Sony SLT - EVF , what's the point?.

[jonoslack]

So much hype, and then this comes with definitely much lower quality compared to my EP2 EVF.

Hi Peter
I'm amazed that you should say that, it's so much bigger and easier to see. Maybe it's because you're used to shooting the EP2 outdoors, and this was indoors?

 

[jonoslack]

Thanks, I understand that, and it does speed up the shooting speed a bit.

The question is ... in future can the EVF and LCD reviews be separate functions?
A menu choice to set an instant return to live view through the RVF, while the LCD display shows the previous shot as an instant review if desired?

IMO, this is an obstacle for incorporating EVF into more "serious" FF cameras unless it can be functionally separated for user custom control.

What an excellent idea - you'd have thought they could do that with firmware, but I'm sure it would be possible for a later camera.

Second thing ... doesn't the electronic black-out defeat the function of the shoot through mirror? I thought the idea was that the VF never went black. BTW, this is not a new concept ... Canon had it 10 years ago, and it is how they mechanically achieved 10 FPS when there was no other way at the time.

-Marc

I don't really understand why the electronic blackout is necessary at all - again, I wonder whether that isn't something that can be done with firmware - But I think that the idea is that the focusing is continuous, rather than that the viewfinder doesn't black out.
I found that although the blackout is irritating, the camera is always ready to take the next shot immediately.

Of course, this is the first iteration of such a camera, but my feeling is that my real requirments of cameras are twofold:
1. is it easy to use (by which I mean on a shot by shot basis)
2. does it produce decent results.
Seems to me that this camera achieves on both of those levels -

Incidentally Marc - if you haven't already done so; do try the Zeiss glass on it - you might be surprised.

On a slightly different Note - Silas has just bought the ludicrously cheap and plasticky 35mm f1.8 - with a circular aperture - dunno how much it is in the states, but it's hard to get a cheaper lens over here.

Sony now have a range of very small, very light and VERY affordable cheap primes for the A33/55 - I'll report on the results in a day or so.

 

[Terry]

I don't really understand why the electronic blackout is necessary at all - again, I wonder whether that isn't something that can be done with firmware

Perhaps because the sensor is busy capturing the image and the EVF is a direct readout from what the sensor is seeing.

 

[jonoslack]

Perhaps because the sensor is busy capturing the image and the EVF is a direct readout from what the sensor is seeing.

In that case, you would imagine that video wouldn't work at all though! (wouldn't you?)

 

[Terry]

In that case, you would imagine that video wouldn't work at all though! (wouldn't you?)

Electronic vs. Mechanical shutter?

 

[ptomsu]

Hi Peter
I'm amazed that you should say that, it's so much bigger and easier to see. Maybe it's because you're used to shooting the EP2 outdoors, and this was indoors?

It was indeed indoors. What difference does this make?

 

[ptomsu]

All a matter of taste. I had problems with the EP2 viewfinder when there were horizontal lines in the frame. the viewfinder didn't do well in that scenario where it was almost looking at moire as you moved the camera.

It seems to be a matter of taste. I also could not get friend with the EVF of the GH1 and this should be the same resolution as the EP2 EVF. But color reproduction was just irritating for me. So in the A55 EVF.

 

[BackToSlr]

In that case, you would imagine that video wouldn't work at all though! (wouldn't you?)

Video shutter speeds are much lower (1/50 or 1/60 ), and all electronic. I remember Sony saying it is the delay to switch the sensor modes from continuous data to single frame data or something to that effect.

N