The Sony A7s Price Disappointment

I was eagerly waiting for the pricing information on the A7s from Sony, and the price was finally revealed today, at $2500.  Disappointingly, this is too much for most enthusiasts, including me.  I was hoping the pricing would be close to that of the A7 or just slightly more. As it stands, the A7s is now $1000 more than the A7.

Personally, I think pricing the A7s this high is a wrong move for Sony and will put this camera into a niche market. Before the price announcement, Sony leaked out different price points to test the reactions from potential users, from $1800 to $3500, and then settled somewhere in the middle. There is nothing technologically advanced about the A7s; the very capable low light capability was made possible by lowering the pixel count of the sensor, which pretty much any company that makes sensors can do with current fabrication methods. The autofocus system, or even the video subsystem, is nothing earth shattering. In many ways, the Panasonic GH4 is a more capable video camera; it can literally focus in the dark, and records 4K video internally. Besides, the low light capability of the GH4 is no slouch either. But, I can see that the A7s is a perfect compliment to the GH4, when the full frame look is desired. What makes the A7s great, is that Sony actually dears to be different and has made a camera that no other company would do. Don't get me wrong, $2500 for a full frame camera with such low light capability is entirely reasonable; just that its price is not low enough for most people who want to use it as a camera for still photography, especially when today's cameras are already very good at low light.

In some ways, my heart is broken for not being able to afford the A7s. I guess I will pick one up used in a year or two, probably at half the price. In the mean time, I can now look forward to the A7, which has its price just reduced to $1500 in Canada.

Toronto from the 46th floor - Kiron 28mm f2.0 [OM Mount] & Sony NEX-6. Click for larger

Sony A7s Pricing - How Much Will It Cost

By now you have probably guessed I am really interested in the Sony A7s :)

No one knows for sure, except Sony, how much the A7s will cost; it's all but a guessing game by everyone else. Some say it would cost $2500, others say it would be the same price as the A7. Personally, I want it to be priced around the A7, or very slightly above it. No doubt the A7s is a very interesting camera with phenomenon low light capabilities. For all intents and purposes, one may never need to carry, and use a flash again on this camera; it could literally see in the dark. This is its strength, as depicted by the S in the model name. Less so, is the 4K capability. The dependency of an outboard 4K recorder will limit the use of the camera in certain circumstances, and it will add bulk to the system. Video-wise, it certainly is not as indie friendly as the Panasonic GH4, which has internal 4K recording capability.

I think most people will buy this camera for its still picture capabilities. The already mentioned low light capability, the very high dynamic range, the compact size, and finally the small file (depending on your usage, of course), all together makes a perfect carry around camera. This is why I am so interested in it. I believe it would be wrong for Sony to price it at more than $2000, since it does not cost them any more to make than the A7; the only difference is the sensor, which I think should have better yield than the higher density 24MP sensor used in the A7, thus lower in cost.

I look forward to a reasonably priced low density full frame camera, as would many people who are interested in image quality and megapixels. Once people find out how good it is, they will not go back, barring any earth shattering sensor designs that trumps the A7s.

Desk & Chairs - Canon 5D Mark II & Schneider-Kreuznach Componon 80mm f5.6 Enlarging Lens.

My Take on the Sony A7s

The dust has finally settled for the A7s. The live streaming from NAB 2014 certainly created a lot of buzz for this camera and forums and discussion boards were all in overdrive. Many expressed disappointment, especially those who are interested in the 4K video; this camera can not record 4K video internally, like the Panasonic GH4 can, and you will need a very expensive external recorder to record 4K video. I would be disappointed too, if I were into video.  Luckily I am not, and I am hoping this "flaw", combined with the low megapixel count will make the price of the camera lower!

I don't think this camera will be a phenomenon success for Sony, as it does not natively record 4K, and the pixel count is too low for many people. But it addresses many enthusiast's need for a small camera with the highest image quality and exposure latitude, without the insane high megapixels. This is my kind of camera.  I have been waiting for a camera like this since the Canon 5D classic. With today's technology, a 12MP full frame sensor should have mind boggling low light capabilities with high dynamic range. The low pixel count will much easier on old lenses too, which is very important to me, having so much old stuff.

If the price of the A7s is the same as the A7, or, hopefully lower, this will be my camera. It iwll last me for many years, seriously.

Roof top - S.F.O.M 100mm f3.2 Projection Lens & Olympus E-M5

Sony A7s - A New Direction in Sensor Development?

Sony Alpha Rumor has reported, with a "for sure" rating of SR5 rating, that a new Sony A7s is to be unveiled tomorrow at NAB, and it will shoot 4K video. Frankly, I don't much care about 4K video, at least not at the moment, and I am sure there are many people out there who do care. What's most interesting to me about the A7s, is the new 12MP full frame sensor.

Sony is swimming against the current of increasingly higher density sensors and created a 12MP sensor for this camera. Personally, I am very excited. I do not need 36MP, or 24MP, or even 16MP; 12MP will be a perfect compromise between enlargeability and file size. Imagine the golf ball sized pixels on this sensor that will have very clean high ISO, and it most older lenses will perform much better because of the low density factor.

Can't wait to see how the good the image quality is.  If Sony can keep the price the same as the A7, I will buy one.

Reflection - Canon FD 50mm f1.2 S.S.C & Olympus E-M5. Click for larger