A500 & A550?

rayj8524 wrote: At the rate things are going, I could see the day that unless you buy a high end A900 type, you are going to have live view or video capability. This is just my humble opinion.

Nothing wrong with that as long Sony will not charge us extra for those features. Bear in mind that competition have them. If Sony wants to keep existing users and attract new ones , then it's wise for them to go with the flow but at the same time improve those features that competion starts to implement to their own product. They've already done that with the implementation of LV.

Steve - I was worried you'd think I was accusing you of a hoax, if thats how you read my post sorry. I do think its genuine, I was really just trying to find the only way that this information 'might' be questioned.

Seems like my wild guess earlier about a 4xx/5xx with video is getting there.

It is unavoidable trend that some cameras in the lineup need video capabilities. Other manufacturers have it, Sony needs to have it too. There are some parents out there who want to take pictures of their kids, and they know those P&S are just too slow to react, so they want some kind of DSLR. Then since most of the P&S have video, they would want video in DSLR as well as it is now available in some models. Why they don't get a video camera ? It is because they already have a lot of stuff to carry (diaper bag, baby meals ... etc), all they want is less weight, again P&S cannot give them sharp pictures, so they want everything in the DSLR. I know because a mom with 2 young boys told me this and at that time, she decided the D90.

Think this is a good time to repost my musings on the Alpha ranges future:

Posted: 19 May 2009 at 13:08
So how many here are now thinking that the "big" announcement on new cameras was a bit a whimper rather than a bang. About a week ago after the new A2xx/A3xx bodies were "accidentally leaked" I started musing as to what this meant for the Alpha range.

It is now obvious that Sony have moved the new camera "down range" a little to provide a better platform for new DSLR users - which I think is a great idea. This has also caused a small vacuum between where the previous models were and the A700.

How many others here think that we can still expect to see 2 or maybe 3 new camera bodies coming out in the next 6 - 12 months. My thoughts are that there will be:

A500 - mid range filling gap between A230/A330/A380 and A700

A700 replacement - this will be an improved version of the A700 with more focus points with improved focus screen similar to new models and improved interface (may be called A800 but this name may be reserved for another model so could be A730??)

New FF model - this will either be smaller MP count than the A900 so could be called A800?? or the mooted A1000 which will be a higher specification camera based on the A900 - improved focus screen etc

With the look of there being an A5xx family I'm hoping that my other predicitions come true

2 new models?
That would be 5 new cameras at least in 2009? Quite impressive!

And I agree with the comments about the a500 as the "new" a100, it'd be good.

Heres a radical thought (or maybe not). Given the "reimaging" of the A200/A300/A350 into the new range how about this:

A5xx family is a "reimage" of the current A700 camera with the A550 having live view (seems to fit Sony's model numbering) to match the look and feel of the new models lauched earlier this month.

This makes the space clear in the range for a replacement A700 with additional features such as a bigger sensor with improved ISO / noise handling.

Just a thought

I hope the A700 replacement isn't anything like the 200/300/350 replacements, or current A700 users won't get anything new.