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09/24/2011 06:55:12 AM · #1 |
Hi all,
I've been considering upgrading my camera body for a while... currently have the entry level Sony a200 and was looking for something in the next bracket up. I would like to be able to continue to use the lenses and accessories I have built up around my a200, so sticking with Sony seems inevitable.
The drawbacks I find with the a200 is that there is no mirror lockup so when taking long exposure shots the clunky mirror is causing a degree of movement. I also feel that a DOF preview button would be a nice addition. Additional resolution wouldn't hurt beyond my 10.2 mp but other than that I've been very happy with my purchase so far. A live view would be handy for those hard to reach shots, and if articulated so much better.
Catching my eye is the new Sony a55 which is one of the new translucent mirror type cameras. I like the sound of no moving mirror which will do away with the need for a mirror lock up, but I also note there is no optical viewfinder. At first I thought that meant all composition on the live view screen which I would not like, but further reading shows that there is a viewfinder but that it is an electronic one (i.e. a small lcd screen in the viewfinder window).
Does anyone have any experience of this new style of camera? I see it has won awards for innovation in respect of the translucent mirror, it seems to have all I want or need from my next camera (except CompactFlash so I'd have to change my memory cards - not too big a deal though as I need bigger ones anyway). I know most users here are Canon or Nikon fans so there are less of us Sony boys about, but are there any users of this new stuff out there who can offer an opinion?
Thanks
Lawry |
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09/24/2011 07:04:46 AM · #2 |
Looks like an interesting concept, but to me it's diverting some of the light away from the sensor, which can't be a good thing.
Saying that, I have no experience with the camera and haven't read much into the details of it, so I don't know how much actual impact it would have on the final image. |
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09/24/2011 07:24:37 AM · #3 |
Originally posted by Covert_Oddity:
Looks like an interesting concept, but to me it's diverting some of the light away from the sensor, which can't be a good thing |
Yeah, I was wondering about that... does 30% less light getting to sensor equate to 0.3 of a stop? presumably this is handled by the electronics. There is a comprehensive review on dpreview which looks good but doesn't really cover this aspect.
Message edited by author 2011-09-24 07:25:23. |
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09/24/2011 08:51:29 AM · #4 |
I dont know much about the details of translucent mirror tech but i can give you feedback on the camera itself.
Pros.
Video capture. Lightweight. Faster fps. Low noise at high iso. Faster "processing" dialog after long exposure shots.
Cons.
No compatible vertical grip. When you are taking portrait shots using heavy lenses, you'll wish you have a vertical grip.
The viewfinder protrudes way too much. When using liveview to shoot from awkward low angles, the tip of the viewfinder blocks your line of sight to the liveview lcd. You can flip the lcd to the left but then it gets in the way of your left hand. But you can get used to it.
The preset modes are not overridable like in the a100 and a200. It shoulnt be a problem if you seldom use them and jusy shoot in M or A mode.
If you can get past those cons, it should be a worthy upgrade. |
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