Sony A7S III launch might be delayed, but could be followed by a Sony A5

The Sony A7S III might have seen its long-awaited launch pushed back a few weeks, according to new rumors, but there’s a possible sweetener in the form of fresh speculation about another new full-frame Sony camera.

We’ve been waiting for a successor to the video-oriented Sony A7S II for years, so further delays won’t exactly come as a surprise. But according to Sony Alpha Rumors, this one won’t be too long – the site claims sources say the Sony A7S III (or at least an A7S II successor) will be announced by ‘mid-end July.’

Strangely, the reason for this delay is apparently because Sony wants to make the announcement after the arrival of the Canon EOS R5, which is expected to be fully revealed on July 9.

This will apparently let Sony ‘position it appropriately with the price and marketing.’ And it’s fair to say that a few weeks isn’t much longer to wait when you consider the A7S II arrived back in 2015.

The camera world has changed a lot since then, with high-end cameras (like the Canon EOS R5) increasingly favoring a hybrid, all-rounder approach to stills and video, rather than the specialism that’s been the hallmark of the Sony A7S series.  

That said, there would certainly still be demand among pro videographers for the Sony A7S III, based on its rumored specs. These include a new 15.36MP back-illuminated sensor with a Quad Bayer design, which would boost the resolution slightly from the A7S II while maintaining its famed abilities in low light.

(Image credit: Future)

Full-frame for less

Whatever ultimately happens to the A7S line, non-professional stills photographers might be more excited by the second full-frame camera that Sony apparently has in the works for later this year, according to Sony Alpha Rumors.

This announcement will apparently take place ‘by end of August-September’ and is expected to be a more affordable full-frame camera (possibly called the Sony A5) that could rival the likes of the Canon EOS RP. The latter is currently the value king in this category and a very affordable way to jump into full-frame.

It certainly looks likely that Sony will announce a second new full-frame camera sometime later this year, because it’s recently registered two new high-end models (as spotted by the ever-reliable Nokishita).

But exactly what form this second camera will take is very much up in the air, with Sony Alpha Rumors classifying the Sony A5 speculation as ‘wild rumor.’ A more affordable alternative to the Sony A7 III would certainly fit the recent trends in full-frame cameras, with Nikon also rumored to be announcing a viewfinder-less camera in that vein called the Nikon Z5 (above).

We’ll have to wait for some more solid Sony A5 rumors and leaks to arrive before we get too excited, though. Until then, you can read our more in-depth analysis of what treats might be coming in the Sony A7S III. 

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