DPR Forum

Welcome to the Friendly Aisles!
DPRF is a photography forum with people from all over the world freely sharing their knowledge and love of photography. Everybody is welcome, from beginners to the experienced professional. Whether it is Medium Format, fullframe, APS-C, MFT or smaller formats. Digital or film. DPRF is a forum for everybody and for every format.
Enjoy this modern, easy to use software. Look also at our Reviews & Gallery!

Sony announced over 20 new lenses

wang

Well-Known Member
What is the impact of 20 new Sony lenses to everyone ?

Once you know the existence of medium format and those kind of things about film scanning, you become less interested.
 
@Chi

if the new Sony lenses will be Zeiss lenses, it has a big impact
happy.gif


It gives you a good alternative, if you do not really want to use Medium Format and but want to use a DSLR...

And one thing we have to bear in mind: Minolta made also film bodies. They are not as nice as Contax bodies. But if you invest in new Zeiss-KM glass, you have still the option to buy used an old Minolta Maxxum 9xi, or Maxxum 9 body and use the new Zeiss KM-Sony glass with film
happy.gif
 
I used to be very happy once some news appear in 35mm format. I was very happy when Zeiss Ikon came up when Marc showed less interest. I was very happy when the ZF came up, so happy that I brought a Nikon body specially for this even though I never use it.

Once you know about something better 35mm becomes less interesting. To me, medium format is more interesting. I spent more time in thinking about Schneider 38mm 5.6 than those Sony lenses.

I already have some very good lenses in 35mm format, it is very hard for me to see how much better the Sony lenses are even if they are all Zeiss. I have C-Y 21, 28 2, 60 2.8, 85 1.2, 200 2. I also have the great lenses in the M series like ZM21, ZM25, ZM35, M35 2 ASPH, M50 2, APO M75 2 ASPH and APO M90 2 ASPH. I think it is quite impossible for the Sony lenses to exceed the performance of all these. All these lenses I described have reached the limit of performance in 35mm photography. Rather than still wondering around in 35mm, it is time to move on to medium format.

I got this idea when I was shooting with all the best equipments in 35mm but I still wish to have further improvements. When you look at some magazine, I always wonder why they could produce images with such a good contrast and clarity. Medium format is the answer.

The next digital revolution will happen when each unit of the sensor can sense all three colours but at the moment it can only sense one. I doubt if Sony could reach that stage in their new DSLR.

At the moment, my R1 come to the limit of use. I shot the pigmented lesion of the face but the image produced by R1 fall short to provide adequate diagnostic informations. On the other hand, my RX together with 100mm Makro-Planar provide me with stunning images. I am still very skeptical with digital even if it is Sony or Canon.
 
Sorry Dirk, but IMO this is more hybrid nonsense in order to avail ourselves of Zeiss optics.

Minolta bodies are fairly well known as being plagued with quality problems and have never been a serious consideration for professional photographers.

For film, better to secure a Nikon F6 and the new ZF lenses which are finally shipping. This would give you the option of also using some of the better Nikon glass with Auto Focus ability. The F6 series cameras are tanks and offer focus confirmation in the viewfinder when Manual focus ZF lenses are mounted. Want digital? Get a D200 for those Zeiss lenses.

For Zeiss optical performance, I'm opting to add a few ZM lenses to Leica M list ... starting with the 28/2.8 in chrome to accompany my new retro designed Leica MP3 ... a match made in heaven? Plus, the digital M will be here soon.
 
Marc, interesting to hear you effectively endorsing the D200 over (for ex&le) the D2X, is the latter not full frame? Or is there something I am missing (probably a whole load of somethings)?

I am loving the idea of an F6 and a D200/D2X with Zeiss glass though.
proud.gif


Excuse me if i'm being stupid here, I have just sold my M3 kit and am reeling a little from potential regret.
sad.gif
 
@Chi

I do not doubt, that Medium Format has its advantages over 135mm. But everybody has to decide for his/her needs what is the best compromise to give satisfaction in the mix of image quality, handling, lens reange, price and weight/size.

It is not by accident, that in the past 30 years, less Medium Format gear was sold than 135mm equipment, although verybody knows tha image quality is better imn MF. The sales numbers do not mean that one is superior to the other. It only means different people have different needs.

@Marc

I have defintely not the experience in different DSLR gear as you have
happy.gif


I only can judge what i have seen until now and this means for me I am Zeiss "addicted". I just do not find any producer, who is able to handle ghosting and lens flare as good as Zeiss. Sharpnessa dn colours can sometimes been matched. Unfortunately I have to say, because life would be a lot easier for me with more lens options in this respect. And things like Vignetting and distortion seem nowadays more a question of Photoshop/PT lens/DxO than the lens itself.

The option to combine ZF lenses with a Nikon F6 is definetly a very good alternative. If Zeiss will come up with more than 4 ZF lenses, this might be also intersting for a broader audience. Also a Nikon D200 with Zeiss ZF lenses is a very good alternative IMO.

I agree that Nikon bodies seems to be sturdier (in the pro cameras) than Minolta. I just mentioned the MInolta analogue bodies, because I do not think that Sony will bring any analogue body on the market.

Just to make things clear: As already mentioned in my Sony R1 commenst, I am very skeptical regarding the future productline Alpha of Sony. They have to convince me first, that this is really a longterm committment and secondly that they are able to match "Contax standards".

If they fail, the Nikon-route is the only choice I can see at the moment for me personally, especially since it looks like they would offer longterm also a fullframe body and ZF lenses are designed for fullframe. (@antony: currently teher are no fullframe DSLRs in the Nikon product range)

The question about the longterm committment of Sony "looks" today a littel bit better than a few weeks ago, after the announcement of over 20 new lenses to be released within the first 12 months. If this is not rebadget KM stuff and real Zeiss lenses, this is a strong offer. BUt still Sony can say good by after 2 years and we are sitting with a soon outdated DLSR and 20 lenses at home
happy.gif


Nevertheless: With what they showed me with the Sony R1, I do not know whether they have the right people to decide how features have to be implemented etc. So no Contax standard at all at the moment IMO. I do not expect a sturdier body for this price. My criticism is only regarding the way how they handled easy things like ISO auto, different program modes, writings speed, etc. Things that do not cost much to make it right, but for which you have to have somebody, who has a clou about photography, rather than video games
happy.gif


So it is obvious that Sony push the marketing department to make promises. We will see after the products are in the shelves, whether it is only overpromising and underlivering, or whether this is also an alternative for Contax users.

P.s.: I will move thrse alst postings into the Sony corner, since this has nothig to do anymore with the Zeiss 21mm
happy.gif
 
Here a photo (a fake?) of one of the upcoming Sony DSLRs by the way:

Rumours are, that there will be 3 DLSRs this year from Sony. One on a Minolta 5D level (entry level), One on the 7D level (mid-range) and one on a "9D" level (pro model).

Looking at this photo - if it is real at all - this is IMHO not Contax standard. No aperture ring, which would disappoint me a lot but might not be importnat for others. 10MP as rumours are saying.



459547.jpg
 
Dirk!

Why are you still promoting the idea that Sony will offer Zeiss glass for the new Sony Alpha mount cameras? Is this what your source is still telling you?
Surely with the launch of the new system only a couple of weeks away, there would be a hint from Sony about this - like a reference to the "high level optical engineering expertise" or similar talk. Instead in the so called "interview" Sony has chosen to stress succession of Konica Minolta line. So I rather have to agree with the pervasive rumour that the Alpha glass will be partly produced by Tamron and partly in KM "new" factory in China.
 
Hi Didzis,

I do not want to promote anything. I am neither an employee of any of those brands, nor am I financially benefitting, if Sony will offer Zeiss lenses
happy.gif


I have no news from my side regarding Zeiss lenses by the way.

The success of Sony DSLR future lives and dies with the KM mount. Do not overinterprete the interview. Sony does not want to sell its cameras only to new users. The whole strategy only works, if they can convince NOW all old Minolta users not to switch the brand/lens mount. Especiall all users, who are still in analogue photography.

Here is the phrase of the interview again:

"...To successfully create this culture, it's not enough to offer a body and two or three lens options, which is why, starting this summer, we will launch more than 20 new lens models over the course of a year. Combined with the over 16 million compatible lenses that have been sold to date, we are bringing our entire camera culture toward an ever-expanding future for our customers...."

For me the wording "new lens models" means really new models, no rebadging. Although I am cautious with this interpretation, since the purpose of such an interiew is always marketing and because of this, you never know exactly what they mean until you see it on your table
happy.gif


The next phrase: "...Combined with the over 16 million compatible lenses that have been sold to date..."

Is only a nice try to show people that Minolta is not a dead brand to be avoided by new costumers. The mesage is: it is still alive with a big community of 16 million lenses so far, who like their KM system. The logic behind it IMHO: You do not want to buy a car which nobody else wants to buy, right?

So why do they write all this? I think they have looked at the Olympus E-System dilemma and and the Contax N system dilemma and try now to avoid a similar route. It is not enough nowadays to have a good system in place. You need to give the buyer the feeling, that he is investing his money in a system that survives also in 3 years. And an advanced amateur & professional only wants to invest in a system, that has enough choice for the different needs and the know-how to do this.

Sony knows, that people will be suspicious to Sony cameras. To sell P&S and videogames is a different level than DSLRs. There will be many peope who say : Why shall I buy a sony DSLR, they have no market share and no "real" lens know-how and there do exist only non-digital optimized old KM lenses anyway and therefore there is no chance to survive for that system..."

So Sony will try to put this into perspective how they see it and they are partially right.

a) It is easier to convince owners of 16 million lenses to buy a DSLR which fits the mount, then to convince them to buy into a new lens-mount (Kyocera and Olympus ignored that point). Everybody knows that you need at the end of the day in most cases new lenses for a 10MP camera. But people still prefer first to buy the DLSR body and use it first with old lenses. Later on they buy more new lenses. And you keep all te costumers.

This was the case with all brands: Canon, Nikon etc. Sony would have never tried to enter the DSLR market without a cooperation with an established mount. The fact that Minolta just gave up, was IMHO nothing Sony knew one year ago when they signed the cooperation.

b) The "neighbor effect" as described above with the car (Olympus and Kyocera ignored that point)

c) Showing committment with a huge range of new lenses (Kyocera missed that totally with the N-System, Olympus catched up recently)

Sony will IMHO again and again try to give indications why they take this market entrance seriously and wants to stay in it forever. If they do not succeed to convince a bigger audience with this than Olympus and Kyocera, they will fail. IMHO they know that a DSLR with a great chip is not enough. Even if the sensor will be better than anything Canon has to offer, this will not be enough to gain significant marketshare. Canon sensors are good enough to stick with it. No reason for the masses to switch. And if new buyers have the choice between a new unknown Sony system and a well established Canon system that every second neighbour is using, they will not hesitate to buy Canon
happy.gif


So we can casually lay back and watch what else Sony is showing to seduce us. For us there is no reson to hurry as I and others stated many times in the past. We do have already working systems - either analogue or digital. And we have a very high image quality with our Contax system, which not every other user can say
happy.gif


I would recommend to treat it like a movie: Enjoy the play, watch closely all the actors and be curious about the end
happy.gif


Just my 2 cents...
 
Back
Top