Sony cameras and lenses have had a great journey so far. The company’s DSLR cameras, such as the a99 series with Minolta lenses, worked well. Now, their mirrorless range is showcasing excellent results. As photographers wait for the company’s upcoming cameras, Sony opens up about what works best for them. And it seems they are not scared of anything yet.
In an interview with Photo Trend, the company discussed opening up its mount to third-party lens makers. According to the Senior Product Manager IP&S at Sony France, Fabrice Abuaf, the company “has always been to offer users maximum freedom and possibilities.” The E mount was introduced in 2010, and since then, they have not restricted the use of third-party lenses. In fact, earlier Sony cameras worked so well with Minolta and Carl Zeiss lenses.
Currently, Sony also offers a range of Chinese lenses, including those from Laowa, TTArtisan, 7Artisans, and others. Interestingly, these lenses are often released for Sony mirrorless cameras over other models. Canon has been fairly strict about this over the years, having invented Sigma and Tamron as the first third-party lens makers to offer autofocus lenses for Canon cameras. As Abuaf said to the publication:
This makes the mount almost universal. It’s seen as an opportunity, not a threat. The more choices there are, the richer the E-mount becomes.
More recently, the Megadap ETZ21 Pro+ adapter ring has also been launched, allowing Nikon users to use Sony lenses on their camera. Abuaf says this is an “opportunity for compatibility” and even notes how photographers earlier used the MC-11 ring from Sigma on a Sony body to use a reflex lens. Whether Sony sells enough lenses or not is a topic for another time, but it is evident that they are not shying away from releasing more options, some of which are very expensive, for professional needs.
Moving on from the lenses, the company also spoke about its cameras. With the buzz around A7 V being serious and growing, Sony is part of the belief that it is not necessary to renew models every year. Instead, “we build sustainable ranges, with major innovations in each generation,” Abuaf states. An example he gave was the a9 III, which is the first stills camera with a global shutter sensor. However, this does mean the older models have diminished sales. As the Senior Product Manager IP&S said:
The Alpha 7 IV , despite its relative age, remains an exceptional camera and is still in the top 5 bestsellers. The Alpha 7 IV remains one of the most versatile cameras on the market, and our competitors recognize it.
Just like the older model, the highly versatile and expensive camera, the a1 II, has also showcased a “strong demand” with the company “running out of products” right after its launch. For the uninitiated, the a1 II may have carried the same sensor as the a1; it included the first AI chip, which improved the autofocus speed and the image quality for users.
Like their full-frame camera, Sony also opened up about the RX1R III, which received mixed reviews. “The RX1R III is a concept,” said Fabrice Abuaf. “The engineers were keen to maintain the compact and minimalist form factor of the original RX1R.” However, the compromises led to the creation of a pocketed model, which is high-end and unique.
From the looks of it, Sony appears to be in no hurry to gain more market share. In fact, they want a camera that can compete with the current market, and they are ready to take their time with the creation. genius, after all, can’t be rushed. Their compact cameras may not be as advanced as those offered by Fujifilm or Leica, but they are trying. Perhaps, if they continued down the path, they might be able to evolve and continue to meet the demands of photographers today. With November being a highly anticipated month for camera brands, let’s see how Sony can shake up the industry soon.
