Sony announces the Alpha 900 - 24.6 MP

[Ron Metz]

Sony announces their Alpha 900 with 24.6 MP for a little under $3k.

Sony Alpha 900, Previewed: Digital Photography Review

Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 Digital Camera - Full Review - The Imaging Resource!

[AndrewCassino]

The 100% viewfinder makes me drool, absolutely drool. And it proves a camera does not have to be as big and heavy as a 1Ds Mk III to have one. And the built-in image stabilization also has my attention. Not to mention the weather sealing and conveniently designed mirror lockup control and the ability to tweak final exposure based on a pre-exposure. Somebody working for Sony is a real photographer and knows useful features from gimmickry. If this does not set the bar for Canon and the 5D Mk II, I don't know what does.

[Martin_Doudoroff]

Here's a field report.

The comparison photos in the field report are intriguing.

[AndrewCassino]

On the other hand it's a shame this camera does not output RAW files in DNG format. The included app sounds rough at best. With DNG there would be instant ACR and Lightroom compatibility, I really cannot fathom the resistance to this concept on the part of various manufacturers!

[MikeA]

Originally Posted by AndrewCassino

If this does not set the bar for Canon and the 5D Mk II, I don't know what does.

When the 5D came out, it was a no-brainer. The 'low end' FF DSLR market is getting crowded now, with lots of choices and better value than ever.

Really, adding a FF Sony just increases the competitiveness in the market from both price and features/performance standpoints. How well the 5DII responds to this depends on the quality of the Canon crystal ball gazers' vision. I kinda doubt it's going to jump to the front of the pack, but I do expect it to be a solid improvement on an already good camera.

Not long to wait now...

Mike