A new Sony full-frame mirrorless camera, possibly called the Sony A5, appears to be en route following the registration of a new model.
The ever-reliable Nokishita spotted the registration of a new camera in Taiwan, which usually hints that a new camera is gearing up for launch. According to the registration, the camera will have Sony's NP-FZ100 battery, which has so far been reserved for Sony's full-frame cameras (aside from the Sony A6600).
Apart from this clue, the only other information we have to go on is that the camera will have a single SD card slot and will come with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
These specs suggest a budget full-frame mirrorless camera, which Sony Alpha Rumors has previously speculated would be called the Sony A5, as it would slot in below the higher-end Sony A7-series.
A more outside bet is that it could be another high-end APS-C camera, although the Sony A6600 was announced less than a year ago and a full-frame rival to the likes of the Nikon Z5 and Canon EOS RP seems a more likely proposition.
- Read our in-depth Sony A7S III review
- These are the best full-frame cameras you can buy right now
- Or check out our guide to the best cameras in the world
A Sony cross-breed?
A tantalizing prospect, if one that's currently pure speculation, is that the Sony A5 (or perhaps A6) could perhaps combine aspects of the Sony A7 series with the Sony A6000 line's design.
This would see it get a smaller body, perhaps with the articulating screen seen on the Sony A7S III, plus more advanced features like a full-frame sensor, the latest Sony Real-time AF and the new Bionz XR processor.
Whatever design Sony decides to go for with its new camera, this processor would be a crucial inclusion, because it appears to be a prerequisite for running Sony's new, much-improved touchscreen menu system.
According to Dutch website Tweakers, a Sony spokeperson has said that this Sony A7S III menu system won't be coming to older cameras because it needs that camera's new processor. The new touchscreen interface will, though, apparently be coming to all new Sony cameras, so that would be another bonus for a possible Sony A5.
With the Sony A7S III overkill for most people, and no current sign of a successor to the Sony A7 III, this incoming camera could prove to be a hugely popular one for hobbyist shooters, so we're looking forward to hearing a lot more about it. We'll bring you any official information as soon it breaks.
- These are the best mirrorless cameras you can buy right now
