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Sony....Up coming Sensor changes??

I highly doubt that Sony is going to stop selling all sensors to others. If true, it's going to be very good news for the existing 100MP owners because the life cycle may get significantly extended.
 

JeRuFo

Active member
That only makes sense if Sony has plans to use a sensor like that themselves, otherwise the development was a stupid plan if you don't try to sell as many as you can. That said, if Sony doesn't plan on developing a successor for these sensors, the manufacturers concerned probably already know and are making different plans. It would be bad management if they are just waiting to see if and when Sony brings out a new one. If they don't have an agreement with Sony, they need something else to survive.
 

Abstraction

Well-known member
Sony is not in the camera business per se. They're not even in the photography business. They're in the electronics business. As such, they may produce cameras today, but decide that they won't be in that market tomorrow. However, they will always be in the imaging business because sensors and other electronics will always be used throughout various markets ranging from photography, to medical to industrial manufacturing to military applications. Therefore, Sony will be in the business of manufacturing sensors and selling those sensors to various manufacturers in various industries.

Therefore, it's highly unlikely that Sony will stop selling its sensors to other camera manufacturers. The camera business isn't their core business and they know it.
 

ejpeiker

Member
The article did not say that Sony would stop selling sensors to other camera manufacturers. It did say that they would not sell their latest most innovative sensors which is effectively what they have been doing anyway as two years later there is still no other 42 megapixel 35mm format camera on the market.

The statement from the interview, I believe, was in the context of 35mm and APS-C, and maybe even 1" sensors and should not be interpreted as meaning that Phase One and Hasselblad would no longer have access to the latest 645 format sensors. Now if Sony were to come out with a 645 camera like that, maybe they would hold back until they were established in the market but it's highly unlikely that they will build a camera like that and also highly unlikely that they would exit sensor sales to that market.

As for 44x33, I guess it is slightly more likely that Sony would get into that camera business with a higher megapixel 44x33 camera which could affect the upgrade cycle of the current 50mp 44x33 sensor camera manufacturers (but i doubt it)

I think effectively, if true, it means that a Sony a7R Mk x will always be a generation ahead of a Nikon D8xx from a sensor perspective, which it already has been for the last two years. So, in my opinion, all of this Internet furor over this with every forum blowing up about it, is much ado about nothing.
 
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iiiNelson

Well-known member
This isn't really news. They've stated this several times in the past that certain technologies will remain in-house only sensors/processors.
 

bernardl

Active member
I guess if this is true, MF cameras owners should start to pray that Sony doesn't enter the MF market with their own cameras... because it would mean that Sony would soon start to favor their own MF cameras instead of those of their customers Fuji, Pentax, Hasselblad and P1.

If this news is confirmed, it is probably going to mean that most of their customers will start quickly looking for alternative sensor sources with less conflicts of interest.

Cheers,
Bernard
 

jdphoto

Well-known member
This is exactly why i'm waiting on Sony's new announcements for the A9 or A7R3. I have a hunch it will be soon and think a higher mp, professional body with 2 sd's and better weather sealing is inevitable. MFD sized sensor? Maybe, but an A7rII is already incredibly good, so an A7R3 should have a higher MP, but personally I think 42mp is more than enough.
 

jduncan

Active member
Sony is not in the camera business per se. They're not even in the photography business. They're in the electronics business. As such, they may produce cameras today, but decide that they won't be in that market tomorrow. However, they will always be in the imaging business because sensors and other electronics will always be used throughout various markets ranging from photography, to medical to industrial manufacturing to military applications. Therefore, Sony will be in the business of manufacturing sensors and selling those sensors to various manufacturers in various industries.

Therefore, it's highly unlikely that Sony will stop selling its sensors to other camera manufacturers. The camera business isn't their core business and they know it.
Hi,
Of course, they are in the camera business and they have pledged to become number two, displacing Nikon in the very short time.
Best regards,
 

jduncan

Active member
The article did not say that Sony would stop selling sensors to other camera manufacturers. It did say that they would not sell their latest most innovative sensors which is effectively what they have been doing anyway as two years later there is still no other 42 megapixel 35mm format camera on the market.

The statement from the interview, I believe, was in the context of 35mm and APS-C, and maybe even 1" sensors and should not be interpreted as meaning that Phase One and Hasselblad would no longer have access to the latest 645 format sensors. Now if Sony were to come out with a 645 camera like that, maybe they would hold back until they were established in the market but it's highly unlikely that they will build a camera like that and also highly unlikely that they would exit sensor sales to that market.

As for 44x33, I guess it is slightly more likely that Sony would get into that camera business with a higher megapixel 44x33 camera which could affect the upgrade cycle of the current 50mp 44x33 sensor camera manufacturers (but i doubt it)

I think effectively, if true, it means that a Sony a7R Mk x will always be a generation ahead of a Nikon D8xx from a sensor perspective, which it already has been for the last two years. So, in my opinion, all of this Internet furor over this with every forum blowing up about it, is much ado about nothing.
I am not sure they will enter the medium format market soon, or better: I am not sure it will be a great idea. They can have, via sensors, most a good part of the profit and none of the risks.
If they decided to enter an acquisition will be a great lower resistance path and they did not get Hasselblad when it was on the market, not they invest in place of DJI.
As the supercomputer people on USA's ministry of defense learned with super computers, forcing the hand of the Chinese will always backfire.
Better let them use
 

Christopher

Active member
This is exactly why i'm waiting on Sony's new announcements for the A9 or A7R3. I have a hunch it will be soon and think a higher mp, professional body with 2 sd's and better weather sealing is inevitable. MFD sized sensor? Maybe, but an A7rII is already incredibly good, so an A7R3 should have a higher MP, but personally I think 42mp is more than enough.
I wish it was true but I have been waiting for that camera over a year now. It will come but not before the end of 2017... the first pro camera will be a "low res" fast shooting camera. Certainly no high res.

Till it actually comes and ships I'll enjoy my GFX.
 

jdphoto

Well-known member
I wish it was true but I have been waiting for that camera over a year now. It will come but not before the end of 2017... the first pro camera will be a "low res" fast shooting camera. Certainly no high res.

Till it actually comes and ships I'll enjoy my GFX.
That's a good point. Why wait for a camera when there's so many to shoot with now? This is an inherent problem with those who chase tech. The grass is always greener, but in the meantime, hours spent reading reviews and specs are hours not taking photos. Have fun with your GFX!
 
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