Sony roadmap for 2010.

IFA, Berlin, 4-9 sept 2009: the A850 replaces the A900 (you already know that part)

(BTW: don't miss Leica announcing the M9 on the last day of the IFA on 9/9/09)

CES, Las Vegas, January 7-10 2010:
Sony announces the A950. Basically it is a A900 with a 32 Mpix sensor. No video mode. High iso.

So this means that Sony keeps 2 FF DSLRs in offer, one at 1500$ street price (MSRP 2000$) and one at 2000$ (MSRP 2500$).

Expect a 600mm lens to be announced between january and april.

(Side note: this leaves Nikon and Canon to announce a D4 and a 1D mark 4 respectively around march).

From this point onwards, Sony communication will be focalized on the soccer World Cup 2010 (in june). Sony was accepted to be one of the only 6 FIFA partners already in 2007, time to get the investment back...

NAB, Las Vegas, april 10-15.
Sony announces the A1000. This will be a revolutionary camera, basically a DSLR video camera hybrid. Sony wants to use NAB, because this camera is mainly a video camera. Sony feels that RED is eating too much market share from their Cinealta line, so they need a cheaper offer along their more traditional camcorders. Expect the A1000 to look a bit like the RED, costs roughly the same and be able to take 32 MPix pictures while filming in HDV at the same time. Expect a 28-300 lens with SSM (typical video range and SSM is silent, which is important for video).
Around the same time, the A2x and A3x line is replaced by smaller, cheaper crop cameras with video. Expect a very cheap A150 without built-in AF motor.


Marketingwise, Sony communication will be axed on the FIFA:
-a pro SLR with the A950 (*)
-a new type of camera with the A1000, perfectly positioned to celebrate the convergence between photo and video on the fields
-Sony video pro stands will assist the Sony soccer photographs and videographs
-all this so that the typical soccer fan wants to buy a camera of the same brand than the pros: the new A2x-A3x line.

(* a photograph which uses a photo camera incapable of video pays less FIFA royalties to be on the spot, that counts on a budget)


(Summer: A850 ceases production silently. Camera stays in program until stocks are cleared, just like the A900.)

Fotokina, Köln, september 8-10:
Sony announces the A5x, to replace the present "5" line. At the same time, a new FF DSLR is announced, the A820. Basically, a A850 with a 32 Mpix sensor and a smaller, plastic body. SD card replaces the CF slot. Video mode, built-in flash, simplified viewfinder. 1500$ MSRP, street price around 1000$ for christmas.

The A950 replacement is to be announced at CES 2011.

Just don't ask how I found all this...

How did you find all this?

Too much good stuff. Now I really don't know when to upgrade from my A700!

Sounds quite plausible to me - the a850 seems just a little bit too similar to the a900 to me somehow.

This could also bode well for a new AF sensor array in the new a7xx/a9xx (being the top of the range models in their respective sensor sizes), with the a850 keeping the old system as the 'low end' full frame model.

Also, dropping the in-body motor on some models seems logical with the new SAM lenses, and the direction Sony seem to be going in with their latest low-end DSLRs.

No a700 replacement seems a bit fishy, although I'm still more than happy with mine

Sony, or anyone else, wont introduce anything that comes close to touching the capabilities of RED, at least not for a long long time.

One thing that strikes me is sony's numbering system. Many people have been wanting a lower MP count FF sensor, basically a high ISO monster. But where would it fit in? the 700 series, 800 series, and 900 series is already spoken for. Now maybe if the 1000 series is this camera, that would be cool, or it will just not happen.

Jerome, I hope what you are saying is correct, I can totally see the a950 and the a150 being produced, but the a1000 is going to be the hard one. Even if they do produce a professional camera/video camera, it probably wont be close to RED. (read about RED, it really is amazing, its not just hardware that is revolutionary, but software too) Also, where is the a700 replacement?

And let the rumors start again!!!

This sound awful to me I was hoping for A900 with 96mp, I was planning to do a 80x100 print and also crop my images so much that I could get 8 shots with every frame