Il commence par pousser la sensibilité à 204.800 ISO. La course aux zizos remplace heureusement la course aux pixels, et le Nikon D4 se contente d’un confortable 16 MP (mais de fait, qui a vraiment besoin de plus ; Le Nikon D700 était déjà là pour le démontrer).

Mais il est surtout une exposition de ce que la photo pro est en train de devenir et comment elle commence à intégrer les fonctions qui viennent du grand public.

• La vidéo est finalement complètement intégrée. Il est vrai que les pros commencent à être nombreux à exploiter cette possibilité.
• L’autofocus est toujours plus puissant (un pro ne veut pas d’une photo floue) et Nikon reste terriblement bien équipé. Mais proposer 11 capteurs sensibles jusqu’à f/8 (habituellement la limite est à f/5.6) va permettre d’utiliser de très gros télé-objectifs sur des convertisseurs x2 alors que les photographes se trouvaient alors limités (à condition de pouvoir se payer les monstres de haut de gamme en matière d’optiques).



• Le remplaçant des cartes Compact Flash est maintenant arrivé : le format XQD (et ce n’est anodin que le premier fournisseur de cartes soit Sony ; à votre avis que verra-t-on sur les prochains Full Frames de Sony un peu plus tard cette année ?)
• Oui ! Il est encore possible d’agrandir le LCD arrière avec une dalle de 3,2″ (alors qu’on se limitait à 3″ jusqu’ici). Mais cela ne descendra peut-être pas dans le grand public tant cela commence à imposer une certaine taille au boitier.
• L’horizon virtuel est définitivement adopté. Mais il n’y a pas de GPS intégré.
• La reconnaissance de visages est incluse dans le calcul de l’exposition mais on se fout de voir des petits carrés affichés dans le viseur pour épater la galerie. Les clients ne sont pas des petits rigolos, mais des pros. Non mais !

On n’est pas là pour rigoler (même au niveau du prix qui va flirter avec les 6000€), mais on voit bien que la plupart de ces améliorations sont appelées à arriver sur les appareils grand public (pas cette année, tout de même).

Les éléments qui sont abandonnés par rapport au grand public (pas de format SD, pas de GPS, par exemple) sont clairement dans un camp qui ne concerne pas les pros.

Allez ! Je vous laisse rêver.

Vidéos

Comprenons-nous bien, à 6000€, le Nikon D4 ne concerne pas beaucoup de photographes. Mais comme tous les appareils professionnels, il représente une certaine image des progrès encore possibles pour nous autres photographes normaux… dans quelques temps.

Principales caractéristiques

• Capteur 16.2 MP au format FX (Full Frame)
• Sensibilité : 100-12800 ISO (ext. 50-204.800 ISO)
• Exposition par un nouveau capteur 91000 pixels, y compris des fonctions avancées de reconnaissance de visage
• Autofocus : Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX à 51 points
• Autofocus : 11 zones capables de fonctionner jusqu’à f/8
• Vidéo : Full HD jusqu’à 30 i/s, à 200-204.800 ISO
• Rafales à 10 i/s
• Obturateur professionnel prévu pour 400.000 déclenchements
• Viseur à couverture 100%
• Cartes mémoire au nouveau format XQD, et Compact Flash
• Boitier en alliage de magnésium
• Écran LCD arrière 3,2″ (toujours plus grand) à 921.000 pixels
• Horizon virtuel

Disponible dès février 2012.

Nikon D4 Press Release

The next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera that serves as the new flagship model in Nikon’s lineup of digital-SLR cameras. Nikon will be exhibiting the D4 at the 2012 International CES, to be held Tuesday, January 10 through Friday, January 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This electronics exhibition is open to the public.

The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (imaging size of 36.0 x 23.9 mm) and EXPEED 3, the latest image-processing engine specifically optimized for digital-SLR cameras, making it the next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality that offers superior image quality rich in detail along with excellent high-speed performance. It has an effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels, and offers superior image quality under a broad range of lighting conditions with its image sensor supporting an incredible range of sensitivities from ISO 50 to ISO 204800.

The new 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor supports the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which is able to recognize human faces even when images are framed using the optical viewfinder. In addition, the Advanced Scene Recognition System offers significant improvements in AF, AE, i-TTL flash control, and auto white balance (AWB) control accuracy. The 51 focus point AF system has been improved with faster initiation of autofocusing and the ability to detect and focus on subjects with less lighting. In addition, 11 focus points are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of f/8 are used. All of this means more precise autofocusing when super-telephoto NIKKOR lenses are used with teleconverters (2.0x). The Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie movie recording function is capable of recording full-HD movies at 30 fps, and offers three movie recording formats for selection according to recording conditions or creative intent.

What’s more, the D4 records images to memory cards faster with built-in support for high-speed, UDMA 7-compatible CompactFlash memory cards and next-generation, high-speed XQD memory cards. In addition to built-in wired LAN features, the D4 also supports high-speed image transfer via wireless LAN when the new, compact, easy-to-use Wireless Transmitter WT-5 (available separately) is connected to the camera. The D4 is also equipped with a number of new functions that support a more efficient workflow for professional photographers, including one that allows users to add IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information to images.

Development background

In 2007, Nikon released the D3 digital-SLR camera as its flagship model equipped with the new FX-format CMOS image sensor developed by Nikon. With its new image sensor, the D3 established a new level of image quality, speed, and support for high sensitivities. In December of 2008, Nikon released the D3X with an effective pixel count of 24.5-million pixels, which enabled superior imaging performance equal to that possible with medium format cameras. In the following year, the D3S proposed new possibilities in imaging expression with its expanded range of standard sensitivities from ISO 200 to ISO 12800 and a built-in movie recording function. The superior performance of the Nikon D3 was recognized with three of the most prestigious domestic and international awards—Japan’s Camera Grand Prix Camera of the Year and Europe’s Technical Image Press Association’s (TIPA) Best D-SLR Professional and the European Imaging and Sound Association’s (EISA) Professional Camera of the Year. The D3X and D3S continued the success of the series introduced with the D3, being recognized by the camera industry for their superior performance with a number of awards of their own as well as extreme popularity with professional and advanced amateur photographers alike. In addition, the superior durability and reliability of the cameras has also been recognized by NASA, which ordered several models as-is, with no special modification, that are currently used aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Nikon based development of the flagship D4 on the basic performance achieved with the D3 series, which has led the industry in imaging expression since its release. In addition to this high level of basic performance, a number of new functions and features were added in response to the needs and demands of professional and advanced amateur photographers, resulting in this next-generation digital-SLR camera that stretches the boundaries of functionality and performance with superior versatility.

D4 primary features

New Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor

Support for an incredibly wide range of sensitivities, from ISO 50 to ISO 204800
The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (imaging size of 36.0 x 23.9 mm) developed by Nikon. The superior performance of the FX-format CMOS image sensor with its effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels offers excellent resolution and image quality under an incredible variety of lighting conditions. Despite the increase in pixel count, the D4 reads out data faster than the D3S. The range of standard sensitivities has been expanded to ISO 100 to ISO 12800. What’s more, support for ISO 50 and additional expansion up to ISO 204800 is also possible, enabling effective shooting under a variety of lighting conditions without concern for any sacrifice in image quality.

New EXPEED 3 image-processing engine with superior, high-speed processing capabilities

The new EXPEED 3 image-processing engine built into the D4 offers better image quality and even faster processing speeds for vivid yet faithful color reproduction, a broader dynamic range, and rich expression of tones. It also effectively suppresses noise with advanced noise-reduction processing for images captured at high sensitivities under dim lighting, all while preserving definition and sharpness. Noise-reduction processing designed especially for movies maintains crisp, clear outlines in movies recorded in low-light situations. EXPEED 3 has high-speed processing capabilities for a variety of task, and it uses power effectively, contributing greatly to the camera’s power-saving design.

91K-pixel RGB sensor for the more accurate Advanced Scene Recognition System

The D4 is equipped with the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which supports face recognition* when images are framed using the optical viewfinder. The new 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor recognizes human faces for more frequent focus acquisition on human faces when Auto-area AF AF-area mode is used. When a human face is detected in the frame, 3D Color Matrix Metering III bases exposure control on the brightness of that face so that the face is optimally exposed even with backlighting. In addition, the high resolution of the metering sensor with its roughly 91,000 pixels enables extremely precise analysis of the scene for more accurate control over autofocusing, auto exposure, i-TTL flash control, and auto white balance.

* There is no display in the viewfinder that shows when a face or faces have been recognized.

Faster and more accurate AF with 51 focus points

The 51 focus point AF system built into the D4 utilizes the new Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module for faster, more accurate autofocusing that performs extremely well under dim lighting.
The 15 focus points at the center of the frame are cross-type sensors that detect phase differences both horizontally and vertically. All 51 focus points are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of up to f/5.6 are used, and the cross-type sensors make the most of this capability. Precise focus can be quickly acquired with autofocusing using all AF NIKKOR lenses, even under lighting as dim as -2 EV (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F), the level at which the scene through the viewfinder can just be made out by the human eye. What’s more, 11 focus points (five at center with an additional three to each side) are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of f/8 are used. This enables very precise focus acquisition with sports photography and the like when super-telephoto NIKKOR lenses are used with a teleconverter (2.0x) at a combined aperture value of f/8.
In addition, adoption of a new algorithm enables faster autofocus initiation for even more certain and sharper capture of defining moments especially necessary when shooting sports scenes. The new high-speed AF system also supports high-speed continuous shooting at approximately 10 fps* in FX format with AF and AE tracking.

* Measured according to CIPA guidelines. Value with shooting in AF-C autofocus mode, [S] or [M] exposure mode, shutter speed of 1/250 s or faster, all other settings at their default values.

Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie with three image area options

A dedicated movie-record button has been positioned near the shutter-release button for smooth starting and stopping of movie recording with a feel similar to that of still-image shooting. Full-HD movie recording at a frame size of 1920 x 1080 and frame rate of 30 fps is supported, and the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video compression method has been adopted. Movies up to 29 minutes 59 seconds*1 can be recorded. Image sensor sensitivity begins at ISO 200 and can be expanded to the same ISO 204800 equivalent possible with still-image shooting.
Full-HD movies can be recorded with the D4 using one of three image areas: FX-based movie format*2, DX-based movie format, or 1920 x 1080; 30 fps/25 fps/24 fps crop. FX-based movie format makes full use of the large image sensor, enabling movies with an emphasis on pleasing blur characteristics. When a DX lens is attached, DX-based format is automatically selected. This format is useful for creating an extension to the local length of an existing lens. For an even stronger telephoto effect, the 1920 x 1080 crop format brings an approximately 2.7x crop of the picture angle while delivering outstanding video quality and detail, obtaining 1080p Full HD. By choosing the movie format appropriate for the particular scene, the three image area options available with a single camera enable more flexible imaging expression through collaboration with the entire NIKKOR lens lineup, including DX lenses.
The D4 is equipped with a connector for external microphones that enables stereo recording. The camera also offers a headphone connector that supports stereo headphones, convenient for checking sound recorded with movies.

*1 20 min. depending on frame size/rate and movie quality settings.
*2 Movies are recorded with an aspect ratio of 16: 9 regardless of the format selected. Aspect ratio is 3 : 2 with recording at a frame size/rate of 640 x 424; 30 fps and 640 x 424; 25 fps.

Smooth workflow from initial setup to image transfer

The entire photographic workflow is faster with the D4. Superior, high-speed response with a power-up time of approximately 0.12 s*1 and a release time lag of roughly 0.042 s*1. In addition, support for high-speed, next-generation XQD memory cards enables a continuous shooting frame rate of 10 fps for up to approximately 100 shots even with shooting in RAW format*2. The camera is also equipped with dual memory card slots, one for XQD memory cards and one for CompactFlash memory cards, for smooth handling of images. What’s more, professional photographers can work much faster with high-speed transfer of images to a computer when an XQD memory card reader supporting SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0)*3 is used.

*1 Measured according to CIPA guidelines
*2 When a Sony XQD memory card H-series (QD-H16G, QD-H32) is used with capture of compressed 12-bit NEF (RAW) images (based on Nikon testing standards)
*3 Sony MRW-E80 (based on Sony testing standards)

The new compact Wireless Transmitter WT-5 with simple connection to the camera (available separately)

The D4 is equipped with an Ethernet port and functions for wired LAN connections. In addition, it also supports the new WT-5 (available separately), a compact wireless transmitter that is easily connected to the camera for high-speed transfer of images over a wireless network.* The D4 is also equipped with a number of new functions that support a more efficient workflow for professional photographers, including one that allows users to add IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information to images.
The new WT-5 is powered by the camera, making a more compact size possible. In addition to IEEE 802.11a/b/g standards, the WT-5 also supports the new IEEE 802.11n (1 x 1) standard, enabling data transfer at twice the speed possible with the WT-4. The camera’s HTTP server mode can be used to display a list of images stored on the memory card, and also enables basic camera control, live view, movie recording, etc. using the Web browser on a computer or smartphone. Synchronized release (WT-5 only) mode enables synchronized shutter release of up to 10 cameras D4 cameras, each with its own WT-5) with the D4 used as the controlling « master ».

* The Wireless Transmitter WT-4 can also be used.

Other D4 functions and features

• Extremely durable shutter that has passed testing for 400,000 cycles
• Magnesium alloy adopted for the very strong, durably body that is very resistant to dust and water
• Effective sealing using O rings and packing make the camera more resistant to dust and water
• Silent shutter-release mode for live view photography that almost completely eliminates the sounds of the mirror and shutter operation
• A time-lapse photography feature, with which the camera automatically takes photos at selected intervals to record a time-lapse movie, which can be played back at 24–36,000x normal playback speed
• Operation optimized for both horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) shooting
• Button backlights (illuminators) for increased visibility when working in dimly lit or dark situations
• High-performance viewfinder, utilizing a glass pentaprism, with a frame coverage of approximately 100% (FX format) and magnification of approximately 0.7x
• Four image area options for still shooting—FX (36 x 24), 5:4 (30 x 24), 1.2x (30 x 20), DX (24 x 16)—with viewfinder indicator that identifies the current image area
• A 3.2-inch, approximately 921k-dot LCD monitor with reinforced glass and wide viewing angle; integration of the glass and panel reduce internal reflections
• A virtual horizon that shows the degree to which the camera is tilted sideways (roll), forward or backward (pitch) with display in the monitor and viewfinder
• White balance that can be adjusted in units of 10 K; white balance can be specified separately for shooting (white balance applied to images) and monitor display with still-image shooting in live view mode
  Capture NX 2 Ver. 2.3 for significantly faster processing
  A

• trial version and free upgrade for Capture NX 2, Nikon’s image editing software, were released on December 20 to coincide with release of the D4. This latest version is Capture NX 2 Ver. 2.3. In addition to offering image editing functions that allow users to achieve the intended results with intuitive operation, a faster image-processing algorithm has been adopted for much faster processing. What’s more, operation is smoother and more natural with the addition of native compatibility with 64-bit operating systems.

photo credit: Edur8

Il y a actuellement un capteur Full Frame en développement chez Sony. Ou plus exactement, Sony travaille actuellement sur une technologie 24 méga-pixels dans une taille de Full Frame (FX dans la langue de Nikon) et les deux applications prévues sont chez Nikon pour la réalisation du Nikon D800 et chez Sony pour le successeur des Alpha 850 et Alpha 900 (le nom n’a pas l’air fixé à ce jour). On me dit également qu’il y a une autre marque qui discute avec Sony pour avoir accès à cette même technologie (un autre 24 MP en Full Frame).

Pour le moment, il semble que -fidèle à la tradition chez Nikon- le capteur de Sony sera modifié selon les besoins de la marque jaune. Il est exact que Nikon ne se contente jamais exactement de ce que propose Sony en matière de capteur (mais aussi que le cœur du capteur ne change pas, justifiant la mention de « même capteur que… » souvent répétée à son sujet) mais peut-être que l’intensité de l’engagement de Sony en direction de la vidéo n’est pas totalement partagé par Nikon dans cette partie de la gamme photo.

En l’occurrence, Sony travaille actuellement à optimiser la sensibilité du capteur (à taille donnée, Full Frame, ils s’efforcent d’apporter un maximum de qualité et de sensibilité ISO). D’après l’information dont nous disposons, les appareils reflex basés sur ce nouveau capteur pourraient être annoncés à la fin de l’été 2011 pour une disponibilité au dernier trimestre de l’année.

De fait, la principale raison et le principal problème qu’il avait relèvent de la sensibilité ISO et du comportement général du Canon EOS 5D MkII en basse lumière (y compris en matière de bruit numérique et d’AF). Bien que le Canon reste un gros succès de ventes, le capteur à résolution volontairement limitée du Nikon D700 a été superbement exploité pour fournir une sensibilité maximale et un bruit minimal. Je ne peux qu’approuver ce genre de commentaires d’Allister.

Une visite à son post vous permettra d’y voir un bel ensemble de photos faite au cours d’un marriage à Gosfield Hall en Essex (Angleterre) et fait la parfaite démonstration de son excellent style documentaire.

En effet, un site de vente en ligne chinois a publié une page produit pour le Nikon D800. Une photo, quelques caractéristiques très en avance sur ce qu’on prévoit de la part de Nikon, mais après tout, pourquoi pas ?

Tout d’abord, la résolution monterait (violemment) jusqu’à 24 MP, soit près du maximum actuel sur les capteurs Full Frame, indiquant une possible utilisation du capteur Full Frame déjà disponible au catalogue de Sony (utilisé sur les Sony Alpha 900 et Alpha 850, mais avec l’ajout d’un mode enregistrement vidéo).

Ensuite, on trouverait un déclencheur balayant 30s à 1/8000s pour des rafales à 7 images/seconde, l’enregistrement vidéo en 720p et 1080p, une sensibilité de 200-6400 ISO (ext. à 100-25600 ISO), le système de mesure d’exposition à capteur 1005-points en couleur, le système Autofocus Nikon Multi-CAM 3500FX AF à 51 points, un affichage LCD fixe au dos de l’appareil avec un LCD 3″ (7,5 cm) à 921.000 pixels.

Clairement, cela donnerait un appareil tout à fait prévisible (en dehors de la haute résolution qui indiquerait que Nikon abandonne la piste de la base résolution pour aller chercher Canon et Sony sur le terrain qui leur réussit davantage).

Mais cela n’en reste pas moins surprenant. Si cela est plus qu’une rumeur infondée, cela permettrait de deviner la direction prise par Sony en matière de capteur et le sucesseur des Sony Alpha 900 et Alpha 850 verrait donc la résolution rester stable à 24 MP tout en voyant la vidéo apparaître comme sur le Nikon D800.

Digital Rev, qui n’est pas du tout un habitué de la propagation de fausses rumeurs (ou tout simplement de rumeurs) jusqu’ici, vient de publier un petit article qui explique pourquoi il n’y aura pas de Nikon D700s (une amélioration mineure du reflex Full Frame Nikon D700) : il ne serait pas suffisant pour descendre en flammes le Canon EOS 5D Mk II dont le succès ne se dément pas (Sony a sans doute le même problème pour créer une descendance à leur offre Full Frame avec les Alpha 900/Alpha 850 ; Pentax a résolu le problème en se tournant vers un plus grand format pour le 645D).

Au contraire, il seraient en train de préparer un Nikon D800 tout nouveau et tout beau avec des caractéristiques de haut vol :

• Capteur CMOS Full Frame FX à 16 MP
• Sensibilité : 200-12800 ISO (ext. à 102400 ISO)
• Rafales à 9 i/s (ou 11 i/s en mode DX)
• Système Autofocus basé sur le Multi-CAM 3500FX à 51 points
• Vidéo Full HD
• Écran LCD 3″ VGA (921,000 points)

Dans tous les cas, je ne m’attends pas à voir cela à court terme. Rien avant le début 2011.

On nous promet deux nouveaux modèles pour la prochaine Photokina (en septembre 2010 à Cologne) :

• Un Pentax K5 qui viendra se placer sous le Pentax K7 avec l’ambition de compléter la gamme et d’aider ceux qui ont été convaincus (on les comprend) par le Pentax K-x à monter en gamme vers des produits plus ambitieux.
• Le Pentax K7 mérite d’être remplacé, mais il est probable que les investissements pour cela n’ont pas été faits. Pentax pourrait arriver avec un modèle légèrement amélioré (ajout de la vidéo, meilleure sensibilité, peut-être un système AF plus rapide).

Mais si tous les pentaxistes continuent à rêver d’un reflex Full Frame, même quand ils parviennent à repérer un capteur qui semble adéquat dans le catalogue de Cypress (malheureusement, ce capteur 25MP qui a fait les titres de certains sites Internet ne semble pas passer pour une telle application), tout indique qu’il y a encore au moins 6 mois à attendre, peut-être un an. Le temps ainsi perdu sera l’occasion pour les équipes de recherché et développement de travailler sur les algorithmes d’auto-focus et sur la vitesse de déclenchement.

C’est maintenant officiel ! Sony a publié l’information de presse à propos du Sony Alpha 850, leur second reflex numérique Full Frame. Et, cette fois-ci, le prix est attractif.

Sous la barre des 2000€, le boîtier est essentiellement le même que pour le Sony Alpha 900 (y compris l’excellent capteur Full Frame à 24 méga-pixels et sa stabilisation d’image au boîtier). Les ingénieures ont réduit significativement les coûts en suivant le chemin de moindre résistance :

• Simplification du viseur qui descend à une couverture de 98% (le A900 garde son très beau viseur qui reste une référence technique)
• Réduction de la cadence des rafales (permettant de retirer ainsi l’un des 2 processeurs BIONZ qui équipaient le A900)
• La télécommande IR est maintenant en option

Pas mal pensé ! C’est l’implémentation impeccable de la stratégie qui veut ramener la résolution et la qualité du Full Frame au niveau du photographe Expert/Enthousiaste.

L’appareil photo nous est dévoilé en même temps qu’un nouveau zoom 28-75mm f/2.8 qui fera un superbe zoom trans-standard pour un tel appareil photo.

Nota bene : les informations que nous avions données ici ces dernières semaines se sont donc révélées très exactes puisque la fiche technique du Sony Alpha 850 était exacte depuis presque deux semaines.

Press Release

Full-frame DSLR shooting for a wider audience

New Sony Alpha α850 with 24.6 megapixels and pro-style features

* Full-frame 24.6 effective megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor and dual BIONZ processors for detail-packed, low-noise images with high sensitivity up to ISO 6400 (with expanded ISO range)
* Bright optical glass pentaprism viewfinder with 98% coverage
* SteadyShot INSIDE offers up to 4.0 steps anti-shake performance with all lenses
* Photo quality (921k dot) 3.0-inch Xtra Fine LCD
* Fast, high-accuracy 9-point AF with 10 focus assist points

The new DSLR-α850 from Sony offers serious photo enthusiasts a  compelling step up to the creative possibilities of full-frame imaging.

Ruggedly built for unflinching pro-style handling and performance, the α850 shares the same 24.6 megapixel sensor and virtually all features of the flagship DSLR-α900, introduced last year. Like its full-frame sibling, the α850 fully exploits the creative possibilities of the α family of lenses that includes premium full-frame optics from Carl Zeiss, plus five high-performance G Lens models.

At the heart of the α850 is a full frame 24.6 effective megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor that captures flawless, detail-packed images with vibrant, lifelike colours and fine textures.

The purity of high-resolution image data captured by the full-frame sensor is optimised by two-stage noise reduction in both analogue and digital domains. Noise reduction is first applied as the full-frame sensor converts light to electronic signals. Dual BIONZ image engines process large amounts of digital data, applying finely-tuned noise reduction during image processing to deliver pictures with extremely high level of sharpness and minimal noise level. This combination of high native sensor resolution and powerful noise control techniques ensures superlative image quality, even at high sensitivity settings up to a maximum ISO 6400 (with expanded ISO range).

The camera’s optical glass pentaprism viewfinder aids accurate shot composition, offering an extremely bright view with minimal distortion and an approximate 98% field coverage.

Serious enthusiasts will also prize the camera’s fast, high-accuracy autofocus system that provides excellent framing freedom while making it easier to achieve optimum focus with moving subjects. The 9-point AF system is supplemented by 10 focus assist points to assist subject detection, improved out-of-focus detection to reduce focus hunting and a dedicated f/2.8 sensor for enhanced AF accuracy with wide aperture lenses.

Shots can be viewed on the large, high contrast 3.0-inch Xtra Fine LCD that offers an exceptionally high  resolution (921k dot) for critical evaluation – even outdoors or in bright ambient light.

For greater creative control, an Intelligent Preview function indicates the effects of exposure, white balance, and D-Range Optimiser adjustments prior to shooting. This Preview is invaluable when composing complex scenes that may typically combine multiple light sources with different colour temperatures.

Touching the Fn button switches the display to Quick Navi mode, allowing convenient one-handed adjustment of key shooting parameters. A secondary backlit LCD panel on the top of the camera body gives useful confirmation of major settings, even when the main LCD is turned off.

In common with all other DSLR cameras from Sony, the α850 features SteadyShot INSIDE. This in-body optical stabilisation system delivers up to 4 steps of anti-shake correction with all compatible lenses, opening up even greater creative possibilities when shooting handheld.

Like its full-frame sibling, the α850 is ruggedly built for dependable performance in gruelling conditions with a high-tensile aluminium chassis and all-magnesium alloy body shell. Viewfinder, card slots, controls and other sensitive areas are protected from dust and moisture by rubber seals. In addition, an anti-dust system guards the full-frame sensor from the effects of dust entering the body during lens exchange.

The supplied high-capacity InfoLITHIUM rechargeable Battery Pack (NP-FM500H) delivers power for up to 880 shots (approx.) per charge. Battery levels can be monitored in precise 1% increments, eliminating uncertainty about remaining shooting time.

The camera can be connected to your BRAVIA or any HD TV (requires optional HDMI cable) for a big-screen view of your shots. On-screen image quality is optimised for superbly lifelike reproduction on BRAVIA models supporting PhotoTV HD. On-screen playback can be controlled via an optional wireless remote commander (RMT-DSLR1).

The α850 is fully compatible with the range of official accessories by Sony for the flagship A900.

The choice of full-frame lenses to complement the α850 is enhanced with the new 28-75mm f/2.8 SAM. This compact, easy-to-carry lens is ideal for photo enthusiasts looking to add a bright, general purpose zoom to their collection of full-frame optics. Delivering excellent imaging quality, this zoom offers a wide f/2.8 aperture. Ideal for day-to-day shooting tasks, its bright maximum aperture makes the 28-75mm F2.8 SAM particularly valuable for interior scenes and available-light portraits.

Also, with Memory Stick at the heart of the Sony alpha, you have every advantage. The advanced Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX (4GB, 8GB, 16GB or 32GB) is the perfect tool for continuous shooting mode, with the ideal combination of massive storage capacity and blisteringly fast operation. Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX 32GB will never miss the key shot because the number of pictures taken in 1 min is approx 160* photos (in RAW+JPEG/L (24M)).

Delivered with USB Adaptor, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX 32GB is ideal for users who want to transfer data in high speed: approx. 660[1] pictures in L (24M) size at RAW+JPEG mode in 26 minutes.

The DSLR-α850 full-frame digital SLR camera is available from September 2009 and the 28-75mm lens will be available from November 2009.

Mais il semble aussi que ces améliorations relativement limitées au milieu de gamme doivent aussi être complétées par deux appareils photo reflex Full Frame.

Des compléments d’information ici-même d’ici très peu de temps.