First official specs and pics of A500 + A850

[alphaomega]

David Kilpatrick wrote

A friend just lent me a new Olympus EP-1 (Pen Digital) with 17mm and 14-42mm for a few days.

This is just the best camera to handle I've picked up in years, maybe since the Minolta TC-1 or Contax T2. Amazing.

Looks a good camera and well received but having used both the LX2 and 3 for some time now I do think that for an otherwise well specified and expensive camera the lack of an OVF in the EP-1 really puts me off . There are many bright outside situations where I could do with a decent OVF on these P&S cameras. Even the A350 is paltry and I wonder if the A500/550 will have an improvement in this area.

[alexramos7]

I don´t understand...
The face detection is with 2nd sensor LV, right...?
No make sense a fase detection with manual focus LV through main sensor.

[KevinBarrett]

A friend just lent me a new Olympus EP-1 (Pen Digital) with 17mm and 14-42mm for a few days.

This is just the best camera to handle I've picked up in years, maybe since the Minolta TC-1 or Contax T2. Amazing.

David

I picked one up immediately after the launch date and was very excited about it. The camera is easy to handle and has a very intuitive interface. I particularly liked how using the manual focus ring when in MF/AF mode caused the live view to automatically magnify the focus point to allow you to check focus. I didn't check to see if this feature could be deactivated, but I couldn't imagine ever wanting to turn it off. Also, every zoom lens should feel like the 14-42.

[bfitzgerald]

The Oly is interesting, but panasonic will bring their one out and it will no doubt be better.

No flash, no built in VF, nasty price, not a lot of interest around here
Maybe they will refine the concept over time, ist time buyers are beta testers

[Javelin]

Is there an adaptor for 4/3 to mount minolta MF lenses to it ?

[pakodominguez]

Is there an adaptor for 4/3 to mount minolta MF lenses to it ?

yes
But I think it's better to make lobby on Seagull and Sony for bringing a MD/MC dSRL

Regards

[Javelin]

That would be great!

I have a chance to pick up a 135 2.8 for cheap think I should? it's a lens I had before and really liked a lot

Is there an adaptor for 4/3 to mount minolta MF lenses to it ?

yes
But I think it's better to make lobby on Seagull and Sony for bringing a MD/MC dSRL

Regards

[Dusty]

Is there an adaptor for 4/3 to mount minolta MF lenses to it ?

yes
But I think it's better to make lobby on Seagull and Sony for bringing a MD/MC dSRL

Regards

Hear hear! That would free up a lot of cash, as I already have some fine MD lenses!

Dusty

[pakodominguez]

That would be great!

I have a chance to pick up a 135 2.8 for cheap think I should? it's a lens I had before and really liked a lot

For use it on what camera?
an Oly 4/3? that convert your 135 on a 270mm? It is not the same lens anymore....

If you use one of the mc/md to maxxum converter on an A700, by example, you will be dealing with a similar problem (1.2 + 1.5 crops factor) and the lost of quality the adaptor will give you...

you can try Frank's approach and change the mount of the lens with a chipped adapter, or use Peter Ganzel's approach (more "scientific" since I believe he respect the lens to "film" flange distance, that is not the same between MC/MD and the maxxum mount)

A good lens (the 135 f2.8 is a good lens, I have it and I like it very much) is always a good investment. But if you want to use it on a digital body, better to lobby Seagull (they got the manual focus Minolta assets long time ago) and/or Sony and try to get a MC/MD dSRL to the market soon

[Heidfirst]

1 of the people (dealer) at the Sony UK event today has posted that he can't say anything yet as there is an embargo until tomorrow.

"Just got back from Sony after getting stuck in the traffic on the M25.
Firstly im sorry I cant really tell you much because its still under embargo until tomorrow.

There were 3 new cameras and 2 new lenses.

Out of the two cameras only 2 are worth talking about as one is just a cut down version of the other.

Ask me some questions and i will see if i can answer without getting into trouble."

[mike2008]

Heidfirst,

Do any of the new camera bodies have greater than 5 fps ?

[braeside]

Was DK at the event?

[KevinBarrett]

An observation:

With an APS-C sensor with 12.3 MP at ISO 12,800, Sony will have the lowest pixel density with that sensitivity for any APS-C. Any Sony up to 16.8 MP would be less dense than the Canon 50D.

[Heidfirst]

Heidfirst,

Do any of the new camera bodies have greater than 5 fps ?

read for yourself - http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums ... stcount=52 onwards
all should be revealed tomorrow.

[David Kilpatrick]

I was invited to London and Germany (tomorrow and Friday) but I just can't do it - I am right in the middle of finishing a magazine for press, advertising is non-existent, Richard went down with labyrinthitis followed by serious loss of hearing last week and has really had problems doing his job (ad sales and management) leaving me hanging on and knowing I will have to do this myself with no time to spare.

There is a lot of nonsense being talked on Dxyum about 7fps with no autofocus during shooting - they really need to wake up, the A900 and A700 5 fps are also no AF during shooting and so for that matter are the fast Canon and Nikon settings! All the maximum speeds are quoted with exposure and AF locked at first frame, for ALL the camera makers, and they just don't seem to have realised that - but I am fed up with dropping in to correct strange opinions

I have emailed Paul Genge and Aimee Lake at Sony to be assured of receiving information, and getting in line for test product, but Paul seems happier to avoid telling me anything (I have never been asked to sign an NDA since the A700 launch) - probably because Photoclubalpha, whether liked by Sony or not, is now one of the most popular websites for searches for Alpha new models. Therefore it's more useful to have me picking up scraps of info, than being fed all the facts.

I am confused at Gustav's source of info because I assume that to be Paul Genge, and Paul is legendarily cautious about leaking info. My other 'inside Sony' moles have not sent me any advance info this time.

David