I have got to get me one of these!

[alphaomega]

I will wait for reviews and then release of RAW converters to cope as no indication of a IDC v.4 including CA removal. Not keen on SD card but it looks as if the promotion is on selling Memory Sticks with SD "fall back" only.
I will let the price drop a bit as well and then probably replace my A350 with the A550 sometime next year. I will definitely keep my new A700.

[Dusty]

I agree Barry that FPS means little to most people. It may mean a bit better composition when using auto-bracketing, but I'll bet most people don't use that, either.

I want to wait, of course, until I see results, but the spec look good. Even with it's small viewfinder, I don't have a problem with the 350, so this will be an improvement. I do hope that they included an x-sync socket so that I can use my old flashes!

Dusty

[alphaomega]

I forgot to add that it is interesting that Sony opted for another 14.2Mp sensor, but this time CMOS, for the A550. They had the option to match or beat Canon but stayed at 14.2Mp. Interesting to note that when Panasonic released the LX3 they stated that 10Mp was considered optimal by them for a quality P&S. They did not go to 12 Mp as in some of their non RAW P&S cameras. Note also that Canon have gone from 14.7Mp G10 to 10Mp G11. Maybe there is a common realisation that with current technology the Mp race is leading to nowhere other than deplorable higher ISO images. I seem to remember that DK wrote recently that the detail resulution in 50D images left something to be desired. Sony made big play of the fact that the A900 24Mp sensor was ideally matched to the CZ lenses. Maybe it has dawned on some of the companies that lenses actually put a limit to the Mp race and the higher they go, ultimately the further they fall in the hands of "on the ball" reviewers and users.

[Elisha]

also seems like the a550 FW is not official yet since the DPR test unit states Preview based on a pre-production DSLR A550 (Firmware V0.9)

[Yagil Henkin]

Barry, those 7fps must be MLU starting 2nd frame and on... Cheer up!

Good Point - "salvo shooting" can act as MLU (at the price of one un-sharp photo at the begining of the sequence, but it's quite limited in long exposures - but in those I need the MLU.

[David Kilpatrick]

The Manual Focus Live View mode is mirror lockup, in effect. The camera also has a wired remote socket. It will be possible to get MLU in effect by using LVMF.

David

[01af]

The Manual Focus Live View mode is mirror lockup, in effect.

Well, that's the question. It seems only natural ... but did you actually try it? For example, the Nikon D90 will flip the mirror down and up before taking the shot when firing the shutter in live-view mode.

From the specs, I really like the A550's 7 fps speed-priority mode (will it work with raw captures or with JPEG only?) and the manual-focus-check live-view mode. However I sorely miss a DOF preview button, mirror pre-fire, mirror lock-up, auto-focus micro-adjustment, and a CF card slot.

If in any of the two live-view modes the lens gets stopped down to the selected shooting aperture then that would be a good replacement for---or even better than---the missing DOF preview button. If in MF-check live-view mode the shutter gets fired immediately without flipping the mirror then that would be a good replacement for the missing MLU feature. The missing AF micro-adjustment, however, cannot be replaced, not even by MF-check live view.

So let's hope for the A700 replacement to arrive soon.

-- Olaf

[pakodominguez]

The Manual Focus Live View mode is mirror lockup, in effect. The camera also has a wired remote socket. It will be possible to get MLU in effect by using LVMF.

David

Quoting Richard Butler from DPR:
"I've just tried all permutations and the mirror always flips down, just prior to the shot being taken. "
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=32815077
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=32815110

[01af]

Quoting Richard Butler from DPR: "I've just tried all permutations and the mirror always flips down, just prior to the shot being taken."

Sigh

So just like the A2XX and A3XX series, the A500 and A550 models are snap-shooter's toys rather than photographer's tools.

-- Olaf

[Birma]

... and another thing ...

The SSS dedicated button / slide-switch has gone

Very useful visual reference when it's on the tripod as a reminder to switch it off. Perhaps you never have to switch off SSS now? More likely to be saving money on buttons.

I like the look of the new live view, with articulated screen and grid pattern.

[bfitzgerald]

They are most likely running out of space. 3" swivel takes up more space than 3" normal. So something has to go.
I hope to god we never get mega 5" screens and touch screen controls, then it really will be time to quit photographer forever

[bakubo]

So just like the A2XX and A3XX series, the A500 and A550 models are snap-shooter's toys rather than photographer's tools.

Just to add a bit of perspective to this discussion about MLU. In 35+ years of SLR photography I have never used MLU even though I have had it on several SLRs/DLSRs. Sure, I know some people want it and use it, but there are many of us who don't care. It depends on what kind of photographs you take.

For that matter, I don't care about FPS either. Well, I care as long as it is, say, at least 1 FPS, but I could live with 0.5 FPS too. I have never used continuous advance mode. Again, I realize some people care about this and use it, but not everyone does.

[KevinBarrett]

I have to say, the price is right! It might not be 100% the camera for me, but I'd feel really silly if I had jumped on an a350 deal in the last month or two!

[agorabasta]

Barry, those 7fps must be MLU starting 2nd frame and on... Cheer up!

Good Point - "salvo shooting" can act as MLU (at the price of one un-sharp photo at the begining of the sequence, but it's quite limited in long exposures - but in those I need the MLU.

I haven't heard that 'speed priority' mode is limited to short exposures only.
So if it really keeps the mirror up, that's a true MLU starting 2nd frame and on...