Looking back was some times better

Specifically for the discussion of the A-mount DSLR range
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classiccameras
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Looking back was some times better

Unread post by classiccameras »

During the lock down periods I started looking at some of the early Jpegs taken with various A mount cameras I have owned, starting with the A-57 then A-37 and more recently the -A-58 I was more impressed with both the 57 and 37 pics which had the 16 mp sensors, but not so pleasing were the A-58 with the 20 MP sensor. As people might recall I have never been a big fan of Sony sensors' will go as far to say they changed the Jpeg quality on the Olympus cameras, I'm not saying for worse, just different.
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Fotogeorge
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Re: Looking back was some times better

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I'm still satisfied with my A-57. I usually only shoot raw. Size of sensor only hinders cropping. I'm not into printing large prints. Sony 7S e-mount cameras have 16 mp sensors. It's the digital image, not the size. Even my 7D's mp6 image is wonderful. I can use, with an adapter, accessories for mirror-less on the A-57. My Nissin 18 macro flash and newer Sony flashes works well on the A57. Long live the A-mount.
KM7D, Sony A350, A580, A-700, A57, A65, A5100 , a6500 , & a7iii, plus a bunch of lenses.
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Re: Looking back was some times better

Unread post by classiccameras »

We must keep A mount alive even though they have ceased production, I was never a huge fan of the rather brash colours Sony A mount exhibited, but use a few older Konica/Minolta lenses on my A57 and the colours became very pleasing, a lot is to do with the coatings Sony were putting on their lenses to blow up contrast. I'm not going down the E mount route, prefer the Canon M5
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Looking back was some times better

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The earlier camera jpegs were IMO not great. Too much noise reduction, and the settings if they were present didn't do much. It got better later on, a bit - can't say I was ever a fan of the A57 or A77 jpegs. A99 was not bad when set to low, quite good really.
You can keep using stuff as long as you want, there is no shortage or gear out there on all the mounts, including A mount.

However I think Sony's abandonment/silence/treatment, of A mount customers is pretty terrible. It's about the worst way any company could treat their users, nothing said, no mentions or thanks nothing; no deal/incentives other than some stupid LA-EA5 trade in over a year ago. Yes they also went back on their word to keep the mount going. Leaves a very bad taste in the mouth

With that in mind, I started to sell off my A mount investment about 6 months ago. I still have some stuff left - but I won't be buying anything with an S stamped on it. As fond as I am of some of Minolta's thinking, lenses and ergonomics - It was a bad call to sell the division to Sony for long term Minolta users.
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Re: Looking back was some times better

Unread post by classiccameras »

Its been a long term bug bare of mine that Sony decided not to give user control over noise, Jpegs were never their strong point, I have just one body left a A58 with a couple of Minolta lenses, but they hardly get used these days as my Canon M5 and Panasonic Bridge get all the work. I find it hard to fault Panasonic with their user control options, Jpegs are excellent and plenty of in camera adjustment to tweak, What is your favoured option now camera wise. I will never go back to Sony or their E mount.
Changing the subject, has the four thirds users forum finished, I can no longer find it?
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Looking back was some times better

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I did ponder Panasonic, the S5 is priced well relative to other cameras. However it seems a bit video focused, over stills. I'm not sure how well lenses adapt either or how good their AF is.
Was there a micro 4/3 forum? I don't remember it
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Re: Looking back was some times better

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Yes, this is the link at: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/1041
KM7D, Sony A350, A580, A-700, A57, A65, A5100 , a6500 , & a7iii, plus a bunch of lenses.
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Re: Looking back was some times better

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Panasonics are the go to camera for most videographers. They are just as useful as a stills camera, with no corner cutting.
I cannot fault the 2 I have, one was a GX7 now sold to pay for my Panny bridge FZ330, I cannot fault them, for my type of photography which is mainly Jpegs, They never let me down on exposure, focus, Their colour pallet is very pleasing and I think they beat Olympus on lens quality, both optically and construction, there is also a large Leica influence on Panny lens design. I wish years ago I had got their early 4/3 camera ( not Micro 4/3 ).
My panny bridge gives nicer pictures than Sony, colour balance, exposure, sharp, and full of detail and that's just a small sensor. From my point of view Panasonic just seem to get most thing right. Also their DSLR and Bridge controls are very ergonomically laid out, they are a pleasure to use up at the eye, more than I could say about the Olympus EM-10 I had, very cramped.

Panny FF are not cheap but they must be there up with the best, Expensive to build a kit round the S5, best thing try one out before you buy
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Re: Looking back was some times better

Unread post by classiccameras »

Just to add to my last post, if I ever did return to M/4/3 it would be Panasonic
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Looking back was some times better

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classiccameras wrote: Sun Apr 10, 2022 6:04 pm Panasonics are the go to camera for most videographers. They are just as useful as a stills camera, with no corner cutting.
I cannot fault the 2 I have, one was a GX7 now sold to pay for my Panny bridge FZ330, I cannot fault them, for my type of photography which is mainly Jpegs, They never let me down on exposure, focus, Their colour pallet is very pleasing and I think they beat Olympus on lens quality, both optically and construction, there is also a large Leica influence on Panny lens design. I wish years ago I had got their early 4/3 camera ( not Micro 4/3 ).
My panny bridge gives nicer pictures than Sony, colour balance, exposure, sharp, and full of detail and that's just a small sensor. From my point of view Panasonic just seem to get most thing right. Also their DSLR and Bridge controls are very ergonomically laid out, they are a pleasure to use up at the eye, more than I could say about the Olympus EM-10 I had, very cramped.

Panny FF are not cheap but they must be there up with the best, Expensive to build a kit round the S5, best thing try one out before you buy
I'm pondering my options right now.
I've raised a tidy sum selling off various things, including A Mount gear - yet it has taken a while to do that. Glad I stuck it out and got decent prices on the stuff.
I'm either going back to DSLR, or a new maker for MILC. It's tricky because the DSLR route will be far more cost effective, as there are tons of items out there. Perhaps that makes more sense and try MILC later on, just ensure I have compatible stuff.

Chances of finding an S5 in person, in a shop are fairly slim. Last time I looked around most of the major retailers had all but wiped out their camera/camcorder display items. One shop had a huge layout 6-7 years ago, now it's mostly a small glass cabinet with a few things on display. Mix in the chip shortage and mostly out of stuck stuff. You'd be struggling to find anything in person these days. Even online is sparse. The lack of legacy gear hurts Panasonic FF, in a way where it doesn't for Canikon - you at least have options if you're not buying native lenses.
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Re: Looking back was some times better

Unread post by classiccameras »

I built a nice 3 lens system for my old Canon 650D and for Peanuts, even include the Canon 15-85, a cracking walk about lens.
Well going back to a DSLR won't be much of a shock as you had years with A mount. Canikon have a huge used market. Are you putting E mount to one side. I think their lens choice is not good and the few down at the budget end are optically very average performers.

I invested in the Canon M5 trying to down size my camera and kit, superb picture quality, poor lens choice and no third party to talk of

I still go to my Panasonic FZ330 every time I'm out for the day, I just cannot fault it, Something has to go, because having a multi brand is not a good idea As for DSLR's Canikon now make some pretty small bodies both APS-C and FF.

Does it have to be an S5 ?, Remember the old saying, buy in haste, repent at leisure. Canikon have the most comprehensive kit out there
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Looking back was some times better

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Sony are gone for me, I've no interest in their products. The A6300 is sold, so is the adapter. I still have the A99 and about half the lenses I had 6 months ago. I've sold the 80-200mm F2.8, 100mm Macro, and most of the film bodies and some other lenses. I have just a basic core of items (adequate to get jobs done). I have 10 lenses left down from 20. I'm hoping to sell more get it down to about 6. That leaves me with the essentials, until it's mostly all offloaded. I will probably hold onto the 5d's and the 18-70mm, 50mm F1.7 and 100-200mm. Those are not worth much, and I play around with them a bit

I wouldn't buy Panasonic, just saying they are slashing prices to try to get people interested. The limited line up is a problem, and lack of used gear.
It's down to Canikon for me, I'm not considering any other makers. Fuji are too expensive for an APS-C system.

So the choice is MILC or go with DSLR either Canon or Nikon and re-build a system, making sure it's mirror less compatible. Canon are interesting, but their MILC prices are horrible, the R6 is almost €2200 grey import. It's tough to call if it's better to go Nikon or Canon for DSLR, both have pros and cons, and some interesting lenses.
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Re: Looking back was some times better

Unread post by classiccameras »

Sounds like a sensible route to take, if your looking at Canikon, look at the bigger picture on these 2 brands, they cater with an enormous back line and huge global used market. My old 650D with the 15-85 lens takes outstanding pictures,
Its a APS-C cropped system but that's what most people want. Sony decided to go small but decent design and ergonomics got in the way of sensible.

My Canon M5 even though its APS-C and small and light is far superior to hold and operate, shame about the lens line up. It seems Canon are holding back on producing any more for whatever reason.

I have had Nikons but I prefer Canon, look at the after market lenses to for Canikon. If you do go down the FF route bare in mind they will need top glass to do the sensor justice. I have just the Sony A58 and a couple of Minolta lenses left, no body seems to want them. I won't get rid of my very old Olympus E-510 as it was my first DSLR and hold some good memories, plus the best Jpegs in the business, but its not a system, just the body and Zuiko 14-54 f.2.8.
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Looking back was some times better

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I'm not going anywhere near any crop systems, for various reasons. For what I do, there is no real advantage for smaller size, and the prices are not nearly as appealing as they could be. This sort of applies to Micro 4/3 or Fuji X, I'm sure they are nice enough - not for me or what I want it for. I know a few Fuji people who are itching to switch systems, unhappy at the apparent lack of Fuji development and pricey lenses. No doubt they will come back in May with an expensive XH2, 2 grand + crop bodies just are not appealing for me.

It's not a great time to buy anything really, prices are up new and used. Every time I try to put something into the buy cart, I hesitate and just bail out!
I still have the 99, and adequate lenses to get stuff done. I just offloaded quite a bit of excess gear. It's very hard to know what to get. For DSLR I suspect Canon won't do anything else, at all. I think Nikon will at some point.

For mirrorless I'm not convinced Nikon are where they need to be, except the Z9 which is crazy money for a camera. Canon seem more on point, only if you adapt EOS lenses though, the RF stuff is horribly overpriced. Below R6 doesn't seem very exciting, Nikon have more value but have they nailed the problems? There is no simple solution really, I just have to pick something up and run with it. It's a bit annoying Sony dumped on their users, otherwise I'd still be sticking it out with A Mount, reality bites though I just can't wait to get away from Sony as quickly as possible! :mrgreen:

A mount stuff does sell, you just have to be patient
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Re: Looking back was some times better

Unread post by classiccameras »

I think I'm in a different boat to you Barry, I'm strictly an amateur and just take pics for pleasure, I like having good gear, in my 35-mm days I had several cameras, Praktika, Olympus OM 2, Pentax Rolleiflex SLR, Canon, and latterly Minolta 35-mm SLR's which I still have and use occasionally, zooms were pretty crappy in those days so I used primes on all those brands

My only claim to fame was some colour slides I took of Argentine air force aircraft,( don't ask, I was in the RAF reserve )which I sold to the BBC and they were shown as a back drop behind the news reader during the Falklands war

I'm still fuming at Sony who pilfered one of my Autumn leaves picks to use on their television adverts. Pointless in chasing them, they obviously surfed my albums, albums are now blocked. Picture was taken with a Olympus E 620. ha ha not a Sony camera.

The trouble in changing to another brand/system is you run the risk of jumping out the frying pan into the fire, the old saying buy in haste, repent at leisure, I've been there when I bought Pentax DSLR, never again.
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