David, thanks for a99 review

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Mark K
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David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by Mark K »

I read it, with my breath holding for some time. .....I thought it was a good movement to let go my A850 and I am still holding my decision for A99, unless the price comes down to that of D600/6D. I bought a 5DIII, at a price of an A99 and it does not disappoint me in AF performance at all...
I wonder how many years I have to wait for Sony to launch another flagship camera with improved AF and an optical viewfinder as great as one found in A900 :mrgreen:
classiccameras
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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by classiccameras »

As much as I would like to see an OVF on 'some' new Sony DSLR's, I cannot see them moving back to that while all their R+D is now on EVF.
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Aart Roest
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David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by Aart Roest »

I read it gladly. Interesting results. Specially for the comparisons made.
I can remain not yet stepping up to A99 and remainig with my elderly camera.
Yet reading the comparison between the A77 and the A99, I wondered at which bitdepth the A700 and A900 work. Who could tell me ? The effects are they noticable ?
Please inform me.
Who's the first to tel me ?
With my Happy Wishes fot the new year,
Aart
David Kilpatrick
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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

The A700 and A900 are 12-bit raw cameras. Sony has never made a 14-bit one until the A99.

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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by johnstra »

Can I add my thanks or another fine review. The A99 is out of my league financially speaking so I wouldn't normally bother to read a review but David's reviews are so insightful that I couldn't resist it!

As for the thorny question of EVF/OVF. Sony have made their decision. They have to have a differentiator to set them apart from Canon and Nikon and they have to lower their manufacturing costs as they don't have the same economy of scale. That is the only sensible way to go as Sony are an innovative company. There would simply be no point in going to market with another 'me too' slr as Canon and Nikon already have that old technology market sewn up. I would put money on the next generation of EVF being so good that the OVF will die. Probably in about two years time. I have experienced an OVF nearly as good as that in the A900 as I used to have a Dynax 9, but now I have got used to the EVF in my A77 I would not go back to an OVF, certainly not in an APSC camera anyway.
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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by bfitzgerald »

Well loving that EVF is down to taste I agree with DK in that it's good for lower light/indoors, but a bit disappointing used in bright light/outside (and yes I've used the A77 EVF) I won't go into this debate but to say whilst I've got my head around the SLT aspect, I cannot say I don't want to use my Dynax 7 35mm body ever again, because it's a great viewfinder and very clear. I doubt even a 5 million dot EVF would equal that.

I would also have to disagree that SLT is the "only way to go" and I've heard this "Sony had no choice" argument from a DPR reviewer and I'm not convinced myself. A company can differentiate itself in many ways, but mostly by excellence in it's products. And if they are lowering their costs at the factory then why are we not getting better prices on SLT products? 2 years isn't long either and until I see EVF models from Canikon my money is def on DSLR's being all OVF from other makers, and no way will Canikon go EVF for higher end APS-C models and up.

The sticking point for Sony is the "take it or leave it" approach and I believe an EVF only line up is too risky and alienates OVF users who I think deserve a choice. So I can't support that move, I also think it could cost them users esp at the full frame end of the market or higher end APS-C one. I'd be all over an updated A700 with a 100% VF and beefed up to modern standards in every way, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that thinking either. I wouldn't be surprised if Sony are haemorrhaging full frame users to Nikon right now least in the UK.
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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by David Kilpatrick »

It is really hard to understand why the 16 megapixel APS-C sensor - which everyone agrees is exceptional for image quality - has never been put into a D300, A700 quality body from Nikon or Sony. The D7000 isn't - it's more a D90 series - and the A580 isn't either.

I often wonder whether a skilled engineer could take the sensor, processing board and a few other components from a 580 and graft them into a 700 body.

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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by stevecim »

hmmmm how about a 16Mpixel 14bit output sensor in a A77 body, called A70 :)
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bfitzgerald
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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by bfitzgerald »

For whatever reason (reasons unknown) Nikon just left the D300 series on the back burner it should have by rights have got the 16mp CMOS sensor a good while back.
I personally did not have a problem with a D7000 style body build felt good to me, just the AF wasn't up to par.

A580 I was tempted, but it needed a better viewfinder and a beefed up body.
The K-5 did get it, now the K5II. Horses for courses on that v the D7000 body.

Next year should be interesting as both makers are due to update their high end APS-C and pro level APS-C models. I expect a 7dMkII, updated 60d, D7100 and D400 too
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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by Mark K »

David Kilpatrick wrote:It is really hard to understand why the 16 megapixel APS-C sensor - which everyone agrees is exceptional for image quality - has never been put into a D300, A700 quality body from Nikon or Sony. The D7000 isn't - it's more a D90 series - and the A580 isn't either.

I often wonder whether a skilled engineer could take the sensor, processing board and a few other components from a 580 and graft them into a 700 body.

David
I almost thought that an A580 is the natural development of A700....and I got an A77 instead.
I wonder how good Nikon makes D5200 which uses another variant of the 24MP sensor.

Looking back at my Nikon wildlife shooters, I was astonished to find them either using D300s...or D3/D4. I wonder where have all those D7000s gone?
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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by classiccameras »

I agree about the Sony 16mp sensor, its the best out there and is the market leader, which is why other manufacturers such as Nikon and Pentax are using it.

Nikon being their usual 'give nothing away in interviews' dropped a small bombshell when they admitted that they have more than one supplier of sensors and the sensors in the new D3200 and D5200 are not from the same source.

Its also rumoured but not confirmed that the new Panasonic GH-3 is using a Sony 4thirds sensor, same one as the Oly OM-D. I saw this on the 4thirds forum.
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Re: David, thanks for a99 review

Unread post by alphaomega »

David Kilpatrick wrote
It is really hard to understand why the 16 megapixel APS-C sensor - which everyone agrees is exceptional for image quality - has never been put into a D300, A700 quality body from Nikon or Sony. The D7000 isn't - it's more a D90 series - and the A580 isn't either.
For my purposes the Sony 16Mp APS-C sensor is ideal. I was thinking of buying the NEX-7 but resisted and was rewarded with the release of the NEX-6. So in reality my search for the "ideal" camera has ended and I now possess the A580, NEX-5N and NEX-6 all with that wonderful 16Mp sensor. Ideal for a happy compromise between sensor size and Mb occupancy on the HDD. (In fact, my only objection to my RX100 is that it is 20 rather than 16Mp.) Like others I did think at the time the A580 was released that Sony should have introduced a A700 upgrade instead with that 16Mp sensor and video. Anyway, having gone through the path of A700, A350, A550 and NEX-5 I feel that my search has ended. Just need now to get a hold of an E10-18mm at a reasonable price. Notice that an Ebay vendor offers grey import at £640 delivered. Would pay that for a "white" import with full Sony UK warranty.
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