a700 users who have bought a55?

[MarcoC]

So, pondering about selling one of my two a700s and getting an a55.

I'm not interested in video - just in getting better high ISO performance.
I don't think I could live with the small OVF of the a580.

I don't mind EVFs - I have micro 4/3 cameras and am fine with the EVFs on those (G1, GH1).

I am a raw shooter - will I see much improvement with a55 raws (using LR 3) over a700 raws?

Also - is it still possible to suffer front focus and back focus issues with the SLT cameras?

Is the focusing better on the SLTs vs the a700?

Look forward to any thoughts from a700 owners who have got an a55

Thanks !
Marco

[David Kilpatrick]

All the answers are affirmative. Including that you can suffer front or back focusing, or focus errors (complete focus errors seem more common with the A55 - if it nails the focus, it's perfect, if it makes a mistake it's a big one - and that is with Phase Detect AF).

But the A55 will give you a surprisingly good working file at ISO 1600, and if you decide to use Manual Focus magnified preview it nearly always agrees perfectly with AF. That is not the case with the A580 which has an AF module more like the A700 in its location and setup.

David