Sony's Alpha DSLR brand

Following up on that farewell to Konica Minolta, Sony just announced their new D-SLR sub-brand hitting the streets this summer: Alpha. Yeah, Alpha as in "beginning" or "essential," not pre-beta instability (we hope). Sony will produce the complete camera system including the lenses (no Carl Zeiss?), accessories, CCD (hopefully not those CCDs) and CMOS imaging sensors, and other Sony imaging technologies. And like we already knew, the new Sony shooters will be compatible with Konica-Minolta lenses and accessories. That's it, we can all go back to waiting now for actual products to be announced. Oh, and we linked to the Sony Alpha website per the press release which is, er, down at the moment... "Alpha" indeed.

Update: Thanks to everyone who pointed out that Minolta's SLRs were marketed in Asia under the Alpha brand. At this point, it looks likely that Sony will be using the brand globally, dropping Minolta's previous use of Maxxum (North America) and Dynax (Europe) branding for its SLRs. We'll let you know if we learn otherwise.

[Via Sony]

[Neoterix @ Apr 20th 2006 8:20AM]

Here's hoping the cameras feature the on-body image stabilization that set the KM SLRs apart...

[Jared Dilg @ Apr 20th 2006 9:14AM]

So, who would buy a Sony DSLR, besides those owning a few Minolta lenses? It seems to me that if you're serious about photography to take the DSLR plunge, you'd go with an industry leader like Canon or Nikon, or even Mamiya, who all have a wide array of professional lenses to choose from.

[Redman @ Apr 20th 2006 9:36AM]

To my knowledge Zeiss has never manufactured the lenses for Sony, only designed them.

[Ethan @ Apr 20th 2006 9:44AM]

"Alpha" is already the Japanese name of a series of SLRs from Konica/Minolta.

[Farley @ Apr 20th 2006 9:50AM]

Since the Sony DSLR would use the Minolta Lense mount so that all previous Minolta Maxxum lenses would be compatible with the new DSLRs. I'm assuming the Lenses will be built by previous Konica Minolta factories now owned by Sony, and Minolta built good glass so that's a good thing.

Really wish Sony called their new camera Sony Minolta to capatilize on the long standing Minolta brand. Konica Minolta can trace their roots back to 1873.

Personally, I'm glad that all my Maxxum lenses and accesories are going to have a second life.

[Farley @ Apr 20th 2006 10:03AM]

>>"Alpha" is already the Japanese name of a series of SLRs from Konica/Minolta.

Yeah you are right. Didn't want to knock Engadget but they should have done their research. The "Alpha" brand has been around since 1985, and it's a Minolta brand.

In North America their AF cameras were called the Maxxum, in Europe Dynax, and in Japan the Alpha. Not sure if they are going to keep the three brand names for the different regions, but basically this press release is saying that Sony is going to keep the Minolta brands not make their own.

[Geir E @ Apr 20th 2006 10:07AM]

YES YES YES YEEEES!

When do I preorder? I want something around 10 mpixles please. Around the ruggedness of the 7 but with more than the lousy 6mpixel count it had.

[Torontoguy @ Apr 20th 2006 11:04AM]

As I understand it, the deal transfers to Sony all of the K-M designs and the first Sony-branded camera will roll off the same factory as the previous K-M dSLRs. So, aside from Sony enhancing the electronics, it will probably look very much like the 5D or 7D and be fully compatible with previous K-M cameras and accessories.
If I was Sony, I would make sure that the new camera used their Info-Lithium batteries and Sony sensors...we know they have a nice 10Mp sensor in the Sony R1...

[Aegis @ Apr 20th 2006 11:35AM]

Sony already provides their aps-sized CMOS sensor to the top end Nikon D2x, which is a 3 to 4 grand camera. The problem with Minolta is the digital age was that their CMOs sensors weren't competitive and they were designed ugly compared to their other Japanese rivals Canon and Nikon, but built supurbly sturdy bodies and sculpted fine glass. Hopefully between Sony's industrial design talent and digital technology and Minolta's traditonal expertise in lenses and bodies (& metering) they might bring competition to Nikon on Canon who have rested on their perch for so long.

I'm hoping to see the great film era with all the Japanese camera companies trying to one up each other (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, Mamiya, etc). With Pentax teaming up with Samsung to re-enter the DSLR arena competition is going to be a good thing, and should improve Canon and Nikons as well.

[DirtHerder @ Apr 20th 2006 11:43AM]

To "Jared Dilg".

I'd definitely get myself a Sony (Minolta) DSLR. Of course it would have to meet certain desires and criteria that I have (just like any other camera I would purchase). I wouldn't buy on the brand alone.

As for Canon and Nikon being industry leaders... last tim I checked Sony was actually the industry leader when it comes to digital photography (which is what we are talking about here), with Kodak second, Canon 3rd, and Olympus 4th (no idea where that leaves Nikon). So yeah, if you want to go with the number one digital imaging company. Sony would be the choice.

I also think it is really good of Sony to support the servicing of current Konica Minolta owners instead of leaving them to hang in the wind (which they very easily could have done).

[Ag @ Apr 20th 2006 12:52PM]

Sony is about to introduce a 60 fps CMOS sensor. Basically ability to take 60 pics per sec, which is very impressive, and fantastic for sports photography.


http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/cmos/cmos1.html

PDF
http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/cx_news/vol43/pdf/featuring43.pdf

If they could combine this new sensor tech with KM's image stabilization technology which is widely considered one of the best. Sony might have a strong competitor to rival Nikon & Canon.

The DSLR battle is going to heat up, let's look at the competitors:

Canon

Nikon

Sony/Konica Minolta

Panasonic/Leica

Olympus

Pentax/Samsung

not to mention likes of Fuji, Sigma, etc.

[izzac G @ Apr 20th 2006 7:46PM]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I just found out about the faulty CCD on Sony cameras. I was about to buy a new camera! You all saved me $1000!!!!!!!!!!!

[Torontoguy @ Apr 20th 2006 7:59PM]

Izzac, Izzac...you make it sound like EVERY Sony camera had a faulty CCD. In fact, only a very few models were effected and then the problem only surfaced in tropical climates.
In any case, you would have a problem buying almost ANY digital camera because Sony makes the CCDs for most of them.
I have had Sony digitals since 1998 and have NEVER had a CCD problem...I have never had ANY problem...with Sony products so...chill.

[Torontoguy @ Apr 20th 2006 8:08PM]

Redman wrote: "To my knowledge Zeiss has never manufactured the lenses for Sony, only designed them."
This is incorrect. If you go to the Zeiss site (http://www.zeiss.de) you will see that tney acknowledge their MANUFACTURE of lenses for Sony just as they made the lenses for Contax. In fact, the sale of Zeiss lenses on Sony cameras was a significant revenue source for Zeiss as noted in their Annual Report.
The story that the Zeiss lenses on Sony cameras weren't 'really' Zeiss was started by supporters of rival digitals to try to undercut the advantage that Sony gained by using a superior lens. Not only is every Zeiss lens on a Sony camera 100% Zeiss...but each one has a Zeiss serial number.

[Jared Dilg @ Apr 20th 2006 11:17PM]

Dirt,

Where are you getting these numbers about Sony being the industry leader? Are you talking about their consumer sales? because I don't know many pros who shoot with Sony digital gear.

[J.R. @ Apr 20th 2006 11:38PM]

It's my understanding that the Zeiss/not-Zeiss thing arises from the fact that the Zeiss lenses Sony uses are made in a factory built in Asia, not in Europe. That being said, Zeiss designed them, and they make sure the Sony factory follows the same strict QC procedures as all the other lenses. To try and prove one is better than the other isn't really going to get you anywhere.

[Torontoguy @ Apr 21st 2006 9:19AM]

Exactly like the Zeiss lenses made for Kyocera/Contax were also made in Japan. The decision to move the majority of Zeiss lens production to Japan rather than Germany was purely economic. Not only was unit cost less but the lenses were closer to the camera body manufacturers which facilitiates coordination of their efforts. If we take our parallel from Contax, the fact is that the Japanese made Contax lenses are IDENTICAL to the German made Contax lenses.
Zeiss has released a new series of lenses in new mounts (ZM mount for Leica, ZN for Nikon and ZS for screw-mount). Most are mde in Japan and only a few (specialized designs) are manufactured in Germany.
It is NOT true that Zeiss sent over a set of design plans and a page of specifications and then left the Japanese to produce any junk they wanted and paste the Zeiss name on it.
If all that Sony did was 'licence the Zeiss name' then wouldn't they put the name Zeiss on ALL of their lenses? But they don't...they can't. The lenses produced for the new Sony Alpha SLR will be Minolta (NOT Zeiss) lenses.

[David Taylor @ May 14th 2006 3:35PM]

Live preview, movable LCD screen, USB 2, at least a
10 megapixel sensor, dust removal and I will certainly buy one.

[Modo @ Sep 5th 2006 10:17PM]

I've bought my Sony a100 from a retailer in Toronto and found that not only that it saved me alot of money in buying new lenses for it, (Minolta owner) but also can hold it's own ground when put against other DSLRs in the same class.
I have field tested the unit against a Canon 20D and a Nikon D50 and although the unit is a bit slow in cont. shots (3 fps with a high speed card,) it still will give you superior images when you know what you're doing. All you have to do is know your camera before you compose fancy images (make sure not to use "AUTO")
But if all you can afford is a $60.00 flash card the 3 cameras don't have much of a difference and if there is, you won't even notice it.
I did notice 1 con about the camera... There are no battery grip / vertical grip for the unit. So if you are used to having a larger span of hand on your camera, or that you have big hands, you'd hate the feel. But it doesn't mean that there wouldn't be a manufacture in the future that will be making it for the unit, or that if you're a crafty person, (I've seen it done beforeanthough it's no finctional) use a peice of wood and a bolt to make your own extension.
Overall, I am enjoying this camera and I don't think I will be upgrading anytime soon... =)

[DreamMaster @ Nov 22nd 2006 6:02PM]

Aegis--The K-M 7D and 5D employ the exact same Sony-made CCD as the Nikon D70 and D50 and the Pentax ist. So K-M's problems had zero to do with CCD technology. Their problems had to do with business decisions, marketing, etc. Not the first time a company that made superior products failed to capitalize on them, and it won't be the last.

Chances are the new Sony DSLR will employ the 10 megapixel APS-sized CMOS sensor used in the Sony R1 and the Nikon D200. Drop that bad boy in a K-M 7D body with Anti-Shake, slap a Sony label on it and price it right, and Sony will have a Canon-killer for sure.