Most desirable Sony camera?

[Rodney Brown]

I came within a whisker of splashing out on the RX1. At the last minute I decided I couldn't face the prospect of working without image stabilisation. Losing 4 stops of usable exposure in this way is just not acceptable these days - well that's my position. I couldn't see how the resolution potential could be realised on a regular basis with camera shake.
So that leaves the A99. Despite being overpriced and likely to be sidestepped by competing technologies, it seems to me to be the most desirable in the range if price wasn't an issue.
I know David in these pages has griped about its EV performance on a photoshoot, but I would happily buy his A99 off him for £1000 if he has lost patience with it.

[pakodominguez]

RX1; RX100; NEX-7 or NEX-6 are the more desirable Sony cameras out there. And sexy. Actual Alphas are not. unless Sony came with a killer firmware upgrade that improve video quality and flash system.

The A99 has plus and minus. Overpriced? probably. If you don't need video, HDR, Panorama, and 14 Bit raw, buy an A850/A900.

[classiccameras]

Pako
Your point is a good one but not for every one, there are a lot of people including mysel who don't like the style and size of the NEX cameras, no matter how good they are. I prefer to hold and use a more tradtional DSLR shape no matter how 'undesirable' that may be.
At my low level of photography, cameras like the A37/57 and a few lenses are suffice for my hobby and for me much nicer to hold and use, but hey, i'm old school from the 35-mm days.

In a way, it looks like Sony are forcing the issue with much greater promotion of NEX rather than A mount for first time buyers and in the hope A mount users will change over to NEX! I aknowledge how good the NEX system is and they are CSC market leaders according to most reviews even with 'iffy' lenses.

Pete

[Rodney Brown]

I agree with Pete. I prefer handling a DSLR shape - and the A900 and 850 are bulky and dated looking compared to the later ALphas.

[classiccameras]

Rodney

I cannot comment on any thing more exotic in the Sony camera line other than my 2 cameras A37 and A57. I have never even handled any other Sony SLT.
I have handled a few NEX cameras, but could not get on with them.

I will stick my neck out here and state that in my view both the A37 and A57 are the best entry/lower end enthusiast cameras on the market. The software image processing engine in the A37 is the same as the NEX 5N, so i'm led to believe which is why both cameras give such superb IQ and colour.
Its also my view that up to ISO 1600, nothing comes near Sony for colour and picture detail.

Pete

[pakodominguez]

Pako
Your point is a good one but not for every one, there are a lot of people including mysel who don't like the style and size of the NEX cameras, no matter how good they are. I prefer to hold and use a more tradtional DSLR shape no matter how 'undesirable' that may be.
At my low level of photography, cameras like the A37/57 and a few lenses are suffice for my hobby and for me much nicer to hold and use, but hey, i'm old school from the 35-mm days.

In a way, it looks like Sony are forcing the issue with much greater promotion of NEX rather than A mount for first time buyers and in the hope A mount users will change over to NEX! I aknowledge how good the NEX system is and they are CSC market leaders according to most reviews even with 'iffy' lenses.

Pete

Hi Pete,

I do understand what you say, but the OP asked for "Desirable' cameras. I believe the A37/A57 or the new A58 are very capable cameras, but are they desirable as objects? In other hand, the A900 seams to me desirable, over the "better" A99 -I find the A900 a camera with character, really good image quality, and magnificent view finder. I find same boldness on the NEX or RX designs, and that make those cameras desirable -for me.

Keep in mind that I can not afford a RX1; and that after a couple of months, I sold my RX100 because I find it redundant with my NEX system: they are desirable but I don't need them, and I'm not a collector. I got the A99 because I can use DT lenses and have 12MP raw files (I deliver 6MP to my clients, I don't really need 24MP of most of the events I shoot), and see what's really happening on the viewfinder (with the A900 I have to guess the crop) and I won't sell the A900 for the very same reasons DK bought a new one after selling his original A900.

I find more desire on good lenses, and some times the lack of them make me feel frustrated...

[classiccameras]

Hi Pako

I have the same respect towards the old A-580, which was more in my price range. Probably the best DSLR Sony made for the money.

I think desirable is a very immotive word, for example would you buy a camera that gave the best performance in the world but it was darn ugly.
Desirability for me is 40% ergonomics, 40% performance and 10% looks, and thats without considering all the extras and lens availability which in its self is very important, so really should be part of the equasion.

I suppose if I was to be brutaly honest, i'm rather attached to my old Olympus E-510 and the Zuiko 14-54 F/2.8 zoom fitted to it. more so than any other camera I own. I think its because it was my first DSLR and it has a fond place in my heart because I learnt digi photography on it. Every thing else afterwards was just a bit of 'Kit', end of.

Pete

[pakodominguez]

I think desirable is a very immotive word...

Well, if they start with tricky questions....