Nikon, Canon and the new Sony a9
Apr 20, 2017 18:58:53 #
With Sony's announcement of the a9 and it's very impressive spec sheet I can't help but wonder if Nikon and Canon are ever going to respond with a serious mirrorless camera. The a9 looks to be aimed at pro, full frame shooters and I think it could really take a bite out of the DSLR market. While I have no plans to go mirrorless -hell, I still shoot film- I'd like to hear other's thoughts on the issue.
Apr 20, 2017 19:07:15 #
Erik_H wrote:
With Sony's announcement of the a9 and it's very impressive spec sheet I can't help but wonder if Nikon and Canon are ever going to respond with a serious mirrorless camera. The a9 looks to be aimed at pro, full frame shooters and I think it could really take a bite out of the DSLR market. While I have no plans to go mirrorless -hell, I still shoot film- I'd like to hear other's thoughts on the issue.
At $4500.00 it will never be in my hands. But I am cheap.
Apr 20, 2017 19:20:15 #
I'll stick with what I have. My interest level is hovering around 0.
--Bob
--Bob
Erik_H wrote:
With Sony's announcement of the a9 and it's very impressive spec sheet I can't help but wonder if Nikon and Canon are ever going to respond with a serious mirrorless camera. The a9 looks to be aimed at pro, full frame shooters and I think it could really take a bite out of the DSLR market. While I have no plans to go mirrorless -hell, I still shoot film- I'd like to hear other's thoughts on the issue.
Apr 20, 2017 19:36:58 #
mas24
Loc: Southern CA
Erik_H wrote:
With Sony's announcement of the a9 and it's very impressive spec sheet I can't help but wonder if Nikon and Canon are ever going to respond with a serious mirrorless camera. The a9 looks to be aimed at pro, full frame shooters and I think it could really take a bite out of the DSLR market. While I have no plans to go mirrorless -hell, I still shoot film- I'd like to hear other's thoughts on the issue.
Nikon and Canon have a different market than Sony. Sony is strictly mirrorless and translucent mirror. They don't make DSLR cameras anymore. The problem with Nikon is that they are coming out with new crop sensor cameras that aren't impressive upgrades to their predecessor. Such as the D3400 and the D7500. Panasonic, Olympus, and Fujifilm are launching new mirrorless cameras that are of excellent quality. The D800 Series are discontinued now. The D5, D500, D750, and the D7200 are the top 4 Nikon cameras now. Not only is Nikon falling behind in new crop DSLRs, but in future mirrorless technology. Excellent Nikon lenses are keeping the brand afloat for the moment. Nikon, the alarm is sounding.
Apr 20, 2017 19:47:38 #
Erik_H wrote:
With Sony's announcement of the a9 and it's very impressive spec sheet I can't help but wonder if Nikon and Canon are ever going to respond with a serious mirrorless camera. The a9 looks to be aimed at pro, full frame shooters and I think it could really take a bite out of the DSLR market. While I have no plans to go mirrorless -hell, I still shoot film- I'd like to hear other's thoughts on the issue.
Erik, I am a Nikon guy. Love my D800 and my assortment of quality Nikon Nikkor lenses. No need for me to get a GAS attack and think Sony A9.
Apr 20, 2017 19:58:04 #
First off, at $4500, it is beyond the reach of most prosumers, particularly when you factor in the new lenses matched to the camera. And, the the target users are those with Nikon D5s and Canon 1DX.
Apr 20, 2017 19:58:45 #
Erik_H wrote:
With Sony's announcement of the a9 and it's very impressive spec sheet I can't help but wonder if Nikon and Canon are ever going to respond with a serious mirrorless camera. The a9 looks to be aimed at pro, full frame shooters and I think it could really take a bite out of the DSLR market. While I have no plans to go mirrorless -hell, I still shoot film- I'd like to hear other's thoughts on the issue.
I expect the medium to long term future to move towards electronic mirrorless technology. The A9 maybe the first example of what some future mirrorless cameras will be like, as was the Canon EOS M5. They look like real cameras. A full frame system is not likely to be like today's light weight mirrorless offerings. The A9 is roughly the same weight as a Canon 80D, and lenses for the A9 will be a similar weight.
Personally, I think Canon is responding but letting others be the pioneers. You know how to spot a pioneer don't you? Face down in the mud with arrows in their back! Nikon is definitely a laggard here. Nikon is a good acquisition target for Sony if Sony is indeed serious about the high end camera market, not for the cameras, but for the lenses and other system stuff.
Apr 20, 2017 20:06:04 #
Peterff wrote:
I expect the medium to long term future to move to... (show quote)
I agree with you Peter. Canon seems to be very conservative in approach and watches to see where the innovation leads by others and then deriving their own way. They do have their own innovation but at the same time the new sensors they are now including in cameras like the 80D/5DIV still can't pull shadows out of cameras like Sony's development almost half a decade ago. I am now skipping every other update because the price in my opinion isn't convincing enough to part with my money.
Apr 20, 2017 20:24:31 #
Haydon wrote:
I agree with you Peter. Canon seems to be very conservative in approach and watches to see where the innovation leads by others and then deriving their own way. They do have their own innovation but at the same time the new sensors they are now including in cameras like the 80D/5DIV still can't pull shadows out of cameras like Sony's development almost half a decade ago. I am now skipping every other update because the price in my opinion isn't convincing enough to part with my money.
Yep, I agree with that also. This is a long game that is being played, probably measured in decades. Sony sensors are definitely excellent, but Canon is beginning to close the gap. Then there is the rest of the system...
Although they don't get much active use I still have two T90 bodies and an AE-1 (with power winder now) in good working order and a few rolls of film for occasional use. Very happy I chose Canon back in 1976! Where was Sony then? Where is Minolta now. Nikon is still going strong and I expect it to do so. Despite all of Sony's excellent stuff they are still the new kid on the block.
Apr 20, 2017 21:17:56 #
Erik_H wrote:
With Sony's announcement of the a9 and it's very impressive spec sheet I can't help but wonder if Nikon and Canon are ever going to respond with a serious mirrorless camera. The a9 looks to be aimed at pro, full frame shooters and I think it could really take a bite out of the DSLR market. While I have no plans to go mirrorless -hell, I still shoot film- I'd like to hear other's thoughts on the issue.
Specs on the a9 are so good I doubt anyone would care whether it's mirrorless or if it had an archaic, clunky mirror. Sony has taken its full frame mirrorless lineup -- already pro-quality for landscape, studio, and video -- to the next level of pro-grade for sports and virtually any kind of shooting. It will be interesting to see how the next model, the a9R with a larger sensor, measures up. Will Sony be able to maintain these impressive specs even with the additional data generated by a 42-50MP sensor? We'll see.
Apr 20, 2017 21:28:00 #
Peterff wrote:
Yep, I agree with that also. This is a long game ... (show quote)
"Where was Sony then and where is Minolta now?" Minolta is in Sony.
"Nikon is still going strong and I expect it to do so." I beg to differ. Nikon is struggling financially and has dropped several models and planned releases, including an update to its mirrorless line -- a line which it dropped completely. And Sony -- already number two or number one in some countries -- has passed Nikon in the USA in full frame interchangeable lens camera sales.
"Canon is beginning to close the gap?" No, it isn't. It made strides with one sensor only, the sensor in the 5d4. Too early to tell if that's a fluke.
Apr 20, 2017 21:33:50 #
Desert Gecko wrote:
"Where was Sony then and where is Minolta now... (show quote)
Different perspective. Sony couldn't build a still camera to save its life until it acquired Minolta. I know what I was saying. Nikon has issues, but it still has a decent postition in the high end of the ILC market, but it hasn't yet addressed the mirrorless market with any credibility which is a weakness. I was being kind. Canon is absolutely closing the gap in more ways than you appear to be aware of. We shall see what happens. We're talking about a decade long transition here at least, and that is a very long time in technology.
Apr 20, 2017 23:03:12 #
PixelStan77 wrote:
Erik, I am a Nikon guy. Love my D800 and my assortment of quality Nikon Nikkor lenses. No need for me to get a GAS attack and think Sony A9.
I'm a Nikon guy as well, I have eight of them sitting on my desk right now. But you gotta wonder why the big two aren't even trying to get into the mirrorless market (in a meaningful way), especially when something like this comes out that could really give a pro-level Nikon or Canon a run for it's money. As far as me though, I had a GAS attack a couple of weeks ago and bought an F3 and a couple more rolls of Tri-X
Apr 20, 2017 23:09:08 #
Peterff wrote:
...Nikon is a good acquisition target for Sony if Sony is indeed serious about the high end camera market, not for the cameras, but for the lenses and other system stuff.
I agree, but I don't see Nikon selling out to Sony, or anyone else for that matter. They will dump their lithography and other poorly performing ventures first.
Apr 20, 2017 23:10:24 #
Erik_H wrote:
I agree, but I don't see Nikon selling out to Sony, or anyone else for that matter. They will dump their lithography and other poorly performing ventures first.
I agree, but if they did it would be the best fit....
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