Upgrading !! ... Upgraded !!

[dxqcanada]

One thing I have noticed since this whole digital thing has become so common ... I am upgrading bodies too fast and often. I had my one Canon NF-1 for longer than all the numerous DSLR's that I have had ... oh well, such is technology ... kinda like my computers.

Soooooo ... I have decided to get the A77II before Sony stops making any APS-C DSLR's. I have a feeling they are going the mirrorless FE/E mount route as their future.
As there is very little going on in the Sony Forum I though I would announce this and also provide further information about my experience with this one ... it should arrive within a week.

I have had the Sony A100, A55 and A57. I will say that the jump from the A100 to the A55 was a big improvement in most aspects ... AF accuracy/speed and IQ (also a friggen larger viewfinder. It was hard to go from the humungous NF-1 OVF to the tiny one that is typical of these lower end DSLR's). Going from the A55 to the A57 was also an improvement in terms of IQ. I am hoping the A77II will be an improvement all over ... though I am most excited about the ability to micro adjust focus correction, as I have had a number of great IQ lenses but suffered with back focus issues ... and the ability to take pictures of the fourth dimension (Sony says it has 4D focus !!!), which some say is cooler than infrared photography.

I will post as I try out this thing ... though not sure if the fourth dimension can be uploaded to the site properly.

My wife is not so enthusiastic with having to learn a different camera all over again (though I have not purchased one for her yet).

 

[Derrel]

I think you will thoroughly enjoy the A77II body. Good luck with that fourth dimension stuff! Make sure to upload the fourth dimension images as thumbnails...I hear the files are pretty big, so you'd probably better down-rezz them a good bit too.

 

[jaomul]

While I think the a77ii has a great spec sheet, is it wise to buy something which you say yourself may soon be obsolete?

 

[dxqcanada]

Thanks Derrel ... I will try to see if time can be compressed to a thumbnail.

Jaomul ... my wife an I have too much invested in Minolta/Sony A mount to start over with something else, so I don't have much of a choice. Maybe after I can sell sell some awesome pictures of the fourth dimension I could afford to.

 

[jaomul]

Well I'm sure with care that a77 will last a long time. Looks like a great camera, enjoy

 

[dxqcanada]

OK, so I got the camera today.
Slightly heavier than my A57, but I expected that, and still feels good in the hand.
Two control dials!!! It always irritated me that this was not standard on DSLR's.
User selectable auto ISO range is a bonus for Sony cameras as they get muddy on the high end. It looks like it has better detail at higher ISO.
Locking on focus and continuous focusing is faster ... I have not found a subject yet to really test it out.

As a real bonus I lucked out and got the camera with the kit lens, 16-50mm f/2.8 SSM ... this is the best "kit" lens I have ever had on a camera.

more to come ...

 

[dxqcanada]

Sadly, we have to upgrade to Photoshop CC to access the raw files directly.

 

[dxqcanada]

OK, weather sucks this past week and the birds are in hiding.
The Chickadees decided to show up today ... cloudy day ... shows off the 3200 ISO, which holds more detail than my A57. The C-AF and flexible AF-Lock worked very well to get most of the shots in focus.

This camera has a lot more functions/options/settings than I am used to.
I do like that there are more buttons to access stuff faster.

This is a big step up from the SLT-A57 in IQ, performance, ability ... and price.

SOOC, just file size reduction through LR5 ... and LR did some automatic noise reduction.
Sony 70-400mm G1 - hand-held - 1/125s @ f5.6 (wide open)

 

[dxqcanada]

BTW ... anyone want to buy a used Sony SLT-A57 ?

 

[dxqcanada]

So further playing around with this camera ... anyone using a Sony APS-C body should upgrade now.
The ability of fine tuning thinks like focus adjustment, ISO range, or even Auto Focus makes this camera worthwhile.
With all my digital cameras I always wished I could customize a feature/function ... and the other models (I never had the A77) I've had lacked that.

The "kit" 16-50mm f/2.8 lens is very good IQ wide open, even the corners are not bad.
Think I will keep it.

Got a new one on order for the wife ... can't find a deal on this camera used (I think I was very lucky on finding someone local who upgraded to the A7II).

I still have not really pushed this camera, but I it will be vacation time soon.

 

[Fox_Racing_Guy]

I'm pretty happy with mine combined with the Tamron SP 150-600. I've never used the Wi-Fi function and wish it had GPS like my A77 & A65, I actually use that function. I also still use my A560 & A200 regularly and they all still perform flawlessly for me.

 

[paul'dee'dowling]

Hi
I have a Leica M8 / Summitar and a much loved Leica Digilux 3 with MD adapter .
I also have a Sony A35 35f1.8 , but prefer a Sony A290 with an old Minolta 35-80 [ 52-120 - perfect for me ] .
Mildly autistic, I am distracted by complexity and love the simplicity of these cameras - the A290 seems like an industrial designer's mock up in plastic of a 'DSLR' !

With all the more advanced cameras , where does the A200 fit in ?

I am mildly autistic , so simplicity and fewer distracting controls/finishes/graphics outweigh absolute quality and tend to swap from serious with the M8 to snapshot with the A29o.

dee

 

[Fox_Racing_Guy]

With all the more advanced cameras , where does the A200 fit in ?

Nothing wrong with the A200 but it was released in 2008. I don't use mine much today and it has survived a rough life of shooting motocross for most of it's life. It only uses compact flash for memory and that may be a disadvantage for some folks today.

 

[paul'dee'dowling]

Thanks.
I will continue to 'snap' with the A290!

 

[dxqcanada]

Ok, I am really liking this camera.

Hand held, Sigma 150mm f2.8 OS macro wide open ... settings are all Auto, including AF, as I wanted to see how the camera thinks.
I like the user configurable custom setting, now I can have it turn off the Sony SS so I can use the Sigma OS.