

Sony, are you listening to photographers, or just trying to satisfy your chip factory's desire for world supremacy? I suppose if Sony makes EVERYONE a Sony photographer, that sort of accomplishes both of these challenges, doesn't it?

I see that Sony doesn't really care if Nikon leads the way so long as Nikon keeps buying Sony sensors, then Sony wins - see the ~$2,600 USD street (wag) Nikon D700 full frame 12 mega pixel (DOH!) announcement: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/nikond700/

... I see why Minolta gave up and called their camera the "Sweet" in Japan, and why Canon called theirs the "Rebel" in the US. The overlap of numbers has been FIERCE, with Canon and Nikon pouncing all over Minolta nomenclature - Canon 5D, versus Konica Minolta 5D, and now Nikon D700 versus Minolta/Sony A700 ... the older Canon "Elan" 7 versus Minolta 700si/7, and on, and on.

There is no A800 waiting in the wings. Wishful thinking only.

Thats the beauty Douglas F... i'm sure sony will release the A900 to lure the pros in now then wait till next summer to release the lower priced A700 replacement possibly with full frame, (and with PenSung - Pentax/Samsung - threatening a full frame body I'm kinda sure it will happen...) just not this year. They may wait the full 18 month cycle before replacing the A700. If not, then that safely means that the A900 will be sub 2k probably at $1,900.00 body only then maybe $300-$400 more for the grip. I guess its like auto marketing. Let out the big priced Lexus then work your way down. That way you get all your money from each bank instead of everyone getting the cheap one then callin car buying quits!

I've heard the A900 will probably be under the $2,000 mark. But here: http://www.dynaxdigital.com/index.php/topic,5891.0.html there's been a discussion about a possible sighting of something that is probably Sony, but doesn't look quite like what an A900 probably would look like. If it is an experimental camera, could it be an elusive A800... a surprise for us?