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Sony NEX: Is a Leica M killer on the horizon?

fotografz

Well-known member
Mikal

Sony has canceled the A900 and has yet to release the A99 . It looks like they will be able to correct that at Photokina and they may make a successful move into the professional market (with the volume necessary to keep management happy) ..if not you could be looking at an ophan product line . The product line has to remain viable in order for Sony to continue to (1) apply new advances in technology (2) introduce and maintain new lenses and (3) offer on going service and support .

You don t care ..here is my experience with the Leica DMR ( what I consider a really great camera with glass second to none ) . Service became spotty as they only have a few technicians that know the camera ,then they started running into part shortages . Batteries wore out and were darn hard to replace . They stopped introducing new lenses and then they stopped selling them altogether . They stopped introducing new technology ..we got only one or two firmware updates and SD cards were topped out at 4GB . Some of my friends held out a long time before selling and suffered numerous electronic problems . The die hards now buy used R9 bodies because they are much cheaper than a repair .

I bought my DMR in 2007 and once had over 20 R lenses . I sold it in DEC 2010.

The point being that any product that doesn t continue to evolve and improve will die and it will affect you eventually . Thats why the A99 needs to be a success in the professional market .

Why do I care what the Pro s use ..because they bet their reputation on the ability to deliver . They are all capable of producing great images ..so it comes down to who delivers the goods . NPS and CPS support almost any newsworthy event and you can find help on site if you break a camera or lens or need a different camera or lens as a loner . For a new entrant into the sports,news ,journalism segment ..it had better have something more than some neat features .

It always depends on what you shoot and how you go about it ..maybe none of this is important to your specifics ..but it will be to the market viability of new sony products in the professional market overall .

Keep in mind that I am not predicting any specific outcome just pointing out that Sony hasn t shown a track record of competing effectively to date in the professional market . They are clearly a force in the much larger consumer segments .
Roger, as mentioned, I do not believe Sony is interested in the Sports/News arena that you keep referencing ... there are other segments that represent opportunity ... both pro AND advanced enthusiasts ... Where a high spec camera with quality build can do well ... especially one that offers the AF Zeiss lenses that no one else has. When I first bought my A900, I used it with the Nikon 1 series cameras until I was sure it was up to the rigors of wedding work ... it was, so I sold the Nikons (as you well know :)). Sony quietly improved the ISO and increased the speed of the AF without losing any of its well proven accuracy. If they did nothing else from now on I'd still be satisfied with it as is.

Is it possible that Sony would walk away? I would say it is more possible than Canon or Nikon doing so ... possible, but not probable ... anything is possible. What is also possible is that Sony will be first in, best dressed with a modern camera that enthusiasts will embrace, and some Pros will adopt.

Meanwhile my trusty A900s just keep on clickin' on and on and on .... :)

-Marc
 

jonoslack

Active member
The inner diameter (ID) of the e-mount is wider than the ID of my a-mount camera which is a full-frame. I think it is wide enough. Real question is can they make lenses that work well with such a short focal distance? Can they at least make a sensor that works well with RF lenses? I hope the answer is yes.

Regards,
John
HI John
the answer is not can they? I'm sure they can - the answer is will they?

It's the same will they? as everyone is asking about bringing out decent E mount lenses.

as for being an M killer . . . it'll need an optical mechanical rangefinder to do that, and that seems a little unlikely.

all the best
 

jfirneno

Member
HI John
the answer is not can they? I'm sure they can - the answer is will they?

It's the same will they? as everyone is asking about bringing out decent E mount lenses.

as for being an M killer . . . it'll need an optical mechanical rangefinder to do that, and that seems a little unlikely.

all the best
Hi Jono:

I agree; "will they"?

As for M-killer, I hope not too many people want to kill off any of the remaining camera makers. I wish we had more choices not fewer.

Regards,
John
 

MikalWGrass

New member
Glen,

I hear you, and you are absolutely right on the service issue. I never thought about that issue, so thank you for opening my eyes to that part of camera ownership. Interestingly enough, I bought the a900 to do a bit of non studio fashion work for my wife's fashion blog, and am now using the camera to take pics at my wife's triathlons (my wife has reinvented herself a few times, so I need a camera that can keep up with her).

The a900 and the ZA 85/1.4 is an excellent combination (it is also great with the ZA 135.1.8 and a Summilux R 50/1.4) but I am not sure that the a900 is the best camera for shooting triathlons or other sports, because the auto focus can be a bit slow. I use the ZA 85/1.4 at it does the trick for me 95% of the time. If I was a sports shooter, I don't know that I would have gone the a900 route, but the more I learn about the camera the happier I am with it. If only it was waterproof for a bit so I wouldn't be so afraid to venture out into the water during the swim portions of the triathlons.

I try to make do with what I have and over the years I have taken great pics (my standards - sports and otherwise) with a Leica M6 and 50/1.4 lux, and a Mamiya 7 ll. I am an attorney by profession whose practice is devoted primarily to adoptions and adoption related issues. My cameras are used to take pictures of the young women who place their babies for adoption and the adoptive parents who see their new babies for the very first time. For years I shot with the Leica and the 50 lux. Then I incorporated the Sony into the mix. The two cameras have served me well.

On another note, I should be a tester for Sony because I tend to take my cameras everywhere and use them for everything.
 

monza

Active member
NO disagreement at all Roger. Monza indicated the "A900 was aimed at the Pro wedding/portrait market and how did that go.",
That's not at all what I said, as can be seen in previous posts. :)

What I said was:

"Roger I think your analysis is spot on" and what Roger said was "Yes Sony was trying to break into the professional /advanced amateur category with the A900."

The rest of Roger's post that I considered "spot on" is here.
 

jonoslack

Active member
I believe that Fuji will get to a good place and be respected by photographers and I don t see Sony putting in place anything that says ..we want to be known for our photographic equipment . Sony is focused on the middle tier of the market (price ) and compete based on features and specifications .
Hi Glen
I used the A900 for weddings for several years, and, like Marc's it performed flawlessly - no complaints, lovely files, great lenses (blah blah).

However, I'm aware that if it HAD gone wrong, then I wouldn't have had a prayer of a chance of getting a decent answer out of Sony UK.

But it seems to me that the real problem is one of continuity - in the current climate of changing hardware and sensors this is really tough to achieve, I don't believe it's in Sony's DNA - they just don't understand (and from a commercial point of view perhaps they're right). Each new Vaio computer was completely different from the last - The A99 is going to have nothing to do with the A900. . . . now it appears they're going to bring out a full frame mirrorless camera and start another product line, which they'll drop, like optical viewfinders, the second that it seems prudent.

Olympus on the other hand, have just announced that there will be a solution for those that bought their top pro lenses 5 years ago - and, as you say, Fuji are clearly proud of the X-Pro1, and one can confidently expect it to develop as a range over the next few years.

If Sony really are going to bring out a full frame mirror less - I have no doubt it really will be excellent (and I've long since given in to the advantages of an EVF). But I doubt very seriously their ability or desire to create a developing system, with all that that entails.

all the best
 

fotografz

Well-known member
That's not at all what I said, as can be seen in previous posts. :)

What I said was:

"Roger I think your analysis is spot on" and what Roger said was "Yes Sony was trying to break into the professional /advanced amateur category with the A900."

The rest of Roger's post that I considered "spot on" is here.
Yes, as anyone can see in previous posts:

My post:
"... The Sony A99 is indeed aimed at event, wedding and portrait shooters, not sports or Journalism photographers. That it is specifically targeting the 5D-III is also clear indication of that."

Your immediate answer:
"They had the same strategy with the A900. How well did that work out? Maybe they fell for their own 'make.believe' motto."

That wasn't their A900 strategy. If it were, they would have included live view, and made a higher ISO camera to compete with the predominated cameras in that Pro segment ... the 5D and D700. The A900 was simply their FF flagship camera to keep current Sony owners in the fold, and use the sensor from the D3X in a $3K camera to conquest more enthusiasts ... which one scan through the GetDpi Sony section for past years will show.

But enough ... this is about a FF NEX and we've hijacked that intent. You aren't going to alter my opinion of the A900, and I'm not going to sway anything you believe in. :)
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Glen,

I hear you, and you are absolutely right on the service issue. I never thought about that issue, so thank you for opening my eyes to that part of camera ownership. Interestingly enough, I bought the a900 to do a bit of non studio fashion work for my wife's fashion blog, and am now using the camera to take pics at my wife's triathlons (my wife has reinvented herself a few times, so I need a camera that can keep up with her).

The a900 and the ZA 85/1.4 is an excellent combination (it is also great with the ZA 135.1.8 and a Summilux R 50/1.4) but I am not sure that the a900 is the best camera for shooting triathlons or other sports, because the auto focus can be a bit slow. I use the ZA 85/1.4 at it does the trick for me 95% of the time. If I was a sports shooter, I don't know that I would have gone the a900 route, but the more I learn about the camera the happier I am with it. If only it was waterproof for a bit so I wouldn't be so afraid to venture out into the water during the swim portions of the triathlons.

I try to make do with what I have and over the years I have taken great pics (my standards - sports and otherwise) with a Leica M6 and 50/1.4 lux, and a Mamiya 7 ll. I am an attorney by profession whose practice is devoted primarily to adoptions and adoption related issues. My cameras are used to take pictures of the young women who place their babies for adoption and the adoptive parents who see their new babies for the very first time. For years I shot with the Leica and the 50 lux. Then I incorporated the Sony into the mix. The two cameras have served me well.

On another note, I should be a tester for Sony because I tend to take my cameras everywhere and use them for everything.
FYI Mikal ... the A900 is weather sealed ... not to the degree that an all weather sealed camera with O rings at the lens connection, but it is pretty resistant to inclement weather or sea spray ... which mine have seen their fair share of. I've shot in wet snow, rain, at the beach, etc. ... weddings happen whether it's crappy weather or not.

The AF is just as fast or faster than a 5D and 5D-II, and is more accurate by a country mile. What it is not excellent at is continuous focus tracking often used for sports ... for excellent focus tracking you need a 1 series Canon or Nikon ... which I know is bigger than what you want to shoot with.

-Marc
 

monza

Active member
"event, wedding and portrait shooters" were your words, injected onto my reply to Roger's definition of the market. Since I didn't use those words, it's in appropriate to use quotes.

In any case, Roger's definition of Sony's desired market - "Yes Sony was trying to break into the professional /advanced amateur category with the A900" is a superset of your narrowed "event, wedding and portrait shooters" market.

It's apparent that everyone agrees, as Roger said, that Sony "was not happy with the results" regardless. :)

Vivek: wifi and a standard hot shoe! And phase detection. :)
 

jonoslack

Active member
FYI Mikal ... the A900 is weather sealed ... not to the degree that an all weather sealed camera with O rings at the lens connection, but it is pretty resistant to inclement weather or sea spray ... which mine have seen their fair share of. I've shot in wet snow, rain, at the beach, etc. ... weddings happen whether it's crappy weather or not.
Like Marc's, mine went through lots of dreadful weather - mostly rain at UK weddings, but also with sea spray and snow. Never a problem.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
"event, wedding and portrait shooters" were your words, injected onto my reply to Roger's definition of the market. Since I didn't use those words, it's in appropriate to use quotes
Really? Then if you were replying to Roger's definition, then you should have quoted him not me when you replied with the "... how did that work out" Quote I referenced. :)

The move that Sony is making with the A99 is against the wedding market, NOT sports. So repeatedly referencing Sports Pros and their specific needs is not relevant to the A99 positioning. IMO, they seem to be attempting to change the game and be first in best dressed. We'll see.

The NEX is also gaining attention with wedding shooters because it is a small ... if they improve it along with the A99, it'll be an interesting back-up package for wedding shooters who have to carry two of everything anyway.

Frankly, I do not favor 35mm DSLRs in general, and Canikon specifically ... because I do not like their lenses. When I stop shooting weddings, is the day I off most of the 35mm DSLR stuff.

Life is too short to shoot with stuff you personally don't like.

-Marc
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
My original 5D's focus accurately in any focusable light at f1.8, not just accurate but perfectly accurate every time (albeit after tuning). The focus with centre point is slightly faster in low light than the 1Ds3 I owned. They've been shot in heavy pouring British rain until the point where I have little doubt that the innards are rusted solid. I've shot with them where I couldn't see through my glasses the rain was so heavy, many many times. They've got well over 100,000 frames on each, I've had to replace the shutter on one. They've survived rain, drizzle, snow and being baked in the midday middle eastern sun which made a ballhead explode (Manfrotto 468MG, the one with the brake fluid system). I've shot them for over 7 years of pro photography from commercial, wedding, event, landscape, pano stitching, etc work.

And it means nothing. Because it's just a single persons experience.

What I would add however is what I would consider the bare minimum for a pro system for a photographer working in any field. A pro repair system with 3-7 day turnaround. Availability of rentals. Availability of replacements, not just mail order but in local stores. Availability of sufficient system history so that you can afford cheap but fully capable backup. Easy availability of peripherals. No long backorders on essential items.

It's not even certain manufacturers, but also within their product lines.

When you couldn't find a spare battery for a 5DII it wasn't a camera to be used by a pro unless you managed to stockpile because if you had a problem then you were screwed. If you need a D800e then at present it is not a camera for anyone who has to work on a deadline because you won't find another one anywhere if it goes down when you have the full team on set at day rates and you've promised 36 megapixels at high ISO to a client who's used to a MFDB look.

I remember when the flooding happened and many pro's were suddenly very worried because there was backorders on many essential basics. We all have networks of friends who shoot similar systems who we can borrow a lens from or a flashgun should an emergency happen.

Can Sony achieve that? They will have to if they want to be considered a pro system by anyone except those few who can afford to keep enough spares that it wouldn't be necessary (not looking at you and your M9 collection Marc :p).
 

fotografz

Well-known member
My original 5D's focus accurately in any focusable light at f1.8, not just accurate but perfectly accurate every time. The focus with centre point is slightly faster in low light than the 1Ds3 I owned. They've been shot in heavy pouring British rain until the point where I have little doubt that the innards are rusted solid. I've shot with them where I couldn't see through my glasses the rain was so heavy, many many times. They've got well over 100,000 frames on each, I've had to replace the shutter on one. They've survived rain, drizzle, snow and being baked in the midday middle eastern sun which made a ballhead (Manfrotto 468MG, the one with the brake fluid system) explode. I've shot them for over 7 years of pro photography from commercial, wedding, event, landscape, pano stitching, etc work.

And it means nothing. Because it's just a single persons experience.

What I would add however is what I would consider the bare minimum for a pro system for a photographer working in any field. A pro repair system with 3-7 day turnaround. Availability of rentals. Availability of replacements, not just mail order but in local stores. Availability of sufficient system history so that you can afford cheap but fully capable backup. Easy availability of peripherals. No long backorders on essential items.

I remember when the flooding happened and many pro's were suddenly very worried because there was backorders on many essential basics. We all have networks of friends who shoot similar systems who we can borrow a lens from or a flashgun should an emergency happen.

Can Sony achieve that? They will have to if they want to be considered a pro system by anyone except those few who can afford to keep enough spares that it wouldn't be necessary (not looking at you and your M9 collection Marc :p).
That is Sony's challenge Ben, and we will see if they are up to it with the support that they seem to be speaking to with the A99. Frankly, I'm not holding my breath.

My preference would be a camera that doesn't need repair or rentals :) because I never got a camera back from anyone in 3-7 days ... except my S2 where a loaner was on my door step at 10AM the next day and the delivery guy picked up my S2 for Leica service.

As far as the 5Ds' focus issues ... I guess you were lucky ... the DWF is rife with the issue, and the big anticipation with the 5D-III was whether the 5 series AF was finally fixed. Most of my second shooters use a 5D or 5D-II, and when processing I often want to just scream.

BTW, I couldn't care less about Sony, Canon or Nikon ... I can't wait to stop shooting weddings (I like the work, hate the current business and financial environment of a lot more work for a lot less $), and without that work I have little need for any of them.

-Marc

P.S., I only have one Leica M camera and a few lenses :)
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Didn't you have a couple of them at one point while you sent the other for fixes?

I've got two weddings left then I'm out of weddings for good. Will help out a friend but I'm closing the business, my feet just can't do it any more. Annoying thing is that I'm at the peak of my game, I'm the most expensive wedding shooter in Israel at the moment and I'm turning away bookings. Just fed up of the painkiller overdoses, of the agonising pain, of the stomach lining almost completely gone due to drugs, etc, etc.

Happily I'm now running this repro studio and also teaching.

Not connected I know, but as I've mentioned the studio please excuse me, we've just started employing a new girl in the studio, she came to work today from a shoot with her D800, first time I've ever seen one in the flesh. What the f*** did they do to the ergonomics? I get the impression that it's impossible to hold in normal sized male caucasian hand! Honestly it was the most uncomfortable camera I've ever tried to hold. I just couldn't hold it properly. The thumb rest is non existent and the fingers are forced down so low that without a grip I can't see how you can balance it at all. Shutter release position is also all wrong. She said that it's more comfortable for her compared to her D700 and with smaller hands like a girls or Asian hands I can see why. I know the D700 however and IMO they've ruined the ergonomics of it with this body. Was horrible. I'm very glad the D800e we are buying for the studio will be on a copy stand permanently.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Another long and amusing thread on the rise of another "Leica M Killer". I wonder if Oskar Barnack thought his little invention would be the target of so many hopeful killers a century later?

- I have the GXR with M-mount camera unit. I'm delighted with it.
- I have the M9. I'm delighted with it.
- I've got the M4-2 in the closet and a CL coming along soon now. Old favorites for a reason.
- The mix of Voigtländer and Leica lenses in the cabinet is truly delightful.
- The X2 fills in the place where my Rollei 35S fits in film.​

I'm stopping here. For the present anyway: there's no room left in the closet unless I sell some stuff.

Wake me if someone kills my cameras. ;-)
 

jonoslack

Active member
Another long and amusing thread on the rise of another "Leica M Killer". I wonder if Oskar Barnack thought his little invention would be the target of so many hopeful killers a century later?

- I have the GXR with M-mount camera unit. I'm delighted with it.
- I have the M9. I'm delighted with it.
- I've got the M4-2 in the closet and a CL coming along soon now. Old favorites for a reason.
- The mix of Voigtländer and Leica lenses in the cabinet is truly delightful.
- The X2 fills in the place where my Rollei 35S fits in film.​

I'm stopping here. For the present anyway: there's no room left in the closet unless I sell some stuff.

Wake me if someone kills my cameras. ;-)
HI Godfrey
Well, after months playing with a Monochrom, then the OMD and the RX100 - all great cameras, I'm now back shooting mostly with a pair of M9s, usually one with a 75 'cron and the other with the WATE. . . . I love it!

The idea that anyone is going to kill those Ms is very strange!
all the best
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Another long and amusing thread on the rise of another "Leica M Killer". I wonder if Oskar Barnack thought his little invention would be the target of so many hopeful killers a century later?

- I have the GXR with M-mount camera unit. I'm delighted with it.
- I have the M9. I'm delighted with it.
- I've got the M4-2 in the closet and a CL coming along soon now. Old favorites for a reason.
- The mix of Voigtländer and Leica lenses in the cabinet is truly delightful.
- The X2 fills in the place where my Rollei 35S fits in film.​

I'm stopping here. For the present anyway: there's no room left in the closet unless I sell some stuff.

Wake me if someone kills my cameras. ;-)
The M is like 007 ... they keep sending assassins, and he keeps killing them ... :ROTFL:

-Marc
 
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