Sony Discontinues A-Mount Lenses, Adding Another Nail to the DSLR Coffin
The slow death of DSLRs continues.
While no official statement has been made, Sony has listed its A-mount lenses as "discontinued" on its official store.
As reported by PetaPixel, Sony’s camera listings on their Japanese site now show all of their A-mount lenses as either “discontinued” or “no longer available.” There has been no official statement, but the move indicates another step for Sony away from DSLRs.
The whole line of 33 lenses, ranging from Zeiss optics and Sony’s own G series lenses, are now no longer available for purchase.
Are DSLR Shooters Safe?
Frankly, no.
Even Sony's U.S. site lists the A-mount lenses as not available. However, authorized dealers may still have stock available, which may soon find their way into the clearance bin.
Sony shooters still dependent on the A-mount may find this the perfect time to expand their collections. But as we’ve seen with other digital formats, they don’t have the same longevity that film cameras had.
The Future Is Mirrorless
As camera technology moves more toward the mirrorless world, we’ll be seeing more stories like this. Back in late 2015, the rumor mill started swirling when Sony UK replied to a photographer about future plans for A-mount development.
Seems like today is the day it all comes to a head.
But not all is lost. If you’re still shooting with A-mount lenses, you can adapt them to E-mount bodies. Filmmakers on a budget can also look to use A-mount lenses, as they’ll soon be selling like hotcakes as dealers dump their stock.
However you benefit from this shift, it seems that DSLRs are closer to being on their way out.
