Getting Away From Sony Alphas Entirely

[chmodx]

I currently own my second Sony Alpha, an a350. I started with an a200. I've learned enough about photography now to become a little more advanced. I had really hoped to upgrade to an a850 or 900 one day.

Sony has a quality control problem in my opinion. My a200 was retired due to the issue of the error, "No Lens Attached Shutter Locked." Before anyone chimes in with moronic advice stating, "you have to disable shutter lock," please note that I am using AF lenses that have ALWAYS worked just fine on their own. That's for manual lenses, I get it, I'm not retarded.

Today my a350, only 6 months old, developed the same message. It does it with all of my lenses, and it's intermittent. I have to remove the lens and pop it back on, then whala, it works for a few shots.

This is piss-poor. I don't blame my lenses when it does it with all of them. That includes Sony, Minolta, and Sigma brand lenses.

I have a free Nikon D90 from work that I plan to use from now on. I will now begin selling my equipment and permanently staying away from Sony Alpha cameras.

Unacceptable.

[bfitzgerald]

I've not had any problems so far with the A200 I use, that's about 12 months old.
Sorry to hear about your problems, as the A350 is under warranty, best send it in and get it looked at.
I'd be interested in hearing if anyone else has had any issues, I am assuming you have tried cleaning the contacts, and inspecting the contact pins in the camera body?

I'm also looking at a D90 too, but I've yet to make a system jump..maybe I'll just try Nikon along my current system

[bakubo]

I understand your feeling. I have also thought that Sony and KM have poor quality control. It is really too bad. My A700 is a wonderful camera that, unfortunately, I have experienced QC problems with. You can see a thread I started about Sony QC awhile back:

http://www.photoclubalpha.com/forum/vie ... =32&t=2535

[Lonnie Utah]

Make sure you post your kit here when you go to sell it so we can take advantage of your misfortune.....

[rogprov]

I've had the a100, a350, a700 and now the a900 (for just over one year) - none have given any problem whatsoever. I guess I've been lucky.

[Hawk]

My a200 is 20 month old now. No problems so far except some dirt on sensor I hope it will last another 20 months.

[Javelin]

ok well... g'bye ... whatcha sellin ?

Before anyone chimes in with moronic advice stating, "you have to disable shutter lock," please note that I am using AF lenses that have ALWAYS worked just fine on their own. That's for manual lenses, I get it, I'm not retarded

[David Kilpatrick]

When an unusual, or rarely reported, problem seems to recurr in one case (person, place, whatever) you normally have to look for an unusual cause. I would suspect that one lens you own is intermittently creating a condition which can damage the camera's programming.

It is already known that using micro adjustment on the 900/850 with certain 3rd party lenses can damage the ability of the cameras to recognise other (Sony/Minolta) lenses. I also believe I've heard of a problem where one Tamron lens can damage modern host cameras this way.

Given your experience, I suspect you have one lens with a problem and it's damaged two bodies.

David

[KevinBarrett]

So what you're saying, David, is that we shouldn't ask to buy the OP's lenses?

[David Kilpatrick]

I'm suggesting that if there is an older Sigma or Tamron on offer, it might be worth avoiding. I don't think any Minolta lens is known to have caused problems by corrupting body communications.

David

[stevecim]

Today my a350, only 6 months old, developed the same message. It does it with all of my lenses, and it's intermittent. I have to remove the lens and pop it back on, then what, it works for a few shots.

If it's only 6 months old return it for warranty repair.

IF it's happened to both of you cameras, to me that suggest, it's one of your lenses, most likely the Sigma is causing the problem, the contact plate of the lens only has to be sitting 1 mm to high and this will apply extra force on the pins in the body, which may cause the springs on the pins to weaken and not make correct contact with the lenses.

i.e



I have also seen a build up of dust/doggie-doo on the pins cause them to stick, a slight amount of contact cleaner followed up with some "dry" compressed air fixed the problem.

I didn't see David post

[Hawk]

I'm suggesting that if there is an older Sigma or Tamron on offer, it might be worth avoiding. I don't think any Minolta lens is known to have caused problems by corrupting body communications.

David

Any particular lenses are known to cause damage?

[Greg Beetham]

So, what lenses do you use on these cameras chmodx?
Greg

[David Kilpatrick]

I don't know of any specific problems but Steve's post is relevant - it could simply be one lens which needs it mount tightening and its contact array re-seating. I think the issue with old third party lenses have to do with lens identity, where the camera thinks it has a different KM/Sony lens fitted, and tries to operate the AF as if it was using this lens. This then causes incorrect motor speeds or even motor direction, resulting in strain on the AF mechanism. I think there's one Tokina lens which actually manages to focus in reverse when fitted to a modern body, but I don't know where I read that!

David

[Chris Malcolm]

I sometimes switch lenses without switching my camera off. Nothing bad has happened, but I wonder about what might go wrong when wiping all the contacts across each other when they're live, as might be happening when you twist then lens into place. I believe at least some 3rd party lens makers have had to reverse engineer the details of the A mount interface. I wonder if some of them haven't quite got all of Sony's security precautions in the design correctly implemented?