Writing for Bloomberg.com, Yuji Nakamura and Yuki Furukawa report that Sony’s high end cameras like the α9, are enticing pros to switch to Sony Alpha cameras. The combination of 20-fps, fast, accurate autofocus and silent shooting create “potentially a tectonic shift that gives Sony a chance to break the pro-photography duopoly Canon Inc. and Nikon Corp. have enjoyed since the days of 35mm film.”
In the article, Nakamura and Furukawa trace Sony’s journey into the pro market beginning with their early development of image sensors and taking note at the fast evolution of the Alpha line following Sony’s purchase of the Konica-Minolta cameras business.
“...potentially a tectonic shift that gives Sony a chance to break the pro-photography duopoly Canon Inc. and Nikon Corp. have enjoyed since the days of 35mm film.”
As the latest high-end mirrorless Sony Alpha cameras and lenses gain momentum with pros, and especially with photojournalists and sports photographers, the chapter of photography history devoted to the DSLR is coming to a close. Nakamura and Furukawa write, “If Sony succeeds in making mirrorless cameras the industry standard, expect press conferences to become a lot quieter without the shh-cluck shutter sounds made by DSLRs. That's already made them popular among pro photographers at golf tournaments and courtrooms. The scuttlebutt among shooters in Japan is that noisy cameras will be banned from Emperor Akihito's abdication ceremony in April, which effectively means only Sony Alphas could be allowed in the room. An imperial endorsement, if there ever was one.”
