Here’s a little cautionary tale about believing rumors. A number of the rumor-based sites are reporting that the Sony a7RII is “right around the corner” and that the camera will be followed by a 50 megapixel camera “in the next few weeks.” This information was listed “confirmed” just a few days ago, according to one rumor site.
The problem is that that article was based off pieces from the heavy hitter of the Sony rumor world, SonyAlphaRumors.com, which ran a piece today that “corrected” that information due to a problem with the source’s information.
The highly trusted source who shared as first the 50MP camera rumor said that he misunderstood the release timing info he got directly from Sony. The 50MP camera is not going to be announced the next few weeks. But it’s definitely ready to be for sale within 2015. He said sorry to SAR readers for the wrong timing info but there was a miscommunication between Sony and him.
(Grammatical issues left untouched from original source.)
I mention this because I often run into people that make purchase decisions based on rumor sites. I’ve seen a lot of Mac users, for example, hold off for long periods of time based on the rumor that a new model will be available soon. (This was particularly painful when the Mac Pro was in a period of limbo in the years leading up to the intro of the most recent model.)
If you’re an amateur photographer, the difference between one model and the next, slightly better model likely doesn’t matter. If you’re a professional photographer, the equipment is about what you can capture with it. If there’s a shot you’re missing today because the camera you have doesn’t do what you want, don’t wait until tomorrow to do something about it. If the system does capture the images you need for your clients, then there’s no rush to get something better.
It’s very likely for a number of reasons that the a7R and a7S will be upgraded soon, largely evidenced by the existence of the a7II and Sony’s rebates on a7, a7S and a7R systems.
The rumor sites have been announcing a 50MP Sony since at least last November. All the reports indicated the imminent release of a new camera with a larger sensor, and those reports repeated themselves for each of the following months.
Rumor sites make money spreading questionable information. The more tantalizing the better for traffic. Remember to read them with a grain of salt.