It was only a matter of time before Sony’s camera sensor domination would spill into the realm of medium format. Currently, they’re in our iPhones, Nikons, Hasselblads, and Phase Ones.
And earlier this year we saw an announcement by all the big medium format camera companies that they were using a new 50mp sensor Sony Medium Format sensor.
Now that it’s 2021, and Fujifilm has been dominating the mirrorless format market, will Sony follow up with a new system?
Sony And Its Future Of Medium Format
Now rumors are starting to reveal that Sony is possibly going to take that medium format sensor to the next step and develop a Sony medium format camera. Possibly with a fixed lens according to [SR].
With Sony as one of the biggest leaders in mirrorless camera designs, it only makes sense that their Medium Format camera will be mirrorless. After all, I know I want it, and I know other people want it. So it will happen.
Medium Format CMOS vs CCD
Something that the medium format community has been craving for a long time was a Medium Format sensor with CMOS technology. This would allow for a faster frame rate, live view, video, and sensor focusing. And Sony gave it to us.
Current CCD sensors are far inferior to the CMOS sensor in this arena. Not because CCD sensors are not as good, but because R&D on large CCD sensors just don’t get as much attention as CMOS for consumer-like features. CCD developers are constantly pushing for a higher quality image, more megapixels, and more color depth. Because that’s what Medium Format is all about. Image quality and high professional level use.
What A Sony Medium Format Camera Would Look Like
My guess is they would do the same thing they are doing with the full-frame mirrorless cameras. We’ll see one with a fixed lens may be, and possibly one with interchangeable lenses later. All at a more affordable price. Just my guess.
The only problem is lenses are expensive, big, and need to be of pristine quality for this to work.
This is ultimately what I want. Although $6k for a camera body is still a little too steep for me as the quality difference between 36mp Sony A7r and 50mp medium format isn’t high enough for what I do to justify buying a camera that costs 3x more. This is why I’ve yet to jump into the Fujifilm GFX system.
We’re still waiting, but hopefully one day Sony gives us a medium format mirrorless system to shake up the Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad systems.
A great video comparing the Nikon 36mp camera to the Hasselblad with a 40mp CCD back.
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