We all know Sony aquired everything it needs from Konic/Minolta, to be a formidable camera and lens company. Then add to the mix their experience in sensor and electronics technology and you would think they could leave most other camera manufacturers in the dust. We will see..... One of the many things I wonder about is how Sony could use the technology from the Konica Hexar AF. It utilized an infra red beam that allowed it to focus almost instantly in the dark. Could this be used in a digital camera? I still hold a true digital Hexar AF as a Holy Grail of cameras, and am waiting to see if Sony can produce one. Sony has been busy and the folks over at sonyalpharumors say more is yet to come. Here's a quote from Andrea at SAR.... " So what’s next? Actually I believe more lenses will be announced in a couple of months and I do expect Sony to make some major announcement right before the CES event in early January. I have been told that Sony is also working on a new type of cameras. But that is a surprise I will keep up for you later So this was just to say, that there will not a be a lot of time to rest here on SonyAlphaRumors!" So it sounds like we have a lot to look forward to, I know my interest is peaked.....
It's interesting how the electronics companies have been the innovators in the camera market over the last few years,...and equally interesting that the existing camera makers could not see beyond the 'black plastic 35mm SLR with sensor'. Sony has stated that it wants to be one of the two top camera makers and this presumably is where they are headed with the latest models. The big fly in the ointment is that it's Sony we are talking about,...a company with a dismal record for customer service and some truly cynical 'product support'. I recently aquired a NEX 3 but waited for the price to halve before buying and I certainly won't be buying any lenses incase the body fails at a couple of years and then Sony will fail to help me either in repairs, spare parts or ecomomic repair,...been caught by Mr Sony before like this So, the products as usual are interesting and seductive but one has to remember that this is Sony, so failures are almost certainly built in and waiting for business as usual....
I think as with any sales driven company, it's us the consumers who are going to influence companies like Sony, Nikon, Canon etc.. on what path the company is going to take depending on how we react to a product. In saying this, I dont think Sony fully anticipated the reaction they got with the NEX when it was released into the market, no offense to their R&D, sales, and marketing department but I think fitting a NEX with an adapter made in a factory in a town who's name I have trouble pronouncing, using it with 30 year old legacy glass and treating it like a "poor man's M9" was the last thing in their minds when they released the NEX. They had the P&S upgraders in mind when it was released but the most vocal feedback they recieved was from enthusiasts, words and phrases like "dslr killer", " massive sensor in a small body", "limited lenses", portability", "disappointing kits" etc..This and the advent of adapters to fit almost every lens known to man has flooded the market has influenced Sony on what path to take with the NEX line of cameras. I personally don't think that cameras like the NEX will ever replace dslrs, There always will be a market for them and rangefinders, and point & shoots, etc.. I think Sony was able to fill a niche in the market that photgraphers were waiting for e.g. small camera, large sensor, good IQ, good lenses, etc... (whether this was Sony's intention or not is another matter). So far, I think Sony has been listening to it's users which has led to the increase of their consumer base and eager anticipation of their products (the NEX-7 looks like it came right out of an enthusiast's wet dream) by including a hot shoe, development of primes, body in built flash, etc...whether it's affordable or not is a question best left to Mr.Sony, the consumer and his/her banker. But I digress, I think Sony with it's Konica Minolta heritage is capable of what external factors will let them be capable of, factors such as: 1.Consumer reaction. Will users want more primes? more zooms? a new body? 2.Will they listen to their consumers? 3.How will they react to competition? It's only a matter of time before Nikon and Canon throw their hats in the ring with their mirrorless system as the mirrorless market is proving to be a very lucrative one (that is unless Nikon and Canon's idea of successful sales is being bent over and being flogged by a giant salmon) I know it's a bit cliche but if they want my hard earned money (easy earned if you're into crime...hey to each their own) they'll show me "what they're capable of" to earn my sale. In the end, imho, it's us, the consumers, users, photographers, who indirectly influence these companies of what paths to take and what products to develop depending on how much are we willing to pay for it.
