Sony Full Frame A7 and A7R leaked before launch?

Sony Full Frame A7 and A7R leaked before launch?

sony-a7r

Well well, it appears that the rumored Sony full frame E mount mirrorless has been leaked before launch (but of course nothing is 100% until a camera is officially announced, and as of right now, it has not been). I have had a flood of emails asking me about my  thoughts and all I can say is..stay tuned. If this leak is real you will read all about it here over the next few days..who knows..maybe even a hands on..if it is real of course. 🙂

But this has spread all over the internet like a wildfire out of control. Let us take a look at the rumored specs:

These were posted on SonyAlphaRumors:

A7-A7r Specs reminder: In case you are confused by the many rumors I posted lately here are the SR5 info on the cameras:
– A7 has 24 Megapixel sensor with Phase detecion AF
– A7r has 36 Megapixel with no on sensor Phase detection and no Anti Aliasing filter for maximum sharpness
– A7 body costs $1698 and $1998 with 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens. A7r costs $2198 body only.
– Both cameras have a fixed OLED EVF with 2,4 million dot resolution. It’s the same used by the Olympus E-M1
– AF speed is faster than the RX series.
– Takes SD cards and uses the NEX battery
– A7/A7r Body is weather sealed
– 1/8000 shutter speed
– titlable LCD screen
– focus peaking
– Built-in Wifi and NFC
– Playmemories Camera Apps
– The menu interface is the same as the RX series (and not the one used by NEX cameras).
– optional vertical grip
– New LAEA Full Frame A to E-mount adapter
– Current NEX APS-C lenses will work in crop mode or Full Frame mode (with heavy vignetting or dark corners)– A7 has 24 Megapixel sensor with Phase detection AF

 

So, if these specs are the real deal of course then this camera will be a HUGE seller and cause quite the stir. All I can say is KEEP an eye out here on stevehuffphoto.com every day 😉 Really.

You can also check out the dedicated facebook page I created for these new cameras so when they become a reality we can all discuss and share to our hearts content. 

You can check that out HERE.

245 Comments

  1. Just have to say, A99 Sony, D610, D800 and D800E. If you want all them MP. Get a camera that will really AF. Mirrorless was always about small and light. Low light and personal. It has now been infected by the MP/FF war. In the day of film 35mm vs 4X5, the answer is what kind of photography do you want to do. I think these camera Co. are just throwing things on the wall and seeing if they will stick. If you make a great camera, one for the ages, who will buy another.

    • Gear junkies like you and me. I am thankfull for all those companies throwing stuff at the wall to see if it will stick. Gives me plenty of choices. If there is only one then that one will charge you absolutely ridiculous prices for it (leica). Since there is nothing to compete with. The more the better. If you dont need it dont buy it pretty simple.

  2. I’m a little confused about how this camera is a magic EM-1 slayer. m4/3 has an inherent lens-size advantage, regardless of how small the FF bodies get. FF will ALWAYS trump m4/3 in IQ, assuming similar generations of tech (and trump in DOF no matter what). But m4/3 will ALWAYS trump FF in lens size by a significant margin, assuming equivalent performance factors. And because of this, an EM-1 will FEEL right in the hand with a lens that, as an equivalent FF lens, would make the A7 feel ridiculously lens-heavy. Thus, the superior versatility of the EM-1, in terms of reasonably available lens speed and focal length range, is an inherent format advantage. Just like FF has an inherent DOF and IQ advantage. Horses for courses. And for MY kind of courses, the EM-1 will beat an A7 any day of the week. Personally, I’m very glad I bought into m4/3. Sensor tech advances still have a lot of headway, according to the laws of physics, to make m4/3 better in terms of IQ (though not DOF). There’s a whole lot less headway in the laws of physics to make smaller FF lenses while maintaining speed and focal length range.

    • Talking thrash just shows how much you want an a7…. I dont blame you m4/3 is pretty poo

      • Now who is that talks trash? Either you are a troll, or a poor uninformed sod. Please refrain to spill waste on this forum, go poison someplace ese.

  3. This will blow the EM-1 out of the water on image quality (maybe even the leica M if the zeiss lenses are as good as the one on the RX1(r). The sensor will be better for sure.

    Really looking forward to see what the usability of the camera will be, especially the focussing system. Hope it is fast enough. On paper it looks great.

  4. I’m excited about seeing these cameras but I feel like tomorrow will raise more questions for me than it will answer. I like the looks of the camera so far, especially the metallic orange lens mount. For me the EVF hump evokes an old SLR style viewfinder – which is fine with me if the EVF performs to that standard.

    What’s up in the air for me? AF performance, and performance with rangefinder wide angle lenses. For all that mirrorless cameras nowadays can provide decent IQ in super low light, if they can’t focus accurately in that light, what’s the point. At this point my solution is manual focus, but I’d love to have AF as an option. I’m going to wait for the early adopters to investigate these points before I spend $$. If it passes the test, I’d be happy to pick one of these puppies up (and if it’s the 36MP version I’ll need a new computer too!!)

    It won’t be my only camera though. I’ll be keeping my NEX-7 as it is quite compact and gives me the advantage of a crop sensor if I decide to shoot telephoto. For all of those saying this is going to destroy the OMD EM1, the two cameras are like apples and oranges. If anything, the EM1 provides a great complement – compact fast zooms and telephoto zooms that would be impossible to design for a full frame sensor camera. I’m sure the upcoming Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 will be much lighter than its rough equivalent in full frame – the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 is a foot long and weighs six pounds. Have some perspective, people.

  5. Here’s what Lloyd Chambers just wrote today >>

    “Size and weight

    Is there anyone that still seriously insists that Micro Four Thirds is compelling on a size weight basis?

    As I wrote several months ago in those editorials, APS-C and full frame offer a vastly larger sensor at similar or lower weight!

    OK, we can show some scenarios to argue with that, but let’s look at one real-world case. Small variations are just not relevant to the core idea, which is that the weight difference is more modest than one might think.

    Compare the size and weight:

    — Sony A7R: 465g with battery and card + 120g for the 35/2.8 lens.
    — Olympus E-M1: 497g with battery and card + 120g for the Olympus 17mm f/1.8 lens.

    Wow. The Sony A7R full frame camera with equivalent lens is lighter than the equivalent Olympus E-M1 Micro Four Thirds setup.

    Actually, the ƒ/2.8 lens on full frame would have to be ƒ/1.0 (!) on MFT to be equivalent in depth of field and blur potential. So the Sony wins there also.

    Oh, and the Sony A7R has 36 megapixels in which each of those pixels is larger in area than the 16 megapixels of the E-M1. 2.25X the pixels in 3.8 times the area = more and larger and higher quality pixels. Case closed for anyone looking for image quality at similar size/weight equivalence, at least for the ~35mm focal length.”

    • Lots of fluff that says nothing really. E-M1 is the best camera release of 2013 for me, pound for pound, feature for feature, lens for lens and performance is exactly as I would want. Sony will probably come in at #2 for me unless I am just blown away by speed, usability, and IQ in 10 days.

      The E-M1 is a huge success for Olympus as was the E-M5.

      The A7 will be huge for Sony.

      Canon and Nikon continue to decline sales wise for DSLR’s every year. Fuji is just weird and Leica, well..they are Leica.

      Micro 4/3 is compelling on size and weight. The Oly pro zoom is small, sleek, smooth and 2.8 constant. Much smaller than the new Sony Zeiss Zoom which is an f/4 and the Oly is lightning instant fast to AF. Each system has its pros and cons, which is why I will own both as my #1 and #2 soon. There is much more to a camera than size. The Oly has size, build, feel, features, speed, lenses..the whole enchilada. The Sony has the sensor and nice build and size but lenses..they will not reach Micro 4/3 kind of lens options for 3-4 years, if that.

      M 4/3 lenses are smaller that any full frame or APS-C lens besides Leica M lenses which somehow are able to be made teeny tiny for full frame. 🙂 But mark my words, Micro 4.3 is not going anywhere. In fact, I see it growing even more through 2015. But who knows what will really happen. I just know what I know..that both of these cameras are the best of 2013 when looking at what they offer for the price.

    • Robert, the size comparison is interesting – but to be fair is not exactly like for like as the Olympus lens is just a little faster – and this may be relevant in low light scenarios. A Sony 35mm 1.8 might tip the scales the other way – but of course we don’t know for sure, we’ll have to wait for future lens releases from Sony to see if like for like they will be as trim as the m 4/3 equivalents. Great if they do.

      Your reference to Sony “winning” on depth of field is subjective of course. I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know by saying that not everyone wants very shallow depth of field in all circumstances. If you are using a large aperture in low light to keep the shutter speed up, very shallow depth of field may be more or problem than helpful – depending on subject.

      Personally I do like a shallow DOF for portraits and the like, but according to my DOF calculator focusing on a subject 10ft with the Olympus combo you use as an example DOF will only be just over 1ft deeper (behind the subject) than the Sony combo you quote. This may well make a big difference to you, but will be neither here nor there to others. Of course a 35mm 1.8 Sony lens would be a different matter – but then as I suggest above, it may lose out on the size stakes to the Oly.

      As to your pixel comment – well I am sure what you say is right, but for a lot of people it will make no practical difference. Cameras really have come such a long way in recent years that I imagine for many, like me, the IQ and higher ISO performance available from the best m 4/3 cameras and lenses is more than I could ever need. That said, I appreciate that amongst the keen photographers typically visiting this site there is likely a relative large proportion that would be very interested extra IQ. Still, the camera buying public at large (and I include myself this) may not see any meaningful difference in IQ so for many any difference in this regard will not be a deciding factor.

      Whilst as you might guess I am motivated to post this in defence of m 4/3, I don’t want to give the impression that I have no time for the A7. On the contrary I think what Sony are doing is great and this is a very exiting camera (even of some of its benefits might be somewhat academic for me personally) and as the system grows and matures (as it is to be hoped it will) then when I come around to thinking of replacing my OMD in a few years I will have more to choose from (assuming, as I also hope, m 4/3 doesn’t disappear as some predict).

  6. Not so crazy comparison:

    Sony A7R w/Leica 50 Lux vs. Leica M w/50 Lux vs. Nikon D800E w/Sigma 35 1.4 Art

    Now thats a Full Frame shootout I’d like to see!

    • Ok, we know that the 50 Lux + M240 beats the D800 because, the D800 doesn’t have a lens to choose from that is good enough to take advantage of its superior sensor.

      The 50 Lux on the new A7R may not work because, edge color issues and the fact that the adapter will introduce edge problems.

      So, the Leica 50mm Summilux FLE may very well provide a better “system camera” image when used with the M240. The 50 Summilux will certainly focus more easily and more accurately on the M240. Kind of difficult to beat the image quality of the M240 system, when you factor in the sensor and the lens.

      Now add the 50mm APO Summicron to the M240 and, well, you know what would happen…

      Don’t run out and sell your new M240 cameras quite yet. 😉

    • Add the new Zeiss 55mm 1.4 Otus on the D800E and things will get really interesting in that comparison 🙂

      • The Zeiss Otus blows anything Leica has to offer out of the water. We tested a preproduction model here in Germany and I can honestly say that in my opinion this is the first lens that can take full advantage of the D800’s sensor. The Sigma 35 is really good but this new Zeiss is really stunning. But it better be stunning since its retail price will be arround 4000 euro (compared to the 700 euro for a Sigma 35 and you see that the sigma gives incredible value for money).

        But with the D800 and the Zeiss Otus 55mm we are getting medium format quality and resolution (unfortunatly not tonal range) on the 35mm format. Really incredible times for us gear junkies 🙂 So much good stuff coming from various companies…. competing with each other… bringing us so many good choices. Good times 🙂

  7. I own a NEX 5N, almost two years of moderate use. I use in manual and in the first year of use I kind of lost the control of aperture/shutter because the little wheel in the rear goes in the wrong way when I try to change aperture for exemple (I need to insist to get right). So I am very worred about the resistence of the control dials in Sony. I don’t know if NEX 7 can show the same problem. Someone?

  8. At first I thought “Oh now! how could they make it that ugly?!” But in the meanwhile “I really like it. It has character!” Indeed, it’s pretty unique: classic elements in a tight, modern design. Very functional too, what in fact is a characteristic of many great designs. I’m gonna order a 7r tomorrow!

  9. They will sell a ton of these things, but probably not to me.

    I spent a small fortune this year buying into Leica and am really having a blast with the M Monochrom. This year the plan is to spend the money on upgrading the photographer (through travel) rather than gear.

  10. One amazing finding the announcement of this new camera brought about: the all around embrace of the “viewfinder”! Not so long ago, the severely misguided championed the absence of a viewfinder and the Hallelujah stretched out arms tourist manner of taking an actual photograph.

    How times change.

  11. Sony should buy the rights to the Contax name (now defunct but used to make excellent cameras – Ansel Adams used them back in the day) and brand their top end cameras as Contaxes. Contax used to also use Zeiss lenses like Sony does now.
    This would give Sony an image boost and help market these pricey cameras. Right now Sony’s name is not synonymous with high end photography ( through no fault of the product) but electronics in general.
    While they are at it, they need to outsource the design to someone that can look beyond the Lego look.

  12. The only reason I’d buy this thing would be to use my great Zeiss A-mount lenses on it with an adapter. But that prospect doesn’t thrill me for a number of reasons. I might be interested in investing in the FF-E system if Sony offered more pro-level lenses for it. But at launch there will be no constant aperture zooms and only one lens faster than f/2.8–the 55mm f/1.8. Sorry, Sony, but you’ll have to do better than that to prove these aren’t just more run-of-the-mill “prosumer” cameras.

    • Correction: there will be one constant aperture zoom at launch–the Zeiss 24-70mm. But with a maximum aperture of only f/4.0 I have to wonder why they bothered, especially since it is rumored to retail for $1200.

      • Have a look at the crp sensor 28-70mm equivalent Leica X Vario lens and the FF Zeiss f4 one looks like a speed demon in comparison from 35 mm onwards 😉

    • Yup. I’m planning on using this as a second body to my A900. Hoping the LA-EA doesn’t introduce an AF hit on the A7. If it doesn’t, then what a nice setup. I’ll put my small primes (Minolta 35/2 and 50/1.7) on the A7 and use the A900 for the longer primes (85mm and 135mm).

      • Sony`s RX100 and RX1 still have no match from competition in their respective segment and the A7 will dominate the not crowded compact FF ILC segment for some time to come. Sony does not compete directly anymore, but changes the rules of the game, segment after segment. It`s quite obvious and uncomfortable for competition. Lens wise, they still find their masters in Solms. A joint venture between Sony and Leica would make sense.

    • It may well be.

      Here’s what Lloyd Chambers just wrote today >>

      “Size and weight

      Is there anyone that still seriously insists that Micro Four Thirds is compelling on a size weight basis?

      As I wrote several months ago in those editorials, APS-C and full frame offer a vastly larger sensor at similar or lower weight!

      OK, we can show some scenarios to argue with that, but let’s look at one real-world case. Small variations are just not relevant to the core idea, which is that the weight difference is more modest than one might think.

      Compare the size and weight:

      — Sony A7R: 465g with battery and card + 120g for the 35/2.8 lens.
      — Olympus E-M1: 497g with battery and card + 120g for the Olympus 17mm f/1.8 lens.

      Wow. The Sony A7R full frame camera with equivalent lens is lighter than the equivalent Olympus E-M1 Micro Four Thirds setup.

      Actually, the ƒ/2.8 lens on full frame would have to be ƒ/1.0 (!) on MFT to be equivalent in depth of field and blur potential. So the Sony wins there also.

      Oh, and the Sony A7R has 36 megapixels in which each of those pixels is larger in area than the 16 megapixels of the E-M1. 2.25X the pixels in 3.8 times the area = more and larger and higher quality pixels. Case closed for anyone looking for image quality at similar size/weight equivalence, at least for the ~35mm focal length.”

  13. Fingers crossed:
    – weather sealing
    -leica lens mount
    -good manual focussing
    -no EVF blackout
    -no EVF lag or other artefacts
    -well organized quick menu
    -all switches with firm indents
    -good battery life

  14. Technically speaking it may be a very good camera. But design-wise it looks like shit. My opinion anyway.

    • ^^^ After all of this chatter, I appreciate your directness. I agree with you. I wish it looked like an RX1 but with a built-in viewfinder. This is all Sony needed to do. Oh well. Will there be an RX2?

      • It looks like an RX1. With a grip and an E-M1 viewfinder grafted onto it. It’s only a tool you know. I think it’s a very exciting new camera, especially the r.

  15. I can’t believe there are so many people on this post positively drooling over a camera that doesn’t exist yet or hasn’t even been tested if it does. Why is it better? What will it do to make you a better photographer? Is it faster in use so it’ll be good for street photography? Or will you have to plough through a myriad of menus before selecting the option you want and by that time the photo is gone? More megapixels mean very little as most photo takers (as against photographers) don’t need that much resolution for the use they need of it. I remember a story about Bert Hardy, a great photographer who used a Leica for his photojournalism on ‘Picture Post’ magazine, when he was challenged that he could only take great pics because he used a Leica. He then went out and did a very famous shoot in Blackpool just using a Box Brownie camera! He took great pictures because he was a great photographer not because of his camera. In fact most modern cameras or photo-computers can get in the way of taking great pictures because they are too complicated to set up the way you want. Sounds like you guys own a lot of gear and know a lot about the technical aspects of cameras, what’s wrong with the ones you’ve got?

    • I quite agree. When the tool is more important than the craftsman, then you no-longer have a craftsman. This camera, however good it turns out to be, will make none of us a better photographer, it will merely allow us to realise a vision more easily. If you don’t have the vision to begin with, you’re up the creek without a canoe!

    • I agree, gear doesn’t matter. But light gear does I’ve been waiting for a digital camera similar to my old AE-1 that doesn’t weigh 5 pounds with a lens that weighs 3 pounds and resembles a rocket. This looks pretty nice.

  16. FF is king. Not many purchase options are left after the introduction of these Sony Alpha 7 cameras. (Ok, I am not speaking about wildlife/sport, but almost anything else). You either buy one of these, or you can wait for the A-mount version, which really enhances the lens repertoire.

    Personally I do not like to fool around with adapters and armada of lenses.

    I hope Sony will not be replace these by a new model every year, and gonna give the line a minimum 3-year span. If you have to change your camera yearly, there is something wrong with the maker.

    • You don’t have to. Who says you do? It’s only your own compulsive gear buying syndrome. Why not go out and take some (interesting, postcardlike, or just plain boring) pictures with whatever piece of junk you’ve got now, and bought a year ago because it was the next best thing?

      • It looks like you love to give people hints on what they should do instead of taking pictures with your junk or whatever

  17. I really can’t see any reason for all the complaints. No IBIS, ugly design, etc. I guess you can’t win them all. I love the looks and I know as a fact that this thing is about to change the market in a big way. I have to say for myself, I don’t really need full frame or mirrorless and have my eye on the Pentax K3. Of course, I’m going to wait a little while because I believe that Ricoh/Pentax will be releasing their own full frame mirrorless next year and it WILL have IBIS. Anyway, this thing is going to sell like hotcakes, no doubt about it and I can’t wait to read Steve’s review. Bravo Sony!

  18. Telling the DPReview hasn’t posted anything. It means they have a prototype or production model in testing and have agreed to stay silent about it. Must be the real thing!

    As for the design, neither Nex 7, Leica M, or Fuji have a viewfinder in line with lens. This is only relevant if you have a mirror box anyway. Antiquated notion. I love symmetry as much as the next guy, but I think camera’s can be beautifully crafted and very useful without a viewfinder immediately above the lens.

  19. Im gonna toss this out there and see how it floats, but…….. Am I the only one that thinks its ugly? Second to the Hasselblad Lunar?

  20. +1 looks horrible, an realy ugly camera design!

    I really liked the NEX-7? Sony, what happend to your design department?

  21. Hey Steve, thanks for the teaser! 😉

    Help me understand why the E-M1 is a more versatile system. Do you mean a FAR more versitile or just slightly more due to more lenses?

    I mean, being able to use more than 25 AF native E-mount lenses (21 + 2 wide adapters + 3 sigmas + 3 Zeiss soon + 1 tamron incl. the new FE glass). Then we have the Alpha/Minolta range of AF lenses (that takes the count beyond the mFT range) via the use of an upcoming FF adapter much like the E-M1 and Fourthird glass. All this is quite versatile in my world. Only a tele native prime is missing if you ask me

    Then I haven’t mentioned all legacy and rangefinder glass that can be used at the intended focal length.

    Fair enough, the E-M1 is a fantastic camera if it crosses all your subjective boxes, but from a objective perspective, the A7/A7r are probably the most fantastic cameras we are about to see so far this century IMHO (maybe I’m just a victim of hype 😉

  22. Wow, I am so surprised there are such strong opinions without a formal spec, image, feel or display of what it can actual produce and feel like in real time use. This rumour is from the Sony execs in a hope to capture the OLY EM1 GAS market before they spend their hard earned on a proven performer.
    The good news is that the big guns are hearing the photography world clear, a light weight package with the high end SLR capabilities is the future. Each year gets closer to this. Will it get there? Ill stick with my EM5 until it does. So I hope it has a 5 year life span.

  23. I feel like some people are forgetting that there are only a handful of cameras in this market…all from 1 manufacturer really.

    Interchangeable lens full frame mirrorless cameras, are what we are talking about here…..not M 4/3.

    Sony makes the D800 sensor, do you not think that the 7r will have output quality at LEAST as good as their previous 36mp sensor? Of course it will.

    Oh…and the body costs £1200…
    D800E £2400, literally DOUBLE in size, weight and price.

    M240 is *cough choak* SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, and also just like the A7/A7r has no IBIS 🙁 Sad day, yet these are some of the best cameras on the planet.

    So we have a camera with a tech level between a camera loved by anyone who can afford one, FACT..and a camera that produces the best (arguable) images in the full frame digital world.

    FOR AROUND 1K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If the above doesn’t make your jaw drop…..you are crazy!!! Paint it pink and I wouldn’t care…it’s incredible. Thank you Sony…I can stop buying cameras after only the 3rd one i have to buy in my life! WOOohOOO!!!

  24. Steve, I look forward to hearing what you say tomorrow 🙂 Its a shame these E mount cameras do not have the Olympus 5 axis IBIS, maybe the rumoured DSLR shaped body will have it, but I suspect IBIS is technically impossible for the FF sensor due to the size of the E mount, but I’m sure the new A mount cameras will have the Olympus IBIS when they are announced in a few months time, and if the rumour of the shifting sensor is correct you will be able to attach any lens via an adaptor and it will auto focus, even if its a manual focus lens, now that will be revolutionary, both Canon & Nikon need to wake up!

  25. I just received my Olympus M1 last week, and I’ve been shooting it primarily with the Lumix 25mm and Olympus 75mm lenses. Hands down, it’s the finest camera I’ve ever shot with in the past 40 years.

    It handles like a dream, is relatively small & light, and the photos are impeccable. It’s really difficult to take other than superior photos!

    I’m not a Sony hater; I cherish my RX100 and I’m seldom without it whenever I’m traveling. However, I don’t think the the the A7 will match the M-1 for versatility and overall quality for several years. The lenses aren’t there and, especially when the 12-200 f2.8 zoom is released in about a month, it will be hard to find fault with the M1. I can cover about 98% of my needs (and I suspect most others’ needs) with a light camera with 2-3 ultra high-quality lenses, shooting at ISO 1600 or below. And further, I can do it for about $3500 with all 3 lenses, which is the cost of the A7 with one truly high-quality lens.

    And yes, I’ve owned several DSLRs, but the sheer size and weight makes them unusable for me either for travel or street shooting. I fear that the A7 will suffer from the same critical flaw; I doubt that the lenses will ever be small and light enough to pose a serious threat to the M-1 for dedicated GAS fans that use our cameras heavily.

    Like many other of Steve Huff’s readers, I suspect, I’ve been shooting with a M5, the RX100 and a Nikon V1 system. Since adding the M1, I’ve sold off the most expensive V1 lenses and I plan on “loaning” the stripped-down V1 with the 10mm and 10-30mm lenses to my daughter and son-in-law to use to photograph my grandson which is on the way. I think that the true losers this Christmas will be Nikon & Canon; why consider their DSLRs or smaller camera when you can have the M1, the A7 and/or the RX100? For this Christmas season, Olympus and Sony are the only two viable brands in town!

    • I tend to agree with everything you said above, with two important caveats:

      1) Over the long haul, three things are happening: a) smartphones are getting better sensors and will utterly dominate the compact camera market; b) mirrorless cameras will eventually replace (or at least usurp) the DSLR; c) the trend is already moving towards bigger sensors in smaller (mirrorless) cameras.

      Eventually, I think pressure from the smartphone below, and larger sensors in smaller bodies from above, is going to eliminate either M4/3 or APS-C. I think one of them will survive in the middle ― between camera phones and smaller full-frame cameras ― but over the long haul I think one of them will go away. Given that only Panasonic and Olympus support M4/3 … and that Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Pentax and others continue to actively support and develop technology for APS-C, well … draw your own conclusions, I guess

      2) As I mentioned in a post above, according to CIPA, mirrorless cameras account for 20% of the total shipped units of all interchangeable systems, and about 16% of the revenue of all interchangeable lens cameras. The rest is DSLRs sales, primarily Nikon and Canon (this still affords Nikon, for example, an opportunity to hang back and see what the competition does with mirrorless, while planning their own strategic response).

      So saying that Olympus and Sony are the only two viable brands in town is a long way from the current state of the actual market.

  26. A new excellent 4/3 sensor in the newest Olympus/Panasonic offering and a new excelent FF sensor in the newest Sony one. This is a great year for mirrorless -better CaNikon moves FAST.
    Me, I would like to put one of the new Sony next to my E-M5 system for the few occasions I would like to play with 135 format…

  27. I’m happy with its look, though not super inspiring, but obviously the designers has taken the advantages of RX1 into A7 body. Together with RX1’s user interface, I can imagine how handy and easy on the operation. The evf hump on middle top will be a forever argument, hope it will come with a big and crystal clear LCD screen (match the level of xperia phone standard!), so that this design can really make sense.

    As I have been following SAR about this camera for quite awhile, SAR reported there were several prototypes, sure the NEX-looking prototype lost to this one at the end with some reasons, let’s wait for a few days and the stories of making-of should be surfaced.

  28. Is that a detachable grip? Is that an off-centered lens from the “EVF prism hump?” What happened to the industrial designers who worked on the RX1? Where is the continuity in kick-ass refined classic design that has happened to Sony in the past 2 years? I truly hope this is a hoax because the body shape is utterly uninspiring… if you want to be a Leica killer you are gonna have to do better… If you are gonna be a D800 killer you may have a tiny chance with a grip and some serious lenses…

    • Even though it is still rather early to confirm, I kind-a agree with you. I was so anticipating this camera after the RX1 but, the more I look at it, the more I think Sony rushed this design. It reminds me of how Fuji, on the success of the X100, rushed the X-Pro1. Recently I just bought the X100S, and I love it so much. Most of all, I love the hybrid viewfinder in the X100S. I don’t care how great this Sony A7 is, it would be an adjustment for me to go purely EVF. Yes, yes, yes, for so many reasons I want this camera, but with the rushed research and development, and with only an EVF, I am going to have to think long and hard about this purchase. As much a I love Zeiss lenses, should I just wait for a Fuji FF compact? You know it’s coming but this is the question…

      • I don’t really see it that way. They’ve already gained experience with NEX-7 and RX1/r, I feel it is much different than the X100 that Fuji brought out. I’m sure it will have a few bugs (as most cameras do), hopefully they are fixed through firmware. If it works well with legacy wide angles and has decent high ISO performance, it should meet the requirements of the consumers looking for a camera like this.

    • Well, when I look at it I clearly see the RX1 and a nice attached EVF. The only thing that seems a bit outside the RX1 design language is the grip but I bet you will appreciate it in the hand. Also, I hear that there will be a vertical battery grip that marries nicely with the cameras.

      They basically took design queues from the old Minolta XG. Not a bad thing.

  29. I think it looks bad a*s! Definitely not a “chick” camera. I’ll wait for the reviews to come in but already considering selling my NEX7 and buying some legacy lenses.

  30. It’s not an E-M1 killer, You can’t talk a m4/3 fan out of their love for small light primes. It is a NEX7 killer, and possibly a X Pro1 killer. Wait for Trey Ratcliff’s announcement later this week.

  31. This is what market disruption looks like. At these prices this will shake things up a lot.

    First, I expect the IQ of these to be class leading…and even better than the Nikon D600/610/800/800e. Why? Because these are next generation sensors, and Sony didn’t stand still.

    Two, these prices should put some pressure on Canon and Nikon FF equipment. The A7 really smashes the D610 and 6D. Cheaper, lighter, smaller…what’s not to love?

    And then there’s the A7r at $2199 which should compare very favorably to the D800e at $3299. Again, cheaper, lighter, smaller…

    Now granted the lens selection is not there yet, but it’s a pretty good start…and who would buy a whole suite of lenses at the onset anyway? Most people just want to buy one or two lenses and start with that. The rumored launch selection of lenses is more than adequate. And of course, one can use other lenses from other vendors, with adapters.

    So we will have the best IQ in a very small, lightweight package…at a very competitive price. Kudos to Sony for really going for it.

  32. Can’t make everyone happy. I like the design personally and thinking that viewfinder eyepiece doesn’t really stick out as far as everyone thinks. I think Sony has had plenty of time and experience with NEX and RX to get pretty close to what everyone wants with this A7/R. If they don’t play well with wide legacy glass, I’d be SUPER surprised. My thoughts is that it still will not topple the sales of D4s or 1DX cameras, but for landscapers, enthusiast, and perhaps photojournalist, it should fit very well.

    I’d really like to get the A7R, but not sure my three year-old Macbook pro can deal with those large files. It already struggles with my D600 files. The A7 with phase detection focus might be more suitable for me.

    Any bets on when they’ll start shipping? My bet is end of November.

  33. A few weeks and the same cameras with Olympus on the front may make an appearance as the OMD E-M11.

  34. There is currently a market for m4/3 , APS C Mirrorless and SLR, and full frame which up till now had to be SLR or Leica if you want interchangeable lens. It seems to me that m4/3 is probably the market least threatened by this new camera. For many people, including some pros it seems, there is no need for IQ any better than the best m4/3 can now offer. I have bought into m4/3 for the small size and great lens selection, and whilst Sony have worked wonders on shrinking APSC and full frame bodies the lens will always be bigger than like for like m 4/3 lens. So while this size advantage remains for m4/3 it is harder to see what advantage APSC mirrorless has to offer over full frame mirrorless (except price for now). Also those full frame SLR users who really wouldn’t consider m4/3 as an option do now have a mirrorless option. So whilst I don’t doubt some potential EM 1 customers will go for the A7 instead, I think the APSC and current full frame makers may have more to fear than m4/3.

    • “Sony have worked wonders on shrinking APSC and full frame bodies the lens will always be bigger than like for like m 4/3 lens.”

      I’m not sure this will always be the case. Fuji’s XF lenses — while in several cases larger than the M4/3 lenses from Oly/Pany — are a LOT smaller than what Nikon and Canon have been producing for their DSLRs.

      I think ALL the manufacturers need to be wary of the disruptive trend Sony is leading right now; that is to say, full-frame sensors in smaller, mirrorless bodies.

      • It will certainly be an interesting if full frame lens sizes can be shrunk down further. It will still be true that m 4/3 IQ will be plenty good enough for most (me included), but faced with two camera systems essentially identical in every respect save for sensor size, then I imagine I might well end up with the larger sensor even though I do not “need” it.

        Apologies by the way that I seem to have ended up with two names on here – wondered why my first post required moderation – mistyped my name.

      • Scrolling through the more than a hundred comments up to now, I wonder why all you gear geeks and compulsive buyers aren’t actually out (or in) taking photographs, with the last “awesome” piece of equipment you hastily pre-ordered and then got stuck wit?

        Oh well.

        This one does seem to be quite near the optimal: reasonably small, not too light, a grip!, all the controls you need on the body, not in some menu, probably a great sensor, especially the R, interchangeable lenses and a reasonable selection of primes (24 and 85 sadly lacking), unfortunately no viewfinder but some sort of video display.

        Would like to try one out…

  35. Mitsui/Sony “Ziabatsu” will crush m4/3’rds and Fuji.. simple Japanese dominance in optics/electronics.

    • No. They simply seems not capable to offr the sleeve of excellent primes that m4/3 has, simply because they are NOT dominating in the optics camp. So prolly they will be coexisting – who says there can be only one? Look at CaNikon…

      • Hello fanboy! M43 have an exelent line up of prime lens , but they are far to be all optically exelen. Except oly 12&75 and maybe pana 20 (mostly because of its price) they are pretty in the middle (but mostly well priced)

      • Well they are propping up everyone here’s beloved Olympus, think about that for a minute about what that actually means.

        • We are all on Olympus payroll. I’m presently posting this from the gold plated iPad they gave to me, from the inside of my Lincoln limousine while two top models feed me beluga caviar and vodka from a goblet made with a Nikon executive CEO skull.

  36. That has to be one of the ugliest cameras I’ve seen in a long time! they’ve taken a relatively pretty RX1 and some 5 year old has glued a grip on it…:) The EVF sticks out the back quite a distance too. that said, I’ll almost certainly be buying one! Not for the Sony lenses, not even for all of my Leica lenses. But just because the mere thought of what this thing could do with my 50mm Summilux makes my wallet quiver with equal fear and excitement! 36MP, no AA, the best EVF (even if it does stick out) on the market! Its not a system camera for me, that’s the EM1 hands down. But for jaw-dropping IQ, for sublime luxurious rendering with only that one lens, this has to be IT..!

    • I think it is damn attractive and reminds me of the old NIkon film cameras with a modern twist. VERY cool. What did you want? Another NEX design? In any case – this and a Leica 50 Lux..should be…AMAZING. Leica lens sales may see a hug increase. 🙂

      • Personally, I think the industrial design of these Sony cameras is absolutely fugly (Giorgetto Giugiaro it ain’t) … but then I think the OM-D E-M1 looks awesome, so what do I know? 😉

        But, at the end of the day, form follows function, and if the tech and operational controls work well, that’s what’s going to matter most to consumers.

        36 megapixel, full frame mirrorless camera. Here comes more industry shake-up… I hope Nikon and Canon have solutions in development.

        And as I’ve said so many times before, what does this mean for the future of small sensor system cameras, when large sensors are being placed in bodies with ever smaller form factors. Yeah, these lenses are bigger, but they may solve that issue eventually, too.

        Notice the prices are coming down, too.

    • nicest looking camera I’ve seen in a while. Form follows function. Large EVF moved up to give space for a larger LCD. It feels like a refined product using what was learned from designing the Nex 7 and the RX-1. The control is looking good as well since it’s based upon the Rx-1 which is excellent.

  37. This is amazing, if the quality is there, then these cameras will change the market. i’m going to sell buy 7D which is my back up and buy one of these. For my purposes I need the phase detection speed. I think I will wait for Steve’s review as he hasn’t let me down so far, my RX100 is a little ripper. I look forward to the next few weeks reviews. Mark (Australia)

  38. I wait to see the review…. Love that its got some built in weather resistance…. if the IQ is up there…. and with Sony sensors I’m sure it will be…. then this is a serious shot across the bow of the DSLR makers… I’ve got me a D800E heavy as heck and they still want 3299 for it….. if the image quality of the A7r is as good then I don’t see how prices don’t fall like a rock….. and at $1700 or $2200 for these Sony’s why would anyone buy a D610 anymore?

      • Sure Nikon has a huge selection of lenses. But one can use third party lenses with adapters with these new Sony cameras. Also, very few would want to purchase more than one or two lenses to start with. It’s not like someone is going to buy 12 or 20 or 50 lenses right at the start.

        Over time the lens selection will get better. But I agree with crinosil…for many these cameras will negate the desire to purchase a D610 or D800/D800e.

  39. Plus 1 to mark. I too don’t get why no IS is such a deal breaker. A bonus yes but not a deal breaker. I imagine there may be a few photographers whose shooting method exclusively exists in a world of dark seedy bars, evening streets or musty cupboards and need all the help they can get, but for the majority of shooters I’ve come acros IBIS does not make or break the camera that is chosen.

  40. I’ve got that feeling, you know the one……excitement mixed with loathing at spending more cash 😉

    Probably the most excited I’ve been by a new camera release in quite some time. I’ve had the “CAPEX” signed off…….hoping Steve has his hands on one asap.

    • I agree this is exciting, it’s not the sort of camera people should be sitting around bemoaning the lack of Sony lenses, it’s a camera for people who have under utilised full frame glass sitting around from the past decades.

      It’s going to be seriously hard to resist.

  41. Just wondering why my replies always get put at the bottom of the comments instead of below the comment that I am actually replying to?

  42. I find it comical that everyone was begging Sony for a full framer but when it doesn’t have this or that it’s a deal breaker. It is amusing that photographers can no longer live without image stabilization and yet legacy glass was used to take fantastic photos and without IS, imagine that. Of course IS is a nice advantage to have but necessary, NO.

    • can you believe it? many people just burned a big pile of money for their E-M1 with the new zoom. now this. i get it, when these now point out: “no IBIS (like mine)”

      *dugh* same old, same old… when will we ever learn?

  43. What’s this obsession with having VF in th middle? There’s no mirrorbox, so why mimic SLR? On another note it’s rather ugly – unfinished a bit, like glues nex, rx and e-m1

    • Its so left handers and right handers are equally inconvenienced. Or even simply if they are coming from a DSLR they will not be inconvenienced any more than in the past.:)

      • Wait…What? The shutter button is still on the right side, so how would the EVF positioning have a difference for left-handers?

    • +1 That is exactly what it looks like — glued pieces of the NEX, RX1 and E-M1. But if the size comparison is right and the IQ is really great, I still might be tempted to buy one — ugliness and all….

  44. Well, I’m really not into the looks of this one – the VF, grip and knobs aren’t integrated in the design, but rather look as if they were just added to the body afterwards. A pitty. But as they say: “the right horse always has the right color”. So I guess I will learn to love or at least apreciate it in time. Because with those specs, this is the camera that I have been waiting for to complete my -7. I’ll call my dealer tomorrow. This is gonna be my NEXt camera!

  45. I think this camera will for sure bring out the haters….it’s a Sony afterall.

    I’d order mine tonight if I could.

    Full Frame
    Tiny
    Great sensors
    ummmm…more glass…use adapters and get over it?

    It’s perfect….ugly, but it’s a camera not a automobile or life partner so who really cares how it looks.

    GO SONY GOOOOOOOO

  46. RIP to any care of having a leica ever again. This, and a few zeiss leica mounted lenses until I can afford a Leica 35 and 50 and Im in absolute HEAVEN. D800, was nice knowin ya

  47. What an ugly camera.
    As if NEXs weren’t already so.
    But apart from that, will they bite some of Leica M’s cake?

  48. The main piece of information I am waiting for, is to see if the A7 works well with wide Leica lenses. IF so, then I’m in!

  49. Man, don’t change the design, just let it be like the RX1 with additional EV and make the camera with interchangeable lenses. This hump on top doesn’t suit here at all!
    Oh yeah, and drop the price please!

    • I’m with you on the hump.. I wish it was more like the RX1 or an M. I personally don’t like the VF in the middle of the body. Wish they would ditch the grip too because that cheapens the look.

      • All cameras are hunks of black plastic and metal…ok sometimes silver’ish.

        The best looking camera ever invented in the history of earth, doesn’t look THAT much nicer than the ugliest one…which is the Minolta 7000 😉

      • Yes, thanks! I loved the RX1 design, and I actually liked the way it looked with the clip-on EVF. The only thing I was asking for back then was interchangeable lenses. If this one is real then I would be a bit disappointed. Also, the grip is just looks cheap, the whole luxuriousness of the RX1 got lost all of a sudden.. 🙁

        • Sony is NOT an aesthetic camera designer…they just don’t get it. They could have done a lot worse…it could look like a NEX. 🙂

  50. A7 with 24MP FF, integrated 2.4Mio dot EVF, 28-70mm zoom, 1/8000 max shutter speed, weather sealed, phase detection AF and all for USD 2000. Oh boy, comparing this to the 16MP, aps-c, 1/2000 max shutter speed, USD 3500 Leica X-Vario (with EVF2) will be considered utterly unfair.
    I want this A7r.

  51. you just wrote:
    “The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Full Review. The most versatile Mirrorless Camera ever.”

    knowing, what is coming 🙂
    In two days you will have to rewrite this title :-)))

      • Versatile is in the eye of the user, but I can see how you would come to that conclusion Steve. I think the E-M1 completely defeats the purpose of m43’s (in my opinion) it is a try hard ‘mini-DSLR’ that costs as much and in many ways still lags behind. The also rumoured GM1 makes far more sense for m43’s, in my opinion, which are my own. No doubt the E-M1 is a great camera, I just don’t see the point in it.

        • +1
          and the cost of these new m43 bodies are just too high. I appreciate quality and all but really it’s silly that apsc sensor dslrs are cheaper… I’m sure the em1 is a great camera, and with respect due to Steve for all his work, it’s still very hard to justify the cost..em1 is £1300 – canon 6d is £1400. I know where my money rather be…

          • NO the cost of m43 is just too high ! I’ve just been playing with a olympus Em-1 for the last 3 days, and believe it is worth every penny ! Even if it is a smaller sensor than APS it worth $$$ more than any off them. The speed performance, wheather sealed body, the controls that you get ( buttons , dials ring ) IBIS will surpassed the sony A7 , and that’s what you pay for. Put this extra qualities on a Sony A7 it will cost 2600 $ not 1700 $ and put it on a NEX and it will cost 2000 $ People have to stop thinking price = sensor size… it is not ! By the way i have just sold my Canon 5D MkII for that EM-1 !

          • Emotionally, I’m all over the new OM-D E-M1. And I love the tech and the feature set. Really love it a lot.

            Still, the little voice in the back of my head says it doesn’t make sense to invest in a M4/3 system that within 4 years will have been largely usurped by cameras of a similar size and feature set with bigger sensors.

            So right now it’s a right brain vs left brain thing.

            Updating every 4 years ― as the camera companies would have us do ― is an expensive proposition for most people at these sorts of prices. Gone are the days (film) where you’d plunk down your money and the camera would last you 8 to 12 years (or more).

            Did I mention that I really love this new Olympus OM…? 😉

          • Robert I’ve been owning 5D mk II and III , olympus Em-5 , fuji x100S and now working with the EM-1( with pana 12-35, 35-100, 25 1.4, Oly 45mm and 75mm ) for the last 3 days on a movie set, believe me i never seen anything that responsive and intuitive ! I’m in love, never happen with another camera before. I could return it if i want … i won’t !
            I do 50 000 photos a year with a camera , so i don’t mind changing it each 2 years. 16 Mpx with a good 6400 Iso is enough for any magasine, newspaper billboard or poster. But having the freedom to work with that lite equipement all day and shooting 80 % of the time with the rear LCD without a monopod… It is priceless for me. But i will still buy a Sony A7r with primes for other works that i do. Bye bye DSLR ! No more of that archaic cameras in my life ! thank you Oly and Sony !

          • When the laws of physics change, and equivalent quality FF lenses are the same size as m4/3 lenses, then I’ll feel bad about my EM-1. However, assuming the laws of physics aren’t going anywhere, my big m4/3 EM-1 will always weigh less than an equivalently configured (tiny) A7. Just remember, IT’S THE LENSES!! M4/3 just keeps getting insanely better in this regard. No Sony magic will make up for that.

          • Robert, Yes

            I made myself a ” Blimp ” for the EM-5 with a small pelican case. But outside from a distance it is quiet enough without the blimp. I sold my Jacobson blimp for my 5D. I’d rather have the possibilty to reach closer to the movie camera with the LCD instead of the EVF and still fast AF without losing it after each shot like a DSLR i’m able to shoot without disturbing others surrend me and i’m not blinded by the case that way. My blimp is much smaller than the Jacobson and the small lens and tube, give me the possibility to shot with my full arm stretch. Plus i don’t need no monopod like before when i use my primes cause the excellent IBIS. So the EM-1 replace the EM-5 in my blimp. But i will buy a sony a7 35mm and 55mm for the portraits works on movies. I will sold my 5D mk3 lenses and fuji x100s. Don’t need those anymore !

      • I think your right Steve ! The only thing that the A7 as more is a bigger sensor and that’s it ! Every thing else the EM-1 as better, quality and performance for sure. Plus i prefer have the combo 12-40, 40-150 f2.8 than the 24-70, 70-200 f4 cause that will still be too big for the small camera, like the NEX system is. I think the only fields a A7r is more a suitable camera than the EM-1 is for architecture, landscape and art gallery printing but for anything else the EM-1 is a more versatile camera, The Sony A7 looks pointless to me compare to A7r or EM-1.

        • And Don’t get me wrong ! Even if i purchased the EM-1 with 2 zooms i will still get a Sony A7r with primes as well ! 2 tools for 2 different jobs ! I think that combo OLY M43\Zooms and Sony FF\primes goes pretty well together. IMO Better than 2x 5D mkIII or 2x D800 with Zooms and primes. it will cost and weight less for sure !

      • dude, the same thing as when m43 was released??
        the A7 isn’t ANNOUNCED yet and you post this?!

          • The AF lenses that will be available have been “leaked” by Sony. That will stay the same. The info is out.
            The fact is …Sony has done this repeatedly….with all of their cameras….it’s frustrating to serious photographers.
            Please show me one lens that has wowed the industry as other serious camera manufacturers all have?

    • People like options. Not everyone demands perfection. Sometimes good enough is good enough. That’s why many companies sell tele-extenders and companies like Metabones sells speed boosters.

  52. What is needed is an optical adaptor, to spread the image from current e-mount lenses to properly cover a full frame sensor. True some resolution would be lost, but if not too much, it could be worthwhile to many folks.

  53. Is there an adapter (today) that will allow me to use my Sigma 35 1.4 Art lens (Nikon mount) on the A7R and have all electronic funtions including AF work?

    • IBIS is not necessary for wide-angle and standard focal length lenses, unless shooting in the dark with a camera with poor high-ISO performance. IBIS is perhaps considered necessary for M4/3, as they have a 2-times crop sensor, but definitely not for a top-of-the-line full frame sensor…

      • If you prefer shooting at 6400 on ff with no ibis versus shooting 200 on m4/3 with ibis, I suggest you to try the latter. The former in regard to IQ will seems an iphone shot passd thru instagram filter 😉

        • Dude… take it easy. you’ll never get equivalent iso for same shooting enviro…
          ie. shooting FF at 1/125 at iso 200 would be like 1/60 or less on m43….
          iso 6400 on FF at any speed and you’ll be in bulb mode on m43…

      • For me IBIS is as necessary as a AWD car in winter… if you live in Miami it is not probably necessary !

  54. Anyone mind to tell me what’s the difference between NEX 6/7 EVF and OMD EM1 EVF? Why everyone is so excited of Oly EVF? Is it better than NEX 7 EVF?

    • I doubt it. A small body isn’t going to make the lenses any smaller. I’m assuming the 24-70 is F4, because the F2.8 version was deemed too big. This is still going to make a much larger carry around system then the E-M1.

      I’m sure this is going to be a great camera, but it is even more of a niche market then the E-M1 is.

      • Um, did you see the Size of the 40-150? What about legacy 43 lenses? Sorry, but the only thing the E-M1 got going for it is ibis and Prime lenses. Aside from that, the A7 is a problem. It’s a Full Frame, direct competition to the E-M1. Same shape, around the same size and Also around the same Price.

        If I was looking at a E-M1, I would pay $200.00/300.00 more for the A7, Easily.

        • Also, nothing is more “Niche” than a camera that caters to Legacy Four Thirds Glass… Nothing.

          • > Also, nothing is more “Niche” than a camera that caters to Legacy Four Thirds Glass… Nothing.

            I think you are confusing the meaning of “caters” with “only supports”.

            While it is true that nothing is more “Niche” than a camera that only supports Legacy Four Thirds Glass, the E-m1 also supports m4/3 glass, and so will cater to a much larger audience.

          • Two dozen PRIME lenses and counting for m4/3. Plus the new Zuiko Pro series. Pretty big niche.

        • And how big do you think a FF 80-300/f2.8 is going to be? I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear. I didn’t mean every lens for the E-M1 was going to be smaller then every lens for the Sony. I meant that the equivalent lenses on the E-M1 will be much smaller.

          As far as the sizes of the 43 lenses: Do you really think that someone with a bunch of 43 lenses is going to consider a Sony. Wouldn’t it make more sense to figure that the will buy the camera that allows them to use the lenses they already have.

        • This just highlights the fact that M4/3 cameras are way overpriced. If the A7 is around $1600 (full frame sensor), APS-C mirrorless cameras should be around perhaps $1000 and M4/3 should be around $600 – $800. In my opinion, the only thing M4/3 has going for it, including the EM1, is lens selection.

          • ” APS-C mirrorless cameras should be around perhaps $1000 and M4/3 should be around $600 – $800.” You are joking, right? As already said, with the E-M1 you pay big price for big quality of a level NO aps-c CaNikon can offer. It seems you are mistaking sensor dimension with quality.

          • I don’t believe that for one second. The image quality from the OLD is not better than that of APS-C sensor cameras. M4/3 have a good lens selection, are compact, and have some nice features, but the image quality does not surpass recent larger sensor cameras, aside from perhaps Canon Rebel series…

          • Bahahahahaha! Typical Olympus fan. Your m43’s beats 1 APS-C sensor and you think you rule the world. I’m not a sensor size enthusiast, but let’s keep it real eh?

          • Saying that the Olympus EM-1 is overpriced compare to A7 or Nex is like saying that a Subaru WRX STI is overpriced cause you can get a Bigger engine in a Ford mustang 5.0 for the same price ! That theory of sensor size = $ is no sense… There is more than engine size that qualify a performance car !

        • Just to be clear, A7/A7r represent threats not only to M4/3, but to EVERYONE.

          Personally, I think they have a ways to go yet, but looking at the specs and the price, they’re going to further shake up an industry already being battered at the other end of the spectrum by better & better smartphone cameras.

          But for right now, according to CIPA, mirrorless cameras account for about 20% of the total shipped units of all interchangeable systems, and about 16% of the revenue of all interchangeable lens cameras.

          The rest is DSLRs.

          This number has held roughly constant since mirrorless cameras were introduced.

          What that tells me is that Sony/Panasonic/Olympus/Fuji apparently haven’t yet “sold” North American and European buyers on the idea of mirrorless.

          They need to figure out why.

          In time, I think this ceiling will be cracked. Hopefully Nikon and Canon will shortly introduce more evolved variants on this idea that better cater to the needs of a wider variety of serious photographers.

          It may be my biased, emotional reaction, but when I think Sony, I think of gee-whiz electronics, not photographic instruments. Younger buyers may not care whether a camera has “soul” (however you choose to define it).

          I’ll shut up and go back to my rocking chair now. 😉

          • Robert – some excellent thoughts there, thanks.

            I used to have that same “emotional” reaction to Sony and they really are the Gemini of manufacturers. On one hand they create the NEX line, which initially was very “gadgety” before people figured out how much fun they were to shoot at waist level with legacy glass. Then, on the other hand they have the Minolta legacy and cameras like the A900 and RX1 that have real “soul” and appeal to those of us with film heritage. To me, the A7 looks like a marriage of those corporate personalities, a product that hits a sweet spot for many.

  55. Any thoughts on…if ordering one of these Nex bodies with the kit lens (Cause money is just running out) won’t the 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens $300? really drag down it’s performance? Of course we don’t know how good/bad that lens will be yet but I assume it would be no better or hopefully not worse relatively speaking, than the standard Nex kit zoom that ships with a Nex 6 or 7 for example..just EH. So now we have a camera over $2,000 with a mushy lens? I am one that has bought one two many cameras as of late. Any thoughts on starting with the kit lens…would this be like putting a vale over hopefully an amazing sensor be it the A7 or the R? What say you…

    • Whoa now. We haven’t seen anything from this lens. I’m sure many will hate it just because its a kit lens but it is rumored to be ‘G’ class lens in Sony’s lineup and that usually means something. Sony does have a history of including some pretty nice “kit lenses” for their high-end cameras. The NEX kit lens has always been OK but nothing amazing. We’ll just have to wait and see with this one. Personally I think $300 for a OSS zoom is a pretty good deal. The lens is actually pretty compact–the camera is just tiny!

      • Look…you have this incredible piece of technology (the camera)….to realize its potential it NEEDS a lens on the lines of the amazing Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II. a stunning lens that complements the sensor tech. …not a $300 slow, mediocre lens that won’t WOW….and that is a shame with that sensor….and quite honestly…Sony either can’t or won’t produce such a lens..two years from now..it won’t exist either???…..leaving the cam in the AF dark ages for this photographer.
        Adapted manual lenses will do it justice…but it’s 2013… Show me the beef!,
        Why does Sony shoot itself in the foot this way…again and again?

  56. And yet another superduper better than the last one camera to tempt all the GAS affected pixelpeepers to spend all their cash. At least they’ll keep the camera makers in business! Also that, when my Canon EOS620 gives up or I can’t buy film anymore, I’ll probably be able to pick up one of these new Sony’s for peanuts as they’ll have brought out at least 10 more models after this one.

    • Actually the last digital body I bought was in 2007. I have added 5 film bodies to my collection in the six years since though… Still waiting for the Nikon FM in digital…… This one looks close.

          • If Chris meant (and I think he did) that some (most?) posters here appear to be more interested in buying the next best thing than in actually taking photographs (intersting, postcardlike or just plain boring) with the piece of outdated after a year junk they own right now, I fully agree with him.

    • There have always been new camera that are better than the ones that came before it but, like you said, this is super-duper better than the last cameras, for real.

      • Why is it better? No-one even knows if it even exists yet. Is it faster in use so it’ll be good for street photography? Or will you have to plough through a myriad of menus before selecting the option you want and by that time the photo is gone? More megapixels mean very little as most photo takers (as against photographers) don’t need that much resolution for the use they have of it. I remember a story about Bert Hardy, a great photographer who used a Leica for his photojournalism on ‘Picture Post’ magazine, when he was challenged that he could only take great pics because he used a Leica. He then went out and did a very famous shoot in Blackpool just using a Box Brownie camera! He took great pictures because he was a great photographer not because of his camera. In fact most modern cameras or photo-computers can get in the way of taking great pictures because they are too complicated to set up the way you want.

        • While I was never a fan of the NEX menu system (these new A7 cameras will NOT use the NEX menus), they were only frustrating when trying to access some minor secondary setting like LCD brightness or sound level. The holy trilogy of picture making – aperture, shutter speed and ISO – were always a direct control. I’m sure that any competent photographer could handle the A7 controls. I’ve never once felt that my RX1 got in the way of picture making and I doubt these cameras will either.

  57. I was just thinking of getting an RX-1. This A7 seems a promising alternative despite those points :
    Having multiple lenses costs some money
    Fixed lens forces to be creative
    A7 should be even less pocketable

    Let’s wait a bit.

    Thanks for your great reviews mr. Huff

  58. I wonder how long it will take to get native fast lenses for this. Perhaps Sigma will step up quickly…. I would guess a Nikon F adapter would be available within a few days of the announcement.

      • I can assure you that using a higher ISO does not make up for 5 way IBIS. A 200 ISO is better than a 6400 ISO in anyone’s book. That can be the difference with hand held 5 way IBIS if one is reasonably steady.

      • Certain people may not see a need for stabilisation as they are perfectly ok to shoot at shutter speeds above 1/60 ++. I personally like the option of being able to not carry around a tripod and shooting at 1/5 or even slower when I need it.

        I had a non stabilised body & non stabilised lense and really, no matter how good the sensor or how good your shooting technique, you can’t overcome 1/50 at best before you have to tripod the thing.

        IBIS has, at least to some shooters, proven to be a very practical and large benefit that has opened up avenues of shooting that was previously cumbersome or not possible.

    • No, that would be the E-M1 as it is. The Sony cant be as their lack of lenses keep it from taking that title. It may be the HIGHEST quality MIRRORLESS ever but not the most versatile, sorry.

      • Yes, I am a little disappointed at the lens offering at launch, I was hoping the 35 would have been at least as fast as the lens on the R1.

        New FE lenses:
        Zeiss FE 24-70mm f/4.0 OSS
        Sony G 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
        Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8
        Zeiss FE 55mm f/1.8
        Zeiss FE 70-200mm f/4.0 OSS (coming early 2014)
        many more lenses coming the next 12 months (including fast primes).

        Also, the 28-70 is a large lens. For me, it doesn’t do much good to have a smaller form factor camera if the lens size can’t be smaller as well. It doesn’t feel right in the hand.

        – Roger

        • What is really nice of Sony is that all the existing e-mount lenses will work in crop mode… but… they’all ALSO work in full frame mode (with heavy vignette in some cases) leaving you to crop as you please in post. A very nice option!

          • Yea, but if you are going to move up to the Sony FF platform – odds are it is because you want the higher IQ – which the e-mount lenses don’t give you. Otherwise, there is no reason to move beyond the E-M1.

        • Yep. Initial lens offerings not so great. Also did you see the price on these two primes?

          – The Zeiss 35mm f/2.8 prime lens will cost 800 Euro and in US $800
          – The Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 prime lens will cost 1100 Euro and in US $1000

          A normal f/1.8 is the cheap lens from most manufacturers. A Nikon will run you less than $200 US. Less than $400 for the Nikon 35mm f/2. IQ better be pretty good for those prices. While I like the body and price the lens selection and pricing is enough to keep me on the fence when it comes to buying.

          • Always remember..you get what you pay for. The Nikon 50 1.4 has awful Bokeh and is a very very cheaply made lens. The Leica 50 1.4 is $4000. Again, you get what you pay for. I would much rather have a well made Zeiss fast prime coming in at $1000 than a cheaply made Sony prime for $300. Any day of the week. Someone buying into this system will NOT want cheap glass. Even the APS-C Zeiss 24 1.8 was a $1200 lens and sold like hotcakes. If Sony releases cheap glass for this camera then it will eventually fail. It needs high quality, well made fast primes and 1-2 zooms.

          • Well the RX1 is 35mm, the 55 is 55mm, two different lenses and focal length. BUT, I do feel the 55 1.8 will have amazing IQ from what I have seen. Should be a gem.

          • I was a bit more concerned that the lenses weren’t that fast. I don’t mind paying for a good lens (within reason of course) but I also want speed. f/2.8 isn’t that fast for a prime and f/1.8 for a 55 is just marginal for a top line prime. Comes from shooting film I guess. That extra stop or two makes a difference.

      • This will be the most versatile mirrorless camera and it is not even close. If the rumors are correct then the A7r will work with the entire APS-C E mount lens lineup as well as the newly released FF E mount lenses. It will also work with the entire A mount APS-C and FF lens lineup. B&H currently lists 113 A mount lenses and 43 E mount and that doesn’t include discontinued lenses like all of the Minolta A mounts lenses. Just about every lens mentioned above will autofocus with the A mount lenses likely to have PDAF. Now, I’m just getting to the adapted MF lens options 🙂 . And yes I realize that the APS-C lenses will be 16mp but how can that be an argument when you compare to the E-M1.

  59. I love this crazy competition which creates all these wonderful cameras. Now it is time to shoot our hearts and creativities out but who will teach those aspects?

    • Leica glass? You just heard a collective groan in Solms, Germany. It’s Zeiss glass; whole different company.

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