sony to use translucent mirror technology in all future alpha models?

lexie

lexie

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i've been seeing on a couple of different sites that sony will be using the slt technology seen in both the a33 and a55 in all it's new alpha models, beginning with the soon to be released a700 replacement.

http://www.photoradar.com/news/story/sony-to-add-translucent-mirror-to-all-alpha-cameras

as a sony user i'd like to hope that these are just rumours, but i have a feeling that it may be true. the a33/55 look like the precursors to a raft of new slt sony models with sony looking to push the technology rather than stick with traditional dslr tech.

personally i don't fancy the evf used in slt cameras and i quite like the mechanical interface of a traditional slr shutter box. i won't need to use my camera for video and doubt if i will need a camera which is capable of crazy-fast fps.

although i'm very much an amateur at the minute i'm wondering where i'm going to go come upgrade time. do i buy a second hand a700/a850/a900 or bite the bullet and try slt if i stay with sony for the long run. the other option is jump ship now to canon/nikon and buy into a new system.

i'm not heavily invested in sony/minolta gear because i'm a relative newcomer to photography so changing would be resonably painless for me. but for others who have thousands of pounds worth of kit i would love to hear their opinions on this subject. what would you do if this turns out to be true, do you trade in your gear and go elsewhere or blaze a trail with a new technology - full frame slt in the future perhaps?
 
Sony are moving to SLT for a reason, and are trying to break into the CaNikon markets. They obviously beleive it has advantages over traditional tech.

If they are right, I can see CaNikon following suit quickly.
 
Well they'll no longer be Alpha mount if they do, or they're just going to have a greact chasm of empty space behind the lens...
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
Well they'll no longer be Alpha mount if they do, or they're just going to have a greact chasm of empty space behind the lens...
Click to expand...

Apart from the translucent mirror? :thinking:

It's interesting to see sony pioneering some new, potentially extremely good technology. I wonder how long it'll be before canon and nikon [have to] start to move away from conventional mirrors.


Sony must be in quite a good place to set themselves apart from the market. Being such a huge company with the cameras as just one arm must give them more financial freedom to experiment with new technologies.
 
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Was speaking to the guy on the Sony stand @ Focus and they had a "dummy" new 7 series body on show, which NO one was allowed to touch / play with.

The only thing he confirmed is it has a translucent mirror. He did say it will be a larger body than the current 33 & 55 seriesm and hinted the MP will be higher than the old 700, but wouldn't / couldn't give any more info out.

Will take all the current and future lenses - speaking of which the large unpainted 500mm F4 was very nice sat in the display cupboard.
 
A lot of Sony users are very worried about the move to SLT... the EVF in the A33/55 just isn't good enough to abandon the OVF options just yet. The A77 really needs to up the game by making a EVF that doesn't tear when panning and sort some of the other bugs in the A33/55s
 
lexie said:
personally i don't fancy the evf used in slt cameras and i quite like the mechanical interface of a traditional slr shutter box.
Click to expand...

IMVHO EVF's are the future. I've read that the best are already better than some entry to mid level DSLR's and they're only going to get better. As for mechanical stuff, does it really have a place in digital cameras of the future?

Faced with a choice of a noisy camera shaking mechanical mirror mechanism and viewfinder blackout or the advantages that new technology may allow and I'd pick the new stuff, not the decades old mechanical stuff.
 
godsakes said:
A lot of Sony users are very worried about the move to SLT... the EVF in the A33/55 just isn't good enough to abandon the OVF options just yet. The A77 really needs to up the game by making a EVF that doesn't tear when panning and sort some of the other bugs in the A33/55s
Click to expand...

i'll be going to the local jessops to get a good play with the a77 when it arrives. hoping and praying that it bowls me over with a fancy-dan viewfinder and a decent sized body (the a33/55 are far too small for me to use). it will need to be something special though because of the number of skeptics in the sony camp.
 
Surely a translucent mirror must cost some light at the sensor - 1 stop perhaps?
 
So if only 1/3 of a stop is going to the metering and AF system, will that mean that faster lenses are needed to retain good AF performance?
 
The Human Tripod said:
So if only 1/3 of a stop is going to the metering and AF system, will that mean that faster lenses are needed to retain good AF performance?
Click to expand...

No (well not really), one of the main benefits the fixed mirror is the AF sensors are constantly able to see what's going on, even when you're taking snaps so there's less guess work going on when tracking subjects.
 
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