May I be guided by you?

[Scooterman]

Thanks Guys, Sony have lenses that are plentiful, if it be own brand or Sigma/Tamron + a few others.
But as you say, the A550 is missing a few tricks, metering and af + tracking are very important to me, lenses being the most important, as we all know you can have the best camera and rubbish lenses and you get rubbish images.
So fast and accurate AF + metering and a good sensor with electronics to match.
I had better make a trip to my local Sony store to try some kit out.
The A700 new is as rare as a Dodo in the UK, so it may be the wait for the replacement body.
Thanks again.
Richard

[Greg Beetham]

Actually I couldn't give a rats how good a video cam it is transformed into after deactiveating the conflicting still camera features....if you get my drift Walt, as a DSLR is primarily supposed to BE a still camera in the first place. If it should turn out that the resulting 'video cam' is klutzy to use (as I would expect) and has camera noises in the audio, no AF while taking video etc..tsk tsk..so be it.
Greg

[Argonaut]

Thanks to Tom, I trekked across town to the South Coast Plaza and they still had two a700 bodies-only. Now they only have one. After seeing used a700s going for $700 and up I figured I had missed the boat. Now I have one for $600, new in the box. I've installed the 4.0 firmware and am ready to go. For other shoppers, they also have 8 or 9 of each of the bodies + kit lens packages left too ($800 for the 16-105 lens IIRC).

BTW, back to the thread, I recommend the Sigma 400mm APO Macro as a very good birding lens. Make sure you get the Macro version - the normal APO is not nearly as good. They are out of production, but if one comes by on ebay don't miss it.

[Greg Beetham]

Ah yes, you probably can't beat a prime for the last word in image IQ, the big problem for me would be the subject composing side of things, if you have only a second or so to get that shot and the subject is too close you're in trouble with a fixed lens..could mean the difference between getting a good shot with a quality zoom, or no shot using a prime.
Greg

ps. Great to hear you scored a new A700 body Argonaut...what were you using before?

[Scooterman]

Hi Guys
That is another thing that would be rare to find (Sigma 400mm APO Macro) I have seen the normal APO’s, loads of manual versions in other mounts, Canon mounts are plentiful only reason being they cant be re-chipped for digital any more.
I also do not want, a do it all camera, video is out for me, it’s like those of the species ? who can multitask, and do nothing properly.
Keep loking. I will.
Thanks
Richard

[Argonaut]

Greg, I was using a KM 5D which I love. However, the burst shooting and other pro(sumer) features on the a700 have had me lusting for years. Plus the 12MP upgrade is the same as adding a 1.4x teleconverter with perfect optics. Win-win.

Regarding the Sigma tele macro 400mm, I caught a second lens on ebay two years ago. My first one needed repair to its AF gears, and at some point Sigma will stop doing repairs. I don't think I'll ever see anything better for under $2,000, and I wouldn't take $1,000 for it today.

Just cruised ebay and jeeze louise somebody bought a gray market, used and only partially functioning a700 body for $565: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

Hie thee to the South Coast Plaza, forthwith. You could buy any a700 kit/body and resell on ebay for Big Profit.

Greg - the number of times a live bird will be too close for your 400mm prime are so infrequent that it's a moot point. Even in the digital age I regard 400mm as the minimum length for birds. Keep a P&S in your shirt pocket for those rare occasions when you meet a cassowary.

[Scooterman]

Well Guys, I have done it now! Ebay.
Just spotted an A550 kit “like new” UK sourced with receipt of purchase 3/05/2010, Only 400 shutter actuations, all boxed so bought it, I just had to at the price, now this will do until the A700 replacement comes out and has been on the market for a while.
Ok it does not have all the bits of a pro or semi pro body, but as long as the AF is quick and accurate + metering is ok I can get by.
Now to look for some nice longer “good glass” to mount on it.
Thanks guys for your help

[Dr. Harout]

Argonaut and Richard, congratulations to both of you.

[Greg Beetham]

Horses for courses I guess Argonaut, it depends a great deal on the environment you're in I suppose, and the habititual nature of the small birds themselves as well. Here in the past I've employed the fairly basic tactic of just walking into the rainforest along an old overgrown logging track and standing still (you could take along a light camping collapsable seat as well). Usually within a fairly short time 10mins or so quite a few small birds come to check you out (they all are quite well aware you are there). In the past I've usually only taken the binoculars just to see what birds I could spot, mostly various Robins, Monarchs, Fantails, Fernwrens, Thrushes, Silvereyes and Honeyeaters, the occasional Catbird, Riflebird, Whipbird or a legion of Pigeon types...thing is, the distance you can actually see in the Rainforest here is not very far, so if you can actually see a bird for long enough (very difficult) it is usually in range of a 300mm to 400mm lens I'd imagine, I'll have to find some time and go and have a look with the digital cameras at some point, and see what's what.
In more open country the birdlife is much less abundant and quite a bit more skittish, so the task of capturing a good shot would be just as difficult and you would need different tactics involving a lot more time and reseach, portable hides, prefocus, nest methods perhaps, including longer lenses, but one thing I do believe in is, the shorter the lens you can use the better the photo you get...usually.
Greg

[WaltKnapp]

Actually I couldn't give a rats how good a video cam it is transformed into after deactivating the conflicting still camera features....if you get my drift Walt, as a DSLR is primarily supposed to BE a still camera in the first place.
Greg

Being a pretty advanced nature recordist using top end pro equipment, hugely expensive mics and so on you know nothing in video cams is going to satisfy me. And the sad thing is if I were to go off my rocker and go back into video, combined video and nature recording would be right on top of the list of what I'd do.

Yes I agree as to what the purpose of a DSLR is, I'm doing my best to save still photography. Or at least contribute to the fight. Having done movies and video in the past I know just how short lived they can be. They return as a fad periodically, then people discover just how complex good video is. And no one will be interested in looking at it in this go go world. A still photo you can look at in seconds, video takes real time to look at. So, I'm expecting this too shall pass. It's just how much damage it can do to still photography gear while passing.

Walt

[KevinBarrett]

Congrats to new Alpha owners! Those are certainly some good deals. I've got an a700 myself and it's spoiled me rotten. Now-a-days, though, the a550 looks pretty tempting, with its higher ISOs and the tilting screen...

[Greg Beetham]

Yeah, have fun Scooterman, and keep us informed with progress on the A550.
Greg

[Scooterman]

Hi Guys, I will keep you all posted on progress of the A550.
The seller is posting today so will be with me tomorrow “royal mail special delivery”
Next thing on my shopping list will be a fast longer lens may be the 70-400.
There are a few longer Primes available on the web and Ebay, are there any to avoid?
Also any others to avoid?
My last Minolta camera was I believe was an XG that I recovered using scarlet leather, and later sold to a Italian guy I wonder why
Regards
Richard

[bakubo]

Next thing on my shopping list will be a fast longer lens may be the 70-400.

That is probably the best choice, but Sigma has this lens in Sony mount too that you may consider.

Sigma APO 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1005/10051 ... pentax.asp

[Scooterman]

Hi Yes, A revamped version of the lens (120-400) the older one was very soft a the long end as was the 150-500 that I had although my 150-500 was better than a friends 120-400, it could be that his lens was not of the same build quality.
I have just had my 70-200mm Sigma HSM mk2 (Olympus mount) back from repair, new motor and circuit board, they have had it since the end of Feb, I must say they have done a super job on it, I would have hated to loose that one, a very good “copy”.
I do find Sigma sometimes a little inconsistent on the build quality (assembly, testing).
Also the new “Bigma” is out now with IS built in but just in Canon and Nikon mounts at moment.
Regards
Richard