Why did you buy a Sony?

[DiskoJoe]

The 580 was my runner up. Still nervous about the pentamirror...

Dont worry. It works just fine. I should also mention that I can hit lots of night shots now hand held that my a200 would never have been able to do. Its solid trust me. My sony peeps all said this was the best aps-c that sony makes. I really like it. The colors come out rich and vivid and its a joy to shoot with. I do not regret the purchase in any way. You can hit iso 3200 with almost no grain. Even at 6400 you only get minimal grain and it bw its actually quite nice. I was shooting with mine at a club yesterday hitting shots in almost pitch black at iso 12800 and they look quite nice considering I didnt use any flash.

This was one of my first shots with it. Very true to the scene. Even my wife loves my new camera. She doesnt do much photography anymore but even she was amazed how great of pictures she could take with it. The sigma 17-50 f2.8 I have on it at almost anytime doesnt hurt either. Lethal combo for the money.


Houston skyline from George Bush Park by DiskoJoe, on Flickr

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[unpopular]

Well. Being that it only happens to about half the cameras at about 18 months (it's several been years) and because it's an easy fix. I'll prob stick with my original plan. Thanks for pointing this put though

[DiskoJoe]

You should go check out one of the a580's before you commit.

[kassad]

I'm in a similar boat as unpopular. Before I switch to FF I'm looking at the a700. While the 580 is a great camera it just isn't an enthusiast body. For me, I really want the 1/250 sec sync speed, dual control dials, that large pentamirror, the larger more solid body, ratioed off camera wireless flash control and flash sync port.

[Theochristodoulou]

I bought a Sony because I had Minolta's for many years and already had some good lenses. I never got disappointed with sony. At the moment i use an A580 and a 16-85 CZ for most of my work.
To my point of view cameras are just tools. Photography start with good lighting and then the visual image must be developed in our brain. Then a use of a good tool (camera) can help. But if the light is not good and there is not a clear image in our heads, even a super-mega pixel monster and super-expensive lens doesnt make any difference! I find A 580 a nice decent camera.

[deeslexia]

It was certainly a compromise .
I bought the cheapest Sony A290 because my ASD likes the continuity and consistency from my Minolta 7000i / 404si days . I love it because it is uncluttered and free from those pesky ' features ' and accepts my little silver plastic fantastic 35-80 f 4 .
Obviously , this isn't for everyone 'cos I love the nom 50-120 crop factor .
The latest A35 was more controversial as I bought it with another kit zoom and 55-200 . A Nikon D 5100 would have been the same price , with kit zoom only , and is known to be a better performer in many respects .
What swayed it for me is that I can use manual with the 35 f 1.8 , and some visual indication of the effects of exposure are apparent on the EVF . I also like the grid for composing .
It is also about the same size as my Minolta 404si - the nearest I got to a ' compact 'point and shoot , film camera .
Another factor is that I have just bought a Minolta 5000i with 35-80 f4 , early black version , 70-210 zoom ' beercan ' for £20 . The 35-80 sits permanently on the A 290 an looks the part . I love that enormous zoom ! With retirement , I can still look around for bargain lenses , just for fun .

[aaronlecain]

I got a Sony Walkman waterproof tape player that was awesome when I was a kid and I have enjoyed a variety of sony products. It was brand loyalty that told me to go with a Sony Alpha 77

[Zess]

Fantastic finder (until it gets dark) so I pretty much know what I'm gonna get beforehand
1080/60p video
Better peaking than any other camera I've used

My first DSLR was a Minolta 5D and I got it with the intention of
upgrading to the a65 which I now use for video and about 50% of my photogaphy
(the other half is my Minolta Maxxum 7 by default or w.e film camera I'm playing with that month)

[Kolia]

Zess, next time it gets dark, turn off the preview mode in the view finder...

[skieur]

Really, I don't think I have ever owned a Sony camera (I knew what you were asking, lol). Maybe a camcorder, years ago. But that might have been Panasonic - I can't remember now.

My main problem with Sony is that they insist on making you use proprietary everything, just to squeeze a few more bucks out of you. All you are to them is a cash cow.

Granted, they wouldn't stay in business long if they didn't make money - but most companies try to do that without alienating their customers.

Sony is also the only camera manufacturer I can think of that wasn't making cameras in the film days (not counting video). Maybe they were and I just didn't know (what does that say it that's true?) That's not really a big deal, but it makes me question how much experience they have designing cameras and lenses. When they acquired Minolta, did they also acquire all of their engineers (I don't know), or just the patents/drawings?

The Sony Mavica was the second digital still camera on the market after the Canon Xap Shot and BEFORE Nikon.

skieur

[unpopular]

I have to agree with skieur.

Sony was pretty early in the digital camera market, and actually had many mid-level fixed lens units throughout the early 2000's. However, they lacked the infrastructure to offer a DSLR until the minolta aquisition.

[DiskoJoe]

I have to agree with skieur.

Sony was pretty early in the digital camera market, and actually had many mid-level fixed lens units throughout the early 2000's. However, they lacked the infrastructure to offer a DSLR until the minolta aquisition.

I get tired of this kind of attitude people have reagarding Sony camera equipment. The cameras are cheaper then most on the market and have the same sensors as other brands. The glass offered is great quality and to par with most other brands. I think its about time that Fan boys figure out what Nikon, Zeiss and hasselblad already have.

[AngryBrit]

I own an SLT-A55. When looking at DSLR's I had my Price Range, around $700-$800. My options. Sony SLT-A55, Nikon D5100, Cannon T3i.

all 3 were around $700, when you compare Side by Side, the SLT-A55 takes it every time, Better ISO range, Better Image Quality, Faster FPS, GPS built in, Swivel LCD, the list goes on and on. And I have not been disappointed. The only issue I have is the 18-55mm Stock Lens, it's VERY cheap feel and it's very Small sweet Spot to get good images. Looking to get the 30mm f1.8 Next (but got no money)

I bought the 70-300mm Telephoto, WONDERFUL lens Wish the focus was faster and quieter tho, but for $250 it's quality is great.

[unpopular]

I have to agree with skieur.

Sony was pretty early in the digital camera market, and actually had many mid-level fixed lens units throughout the early 2000's. However, they lacked the infrastructure to offer a DSLR until the minolta aquisition.

I get tired of this kind of attitude people have reagarding Sony camera equipment. The cameras are cheaper then most on the market and have the same sensors as other brands. The glass offered is great quality and to par with most other brands. I think its about time that Fan boys figure out what Nikon, Zeiss and hasselblad already have.

It has been very clear though that Sony is not interested in the professional market. But I am not sure what this has to do with everyone else. I can think of only one or two people here who actually shoot a "no question about it pro level body", or ever would. For the rest of us Sony is an option that can be considered. Sony cameras reflect what sony has always excelled at: consumer goods.

Sony certainly COULD make a pro-level camera, and they do sell a lot of pro-level video equipment, and some might say that the a900 was there, though I am not sure it really compared to a D4 or 1D. Sony's cinema cameras also seem to be pretty well received, so I don't think it's a matter of Sony's abilities to produce "pro level" gear, but rather the photographic market's willingness to accept it.

[jfrabat]

The new A99 is targeted at ProSumer market... I still do not think it goes all the way to a D4 or 1D level, but it certainly competes with the D800... Less MP, but still offers some competitive advantages in other areas.