Calling all Sony Alpha users! (Part 2)

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stan the man said:
i'm looking to get the A700 as a 2nd body,and what is attracting me to it is the FPS,which is 5...higher ISO/noise,which is better i'm led to believe...magnesium body and dust and weather proofing....

review here...

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Sony-DSLR-A700

is available from cameraworld for £557 :thumbs:
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It's not fully weather sealed, but it stands up to rain no problems. The ISO/noise performance has increased since the release of firmware version 4 so if you do get one, make sure this version is installed (easy to do yourself). The magnesium alloy body makes it a large heavy beast and that's one of the things I love about it, especially with the grip attached.

I have never held the A200 but I held Stan's A350 in London a couple of months ago and there was quite a difference in the size of the viewfinder (A700 was much larger).
 
stan the man said:
i'm looking to get the A700 as a 2nd body,and what is attracting me to it is the FPS,which is 5...higher ISO/noise,which is better i'm led to believe...magnesium body and dust and weather proofing....

review here...

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Sony-DSLR-A700

is available from cameraworld for £557 :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Stan, you're a diamond! :thumbs:

I've spent literally HOURS looking at online review sites, photographic websites etc. and I'm feeling quite exhausted. I'm so confused. I don't know whether to stay with Sony and upgrade, or venture to 'the other side' ie Canon or Nikon. My Dad is a dyed-in-the-wool Canon man and is constantly trying to 'Canonise' me! :D

I've a confession, Stan. I've only just realised that I can sharpen images in camera. How embarrassing! Anyway, does this function work to the detriment of the image - ie digitize it - or simply improve it with no loss of image quality?

Yours,

Confused of Bolton
 
fabs said:
It's not fully weather sealed, but it stands up to rain no problems. The ISO/noise performance has increased since the release of firmware version 4 so if you do get one, make sure this version is installed (easy to do yourself). The magnesium alloy body makes it a large heavy beast and that's one of the things I love about it, especially with the grip attached.

I have never held the A200 but I held Stan's A350 in London a couple of months ago and there was quite a difference in the size of the viewfinder (A700 was much larger).
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yep,the A700 is certainly heavier marc...especially with the 70-200 attached,but i like something weighty in my hands ;).should the firmware version 4 come pre-installed in the newer 700's?

coming to london on the 18th of jan for 2-3 days...once i know our exact rota for our visit,i shall post a possible meet of the london massif,most probably on the 19th if you can make it...
 
MarkydeSad said:
Please tell me that's not some sort of a euphemism! :eek:
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Get your mind out the gutter boy!! :nono: :lol:

stan the man said:
yep,the A700 is certainly heavier marc...especially with the 70-200 attached,but i like something weighty in my hands ;).should the firmware version 4 come pre-installed in the newer 700's?

coming to london on the 18th of jan for 2-3 days...once i know our exact rota for our visit,i shall post a possible meet of the london massif,most probably on the 19th if you can make it...
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I would imagine the firmware would depend on the age of the stock. It's dead easy to upgrade it anyway so I certainly wouldn't make it a condition of purchase. It also allows you to turn off the in camera noise reduction which is a major plus.

I'm actually doing a morning job in London on the 20th, what time would you be heading back west?
 
MarkydeSad said:
Stan, you're a diamond! :thumbs:

I've spent literally HOURS looking at online review sites, photographic websites etc. and I'm feeling quite exhausted. I'm so confused. I don't know whether to stay with Sony and upgrade, or venture to 'the other side' ie Canon or Nikon. My Dad is a dyed-in-the-wool Canon man and is constantly trying to 'Canonise' me! :D

I've a confession, Stan. I've only just realised that I can sharpen images in camera. How embarrassing! Anyway, does this function work to the detriment of the image - ie digitize it - or simply improve it with no loss of image quality?

Yours,

Confused of Bolton
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well,i've a confession,mark....if my A350 has in camera sharpening,i never knew it(must read the user manual more thoroughly :bonk:).

you must do as you feel right..stay with sony,or venture to the dark side.i'm staying with sony as i've invested a fair wedge of cash into the system,plus i believe with sony's intention to be one of the big 3..their lens/accessories range will improve/be more competitive price wise with the likes of canon/nikon...they will have to be to sell their product ;)
 
fabs said:
Get your mind out the gutter boy!! :nono: :lol:



I would imagine the firmware would depend on the age of the stock. It's dead easy to upgrade it anyway so I certainly wouldn't make it a condition of purchase. It also allows you to turn off the in camera noise reduction which is a major plus.

I'm actually doing a morning job in London on the 20th, what time would you be heading back west?
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cheers marc :thumbs:

no time constraints on travelling back west on the 20th,so can arrange a meet with you for then...so long as jackie doesn't mind ;)
 
stan the man said:
well,i've a confession,mark....if my A350 has in camera sharpening,i never knew it(must read the user manual more thoroughly :bonk:).

you must do as you feel right..stay with sony,or venture to the dark side.i'm staying with sony as i've invested a fair wedge of cash into the system,plus i believe with sony's intention to be one of the big 3..their lens/accessories range will improve/be more competitive price wise with the likes of canon/nikon...they will have to be to sell their product ;)
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I, too, have spent a bit on my Sony-fit Sigma lenses, so upgrading to the A700 would be a lot cheaper than starting all over again

Re sharpening:

Menu - Creative Style - Two circles and a rectangle bottom right - the rectangle is for adjusting sharpening - I never knew! :D

That's for the A200, by the way. It may look a tad different on your A350
 
MarkydeSad said:
I, too, have spent a bit on my Sony-fit Sigma lenses, so upgrading to the A700 would be a lot cheaper than starting all over again

Re sharpening:

Menu - Creative Style - Two circles and a rectangle bottom right - the rectangle is for adjusting sharpening - I never knew! :D

That's for the A200, by the way. It may look a tad different on your A350
Click to expand...

cheers mark...it might be worth doing some test shots to see if the onboard sharpening does or doesn't affect the IQ....
 
a200 or a300 pros and cons
looking at getting my first dslr and these are in my price range
so i'd like to know what you guys think of these 2 camaras.

thanks in advance.
 
dannyb said:
a200 or a300 pros and cons
looking at getting my first dslr and these are in my price range
so i'd like to know what you guys think of these 2 camaras.

thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

they are basically the same camera,with the inclusion of live view/tilting screen on the A300.wether or not you will need the liveview/tilting screen...only you can answer that,but it can be handy for macro shots and sneaky candid shots if you don't want to show folk you're capturing them on digital ;)
 
Hi everyone,

Recently bought an A300. Very pleased but I'd like to have a quick 50mm ish (in 35mm film camera terms) lens for it. What's my best option? I'm after fast (as in light capturing) and sharp over and above any other features like speed of focusing etc.

Many thanks.
 
bradleysmith said:
Hi everyone,

Recently bought an A300. Very pleased but I'd like to have a quick 50mm ish (in 35mm film camera terms) lens for it. What's my best option? I'm after fast (as in light capturing) and sharp over and above any other features like speed of focusing etc.

Many thanks.
Click to expand...


search e-bay for the minolta 50mm F/1.7 lens...a little belter,but prices are going up as folks realise just how good they are...;)
 
stan the man said:
search e-bay for the minolta 50mm F/1.7 lens...a little belter,but prices are going up as folks realise just how good they are...;)
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Sorry, must make myself clear. I'm after a lens that, on an A300, will be like a 50mm lens on a 35mm film camera. It'd need to be like 32mm or somthing I'm guessing. I actually would like an actual 50mm as well though as that'd make a nice portrait lens but a 'standard' lens is more important at the moment.

cheers
 
bradleysmith said:
Sorry, must make myself clear. I'm after a lens that, on an A300, will be like a 50mm lens on a 35mm film camera. It'd need to be like 32mm or somthing I'm guessing. I actually would like an actual 50mm as well though as that'd make a nice portrait lens but a 'standard' lens is more important at the moment.

cheers
Click to expand...

Depending on your budget, a sony 28mm f2.8 wil be around £150 or a 35mm f1.4 will be around £900. If you look at sigma there is a 30mm f1.4 for about £260.

HTH
 
stan the man said:
they are basically the same camera,with the inclusion of live view/tilting screen on the A300.wether or not you will need the liveview/tilting screen...only you can answer that,but it can be handy for macro shots and sneaky candid shots if you don't want to show folk you're capturing them on digital ;)
Click to expand...


cheers, i must have read the review wrong. i thought the 350 had
liveview/tilting sreen and the 300 didnt.
i do have reading glasses, perhaps i should use them:)
 
MarkydeSad said:
Gentlemen and ladies, I have a serious question:

*Adopts serious expression*

Just how much better is the A700 than the A200?

I really like my A200 but I have a humungous wad of cash burning a hole in my pocket, and it's either some new gear or I'll be forced to take my wife somewhere nice! :shake:

HELP!!!!!!!!
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Get yourself that A700, you'll be glad you did. I have no intentions of going to get an A900 - the A700 does everything I need at the moment so I'll wait for the next upgrade to come out to see what that is like compared to the A900.
 
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