Looks promising. Now if only they can find a worthy camera to utilize the full potential of this sensor. Sony themselves don't have one (because their SYSTEM is inadequate to attract serious professionals). Maybe Nikon will be interested in this sensor?

Looks promising. Now if only they can find a worthy camera to utilize the full potential of this sensor. Sony themselves don't have one (because their SYSTEM is inadequate to attract serious professionals). Maybe Nikon will be interested in this sensor?

I'm not sure what adequate would mean to you. Sony now has, in addition to several consumer zooms and all the "usual" primes (20, 35, 50, 100 etc.) a pro-line that consists of 24-70/2.8, 70-200/2.8, 85/1.4, 135/1.8. 300/2.8 and with more to come. If I didn't have money invested in Nikon and Olympus, I would have considered Sony very seriously for my work. A 24MP, 6fps FF camera doesn't sound all that bad, particularly not if Sony continues their aggressive pricing of camera bodies.

My opinion is that Sony and other similar brands (Pentax and Samsung for example) suffers because they don't have enough lenses.

They need at least three different classes: Low budget, standard class and expert class.

I agree that Sony is rising, but they have a long, long way to go still. Sony may appeal to the serious hobbyist, but not the serious professional - maybe in future. Currently they have no truly weather sealed rugged high speed camera, no super telephotos, no speciality lenses like the tilt and shift lenses, very few fast prime lenses. This is what set a truly professional camera system apart from the rest.  I can see the benefit of in-camera IS, but the consensus is that IS in the lens is still more effective. That is why you pay $$$ to have the best.

Let's have a quick look at realities:

Sony launched their first DSLR 20 months ago, the A100, which was basically an upgraded, re-badged KM 5D. Currently, they sell 4 different DSLR models, ranging from 10-14MP. According to the rumours, they will launch 4 more models within 2008, of which 3 will be full frame. Nobody else have that.

Currently, they have 26 different lenses in their line-up, and new ones are appearing all the time. Surprisingly many of the lenses are pro quality.

If we look at a comparable market, the pro video market, Sony has owned the top segment there more or less uninterrupted since 1982, when they launched Betacam. In other words: they know the pro market, and how to handle it.

Sony has not entered this market to be number 3 or 4. They are going for top spot, and the obvious target is Canon. If they do this the right way, and so far, it has been relatively promising, they are number two or better within 3 years.

And for those who think that electronic corporations can't get that far within the photo business: how many cameras did Panasonic, Samsung and Casio sell 10 years ago? If it wasn't zero, it was very close. And Nokia? I suppose that in reality, they are the biggest camera manufacturer in the world.

I don't think I'll change to Sony overnight, unless one of those 24MP cameras are very, very cheap, but if was going to buy my first DSLR, I would have considered it very carefully.