Sony Alpha 55

Redspider

Redspider

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I had a look at this camera yesterday & I have a couple of questions about it.
When I went to a higher f stop or if I went to a faster shutter speed the viewfinder went darker. The opposite happened when I went to a lower f stop or slower shutter speed. This made it either too dark or too bright to see anything. Can this be over ridden? On my DSLR I do this often for effect etc.

Can the shutter speed & aperture be set quickly at the top of the camera? I was able to change the f stop but when I changed the shutter speed, it altered the f stop. I want to quickly set the f stop then the aperture or vice verse without one altering the other or going into a camera menu. The shop assistant did not know how. Thanks for any help.
 
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because it's an electronic viewfinder it will be showing you a representation of what the image produced using those settings will be.

if you set the aperture and then adjust the 'shutter speed' to give the desired exposure then the image in the screen will reflect that.

if the controls are similar to my old a390 then the same control wheel will adjust both aperture and shutter speed. one will use just the control wheel and the other needs the the exposure compensation button pressed at the same time.
 
mastertrinity said:
The f stop is the aperture!

Also it's an electronic viewfinder so if it's dark in the viewfinder then so will the image, there's no way of stopping it.
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Shame, then the camera is not for me. I want a constant image while I adjust the settings. Big mistake, unless your a beginner.

lexie said:
because it's an electronic viewfinder it will be showing you a representation of what the image produced using those settings will be.

if you set the aperture and then adjust the 'shutter speed' to give the desired exposure then the image in the screen will reflect that.

if the controls are similar to my old a390 then the same control wheel will adjust both aperture and shutter speed. one will use just the control wheel and the other needs the the exposure compensation button pressed at the same time.
Click to expand...

If so that would have been fine however the EV will let it down for me.

Thanks both for your replies.
 
Redspider said:
Shame, then the camera is not for me. I want a constant image while I adjust the settings. Big mistake, unless your a beginner.
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the EVF reflects the actual image that will be produced - if the image is dark in the EVF then it's underexposed.
You'll see more through the EVF in lowlight though than you will through an optical viewer as it should gain up.

As for changing the f stop & then shutter or vice versa you would have to put it into manual for that as in shutter or aperture priority altering 1 will cause the camera to alter the other to suit.

If you don't like the EVF have a look at an A580 as it's a very nice body.
 
heidfirst said:
the EVF reflects the actual image that will be produced - if the image is dark in the EVF then it's underexposed.
You'll see more through the EVF in lowlight though than you will through an optical viewer as it should gain up.

As for changing the f stop & then shutter or vice versa you would have to put it into manual for that as in shutter or aperture priority altering 1 will cause the camera to alter the other to suit.

If you don't like the EVF have a look at an A580 as it's a very nice body.
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If I do a long exposure to get a silky river I would need to go to a high f stop. This would then presumably mean I can't see the subject as it will appear dark.
I guess it could be lined up first but a simple override would be better for me.

Looking at the 580 says 7 fps, but the A55 is 10fps & that drew me to it, plus it's smaller & I guess lighter.
 
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heidfirst said:
You would be better dropping the ISO &/or using ND filters as with a 16Mp APS-C sensor diffraction starts kicking in ~f9.

& those sort of shots don't need 7 or 10fps.

Why don't you download the manuals & have a read?
http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4187045131.pdf
http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4207863131.pdf
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Although I take all types of photographs, my favourites are air displays, aircraft & Birds/animals so 10fps is needed. I also like landscape & special effect, long exposure such as the silky river/sea/lights at night. I have ND filters & this would further the ev problem, if they just gave an over ride option? Thanks for your help.
 
Redspider said:
Although I take all types of photographs, my favourites are air displays, aircraft & Birds/animals so 10fps is needed.
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Pretty similar to me then.
However, whilst it may be nice to have 7 or 10fps on occasion imo it's not necessary & ~5fps is enough for most situations.
You also need to be aware that in order to achieve these results on mid-range bodies there are compromises e.g. on the A55 it can't do all the processing etc. & refresh the EVF fast enough at 10fps (it's OK at 6fps) - I'm told that you can get used to it though. Having said that on an OVF body with the mirror flipping you aren't going to see an awful lot at 10fps either (& to get 1 will cost you a lot more).
& on the A580 at 7fps it locks focus on the first shot & maintains that for the burst (it varies focus at 5fps).

Also the A55 is physically a small body & with something like a 70-400 G on it imo the A580 (particularly with a grip, an option not officially available for the A55) handles better.

I also like landscape & special effect, long exposure such as the silky river/sea/lights at night. I have ND filters & this would further the ev problem, if they just gave an over ride option?
Click to expand...
Again, the EVF reflects actual results so if the EVF is dark then your settings are wrong. Bear in mind that Michael Reichman (a well known landscape photographer albeit mainly FF & MF) bought an A55 having trialled one so he's obviously happy enough with what it can do.
There is a chance that the coming A77 may have a manual gain override though.

You may want to ask questions on the SLT forum at dyxum.com (a specialist A-mount forum) where actual owners should be able to explain further.
 
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heidfirst said:
Pretty similar to me then.
However, whilst it may be nice to have 7 or 10fps on occasion imo it's not necessary & ~5fps is enough for most situations.
You also need to be aware that in order to achieve these results on mid-range bodies there are compromises e.g. on the A55 it can't do all the processing etc. & refresh the EVF fast enough at 10fps (it's OK at 6fps) - I'm told that you can get used to it though. Having said that on an OVF body with the mirror flipping you aren't going to see an awful lot at 10fps either (& to get 1 will cost you a lot more).
& on the A580 at 7fps it locks focus on the first shot & maintains that for the burst (it varies focus at 5fps).

Also the A55 is physically a small body & with something like a 70-400 G on it imo the A580 (particularly with a grip, an option not officially available for the A55) handles better.


Again, the EVF reflects actual results so if the EVF is dark then your settings are wrong. Bear in mind that Michael Reichman (a well known landscape photographer albeit mainly FF & MF) bought an A55 having trialled one so he's obviously happy enough with what it can do.
There is a chance that the coming A77 may have a manual gain override though.

You may want to ask questions on the SLT forum at dyxum.com (a specialist A-mount forum) where actual owners should be able to explain further.
Click to expand...

Interesting, thanks for all the help.
 
Yeh, I was reading this and thinking "what's the issue?! The EVF shows the image as it will turn out to be" :lol::) In fact it's an advantage I should think when trying to create silky river pictures, as it eliminates the need to look at the actual screen when fiddling.

As you can see I have an A33 and am very happy with it :cool:
When following fast moving objects the image you see on the viewfinder tends to be the one you've just taken; but as you are already moving with it you get the shot most the time. As I did while I was in Gt Yarmouth:
Seagull - 2 by Ollie Matthews, on Flickr
 
Cheesy feet said:
Yeh, I was reading this and thinking "what's the issue?! The EVF shows the image as it will turn out to be" :lol::) In fact it's an advantage I should think when trying to create silky river pictures, as it eliminates the need to look at the actual screen when fiddling.

As you can see I have an A33 and am very happy with it :cool:
When following fast moving objects the image you see on the viewfinder tends to be the one you've just taken; but as you are already moving with it you get the shot most the time. As I did while I was in Gt Yarmouth:
Seagull - 2 by Ollie Matthews, on Flickr
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I somehow think the evf would be too dark to show me this little chappie who was in a dark Spanish canal, at the speeds I usually need to capture them in flight, however an over ride would still let me view it..

3749647914_deb66e0664_z.jpg


It might have got me this one, but it needs to be bright with a fast f/ stop.

4780295069_08528d8002_b.jpg
 
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Redspider said:
I somehow think the evf would be too dark to show me this little chappie who was in a dark Spanish canal, at the speeds I usually need to capture them in flight,
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it shouldn't be if you have the settings correct.
In fact it should be better in a dark environment than an OVF as it should auto gain up (& I know from personal experience that my A700's sensor sees better in the near dark than I do via the OVF by the time that you need to be upto ISO3200). However, you'll be aware that it's an electronic image by that point.
It's also a bigger screen at 1.1x than your D90 or similar OVFs.
As a D90 user though maybe the forthcoming A77 would be a better upgrade from a D90, however, if you have a lot of good Nikon fit glass then switching systems & replacing with similar could be expensive.

I'm pretty sure that there are some people on dyxum using SLTs for dragonflies & I do recommend that you make enquiries there - they don't bite ;).
& I was reading a couple of posts on DPReview last night where Canon 1DIV users were commenting favourably on the AF of the SLTs.
 
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Is the A77 going to be a similar size? as one of the reasons I want the A55 is because it is smaller. Do you have any info on the Sony 70-400 lens as I plan to buy one of those with it. Is it fast with the A55?
 
The A77 is expected to be larger as it will play in the D7000-D400 area - metal body, dual control wheels, optional VG grip etc.
There is also expected to be an evolution model replacing the A55 (as the A33 has been replaced by the A35) shortly. That may bring the A55 price down until stock sells out.

As for the 70-400 G what do you want to know? I've had 1 of the first in the UK (in fact it was pre-ordered) & never regretted it.
Optically you would have to be going some (& some ££s) to better it at it's level - it's best in class.
AF wise it's quiet & accurate but I think that the Canon 100-400 is a smidge faster (this may be down to my using it on older bodies where the AF isn't as good as the latest or my guess the fact that the Canon limiter is 6.5m to infinty whereas the Sony is 3m to infinity).
It's a big, chunky lens & when I tried it on an A55 for my tastes it felt like the body was attached to the lens rather than the lens attached to the body i.e. I prefer a larger, heavier body to balance it.

It's a pretty decent lens for butterflies/dragonflies that won't let you get close enough for Macro lenses (albeit I haven't tried in-flight shots like yours).
 
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heidfirst said:
The A77 is expected to be larger as it will play in the D7000-D400 area - metal body, dual control wheels, optional VG grip etc.
There is also expected to be an evolution model replacing the A55 (as the A33 has been replaced by the A35) shortly. That may bring the A55 price down until stock sells out.

As for the 70-400 G what do you want to know? I've had 1 of the first in the UK (in fact it was pre-ordered) & never regretted it.
Optically you would have to be going some (& some ££s) to better it at it's level - it's best in class.
AF wise it's quiet & accurate but I think that the Canon 100-400 is a smidge faster (this may be down to my using it on older bodies where the AF isn't as good as the latest or my guess the fact that the Canon limiter is 6.5m to infinty whereas the Sony is 3m to infinity).
It's a big, chunky lens & when I tried it on an A55 for my tastes it felt like the body was attached to the lens rather than the lens attached to the body i.e. I prefer a larger, heavier body to balance it.

It's a pretty decent lens for butterflies/dragonflies that won't let you get close enough for Macro lenses (albeit I haven't tried in-flight shots like yours).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information & help. I am also interested in the Panasonic G3 & looking at the G3 yesterday the evf did not dim or go bright when I adjusted the f/ stop.
 
it shouldn't on an Axx either (except possibly in manual mode) - I suspect some setting issue. If you haven't already read the Photoclubalpha review.
I know that when I tried 1:
a) the shop staff were useless (I had to badger them to swap a battery fron an A33 as the A55 wasn't charged)
b) someone had obviously been playing with it though because when powered up it had been left in some really strange configuration
 
I could not get on with the EVF on mine. SOld it and bought a 60D and never looked back..
 
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