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Sony A55- what do you intend to do with it?

BackToSlr

New member
Thanks, Jono!

Also, thanks for spelling the name right.

Proof that you do not need a brain the size of this Universe for that. :ROTFL:
Ok, ok! I am sorry for spelling your name wrong...I have no excuses...wait was that for Terry? Did she spell it with a "c", in that case you should consider...

Oh BTW, if you are thinking of removing pellicle and going "filterless" for say UV/IR, consider A560/A580, that way even if you got rid of the mirror, you can still have contrast AF with SAM/SSM lenses. I am curious as to weather pellicle is UV pass through or not, ...:)


Cheers,

N
 

jonoslack

Active member
Ok, ok! I am sorry for spelling your name wrong...I have no excuses...wait was that for Terry? Did she spell it with a "c", in that case you should consider...
:ROTFL: We're all damned - whether we spelled badly, or just have small brains :)

Good thinking on the Contrast detection on the other cams.

all the best
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Ok, ok! I am sorry for spelling your name wrong...I have no excuses...wait was that for Terry? Did she spell it with a "c", in that case you should consider...

Oh BTW, if you are thinking of removing pellicle and going "filterless" for say UV/IR, consider A560/A580, that way even if you got rid of the mirror, you can still have contrast AF with SAM/SSM lenses. I am curious as to weather pellicle is UV pass through or not, ...:)


Cheers,

N
N, Now that is an easy name to spell and type.

Hi folks, no worries. My typing skills are very bad...

Jono, I think I was just serving something back to you about the brain size, IIRC. I am sure I can track the posts and quote it here but don't want to off track it even further. All in good fun. If taken offensively, I apologise.

Yes, CDAF is there. Basically, without the pellicle mirror, the A55 will morph into the NEX I would like to have. Only the size is a bit bigger and the registry different. But, I can find some lenses that would fit out of the few hundreds I have.
 

jonoslack

Active member
N, Now that is an easy name to spell and type.

Hi folks, no worries. My typing skills are very bad...

Jono, I think I was just serving something back to you about the brain size, IIRC. I am sure I can track the posts and quote it here but don't want to off track it even further. All in good fun. If taken offensively, I apologise.

Yes, CDAF is there. Basically, without the pellicle mirror, the A55 will morph into the NEX I would like to have. Only the size is a bit bigger and the registry different. But, I can find some lenses that would fit out of the few hundreds I have.
Not even slightly offended . . . . but always up for helping people dig holes:)
Is CDAF there?
The menu and controls are very different from the NEX.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Jono, You tell me (CDAF there or not) looking at your camera and preferably not the review site- please.

What hole are you talking aboot? :rolleyes:
 

jonoslack

Active member
Jono, You tell me (CDAF there or not) looking at your camera and preferably not the review site- please.

What hole are you talking aboot? :rolleyes:
I think there is no CDAF

. . . . as for holes - it's an old english political joke . . . .

If you're in a hole . . . stop digging.
 

Terry

New member
Vivek -
It is a Phase detection not CDAF camera. Live view happens from the sensor but focus is not CDAF.
I don't understand why you won't read the tech specs on either the Sony site or the press release from a review site.
 

roweraay

New member
Another 3rd party lens option is the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, which of course offers constant f/2.8. I believe this should be available for around $350-400 or so, brand-new. Unlike other systems, since Sony has in-body stabilization, the lens should be stabilized on Sony bodies.

Based on the mockup shown during PMA, they will be releasing a replacement for the 16-80 before too long, alongside the A77.
 

Terry

New member
Based on the mockup shown during PMA, they will be releasing a replacement for the 16-80 before too long, alongside the A77.
Hmmm...the 16-80 is a Zeiss lens there was a mock-up for a new Zeiss version? I completley missed that.
 

roweraay

New member
Hmmm...the 16-80 is a Zeiss lens there was a mock-up for a new Zeiss version? I completley missed that.
Don't know if the replacement is a Zeiss lens but they described it as "Standard zoom lens suitable for advanced model", where the "advanced model" is the upcoming A77.

They also introduced the mockup of a brand-new flash.

Picture of the mockup of the new standard zoom lens:

 
V

Vivek

Guest
Oh BTW, if you are thinking of removing pellicle and going "filterless" for say UV/IR, consider A560/A580, that way even if you got rid of the mirror, you can still have contrast AF with SAM/SSM lenses. I am curious as to weather pellicle is UV pass through or not, ...:)


Cheers,

N
Terry, I missed the A560/580 mention by N and got off tracked (head cold).

BTW, the A560/580,90, etc are regular DSLRs and I have no use for them.

Also, there isn't a lens in the Sony lineup (past or present),that I know of, that would be useful for my purposes (as far as UV/IR goes). Manual focus works just fine for me.

It would be a pity to get rid of the pellicle mirror and 10 f/s fast AF but the cams are cheap enough for me to experiment with that option.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Another 3rd party lens option is the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, which of course offers constant f/2.8. I believe this should be available for around $350-400 or so, brand-new. Unlike other systems, since Sony has in-body stabilization, the lens should be stabilized on Sony bodies.
Yes . . but the joys of the the 16-80 are:
1. it's small (the tamron isn't so small)
2. it goes all the way from 24-120 - which the tamron doesn't.
3. it's t* coated
I did consider the Tamron, but unfortunately it would mean I would want to carry another lens for both the wide and the telephoto end. For me at least 24-120 is a really sweet zoom range.

The new lens might be great, might be 16-80, but won't be here for a year!
 

roweraay

New member
Yes . . but the joys of the the 16-80 are:
1. it's small (the tamron isn't so small)
2. it goes all the way from 24-120 - which the tamron doesn't.
3. it's t* coated
I did consider the Tamron, but unfortunately it would mean I would want to carry another lens for both the wide and the telephoto end. For me at least 24-120 is a really sweet zoom range.

The new lens might be great, might be 16-80, but won't be here for a year!
Jono, the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (which I never owned) is comparable in size to the 16-80ZA (which I had in the past, when I had the A700).

The Tamron measures 74mm x 81.7mm and weighs 434gms.
The 16-80ZA measures 72mm x 83mm and weighs 445gms.

The ZA has a larger range, while the Tamron offers constant f/2.8 throughout the range. The advantage with Sony is that the Tamron (which does not have IS in other mounts like Canon, Nikon etc) is stabilized on Sony bodies. The Tamron is around half the price of the ZA.
 

roweraay

New member
Might be a replacement to the 18-55 which is their standard kit lens.
I believe there was a rumor that this new lens is going to be a 16-80, but the difference being that 16-50 is going to be constant f/2.8 and then f/4 for the rest of the range. If so, then this could be significantly larger than the current 16-80ZA.

In addition to that, the new lens is supposed to have an in-lens motor (whether SAM or SSM is up in the air). And indications are fairly strong that the lens could arrive first quarter 2011 (along with the 500/4 and the A77).
 

roweraay

New member
Incidentally, A55 kits have arrived at our local premium Camera shop (who gets Sony equipment even before Sonystyle or B&H gets it) and I may be picking one up tomorrow.

The retailer has also gotten the new 35mm f/1.8 DT lens and I might pick up one of those puppies too and leave it on full-time on the A55 - especially as a travel lens.
 

roweraay

New member
I am now leaning towards getting the Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 HSM OS lens for use with the A55. The Sigma has both HSM (similar to Sony's SSM) and also Optical Stabilizaiton (usable during video shooting, with the body-based SSS turned off).

The optical in-lens stabilization is especially important for video shooting, since the body-based SSS works only for about 9 minutes before the system over-heats when shooting video.

Of course the Sigma lens has to be firmware fixed to enable shooting with the Sony A55 but hopefully the newly purchased ones will have the fix in place. It weighs about 565 gms and is slightly larger/heavier than the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 (435gms) but the Tamron does not have either a built-in motor or Optical Stabilization for Sony.
 

Jim DE

New member
Roweraay, so now that you have one ..... How do you rate it's IQ compared to your sold NEX5? Same? Better? Noticably better? Considerably better? Worse ( I highly doubt)?

I'm sure you will give a straight up answer to this without any "new owner" hype evaluations.

As expected I see no difference between the IQ of the NEX5 and a33 using the same lens on the same shot. ( I have a advantage here because I still have both cameras) The so called light loss to the sensor of the a33/a55 is not noticable or visible me (the exposure is the same on both cameras everytime ) and is a non-issue. Plus, I can't make it "ghost" ( maybe it only happens on Halloween ;) )
 
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roweraay

New member
Roweraay, so now that you have one ..... How do you rate it's IQ compared to your sold NEX5? Same? Better? Noticably better? Considerably better? Worse ( I highly doubt)?

I'm sure you will give a straight up answer to this without any "new owner" hype evaluations.

As expected I see no difference between the IQ of the NEX5 and a33 using the same lens on the same shot. ( I have a advantage here because I still have both cameras) The so called light loss to the sensor of the a33/a55 is not noticable or visible me (the exposure is the same on both cameras everytime ) and is a non-issue. Plus, I can't make it "ghost" ( maybe it only happens on Halloween ;) )
I have not done an extensive test to state one way or the other but my first blush impression is that there does not seem to be any difference whatsoever, between my previous NEX5 and the A55, as far as the imaging is concerned. I have not found any "ghosting" either and considering the amount of time the internet pundits spent over discussing it, and how it would ruin the images etc., it has been an absolute non-event for me.

The A55 has an EVF (while the NEX5 did not) and a fully swiveling LCD, which IMO are pluses in its favor. It takes my A-mount lenses natively, which too is a plus, and I also like the buttons/dials.

But to be quite honest, now that they released the new firmware for the NEX, allowing assignable buttons, that removes one of my pet peeves about the NEX. I handled the new 18-200 NEX lens, and it does look to be a well made specimen. To be quite honest, I am truly tempted to go back and get a NEX5 + 18-200 lens, and be done with it, :eek: especially since some of the advantages of the A55, with respect to its 10FPS performance etc. during stills, are not something that I would ever use. We'll see.:)
 
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