Exciting times at Sony...

[rpcrowe]

I just listened to a podcast from Sony regarding the newest innovations coming down the pike soon. These are not just rumors...

Sony is releasing a new firmware for both A9 and A7iii cameras that includes many new innovations among which are... Improved real time tracking and BELIEVE IT OR NOT Eye-AF for animals (you will have your choice between right eye, left eye and auto selection focus)... It seems like this new firmware is almost like providing owners with NEW CAMERAS at no cost.

Sony is introducing a new crop sensor camera: A6400. This camera will also have the improved real time tracking and also EYE AF FOR ANIMALS. Now that is right in my ball park. I absolutely love Eye-AF for people and I know that it will be wonderful for my dog portraits.

Some other A6400 capabilities are: 11 FPS, 32,000 ISO, an intervalometer and a 180- degree flip LCD screen... NO IBIS INCLUDED...

I like using two cameras and have been waiting to see what Sony will put on the table with their new crop sensor camera... I was torn between an A7iii and whatever Sony was going to bring out. The A9 is a wonderful camera but the price is way too high for me to even consider it...

I "think" that the A6400 would have sealed the deal for me. I really wanted a small second camera along the lines of the A6500 and the animal eye AF is what really peaked my interest.

THE FACT THAT THE BASE PRICE OF THE A6400 IN THE USA IS GOING TO BE $900 USD REALLY IS INTERESTING also...

I don't need dual card slots and, since I don't shoot video, the smaller batteries of the A6xxx line are no problem for me.

HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT NOTICED ANYTHING SAID ABOUT IBIS... COULD SONY BE BRINGING OUT A CAMERA IN THE A6*** LINE WITHOUT IBIS??? I use the 85mm f/1.8 Sony lens for most of my portrait work and this lens doesn't include image stabilization. However, that is no problem with the A6500 since that camera has IBIS. That is a major step back from the A6500 and kind of proves that Sony isn't really interested in establishing their crop sensor line into a viable alternative to full frame.

With no IBIS on the A6400 I guess that I will end up getting the A7iii at a bit more than twice the price of the A6400...

[Fit]

Thanks for this.

While demo'ing the A7III last week I locked on to a dog's eye. The kid in the shop said he thought it already tracked "any" eye. Wonder if this update deals with scale (like a bird's eye for example).
For the cost- no IBIS might make sense?

[rpcrowe]

Thanks for this.

While demo'ing the A7III last week I locked on to a dog's eye. The kid in the shop said he thought it already tracked "any" eye. Wonder if this update deals with scale (like a bird's eye for example).
For the cost- no IBIS might make sense?

You know Chris... since I already have one A6500 which has IBIS. An A6400 without IBIS "might" not be a bad idea. After-all it would be around $1,100 USD less than the A7iii "and" it would also be the small compact size that I am looking for.

[Fit]

SonyRumors says the 6400 does indeed NOT have IBIS.

[rpcrowe]

Correct Chris... The A6400 will or does not have IBIS... I have shot with Canon cameras forever and have never had a camera with IBIS until m A6500. Some of the lenses I have for the A6500 have "steady shot" or Sony's version of Image Stabilization while many of my lenses for the A65oo do not have this capability.

I have quite a few Canon and third party lenses which have Image Stabilization and several which do not have that capability either. I have been working quite well with these non IS lenses but, the Canon SLR cameras are larger and I seem to be able to hold them steady.

What I am going to do is shut off the IBIS in my A6500 camera and use the camera for several weeks with and without stabilization. Using it with Sony "Steady Shot" equipped lenses and with lenses that do not have Steady Shot. I will see how this works.

The one lens that I am most concerned about is the Sony 85mm f/1.8 which is not Steady Shot equipped. However, I have been using the Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens for a long while and don't seem to have any problems.

1/180 second at f/2 ISO 100 - Canon 6D2


One thing in my favor is that when I am shooting with the 85mm outdoors for portraiture, I am usually shooting it wide open or pretty close. That way, even at ISO 100, I am at a high shutter speed at f/1.8 or f/2...

[Fit]

Doubling the AF speed over the 6500

[rpcrowe]

If the A6500 could be equipped with Animal Eye-AF tracing in continuous AF - that would be wonderful for me...

Sure, I can shoot my dogs without that asset but, it would really bring my dog portraits into the 21st Century...

Until then, I simply use my 6D2 in single AF and focus and recompose...