A900 DPR Preview.

[Winston]

The only thing on the A900 that I want on my A700s is the mode dial. It looks like the new firmware (have not tried it yet) has taken care of my other wish. The big, bright viewfinder would be nice but I don't want the huge files that come with it.

[Javelin]

I stopped using my CF cards and went all memory stick. they work fine and there a lot smaller. we used CF in other devices at work and there were a lot of failures. the last ones we bought were 128mb so it shows how long since they've been used. I just don't like pins as contact on devices in 2008.. it's silly

DPR wasn't particularly neutral about the presence of the memorystick slot. Detect a little sarcasm?

That same sarcasm you might find among alpha users too who are strongly convinced that only CF cards are the right choice. Sooner or later MS will equal or surpass it, I'm sure.

[kelvinyam]

I stopped using my CF cards and went all memory stick. they work fine and there a lot smaller. we used CF in other devices at work and there were a lot of failures. the last ones we bought were 128mb so it shows how long since they've been used. I just don't like pins as contact on devices in 2008.. it's silly

The CF socket's pins are quite fragile and more than once I nearly break one from the card reader, I had to carefully bend it back in position. Still CF is just too popular on DSLR market, where almost every DSLR has a slot for it. I wonder why SD is not as popular as CF in DSLR.

[KevinBarrett]

For now, I'd say CF cards are it. They're the biggest and, ultimately, the most capable at moving and storing, having more room to work with. I doubt we could expect a new standard until that card becomes the limiting factor for write speeds. Don't count on increasing file-sizes to usher in a new standard, all that can do is sell more CF cards.

My only complaint is that Sony either isn't listening or refuses to make dual storage formats as useful as it could be. Why can we not write to both cards at once? I thought that complaint was clearly logged with Sony when the a700 came out.

[David Kilpatrick]

I downloaded a 278 MB file from Sony site. It is the new Picture Motion Browser with new features (still didn't study it thoroughly). Hoped there would be embedded the new IDC too in the package, but alas...

Can you provide a URL? SonyEurope support downloads does not appear to include it.

David

[aster]

Hi,

I hope I'm not wrong but I came by an update for the Picture Motion Browser at Sony website; http://www.sony.com. Dr. Harout may be pointing to the same one. The link is below. To view the available A700 updates you have to select your computer operating system from the drop-down-menu box at the bottom of the page. My operating system was Windows XP SP2.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-li ... l=DSLRA700

Yildiz

[David Kilpatrick]

Of course, I'm on Mac, which does not use Picture Motion Browser, so I do not see that update.

David

[pakodominguez]

Of course, I'm on Mac, which does not use Picture Motion Browser, so I do not see that update.

David

don't you have a PC system too?
at the actual PC prices...
BTW, thanks for all the info about the A900, I have a "friend" at the SonyStyle here in NYC, I'll try to get one on my hands soon

[Dr. Harout]

I downloaded a 278 MB file from Sony site. It is the new Picture Motion Browser with new features (still didn't study it thoroughly). Hoped there would be embedded the new IDC too in the package, but alas...

Can you provide a URL? SonyEurope support downloads does not appear to include it.

David

In case you want to download it: http://www.sony-mea.com/support/downloa ... /dslr-a700

[kelvinyam]

My only complaint is that Sony either isn't listening or refuses to make dual storage formats as useful as it could be. Why can we not write to both cards at once? I thought that complaint was clearly logged with Sony when the a700 came out.

Yeap. It would be cool (when shooting RAW + Jpeg) to have RAW saved on a card, and jpeg saved on the other card. I think other high-end system has this feature.

[David Kilpatrick]

Sony said they could not make this possible, on either the A700 or A900 (dual card writing/sequential). I have no idea why. The journalists present at the workshop asked this question. It can not be down to the card mechanism only allowing one device to be seen, as you can select BOTH media to be mounted via USB Mass Storage if you want - simiultaneous access. However, they said they could not add either parallel writing, or sequential card use.

David