I don't get how people can say there's a better camera than the a33/a35 below $700...

[Dao]

Yes, I would write off money spent on lens, because all technology depreciates as time advances. If it meant I would be able to keep up with other photographers, and that is how I make my living. It comes a time in a business to cut your loss and advance. We have paid over a couple of $1000 for computer and software and then repurchased again a few years later to keep up with graphic designs.

You may not know, not like computer equipment, the good quality lens won't depreciate much or sometimes it increase its value.


2 to 3 years ago, a used Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens in great condition cost around $1300. But now, it is hard to find one cost $1300. They usually cost more. And a new EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens cost around $600 few years ago while the used one around $500. Guess what the price of a use EF 17-40mm f/4L lens is, around $600.


And I am sure a $1300 computer bought in 2008 may cost less than $300 now. And I think for business write off, computer equipment only have 5 years. (please correct me if I am wrong). So I believe if a business donate a 6 years old computer, it may not able to claim anything. However, a 6 years old EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM lens still worth at least $1300 if it is in great condition. (even if the purchase price back then was lower than $1300)

 

[DiskoJoe]

When it comes to Ford vs. Chevy, or Canon vs. Nikon - Sony is like a "Dodge" but can hang with the low-bottom end of the Nikons and Canons anyways....

d5100 and d7000 have the same sensor as the a580 and a55

the d800 has a sony chip in it

the d3200 has a sony chip in it

and the a99 that sony is developing will have the same sensor that nikon is using plus a 102 point af system

plus most people forget that when sony started to produce slr cameras they did not start from scratch, they bought out minolta which was an established camera manufacturer with a proven track record. So when you buy sony you are really buying minolta technology.

As for lenses Minolta G quality glass is great and so is the Zeiss sonnar line that they produce. Plus with options such as sigma, tamron and tokina you can get great quality glass.

Canon also has EVF in the works for some of their new line.

So why are major companies such as nikon and canon using or adapting sony technology? Simple. Its good technology.

Or do you think they should spend the extra money to develop their own technology so you can go purchase an inferior product with their label stamped on it?

 

[DiskoJoe]

Yes, I would write off money spent on lens, because all technology depreciates as time advances. If it meant I would be able to keep up with other photographers, and that is how I make my living. It comes a time in a business to cut your loss and advance. We have paid over a couple of $1000 for computer and software and then repurchased again a few years later to keep up with graphic designs.

You may not know, not like computer equipment, the good quality lens won't depreciate much or sometimes it increase its value.


2 to 3 years ago, a used Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens in great condition cost around $1300. But now, it is hard to find one cost $1300. They usually cost more. And a new EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens cost around $600 few years ago while the used one around $500. Guess what the price of a use EF 17-40mm f/4L lens is, around $600.


And I am sure a $1300 computer bought in 2008 may cost less than $300 now. And I think for business write off, computer equipment only have 5 years. (please correct me if I am wrong). So I believe if a business donate a 6 years old computer, it may not able to claim anything. However, a 6 years old EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM lens still worth at least $1300 if it is in great condition. (even if the purchase price back then was lower than $1300)

You need to go update yourself on business depreciation. IRS depreciation schedules and salvage value are a couple key points you may want to look in to. You are kind of on the right track but it is a more exact kind of science then what you describe.

 

[ConradM]

People keep saying stuff like this, but never succeed in explaining what exactly Sony lacks.

The only thing I've heard that has any kind of validity is the lack of an OVF. But that hasn't really slowed me down.

 

[kassad]

Sony is lacking in a few areas

1. Lenses. While they do offer lenses that 90% of users are looking for there are a few gaps either in offereings or quality of those offering. Like a 24-105 f4 Pro level, any type of tilt shift, 400mm f2.8, some of the lenses are older Minolta designs. Most of these older lenses where deisgned for 35mm film as a result lack modern coatings and can suffer from flare and chromatic aberations. Other lenses are simply behind the quality of the equivalent of their Canikon counterparts. Ie the 70-200mm f2.8
2. Wireless flash control. Sony has simply continued to use the Minolta wireless. The Minolta system was ground breaking when it was introduced. Unfortunately it hasn't been supported or updated by Sony. No IR controllers. The way you have to mount each of the flashes to the camera before using them wirelessly. The way the controlling flash can not be set to not contribute to exposure. (This can be done with a single flash controlled by the pop-up flash, though you'll not find it in any manual) Why Sony doesn't advertise their system is beyond me. Most people let alone most Sony users are unaware that Sony supports wireless 3 channel ratio-ed TTL off camera flash support.
3. Pro/Serious Amateur support. Currently Sony does not offer any full frame cameras. Sure the A99 is rumored to be announced soon, but we have heard that for 6 months now. While I'm sure at sometime we will see a FF camera, will it be up to the quality of the Canikon offerings? I am certain we will never see a true pro level camera equivalent to the 1DX or D4. When a FF camera comes out will it have a solid selection of Zeiss and G lenses to go with it? What this means is a lack of upgrade potential for users.
4. EVF/ SLT While this is a point of contention I feel that the EVF is a great upgrade from a small dim penta mirror system offered on consumer level camera from Canikon it really can not replace a large bright penta mirror. The A900 had the largest brightest OVF of any DSLR camera. That will be thown away. The lack of dynamic range that can be displayed in a EVF will never be able to compete with a quality penta prism with a transparent LCD overlay.

Bottom line is Sony is competing for the lower end of the market. Entry level customers. There they are very competitive

 

[unpopular]

^^ I don't really think anyone at this point disagrees that sony is marketing towered casual to enthusiast users. It's unfortunate, because I think Sony started out with some really solid mid-end to higher-end bodies.

 

[DiskoJoe]

Sony is lacking in a few areas

1. Lenses. While they do offer lenses that 90% of users are looking for there are a few gaps either in offereings or quality of those offering. Like a 24-105 f4 Pro level, any type of tilt shift, 400mm f2.8, some of the lenses are older Minolta designs. Most of these older lenses where deisgned for 35mm film as a result lack modern coatings and can suffer from flare and chromatic aberations. Other lenses are simply behind the quality of the equivalent of their Canikon counterparts. Ie the 70-200mm f2.8
2. Wireless flash control. Sony has simply continued to use the Minolta wireless. The Minolta system was ground breaking when it was introduced. Unfortunately it hasn't been supported or updated by Sony. No IR controllers. The way you have to mount each of the flashes to the camera before using them wirelessly. The way the controlling flash can not be set to not contribute to exposure. (This can be done with a single flash controlled by the pop-up flash, though you'll not find it in any manual) Why Sony doesn't advertise their system is beyond me. Most people let alone most Sony users are unaware that Sony supports wireless 3 channel ratio-ed TTL off camera flash support.
3. Pro/Serious Amateur support. Currently Sony does not offer any full frame cameras. Sure the A99 is rumored to be announced soon, but we have heard that for 6 months now. While I'm sure at sometime we will see a FF camera, will it be up to the quality of the Canikon offerings? I am certain we will never see a true pro level camera equivalent to the 1DX or D4. When a FF camera comes out will it have a solid selection of Zeiss and G lenses to go with it? What this means is a lack of upgrade potential for users.
4. EVF/ SLT While this is a point of contention I feel that the EVF is a great upgrade from a small dim penta mirror system offered on consumer level camera from Canikon it really can not replace a large bright penta mirror. The A900 had the largest brightest OVF of any DSLR camera. That will be thown away. The lack of dynamic range that can be displayed in a EVF will never be able to compete with a quality penta prism with a transparent LCD overlay.

Bottom line is Sony is competing for the lower end of the market. Entry level customers. There they are very competitive

Bottom line most of what you said was garbage and you shoot sony.

The zeiss lens are made for full frame as are the minolta lenses. And the 24-105 f4 is not a pro lens. Check this out. Blows the canon and nikon versions away.

sonyalpharumors | Blog | 500mm lens hands-on by Engadget.

The flash manual explains everything you just said and can be done with the most basic series they make. This cannot be said for canon or nikon. And you can use radio poppers for the flash just like with every other brand of camera.

Sony has had full frame cameras for years. The 850 and the 900.

as for EVF it is still developing and will get better. It is the way of the future.

 

[DiskoJoe]

Also look at this lens from slr magic made especially for the nex e-mount

sonyalpharumors | Blog | New "Shenyang Zhongyi" 35mm f/0.95 for NEX is coming

35mm f0.95! Only other company that has lenses on the market with specs this good is Leica.

 

[unpopular]

What specifications are you talking about? Give me a big enough 35mm DCX and I could give you a 35/0.2. You'd have loads of CA and coma. But you'll get a 35/0.2 lens.

http://forum.xitek.com/forum-viewthread-tid-998029-extra-page=1-ordertype-2-t-1335492994.html

bokeh is hardly nokton...

 

[kassad]

....

Bottom line most of what you said was garbage and you shoot sony.

Yes I shoot Sony so what I have to say is not garbage. It's not bitching because I don't like the PS3 or my walkman broke 25 years ago or I'm still pissed about Betamax. These are the real concerns I have as a Sony shooter. These concerns would not be present if/when I switch to Canikon. I am not confident that Sony will suddenly start supporting pro/serious amateur level users. Currently I'm not invested enough in any system to be tied to it. Before I make that investment I want to be confident that the company will be there with the offering tools I'll be looking for in 5-10 years.

Sony does not offer the tools I'm looking for in photography and with the track record of development in the last few years I'm not confident they will.

Sony makes some fine cameras. Some of the lenses from CZ are amazing, frankly those lenses are why I hesitate to jump ship. We'll see, rumor has it that Sony will again have a FF camera to their line up and that some of the Minolta legacy G lenses will be updated. I wish Sony the best of luck, but Canikon offer the tools I'm looking for right now and I'm confident either of them will continue to offer those tools in 5-10 years.

 

[kassad]

Here is a Blog entry from Kurt Munger that expresses a lot of my irritation with Sony far better than I can.
Sony’s cameras and lenses by the numbers | Photo Jottings
Kurt has always been a great resource for Sony/Minolta users. He's far from a Sony hater which should be obvious from one look at his page.
Sony alpha DSLR, SLT and NEX lens and camera reviews

 

[belial]

Bottom line most of what you said was garbage and you shoot sony.

The zeiss lens are made for full frame as are the minolta lenses. And the 24-105 f4 is not a pro lens. Check this out. Blows the canon and nikon versions away.

sonyalpharumors | Blog | 500mm lens hands-on by Engadget.

The flash manual explains everything you just said and can be done with the most basic series they make. This cannot be said for canon or nikon. And you can use radio poppers for the flash just like with every other brand of camera.

Sony has had full frame cameras for years. The 850 and the 900.

as for EVF it is still developing and will get better. It is the way of the future.

All he said is Sony doesn't offer full blown pro level bodies. And they don't. 850 and 900 were still only mid range bodies. And it is good to know when you start to invest more and more on lenses that a flagship body is waiting for you at some point.

 

[Omofo]

Arguably, the a900 and a700 are among some of the best cameras of their generation and class

Uh. No.

what an educated response...

 

[o hey tyler]

what an educated response...

Educated response, or personal opinion?

I'd side with personal opinion, like the rest of this thread.

 

[deeslexia]

I have an A290 which EVERYONE despises and I love it .
I have an A35 which MANY PEOPLE denigrate , guess what ? I love it .
... but then , I also have 4/3rds Leica Digilux 3 / Panasonic L1 ' boxes ' with minimal pixels , and I would never part with either .

There were always more competent cameras available at the price point , but they suit ME .

Which is sufficient .