Is the A-Mount going obsolete?

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I have an old Sony Alpha 300 that I just picked up. I'm learning about the difference between the A-mount and the E-mount. As I understand it so far, A-mount is for the DSLR and E-mount is for the mirrorless cameras. Sony appears to be getting away from the DSLR and concentrating on the mirrorless. Will they get away from the DSLR completely and let the A-mount go obsolete?
 
I have an old Sony Alpha 300 that I just picked up. I'm learning about the difference between the A-mount and the E-mount. As I understand it so far, A-mount is for the DSLR and E-mount is for the mirrorless cameras. Sony appears to be getting away from the DSLR and concentrating on the mirrorless. Will they get away from the DSLR completely and let the A-mount go obsolete?

That's a good question. And I think the answer might come out on its own within 10 years. I do not know whose opinion I would trust to answer that question! I think the question might be driven by sales numbers. It might be more-profitable to have only one lens mount. Buuuuuut, what if d-slr users buy more high-dolalr,high-profitability lenses? What is d-slr owners tned to buy more lenses than mirrorless (lots of adapted, other-branded lenses with their mirrorless cameras!) camera users tend to buy?

Not sure where Sony stands on the still camera business...
 
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Sony appear to have cornered the sensor market perhaps thats where their strategy is. Their sensors are used by the majority of camera manufactures
 
I have a Sony A58 body that has called it a day.
I now have 4 Sony A mount lens and two batteries for the above camera that are now worthless because the A58 appears to be not produced any more. Nice way to treat your valued customers Sony.

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I assumed the A mount was already obsolete!
With the advent of mirrorless cameras the A mount has nothing to offer in a new camera, being much more restrictive than the A mount. IIRC there are adapters to use A mount lenses on E mount cameras, that keep all the electronic controls.
 
I assumed the A mount was already obsolete!
With the advent of mirrorless cameras the A mount has nothing to offer in a new camera, being much more restrictive than the A mount. IIRC there are adapters to use A mount lenses on E mount cameras, that keep all the electronic controls.
Why didn't they just use A mounts on those cameras? Size? Is it to sell new product? From what I can tell, the mirrorless really don't save as much size and weight to truly make a difference. And while I'm not the kind of person who would spend the big bucks to get a full frame, I've read where the E mount is an engineering pain for lenses made for full frame because of the size. When I went with APS-C over a decade ago, I was thinking that eventually the price of full frames would come down and one could procure a really nice, full frame camera for little more than $500. I mean, back in the film days, 35mm could be had from really cheap to pro model expensive. It can't cost that much more to make a full frame sensor. I just don't like that in order to get a good quality wide lens for an APS-C, you have to pay up. It negates any savings in going with that format. I don't know how people can stand those four thirds cameras with interchangeable lenses. 2x crop is a deal breaker for me.
 
FYI .. from SONY
"A-mount cameras with Sony Translucent Mirror Technology offer the advantages of full-time phase-detection autofocus. The short flange back distance of mirrorless E-mount models makes it possible to design compact, high-performance bodies and lenses that offer outstanding handling and mobility."

Full Description ==> Camera Sensor Size | A- & E-Mount Camera Lenses Explained | Sony US
 
It can't cost that much more to make a full frame sensor. I just don't like that in order to get a good quality wide lens for an APS-C, you have to pay up. It negates any savings in going with that format. I don't know how people can stand those four thirds cameras with interchangeable lenses. 2x crop is a deal breaker for me.
A full frame sensor has four times the area, with four times the chance that a fault will make it useless at production, as well as four times the amount of material needed to make it. So yes it does cost significantly more to make a larger sensor.
Having tried micro four thirds I've found the smaller sensor gives perfectly good results for printing to A3 for exhibitions. I'm guessing your 'deal breaker' is because you've never tried it.
Lugging full frame hardware equivalent to my everyday MFT kit 2 bodies (one IR one normal) & 4 or more lenses (standard zoom, telephoto zoom, fast prime & fisheye possibly with an adapted lens or two) would be a back breaker for me. It would probably also break the bank! :1251:
 
Here's something to think about: There is a lot of interest in used Sony A-mount equipment.

Henry's (in Canada) had three Sony A-Mount cameras up for auction. In general, Henry's auctions are fairly top quality used equipment. Shipping costs are very low and they have a 30 day return warranty (buyer pays shipping). Their auctions are limited to the Canada-US region. They are a highly rated company.

For Jan 15 - 16, Henry's had three early model A-Mount cameras from 10MP - 24MP. The models were A77, A700 and A200. Because of Henry's reputation, and the grouping of these products over the two days, I think they got pretty "top end" prices, so you can think of these as indicative of the highest prices such cameras can receive in these situations.

If you check the bidding histories, it is clear that the bidding was very active, particularly in the last half hour for each. I think that this is an indication that there is still interest in A-mount.

"SONY ALPHA A77 24MP D-SLR CAMERA BODY/SLT-A77V/USED/$1"
SONY ALPHA A77 24MP D-SLR CAMERA BODY/SLT-A77V/USED/$1 | eBay
Ended Jan 15, 2018 , 20:11
Price: $289.00 US + $13.74 US shipping = $302.74 US

"SONY ALPHA A700 12.2MP DIGITAL SLR CAMERA BODY/USED/$1"
SONY ALPHA A700 12.2MP DIGITAL SLR CAMERA BODY/USED/$1 | eBay
Ended Jan 16, 2018 , 20:15
Price $160.49 US + $11.70 US shipping = $172.19 US

"SONY ALPHA A200 10.2MP DIGITAL SLR CAMERA BODY/USED/$1"
SONY ALPHA A200 10.2MP DIGITAL SLR CAMERA BODY/USED/$1 | eBay
Ended Jan 16, 2018 , 20:30
Price $130.00 US + $11.70 US Shipping = $141.70 US
 
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
It can't cost that much more to make a full frame sensor. I just don't like that in order to get a good quality wide lens for an APS-C, you have to pay up. It negates any savings in going with that format. I don't know how people can stand those four thirds cameras with interchangeable lenses. 2x crop is a deal breaker for me.
A full frame sensor has four times the area, with four times the chance that a fault will make it useless at production, as well as four times the amount of material needed to make it. So yes it does cost significantly more to make a larger sensor.
Having tried micro four thirds I've found the smaller sensor gives perfectly good results for printing to A3 for exhibitions. I'm guessing your 'deal breaker' is because you've never tried it.
Lugging full frame hardware equivalent to my everyday MFT kit 2 bodies (one IR one normal) & 4 or more lenses (standard zoom, telephoto zoom, fast prime & fisheye possibly with an adapted lens or two) would be a back breaker for me. It would probably also break the bank! :1251:
That's not quite how it works. Check out the prices of computer processors. Today's processors have many more transistors and cores than they did a decade ago, and they cost less than they did back then. The same would ring true for full frame sensors. Like I said, what I don't like about lesser sensors is the crop factor. That 4/3 sensor has a 2x crop. You practically need a fisheye lens to equal a rather mundane 28mm equivalent on a full frame. An 18mm lens is 35mm equivalent. 35mm shooting subjects indoors stinks. You have to stand back quite far to get a subject in the frame. No one says the cameras need to be huge like a pro camera in order to house a full frame sensor. Phones are pretty portable and take images good enough to print on a standard 4x6. Considering the cost of lenses, I'd rather have a full frame camera with Minolta lenses than my APS-C and be forced into more expensive lenses to enjoy wider angles. There's no reason that full frame can't start at lower price points.
 
Here's something to think about: There is a lot of interest in used Sony A-mount equipment.

Henry's (in Canada) had three Sony A-Mount cameras up for auction. In general, Henry's auctions are fairly top quality used equipment. Shipping costs are very low and they have a 30 day return warranty (buyer pays shipping). Their auctions are limited to the Canada-US region. They are a highly rated company.

For Jan 15 - 16, Henry's had three early model A-Mount cameras from 10MP - 24MP. The models were A77, A700 and A200. Because of Henry's reputation, and the grouping of these products over the two days, I think they got pretty "top end" prices, so you can think of these as indicative of the highest prices such cameras can receive in these situations.

If you check the bidding histories, it is clear that the bidding was very active, particularly in the last half hour for each. I think that this is an indication that there is still interest in A-mount.

"SONY ALPHA A77 24MP D-SLR CAMERA BODY/SLT-A77V/USED/$1"
SONY ALPHA A77 24MP D-SLR CAMERA BODY/SLT-A77V/USED/$1 | eBay
Ended Jan 15, 2018 , 20:11
Price: $289.00 US + $13.74 US shipping = $302.74 US

"SONY ALPHA A700 12.2MP DIGITAL SLR CAMERA BODY/USED/$1"
SONY ALPHA A700 12.2MP DIGITAL SLR CAMERA BODY/USED/$1 | eBay
Ended Jan 16, 2018 , 20:15
Price $160.49 US + $11.70 US shipping = $172.19 US

"SONY ALPHA A200 10.2MP DIGITAL SLR CAMERA BODY/USED/$1"
SONY ALPHA A200 10.2MP DIGITAL SLR CAMERA BODY/USED/$1 | eBay
Ended Jan 16, 2018 , 20:30
Price $130.00 US + $11.70 US Shipping = $141.70 US
Gosh, I've noticed the opposite. It wasn't long ago that the typical price for a Minolta 70-210 f4 was going for $140. Today, they've really dropped. I just checked ebay and they're selling for $50 or less in most cases. Heck, even last summer they were $80. Others have dropped by quite a bit as well. The ones I can't tell are the pro lenses because I wasn't in the market for them a year or two ago. My bet is that those dropped as well. Reason being the proliferation of the e-mount cameras. People love those A7 models and are ditching their a-mounts to get them. I, for one, don't mind that. A proliferation of a-mount cameras and lenses on the market works in my favor so I can upgrade for cheap. Read this guy's ad on CL in my area. The last line backs up my theory. He'll never sell it for the $675 asking price. It's going to be interesting seeing where Sony goes from here.

upload_2018-1-27_20-42-43.png
 
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
That's not quite how it works. Check out the prices of computer processors. Today's processors have many more transistors and cores than they did a decade ago, and they cost less than they did back then. The same would ring true for full frame sensors. Like I said, what I don't like about lesser sensors is the crop factor. That 4/3 sensor has a 2x crop. You practically need a fisheye lens to equal a rather mundane 28mm equivalent on a full frame. An 18mm lens is 35mm equivalent. 35mm shooting subjects indoors stinks. You have to stand back quite far to get a subject in the frame. No one says the cameras need to be huge like a pro camera in order to house a full frame sensor. Phones are pretty portable and take images good enough to print on a standard 4x6. Considering the cost of lenses, I'd rather have a full frame camera with Minolta lenses than my APS-C and be forced into more expensive lenses to enjoy wider angles. There's no reason that full frame can't start at lower price points.

It is how it works. Today's processors fit more transistors into a set area & production costs are decreasing, but a chip four times the size costs more than four times as much to make. Comparing with past generations is totally irrelevant.

Actually the kit zoom on MFT reaches the same FOV as a 28mm FF. No need for fisheye designs at all for that sort of usage. The longest focal length fisheye for the MFT system is 10mm, quite a significant difference, and there are 7mm rectilinear lenses available.
If you find the 35mm FOV too wide for indoors there's no need to stick to it a cheap adapted 50mm gives a reasonable portrait FOV on MFT, and of course there are native options as well.
 
As image sensor size increases, fewer image sensors can be made from a single wafer of silicon, which is what larger image sensors cost more to make.
Basically, a full frame (135 format) image sensor costs 4x as much as a 1/2 the size of full frame, APS-C image sensor.
 

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