Rumored specs for Sony's Advanced Amateur Alpha DSLR hit the net

It seems the rumor mill is in full swing for the entire DSLR universe these days, so it makes sense for Sony's Advanced Amateur Alpha to join the fray. According to an admittedly sketchy source, the specifications from the aforementioned camera have been discovered, so here's a quick rundown on what to (hopefully) expect. Aside from the 14.4-megapixel sensor, rumor has it that you'll find a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, NP-FM55H battery, a CompactFlash slot, support for JPEG / RAW image formats, anti red-eye technology, ISO 100 to 3200, and wireless flash support to boot. 'Course, we wouldn't bet the farm on any of this just yet, but if you're interested in delving into dodgy French sites for potential dirt on one of Sony's forthcoming beasts, you know where to head.

[Via Digital Camera Information, thanks Jim]

[xpherion @ Aug 14th 2007 11:45AM]

still no full 35mm sensor.

[paragraph @ Aug 14th 2007 12:03PM]

Well i don't find the specs to be too outlandish.

The alpha has the majority of those features, including the wireless flash if i recall correctly, the only thing that strikes me as a real upgrade is the higher resolution and the camera's layout (as rendered). I really think that sony, if they have any plans, should scrap the extra bit and focus on keeping costs down, thats what gave them the edge with the alpha in the first place.

[john @ Aug 14th 2007 12:08PM]

does the back of this one look like the back of a Pentax K100D like earlier Sony A models?

[Brian @ Aug 14th 2007 12:13PM]

That means the Nikon D200 replacement will probably use the same sensor, or at least a substantially similar one.

[kevjohn @ Aug 14th 2007 12:41PM]

What's with the huge battery holder? Does this thing have wheels? Looks like it's more for Amateur Bodybuilders than Amateur Photographers.

[Mojo_Yugen @ Aug 14th 2007 2:50PM]

It's a detachable battery grip.

[Brian @ Aug 14th 2007 12:47PM]

Also, I guess that means its a 1.2 crop. Closer, but I'm surprised that they'd go with something that's not compatible with DX lenses.

[wickedpheonix @ Aug 14th 2007 3:01PM]

fake, since it uses CompactFlash and not the proprietary Sony Memory Stick format... unless of course Sony has made higher-end cameras that don't use MS? Sorry I'm not familiar in this area...

[lurker @ Aug 14th 2007 3:52PM]

loser. Then you don't know if it's fake or not, if you don't know crap about it.

[Zach @ Aug 14th 2007 4:53PM]

Sony's current DSLRs use Compact Flash, so that really doesn't mean anything. Hopefully they'll stick with this philosophy as they are rumored to.

[Tom @ Aug 15th 2007 9:25PM]

wickedpheonix:

You're not the first person to believe that the Sony Alpha line relies on Memory Sticks, but you're mistaken. The current Alpha A100 has a standard Compact Flash slot. So many people are convinced the Alpha has a Memory Stick slot that I did a blog post on the subject at http://alphatracks.com/archives/53.

By the way, Sony is even selling their own line of Compact Flash cards as well.

Regards, Tom

[peter @ Aug 14th 2007 3:55PM]

Brian loser

[apeguero @ Aug 14th 2007 3:55PM]

Didn't Sony buy Minolta? If so, this is probably what was cooking in Minolta's labs for the past couple of years.

[John Tang @ Aug 14th 2007 4:53PM]

This is the Sony Alpha Upgrade. the original sony alpha was the love child of Minolta-Sony. It had sensor based image stabilization, amongst other goodies. Both models use compact flash on top of memory stick.

[Zach @ Aug 14th 2007 4:52PM]

So what is the price we're looking at here? I've been in the market for a 600-700 dollard DSLR recently, but I've been holding off because of the forth coming releases from Sony and Canon. I'm looking at either the Sony A100 or the Canon XT.

Will these drop with the new releases. Are these cameras being replaced in their price range or are the coming cameras going to be a higher price range (around 1500)?

[norritt @ Aug 14th 2007 6:11PM]

get a decent olympus. the 4/3 system has some great lenses, all proconsumer and pro lenses are weather sealed and offer great quality and lightweight design for a good price. especially if you are looking more into the tele, than wide distance photography. there is also a great deal at bestbuy right now for the panasonic l1 with a leica lens for 1000 dollar. if you want to buy the only the lens itself, it will costs about 900 bucks. that makes the bestbuy offer a really great deal.

i have a minolta 5d right now and the prices for good sony lenses are ridiculous! for example the 70-200 f2.8 will cost you 2200 euro! and the ccd shift shake reduction unfortunatly does not work well above 100mm and there are no lenses with in lens stabilisation. a great nikkor AF-S 70-200mm 2.8 G IF ED VR has in lens stabilisation and costs 500 euro less.

the next dissadvantage of the minolta/sony system is, that there are not a lot SSM lenses (and those are extreme expensive) and sigma does not produce any lenses with HSM for the a mount. HSM lenses are available for nikon, sigma, canon and the olympus 4/3 system only.

[harrier @ Aug 15th 2007 12:30AM]

yeah, I'll have to save my "tune into tokyo" comment for another day.

[Camera Repair @ Aug 16th 2007 2:18PM]

I'm not sure whether to believe this rumor or not, but it seems like a nice enough camera.

Camera Repair
http://www.precisioncamera.com/

[Hansaplast @ Aug 28th 2007 12:54PM]

A while ago I sold my Sony F828 and upgraded to a Canon EOS Rebel XTI,...
Superior on picture quality,... seriously INFERIOR in user friendliness.

Wish Sony and others would finally drop the (impractical) SLR look.
Current technology does not require the ancient flipping mirror trick any more (hey, do I hear someone think "liveview"?), instead a way to tilt your screen would be so much more practical.

Sony; please get back to the F828 designs where we had the option to tilt the lens up or down ... obviously with some improvements on picture quality, etc.