Discussion of all digital SLR cameras under the Minolta and Konica Minolta brands
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Argonaut wrote:Thanks to Tom, I trekked across town to the South Coast Plaza and they still had two a700 bodies-only. Now they only have one. After seeing used a700s going for $700 and up I figured I had missed the boat. Now I have one for $600, new in the box. I've installed the 4.0 firmware and am ready to go. For other shoppers, they also have 8 or 9 of each of the bodies + kit lens packages left too ($800 for the 16-105 lens IIRC).
I'm pleased to hear that you were able to get what you want, and at a price that I think is a bargain. (I bought one of the A700 bodies as a birthday gift for my son-in-law, who already had an A100 - which I gave him for his birthday some years ago.)
FWIW, I had not realized before that you are local to this area.
Are you certain about the price for the A700 with 16-105mm lens? When I was there earlier this month that was the price for the A700 with the 18-70mm lens, and the A700 with 16-105mm lens was $1000. (Actually $999 - for marketing reasons.)
Tom - you are probably right about which kit lens went for which price. I was drunk with victory and didn't pay that close attention. For me neither kit lens is worth even $100 because I've got a full bag already.
Sony a77ii, RX-100 I; RX10 iii; Rokinon 8mm f/3.5; Tamron 17-50; Sony 70-400G; Lightroom 6.2; Photoshop CS5; PicturesToExe 8.0.
First impressions of the Sony A-550, The first thing I noted no lens hood for the kit lens are Sony doing a Canon on this?
The metal grey upper part of the case looks cheap plastic but feels ok, strange!
The next item is the thumb wheel to close to the on off switch, I must watch that, also small.
Did a couple of shots at ISO1600 noise reduction Normal, excellent, I do not normally use that high but very usable.
I will now read the book and find out exactly how to setup.
In a couple of days will add to my impressions of the camera.
Thanks
Richard
Scooterman wrote:
Next thing on my shopping list will be a fast longer lens may be the 70-400.
There are a few longer Primes available on the web and Ebay, are there any to avoid?
Also any others to avoid?
Well, if thinking of lenses to build up a long term kit it may be good to avoid any shaft drive lenses. Or hold off on them. Sony is heading towards ending shaft drive and putting out everything in SAM or SSM according to DK elsewhere in here. I agree, every sign says that. Won't be a problem with the 550, but lenses tend to last through many generations of camera bodies.
You should really like the 70-400G. Primes are not going to get you much if anything over it in it's focal length range.
Thanks Walt, Looks like it will be the 70-400mm on the list of “To Buys”
Reading reviews it looks like a good one.
I just don't want to waste money on inferior lenses, to get the best out of a camera top quality glass is required, no good having low quality glass then blaming the camera.
I was asked why Not Pentax ? The reason being their SDM lenses (new silent motor) are slower focusing on the K7 than the older screw drive lenses and when you want fast continuous focusing as I do that is no good.
Regards
Richard
We really don't know if Sony will start removing the in body AF motor. It might be on the cards..but there are dangers for them to do that. To at least some users having AF with legacy lenses is a selling point. Hard to predict on this front. I don't think anyone would be hugely shocked if at some point a lower or upper entry level range had them taken out.
I hope not, but I'm not very confident about it. It's all down to the body being used..my film 7 is frighteningly good even with oldie stuff. I see a place for some lenses having in lens motors, not the cheap noisy SAM ones..pointless, but proper SSM. For example the 16-80mm CZ needs a re-build and SSM might be a good idea of a lens of this cost.
Hi,
If they do remove the drive motor, I'm sure it will be like Nikon, the lower end of the market to save on build cost, not high end cameras, far to many users having very good screw drive lenses in their kit.
Regards
Richard
bfitzgerald wrote:We really don't know if Sony will start removing the in body AF motor. It might be on the cards..but there are dangers for them to do that. To at least some users having AF with legacy lenses is a selling point. Hard to predict on this front. I don't think anyone would be hugely shocked if at some point a lower or upper entry level range had them taken out.
I hope not, but I'm not very confident about it. It's all down to the body being used..my film 7 is frighteningly good even with oldie stuff. I see a place for some lenses having in lens motors, not the cheap noisy SAM ones..pointless, but proper SSM. For example the 16-80mm CZ needs a re-build and SSM might be a good idea of a lens of this cost.
It's more likely for now to continue on the line of replacing lenses that are now shaft drive with SAM/SSM lenses. Once they have gone through most of the common ones then I do not think they will hold up for the older Minolta lenses. And certainly not for Minolta film cameras.
David seems to be pointing to SAM for the 16-80 and for the 18-250 (when it becomes an 18-270). I'd much rather not see SAM as the entire lens build quality is lower, not just the motor. I'd be reluctant to buy these lenses in SAM.
Walt, the Tamron 60mm f/2 is technically SAM not SSM - but as others who are buying this lens here will confirm, the focus action is as smooth as SSM with just a hint more mechanical feel and noise - FAR better than the SAM of the Sony 30mm and 50mm.
But I will also add that while the 30mm makes a noise and feels poor for large focus shifts, the SAM motor is capable of very small adjustments almost silently - better than screw drive.
Scooterman wrote:Hi,
If they do remove the drive motor, I'm sure it will be like Nikon, the lower end of the market to save on build cost, not high end cameras, far to many users having very good screw drive lenses in their kit.
Regards
Richard
Well this problem is the same for all makers. How do Canon and Nikon get users to buy their lenses and not Tokina, Tamron, Sigma etc? I'd say simply by offering good optics and some appealing ranges.
I'm not convinced the cost of the AF motor is in any way significant. And even if it is taken out third party makers will quickly adopt in lens motors..and over time a second hand market develops. Canon can't stop folks buying lenses on ebay..nor Nikon or anyone else.
Overall I think Sony have more to lose than gain by taking the AF motor out of bodies.
The main thing that Nikon did removing the focus motor from the lower end cameras was to make the bodies smaller, D40-D40x-D60 and now the D3000, prices at that level are very competitive and any saving is a plus for them, although I personally think it did not work, as the market share in that class of camera has not gone Nikons way, many more opting for other brands or the Nikon D5000 with the motor.
Regards
Richard
David Kilpatrick wrote:Walt, the Tamron 60mm f/2 is technically SAM not SSM - but as others who are buying this lens here will confirm, the focus action is as smooth as SSM with just a hint more mechanical feel and noise - FAR better than the SAM of the Sony 30mm and 50mm.
But I will also add that while the 30mm makes a noise and feels poor for large focus shifts, the SAM motor is capable of very small adjustments almost silently - better than screw drive.
David
Let's say I'm using the word SAM here as a stand in for the entire mechanical design and build quality of a lens, because that's pretty much how I'm using it. So, for instance plastic mounts are included.
I was not specifically pointing at the Tamron, that's another company. I'm not particularily attracted to the 60mm FL, consider the 100mm to be much more useful from my experience over the years. So I'd more think in terms of if the 60mm replaced the 50mm which is a secondary lens in my macro lineup. Mostly just gets used in more confined spaces where even the 10mm extra might make it less desirable.
Be interested, Walt, to know the exact clearances between the front rim of the 50mm and 100mm f/2.8 Min/Sony and the subject plane (with lens hood removed of course) at 1:1. I have sold my Minolta lenses and can't measure that now.
The Tamron 60mm has a clearance of 106mm (they state 100mm, but this applies to the Nikon version). That's filter thread to subject distance in effect.
I have the KM lens leaflet that came with my AF100 f2.8(D) Macro, it has the DOF tables at all apertures for both lenses, the 50mm Macro included, as well as an exposure compensation table at various magnifications down to 1:1 for both lenses.
The 'official' figures for both are: Minimum focus for the 50mm Macro is 200mm, and the 100mm Macro is 352mm.
Greg
