We are waiting for the launch of the a6700 or a7000
A sliver of information has emerged on SonyAddict that the new Sony A6700, may be priced to be competitive and may be larger than the existing Sony a6500.
Sony Product Strategy
Sony is committed to dominating every sector of the camera market and this includes the APS-C segment. The success of the Fujifilm X-T3 as both a stills camera and competent video camera is a challenge that Sony will not let pass. We know that they are working on an advanced APS-C camera, possibly the Sony a7000 that may have some revolutionary new features such as a global shutter. However, in the meantime, Sony may have decided that the a6700 can act as an effective stopgap. Sony is also not averse to launching one camera closely followed by its’ successor. The a6300 and a6500 were launched only months apart.
Sony a6700 Sensor
It is rumoured that the a6700 will have a 26MP IMX571 sensor which is the same as Sony supply to Fujifilm for the Fujifilm X-T3. In reviews of the X-T3, this has been well received. DPReview rave about the image quality.
Sony a6700 Size
The new camera is rumoured to be bigger than the existing a6500. The a6700 dimensions are 124 x 85 x 57mm which is a massive 40% larger than the 6500, and closer to the dimensions of the Fujifilm X-T3 at 132.5 x 92.8 x 58.8mm. Why? Bigger battery, we are promised quick charging so this could be a feature. Better IBIS we are promised improved IBIS. Or more resilience against overheating when shooting long 4K video. This was an issue with the 6300.
Sony 6700 Release Date
Sony Q2 results were good with their imaging business growing by c’1%. Growth for camera manufacturers is rare at the moment. So Sony is not being pushed financially to launch new cameras. For example, the ball busting A7iii is still in short supply due to unprecedented demand in some territories. However, my guess is that they will not want the X-T3 to get too far ahead before Spring next year.
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