After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

For all talk about digital compacts or EVF-SLRs in the Minolta, Konica Minolta or relevant Sony ranges
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InTheSky
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After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

Unread post by InTheSky »

Well ... , after a long try of searching to replace my A900 and deciding what is the best for me for shooting and video and at the end the cost of all that ... I decide to go with a Demo A99 bargain from a store. I was able to get D600 for less than 2000 $ including the taxes for refurbished model, and almost same story for the 5D Mark III. But ...

I have done some contract with a D3 to feel properly the Nikon world, after I have done video contract with the 5D Mark II too. Both was very good camera. I purchased the Metabone EOS to NEX to played with exotic Canon lenses searching for the best out of focus effect with at least some electronic control (Aperture, auto exposure...). At the end what I was missing. The NEX 7 with the Metabone adapter is good, but the balance of weight and the limitation to focus when I need (with very expensive Canon lenses) was a bit disappointing. The Nikon system feel very good in hand and I was to purchase it almost last week ... but after doing some video contract I was missing the tilt screen too much and also the stabilization for just removing the small body stress when doing handled sequence and not having too much space to connect the big stabilization system under the camera. The Canon was very good for the sound capture and on video control. but the focus peaking for the magic lantern is not on par with Sony at the moment.

One both system Canon and Nikon the image quality is there and even more, the noise response are better than the Sony at high ISO. But shooting in ISO 100 range with studio light for my contract there is not a big difference.

At the end ... my small precious old auto focus Prime Minolta are some time half the size of Canon and make me feel I can still walk around with the A99 and a small prime instead of the NEX 7. It is not close that I will switch to Canikon in the future, but for now ... I think It was the best choice.

I will keep only one copy of my Minolta lenses for the next month, that will be the way to save some money and be more free If I need to go on other system.

I will start Ebay selling in tomorrow: 100 2.0, 35 2.0, 28 2.0, 200mm 4.0 macro, 14 2.8, 28-75mm 2.8, 70-210mm 4.0, 50mm 1.8, 50mm 1.7, 50-500 bigma, ...


Frank
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Re: After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

Unread post by alphaomega »

I decide to go with a Demo A99 bargain from a store. I was able to get D600 for less than 2000 $ including the taxes for refurbished model, and almost same story for the 5D Mark III. But ...
Interesting line of reasoning by InTheSky above. It just shows that a camera/lens choice is "horsers for courses". Needed a good camera with differential focus at ISO100 using prime lenses and needing a tilt screen - solution A99. I was actually convinced that InTheSky was totally sold on the NEX-7 with the Metabones converter, but there you go. To produce the right stuff you need the right tool. That's it.
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pakodominguez
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Re: After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

Unread post by pakodominguez »

How much for the 35mm f2?
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Birma
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Re: After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

Unread post by Birma »

Interesting analysis Frank. I agree that the tilting rear screen is a far more important concern than it may at first appear. I don't think I will buy another body without one.
Nex 5, Nex 6 (IR), A7M2, A99 and a bunch of lenses.
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InTheSky
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Re: After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

Unread post by InTheSky »

pakodominguez wrote:How much for the 35mm f2?
Looks a how it goes on last selling on Ebay, and I will do almost the same price.

Regards,

Frank
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Dr. Harout
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Re: After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

Unread post by Dr. Harout »

Frank, you made a right and clever choice. You will not regret it.
And in no time you will love it.
A99 + a7rII + Sony, Zeiss, Minolta, Rokinon and M42 lenses

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InTheSky
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Re: After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

Unread post by InTheSky »

So far so good, I received it yesterday night, and got only a few minutes to play with. It is not a natural switch from the A900, the camera is almost a complete new system to learn how to use (but in a good way). This morning just passing through the option menu I found very fantastic what you can setup and adjust with the camera. The customization of each control is more than flexible :-).

Image stabilization with prime lens is impressive. I was not expecting that much. You can film with only one hand on the camera with the 135mm 1.8 Zeiss some portrait movie sequence and you don't see any shacking.

For the handling, the A900 was I thinkg better due to the larger grip, but on the other side. The A99 is smaller for this and it is very light in weight.

I will bring the A99 instead of the NEX 7 to my business trip to Germany next week with my small back package and the A99 will give me a little bit more space for additional lens.

The way we can turn back the LCD make I think no need now for a lcd protector (if you don't forget to turn when you finish to use.

The top LCD of the A99 is very good, but because I programmed myself of not to use one on previous generation of Sony camera, I 'm don't have any reflex to look at it (after a day ... let's see later).

I'm missing my "classic" light meter adjustment, but I will find a way to compensate is with the huge customization of each button and control.

First mistake today :-(, I brand the camera to share it to and employee how needed to take quick portrait picture and I forgot to bring the flash adapter ... has a result I had to make the camera at higher ISO and set the DRO level 5 to compensate (that works great :-)). I think I will have to purchase the new flash system ... , but I will try not to forget the adapter ... or leave it on my Sony Flash (if its fit in place in the transport bag).

You will have to share me you tips how to clean the translucent mirror. It feel very thin and fragile ... and I was a little bit worry to push on it to remove a stain on it.

Regards,


Frank
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InTheSky
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Re: After long thinking ... I'm going with a A99

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The A99 is not a replacement of the A900, it is a complete new camera to my feeling so far. You have to learn how to use it, and it is not taking a week , it take more time than 3 weeks.... Too much possibility to decide where to put all the control and option. This is a Video monster, but ... lacking of some flexibility I have with my NEX 7. Sony really need to make the same flexibility of manual control once we push the Record button has it act on the NEX 7 body. So far, you have to be sure you are not on auto focus before to push record ... if not, you cannot modify parameters. Once you start getting the reflex you are correct, but when you forget it, it is frustration.

I have use only two time so far the flash adapter, and the 4 kind of flash I have didn't wanted to work properly. I will try it again when I have time.

The LCD screen is more and more useful, and I will never be able to return to a camera that don't have this function (and the different movement available). For small travel bag like I brought in Germany with me with 3 lenses stack in a close space, the possibility to move the LCD facing the camera make obsolete any use of plastic cover. I'm surprising myself how rare I putting my eye in the viewfinder ... same story for the GPS ...

DRO Level 5 in video is now always activated. But, I would like to have the option to set it only for video, not for Photo (it make all my RAW under exposed).

...

Frank
Frank
A7 (R, S & R II) + NEX 3N ( and few lenses )
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