Sony Alpha a77 and a65 Announced
With the announcement of Sony’s new a35 in June, it was clear that replacement for the a55 was just around the corner. Sony did not disappoint us, announcing two cameras in late August. The new a65 is a mid-level machine, replacing the a55, while the a77 takes aim at the semi-pro, action photography market; the “a77” designation is probably no coincidence, as it’s competition is primarily the Canon 7D, and to a lesser extent, the Nikon D7000.
By including it in their newest pro-sumer camera, Sony has made it clear that their translucent mirror technology1 In fact, Canon has been using fixed pellicle mirrors since the 1960s, including the popular Pellix line. is not just a novelty; it will be a foundation of their camera line for the future. Coupled with this innovation is Sony’s newest 24.3 megapixel APS-C sensor, a behemoth in an already over-sized field. Since most modern APS-C sensors already out-resolve the lenses placed in front of them, it is hard to see the practical benefit of a sensor of this resolution (besides the obvious appeal to the marketing department).
However, Sony now has a three camera line-up that can shoot 1080p video with full, phase detection auto-focus, something that no other manufacturer can claim. The a77 shoots action at 12 frames per second, also unsurpassed by the most expensive SLRs on the market, and even the a65 hits 10fps.
Whether the market will embrace Sony’s new high-resolution electronic viewfinder is another story; many photographers have been reluctant up to this point, especially those shooting with manual flash. But there is no single camera that is perfect for everybody; and I suspect that Sony will continue to see an increasingly large share of the consumer SLR market.
