Back to the Fold

Specifically for the discussion of the A-mount DSLR range
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classiccameras
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Back to the Fold

Unread post by classiccameras »

I could not resist a small return to A mount, after being disillusioned with Sony I went down the Micro 4/3 route Panasonic in fact and still love the system for various reasons
I saw a A58 with under 1000 actuations in mint condition at my local photo shop, only £155, then I decided to build a little system round it on a budget mainly for general land scape work.
So I found a pretty rare Minolta 24-85 F3.5 and a Konica Minolta 17-35 F2.8 at Ffordes photographic, both under £150 and in excellent condition plus 6 month warranty. I decided to go down the Minolta road rather than Sony lenses as I was very impressed with the colours the Minolta lenses gave when I last used them on my A57, I always found Sony over cooked the colour saturation and high contrast of their lens coatings but then I guess that's what most people like, they all do it.
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Back to the Fold

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Interesting, sort of backs up my thinking in that anything can be worth looking at, "at the right price"
Lens prices seem to be dropping a bit on A mount, which is a good thing IMO. I get on well with the 17-35mm it's useful on crop and FF use it a fair bit
What micro 4/3 did you get?
classiccameras
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Re: Back to the Fold

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Yes, indeed, it was a budget set up, just 2 lenses, one body, all second hand, On a cropped camera, the 17-35 D and 24-85 give excellent pictures, the edge performance are certainly better than when on a FF, I think the whole thing came to around £350. The 17-35 is prone to flare even with a hood on!
I got a used Panny G-7 body and a Panny 12-35 F3.5 just as a walk around lens, the pictures are incredibly sharp compared to other cameras I've used.
Its a great little camera with hinged EVF. My only complaint with most of the Panasonic's is they are very much geared up for the movie maker and there are features to numerous to mention I would never use on stills. Lens for lens especially at the kit and budget end beat Olympus equivalents for performance. Panasonic do make some superb glass.
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Back to the Fold

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The 17-35mm I quite like bargain lens, has to be stopped down hard though at 17mm on full frame - pretty much gets there at F11/13
Used it on crop obviously doesn't need stopping down much. The 17-50mm is very slightly wider field of view on APS-C, not enough to worry about though. I had better luck with the 24-105mm, but I suspect I had a ho hum copy of the 24-85mm. Worth playing around for that price
I might even later on pick up another body if prices tumble (which they should over time), no rush I have 3!
I always felt Panasonic were underrated, even if they do have a more video slanted approach. It probably helped them a bit v Olympus. Wonder what will happen on that side of things, now they've sold it off.
I'm still toying what to do with A Mount, but then again pricing up new gear is just scary how expensive it would get even for a basic set up.
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bakubo
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Re: Back to the Fold

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classiccameras wrote: Thu Jan 28, 2021 1:49 pm I got a used Panny G-7 body and a Panny 12-35 F3.5 just as a walk around lens, the pictures are incredibly sharp compared to other cameras I've used.
Its a great little camera with hinged EVF. My only complaint with most of the Panasonic's is they are very much geared up for the movie maker and there are features to numerous to mention I would never use on stills. Lens for lens especially at the kit and budget end beat Olympus equivalents for performance. Panasonic do make some superb glass.
Do you mean the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8? I don't think there is a 12-35mm f3.5.
classiccameras
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Re: Back to the Fold

Unread post by classiccameras »

Yes, your right its a 12-32
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bakubo
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Re: Back to the Fold

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classiccameras wrote: Fri Jan 29, 2021 4:08 pm Yes, your right its a 12-32
Okay, the Panasonic 12-32mm f3.5-5.6. A nice, small, collapsible lens. I don't have it, but have handled it many times in stores.
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Back to the Fold

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I heard the 7-14mm is very nice (the Panasonic one) it's reasonably affordable used. Depends if you want to go ultra wide
I did look at micro 4/3, as a viable system - at this time I'm not 100% sure what going to happen down the road. My impression is Panasonic at least are courting video users more than stills photographers, their entry into full frame seems fairly low key at this time
classiccameras
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Re: Back to the Fold

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Panasonic seem to be doing better than most in the industry, Olympus have become a lame duck, Yes, Panasonic seem to be the system to go to for movie work, but their stills quality is also superb. Their menus are easy to navigate and touch screen is very good, unlike Olympus who's menus are hidden in sub after sub strata. I guess its what you get used to. I won't join the full frame club from any manufacturer as its costly to get a decent lens collection. I prefer my Panny Bridge.
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Back to the Fold

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classiccameras wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 12:16 pm Panasonic seem to be doing better than most in the industry, Olympus have become a lame duck, Yes, Panasonic seem to be the system to go to for movie work, but their stills quality is also superb. Their menus are easy to navigate and touch screen is very good, unlike Olympus who's menus are hidden in sub after sub strata. I guess its what you get used to. I won't join the full frame club from any manufacturer as its costly to get a decent lens collection. I prefer my Panny Bridge.
I think you are aright, except I would add any system particularly MILC is going to be expensive to build up from scratch unless you start adapting lenses. The coin sort of dropped about a week ago for me, I've pondered for so long which direction to take - yet the answer was quite simple. Use what I have and enjoy now. There is nowhere else to go to "future proof" yourself nor does it matter. all the SLR systems are legacy it's merely a matter of time. Canon seem to be pulling the plug quite quickly (no 5dV or 7dIII), perhaps Nikon will do a few more but that's likely to be it.

So I went back to my original plan, use the gear I have, replace anything if need down the road (no shortage of used gear on A Mount or any other). My experiment with E mount is perhaps drawing to a close - it's a last gasp place to fit lenses and flashes with an adapter (I still think Sony handled the adapter side quite poorly particularly the LAEA5 only working on 3 bodies to date). Better than nothing at least a lifeline if needed many years from now. I would not invest in native E Mount system, nor can I say any of the others excite me much either. RF prices are absurd on native lenses, the Nikon's seem somewhat off the pace, the designs of Sony E are not very user friendly or ergonomic. Fuji's lenses just lack that look I like. Nothing really fits, except...my desire to continue to use Minolta (which is mostly what I have optics wise)

I'm surprised DK has embraced E Mount in the way he has, I've found it detached and generic as far as user experience goes - there just isn't any magic there or desire to excel in the end user experience. It's a technology push tied up in rather poorly design bodies, beneath the tech it's uninteresting and dull. Each to his own I suppose

Some might say it's being a die hard Minolta fan, perhaps - but I don't owe Minolta anything, I just love using their lenses and stuff. The mind of Minolta will continue in my collection- which has not stopped growing :mrgreen: If I found something better I'd use it, can't find it that look I like isn't there anywhere else.
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bakubo
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Re: Back to the Fold

Unread post by bakubo »

Lots of people all over the internet have so much angst about whether a particular brand will continue, whether a particular mount will continue, etc. I never have had that problem my whole life. I buy, I use, and if later I want something new or need something new because what I have is broken then I look at my choices. No big deal. If what I am using now stops working or I become dissatisfied with it and getting something new means changing brands or mounts then no big deal. Sort of exciting to have to change. Doesn't scare me or bother me. For now I am still happy with what I have and it all still works well. I have never lost a second of sleep over any of this stuff that so many people drive themselves batty over. :)
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Back to the Fold

Unread post by bfitzgerald »

I can see both sides to a point. I wouldn't say I drove myself crazy with it, I did consider options. Let me put it like this someone I know had a pretty hefty investment in A mount, A99ii's, lot of G lenses and many if not most of the Zeiss stuff (primes and zooms). They did have what I call normal stuff too, but a lot of high end lenses. He did try to sell of much of it, but couldn't get the prices he wanted. I completely get that, nobody wants to spend a lot of $$$ and let go good equipment at firesale prices. He also had a few E mount bodies, so I suggested he just keep it adapt them and use them.
The alternative is you take a pretty big bath on resale prices. Last I heard he took a huge hit on offloading most of the gear in a deal with someone. Didn't make sense to me as many were in lens motors and adapt quite well to the other bodies.
Some people just get sucked into the native mount/lenses cycle

If I were buying used bodies say an A99ii I would probably go with a photo dealer with warranty, spare parts can be an issue down the road. I' can't say I'm in the market for such a camera, happy enough with what I have bodies and lenses. Most of the recent purchases have 12 month warranties even used (A6300/80-200mm F2.8). If anything busts I'll sell it and replace it ie bodies, plenty of used gear around and will be for a long long time.

If I had multiple A99ii's and a lot of SSM G lenses, repair long term might bother me. For this reason I avoided the 70-200mm F2.8 SSM and went old school with the 80-200mm. So for those with big investments in bodies and lenses I can to a degree understand concerns and why some bail out. As most of my stuff is screw drive, mechanical things can usually be fixed.
classiccameras
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Re: Back to the Fold

Unread post by classiccameras »

I often wondered where would Minolta be today if they were still making cameras/lenses and where would Sony be without the Minolta legacy !
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Back to the Fold

Unread post by bfitzgerald »

Who knows some say the A7 range is based on the older 7000 series body wise (ie boxy)
I've yet to meet anyone who prefers using the 7000 over the later 7 though ;-D
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