Interviews Sony

Sony Shakes Off Full-Frame Mirrorless Competitors, Confident In Its Chosen Path

Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras include the following (left to right): a7 III, a9, and a7R III
Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras include the following (left to right): a7 III, a9, and a7R III

The following video presents A Wild Life – A story by Chris Schmid:
Wildlife photographer & filmmaker Chris Schmid talks about how his Sony α cameras give him the opportunity to take pictures he could never take before.

In an interesting interview by Amateur Photographer editor Nigel Atherton, Senior General Manager of Sony’s Digital Imaging Business group Kenji Tanaka shares some of Sony’s thinking about what its full-frame strategy is and how it plans to maintain its top spot as the full-frame mirrorless camera of choice among professional photographers.

The following video presents Sony | α | Bob Martin – Tips from a Legendary Sports Photographer:
“Sports photography is about capturing fleeting moments.” A legendary Sports Photographer Bob Martin shares how to take great sports pictures while touching upon the advantages of Sony equipment.

Here’s a summary of the interview:

  • Mirrorless has so many advantages (“speed, vibration, image quality”) over DSLRs that it’s natural other camera companies would eventually follow Sony’s lead into full-frame mirrorless. Competition will only increase the ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera) market (but, please, stop copying us).
  • Not worried — don’t care — about Nikon, Canon and other full-frame mirrorless entries. Sony feels comfortable with its camera and lens offerings and five-year first-mover advantage.
  • Sony is listening to what professional photographers are asking for, especially where lens range is concerned. Besides the 400mm f/2.8 telephoto (which is “better than the competitors”), Sony is planning another quality tele lens for the sports shooter.
  • Want bigger cameras? Don’t hold your breath, so look elsewhere. Sony is all about balance between compactness and ergonomics.
  • Sony can technically produce a f/1.0 lens, but doubts there is really a demand for it, perhaps more for a f/1.2.

The “I don’t care about competitors” line is basically the same bravado message he gave in a DPReview interview back in October at Photokina 2018.

I believe Sony engineers are carefully following what their competitors are doing, knowing full well that being top dog is a very tenuous position and can quickly alternate from one brand to the next as the Nikon-Canon DSLR competition has clearly demonstrated.

You can read the whole AP interview here.


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