A55 review now up

[David Kilpatrick]

Trouble is, I could write pages and pages more and add more pix. I think this is enough.

http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2010/12/1 ... -and-cons/

It's taken me a surprisingly long time, having written three magazine reviews of the same camera before starting this.

David

[Mark K]

David
Thank you for this report, an amazingly detailed and inspiring one.

p.s. I love my Minolta8 24-85, which has a mechanical injury after falling from height.

[bakubo]

Great, I am off to read it now.

[Juanito200]

Thanks for the review DK, I learned quite a bit about the new SLT system, and about DSLRS in general. John

[tom power 53]

Very good review - thanks.

Good information on a lot of items without a lot of "filler".

[Greg Beetham]

Great info on the A55 David, it's improved my perception of the camera a lot. It's still not my cup of tea but the next one might, the mythical A77 could be an SLT that has a better battery and endurance, and some improvements, enough for me anyway.
Greg

ps. Would a novice or a non expert be willing to turn the rear screen off and trust to their photographic instinct and interpret what they see in the EVF only?

[picman]

Great review David, thanks a lot for the time you took to write this. Its objectivity contrasts to many other reviews I've read here and there. I am still very much an OVF-guy but if and when an A77 (or A99 ...?) comes out I will certainly go and look at it.

[Dr. Harout]

Excellent review, not the way other reviewers do, definitely. Thanks.
Have already sent links to many.

[agorabasta]

The review is a truly practical and concise assessment, quite unlike many other on the web.
I'd readily recommend David's review over any other one so far.

[aster]

Thank you, David. : )

Indeed, very much appreciated.


Yildiz

[supernovak]

Hi David and others,
you have mentioned the simplified AF system that may result in better focusing experience - BF or FF.
I won't be able to get A55 until late January (Sony Canada has none in stock and everything planned for Xmas is sold out) so I cannot test my faithful Tamron 90mm 2.8 macro on it.
On A700 it was disaster, it couldn't even focus to eternity while on a900 was on +13 and works perfectly.
I have a chance to get new Sony 85mm 2.8 for 199, but I won't do it if my Tamron works well.
Any experiences with this Tamron or similar lenses?
My other two Tamrons 24-135mm and 70-210 LD 2.8 are very unpredictable with focusing and I cannot adjust focus well.
thanks in advance!
novak

[David Kilpatrick]

Only the Sigma 70mm macro, and that works well. Perhaps some issues will show up at some point, but so far, the only focus problems I've had with the A55 have been completely missed focus but the shutter still firing - and my not spotting the problem in the EVF. This has happened on two frames so far, and I think that for some reason the lens has refocused or shifted focus. Only with the 16-80mm CZ. Because I can't repeat the error, I have not written about it.

One of the great things about the A55 is that because you have a ful resolution live view, you can just hit the magnify button to confirm the accuracy of focus. But it does not seem to have DMF with screw drive lenses, so correcting or changing the focus calls for switching to MF with the 16-80mm. There is a tiny amount of 'play' on the focus ring, which lets you just see a small movement. That has proved to me that the AF is usually perfect - no error at all. Even a tiny shift on the focus ring, using this loose play, produces front or back focus but the AF as locked will be spot-on.

David

[Jasper_D]

Very nice informative read David, so far the best review I have seen! The camera itself is not for me I´m afraid, but I learnt a few useful things just by reading it.
I don´t agree at all with the comparison to other small things - there really is a handling difference between a pencil and a 70400G i.e. - but that´s just my own opinion of course. You made it look more interesting than I thought up front though, thanks for that!

[bfitzgerald]

Well it was an interesting read. Handling wise you cannot ever really convey an accurate feeling on that as everyone is an individual. I think for me the smaller size was not a huge problem on it's own, but the grip does not have enough depth for my hands (I have longer fingers)
The other problem with going small is you get cramped up body controls (esp on the back right under the thumb pad area) and the A55 suffers on this to a degree. It's a body you really need to hold to see how you get on with it the only way I'm afraid.

Regarding the comments about mirror shock/slap I'm not buying it for hand held shots I'm afraid (tripods cause vibration hands don't they're soft not hard!)

Couple of minor comments when I picked one up it's interesting Sony picked a wide screen aspect ratio for the monitor and LCD yet you shoot native at 3:2..wonder why they did that. It's a nice enough camera personally I didn't warm to the EVF despite the impressive size of the display.

[Lonnie Utah]

Barry,

Have you actually tried using the A55 for any length of time or is all of this just speculation?