Despite what the rumor sites say, mounting evidence supports our thoughts that Sony is not yet ready to release the next generation of the a6000 or release a replacement to the a7Rand a7S.
We know that the sites have been heralding the imminent launch of a new camera, especially one to replace the a6000, but we don’t think it’s going to happen—and the more we we wait the more the sites seem to agree with us.
There are a few problems with expecting a new piece of hardware now. Many of the rumors were based on a supposed Wikileaks article. This never happened. Julian Assagne did not post onto Wikileaks the contents of Sony’s memos on their product announcements. And the documents that were stolen from Sony likely didn’t contain timely information. Anyone that’s worked in a corporate environment knows that timetables and launches change constantly.
Next came an array of meeting announcements that were to be Sony’s big opportunity to release new units. These, the rumors said, would see a new Sony a7R and Sony a6100 arrive.
Instead, we saw a new Sony Australia campaign that detailed the benefits of the Sony mirrorless system, and the cameras in that system.
The final hope for a new system came in the rumor of a May 21-22 event, supposed to be the launch of a Sony a6000 replacement, but now thought to be an announcement of a new campaign about the Sony a6000. Whoops.
Here’s the problem for announcements of new Sony products—Sony Australia has just created a massive campaign that not only details all the benefits of the Sony mirrorless system but includes detailed videos on each of the current cameras in the system. I’ve worked in several corporate environments (including Sony U.S.) and I know exactly how hard it is to pull together the resources to create a mini site. If Sony were just about to release replacements to the majority of the cameras in their lineup, they wouldn’t have just launched a major mini site.
Likewise, if the a6000 were about to be replaced with an a6100, they wouldn’t be about to launch a new ad campaign for it.
So where does that leave us? Probably waiting for fall, when the next batch of photography trade shows come for a new announcement. While Sony sometimes releases new gear independent of the press benefits of a trade show, it usually makes announcements in conjunction with a media event. So if you’re looking for a new Sony body, you might have to wait for September or October.
…My daily shooter is Sony A1 with a vertical grip and various Sony lenses attached like the FE 20mm F1.8. Find more gear recommendations in our shop. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
